What Every Collector Should Know About Art Conservators

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Conservatives operate under strict rules

Laura Goodman, restorer and owner, began her career in print advertising. “I realized that a lot of the skills I had from the early days of the [ad] agency, before the advent of computers, were the same skills needed to save paper,” she explains.

Proficient in all types of ink and paper, she returned to school to take courses such as organic chemistry and trigonometry to fulfill her requirements. She was eventually accepted into the conservation program at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. “It was pretty serious training,” she recalls. Currently, Goodman is engaged in the conservation of works of art and works exclusively with paper.

With their skills, restorers help preserve precious collectibles

One of the first clients Goodman worked with brought her a very small piece of paper that had been folded, unfolded, and folded many times. It was a small stagecoach bus ticket when his great-grandfather first came to the United States. “It's nice to be able to work on something that means so much to someone,” says Goodman. Old bus passes, yellowed maps, and ancient masterpieces can all be salvaged and perhaps revived when a restorer steps in.

We spoke with Goodman about what she would like to know from all art collectors when working with restorers:

1. Conservatives Seek to Stabilize Damage

Conservatives operate on the principle that their changes may need to be reversed in the future in response to ever-changing technology. “We're trying to do what's reversible because we know the technology of the future will change,” Goodman confirms. If the restorer works on the item later, they should not risk damaging it if they need to cancel the repair.

Conservatives are guided by the principles created. “The main goal of a restorer is to stabilize an object in order to stop decay and ensure that it can be strengthened in the future,” says Goodman. The original appearance determines not the repair of the conservator, but how to stop any wear or aging. 

2. Some insurance policies cover the conservator's expenses

If a work of art is damaged as a result of the terrible scenario of a flood, fire or, for example, your insurance company. The documentation you have saved in your account is the first step in preparing your documents for filing a claim.

Second, your conservator can create a condition report that lists the damage and repairs needed, as well as an estimate. “A lot of the time people don't realize that they can get their insurance companies to pay damages,” Goodman says. "I'm often hired to write condition reports along with an appraisal that is submitted to the insurance company."

3. Restorer estimates are based on technique and labor.

A piece of art can be worth $1 or $1,000,000 and have the same valuation based on an equal amount of work. Goodman creates his estimates based on materials, labor, research, condition, size, and work to be done on that particular item. “One of the things I would like art collectors to understand is that the price of an original work of art is not a factor in the valuation I give,” explains Goodman.

In some cases, her clients will want to know the value of an item in order to justify the cost of the appraisal. If you want a professional opinion on the value of an item, you should work with an appraiser. You can learn more about . "I can't answer if it's worth spending money on something to restore it, it's not ethical what I can advise."

4. Restorers make both invisible and visible repairs

Each repair is based on a part and a situation. “Sometimes the renovations are as subtle as possible, and sometimes they aren’t,” says Goodman. She gives an example where pottery is on display in a museum and it has clearly already been smashed. Some items are aged while others look brand new. This is the case when the restorer did not try to hide the repair, but revived the work as best he could.

Goodman uses Japanese tissue paper and wheat starch paste to repair paper tears. “It will last for many, many years, but it can be removed with water,” she explains. This is an example of an invisible repair. Whether the repair is visible or invisible can be decided depending on the condition of the item or can be decided by the customer.

5. Conservatives can't influence the signature of a work

It is an ethical standard that a restorer never touches the signature on any work of art. “Let’s say you have an engraving signed by Andy Warhol,” suggests Goodman. The piece may have been framed in such a way as to obscure its signature, and now you can barely see it. "Ethically, you should never fill out or decorate a signature." Goodman has experience with documents signed by George Washington.

In such cases, there are methods to protect the signature. This is the only process a conservative can use in such a situation. In any case, the conservator may never add or embellish the signature.

6. Restorers can fix the worst shots

“The biggest damage I work on is bad framing,” says Goodman. Often, art is framed with the wrong tape and acid cardboard. Use of unsuitable tapes may result in tearing or other damage. Acid board and framing materials will cause the work to yellow and darken with age. If you would like to learn more about the importance of acid-free paper and archival materials, see

One of the other common projects for a restorer is when sour paper gets darker. “If you have a black and white photo of your grandmother and she smoked, you may be used to seeing a yellow or brown tint on paper,” Goodman illustrates. “That can be removed and the paper made brighter.” In some cases, the art hangs on the wall for so long that the owner does not notice the damage or degradation over time.

Another incorrect framing method is if any artwork has been mounted during the framing process. This is most common with photographs and can really cause problems. The process flattens the image on the board using heat. It is incredibly difficult to remove and must be done ⅛ inch at a time. For example, if you have an old card dry-mounted on an acid board and you want to treat the card for yellowing, it will need to be removed before treatment. Although it is an expensive process to remove a piece of art from Styrofoam after dry mounting, it is necessary to slow down the aging of your piece.

7. Preservatives can help with fire and water damage

In some cases, Goodman is called to a house after a fire or flood. She will visit the site to assess damage, compile a condition report, and provide estimates. These reports can be sent to your insurance company for repair costs and also saved to your Artwork Archive account. Fire and water damage are time bombs. The sooner you get them to the conservative, the better. “In the event of any damage from smoke, fire or water, the sooner it is delivered, the more likely it is to be repaired,” Goodman emphasizes.

The types of damage from water and fire can be different. Water can cause mold to appear on artwork. Mold can be destroyed, whether alive or dead. Water can also cause photos to stick to the glass inside the frame, a situation that can be corrected by a restorer. “A lot of times people stumble upon what they think is in a terrible state,” says Goodman. "Look at it professionally before giving up."

Conservation is a unique art

Restorers are the chemists of the art world. Goodman is a master not only of her craft, but of the emotions behind her projects. She personally invests in the art she works on and plans to stay in business for as long as possible. “The story of what people bring with them is often very exciting to me,” she says. “I would like to do this until I go blind.”

Take steps to stop aging and degradation before you need the help of a restorer. Learn how to properly store your art or organize storage at home with tips in our free e-book.