The bed has three clear phases of development 1)mahogany posts c.1765, 2)painted cornice c.1785 and 3) late 19thC textile hangings comprising curtains, valances, tester and head cloth in yellow silk damask. The upper outer valance of wool bullion fringing also incorporates silk-covered wooden passementerie. Treatment Some textile pieces were retired to store. Remedial treatment was carried out on the head curtains, lower valances, upper outer valances and passementerie. In-situ cleaning only was carried out on the remaining elements. Following treatment the textile elements were reassembled on the bed. On open display at Heaton Hall it is vulnerable to handling by visitors, and a protective layer of dyed nylon net has since been applied to the leading edge of one head curtain. Monitoring and in-situ maintenance is ongoing.	An eighteenth century bed at Heaton Hall, Manchester Client : Manchester City Art Gallery (owned by English Heritage) Passementerie : above image before, lower image after conservation © Emma Telford Work to the curtians and lower valances followed a traditional route of support from underneath to damaged areas using a laid-thread couching technique; however the bulk of the work was caried out on the passementerie. The wooden shapes had been bored and severely damaged by furniture beetle, causing the silk wrappings to spring off and detach. In addition they were quite dirty and full of sawdust. Following thorough surface cleaning to remove all particulate soiling, some wooden elements were consolidated using Paraloid B72 in toluene, injected through the woodworm holes. The silk was then realigned and adhered to the wooden forms using Klucel G (hydroxypropylcellulose) in industrial methylated spirit. The wool bullion valance was wet cleaned. Back to album page