Family heirlooms connect generations in a deep, personal way. From the handed down bible and grandmother’s knitted quilt, to a late 1800s baptismal gown and photos of a relative going off to war—anyone who has found or kept historic pieces in the family knows how moving they can be. These treasured items, passed down through the decades, provide insight into the lives of our ancestors and a richer understanding of our family's history.
Often family heirlooms make the journey from one generation to the next, but can be easily damaged by light, heat, humidity, pests, and handling. Some heirlooms simply deteriorate due to age-related issues.
To date, The Conservation Center has reunited families with cherished heirlooms such as shredded ketubahs and wedding documents, fire damaged photographs, flaking oil paintings, and warped water-damaged furniture. In some cases, the treatment process can even shed new light on a history or craftsmanship of a piece—which can mean so much more when that object has a direct relation to one’s family tree. Digital restorations is also offered for photographs damaged beyond repair.
It is The Center’s fundamental mission to treat each and every object with the highest level of care possible, regardless of its provenance and value. We are happy to assess and treat your sentimental items such as: photographs, family records, quilts, wedding and christening gowns, furniture, books, objects, and heirloom artworks.
Well before Matt Groening’s Marge Simpson character became pop icon, artist Ed Paschke (1939–2004) created his own version of a Yellow Lady in 1969. In the same way that the bizarre appearances and situations as depicted in “The Simpsons” comment on pop culture, Paschke’s manipulations of mass media aim to do the same. The technicolor tones and flat background aim to dissociate the woman from her body and her surroundings; the addition of the admiring man takes on the role of the consumer and the viewer, aiming to make the voyeur uncomfortable. While only minor conservation was needed for this vibrant painting, the private collector knew very little about its history, causing us to reach out to the Ed Paschke Foundation and even the artist’s daughter, Sharon Paschke. Neither was familiar of the piece’s existence, and Sharon, especially, was excited to see a new example of her father’s early work. In order to discover more about this very special Yellow Lady, we studied the canvas under ultraviolet light and found some surprising details. With these new findings, The Conservation Center was able to shed new light on this painting for its owner as well as the Paschke family.