CASE Burton’s Original Tailoring Retail Shop

Sign writing restoration specialists

CASE: Burton’s Original Tailoring Retail Shop, Abergavenny. July 2019

An amazing glass gilded sign writing restoration project. Starting up the restoring of 26 gilded friezes on site with Seraina Baumgartner assisting along the way.

Original sign gilding works by the late Geoffrey Vaughan c1923.

34 Gilded Panels ready for restoration

The total of 34 panels were originally gilded with acid etched details and surrounds. Suffering various degrees of damage we were drafted in to remove loose paint and match-in backgrounds repairing all damaged gilded letters.

3 panels required complete re painting and gilding.
9 panels needed gold replaced.
Nearly all had peeling problems and required deep restoration to letters/background.

VOICE FROM THE PAST

On Day 2 a gentleman by the name of Mike Evans walked in and told us the story of the original local writer Geoffrey Vaughan, who made the panels in the 1920s.

It was at the very moment I struck this arc (image below) and felt my own hand fortunately matched perfectly the originator.

Sign writing restoration specialists NGS

A TOWN OF SUCH WARMTH

On many occasions during our 8 day stay the people of Abergavenny made us feel more than welcome, taking time to connect and chat. From the outset both Seraina and I were taken aback by the warmth and genuine character of the local people.

All Burton Shop sign gilding works completed by hand.

DAY 3 – good success.

2 of the first fully restored and gilded lettered panels gleaming in their entirely appropriate way once again.

We X2 cleaned every panel and revealed all the patina needing to be preserved. Special sign work and sustained attention to detail.

Several gold lettered panels were severely damaged yet not beyond our repair.

HEAVILY DAMAGED GOLD LEAF

These required removal of flaking paint and gold leaf. Deep cleaning and re-outlining in antique lead/lamp black before a re-gilding and final treble back-up enamel coating.