Ein Lübecker in München Rekonstruieren, Restaurieren oder Konservieren? Überlegungen bei der Bearbeitung des Gammendorfer Schapps

A Baroque cabinet masterpiece from the Lubecker Schapp type made in 1717 had to be sent to the workshops of the Fachakademie fur Restauratorenausbildung in Munich for treatment. The piece, designated to be incorporated into the collections of the Landesmuseum Schleswig-Holstein showed a range of defects due to previous treatments in the 19th or early 20th century and bad storage conditions in the past. The original visual appearance was disturbed by the newly veneered bulwark panelling, the introduction of bracket feet instead of ball feet and the partial ebonization of the profiles. Furthermore, one of the carvings was missing in the upper spandrel part of the panels. The search for original layers beneath the later applied ones such as veneer and surface coatings helped to decide how to deal with the different remains of former treatments and wether there would be any traces of the original at all. The analytical results indicated the presence of an original veneer, however in a very bad condition. The surface coating was irregular and definitely a later addition. It was decided to set up a mixed concept of restoration relying on a careful balance of the additions and changes made in the 19th and early 20th century and the intended revival of the Baroque character of the piece. One part of the concept was to reduce the differences in lustre and colour of the surface and to fill loss areas. The restoration of its original representative appearance was mainly achieved by compensating losses of carved elements and the ball feet.