Loading...
In the world of antiques, not every aesthetic improvement is beneficial. A prime example is numismatics. Attempting to make an old coin shiny with cleaning agents can reduce its value tenfold or more, or even bring it down to the price of the metal. The reason lies in the patina—a noble layer that forms on the metal's surface over decades and centuries.
In the world of antiques, not every aesthetic improvement is beneficial. A prime example is numismatics. Attempting to make an old coin shiny with cleaning agents can reduce its value tenfold or more, or even bring it down to the price of the metal. The reason lies in the patina—a noble layer that forms on the metal's surface over decades and centuries.
Patina is not just dirt, but evidence of the item's authenticity and age. It protects the metal from further corrosion and is valued by collectors as an integral part of the coin's history. By removing it, the owner erases a temporal imprint that cannot be restored. Therefore, in numismatics and some other collecting fields, pristine preservation is prized above all else.
The situation is completely different with works of art, such as paintings. A painting that has suffered from time, humidity, or mechanical damage needs professional intervention. Darkened varnish, cracks (craquelure), tears in the canvas, or flaking paint all distort the artist's original intent and threaten the complete destruction of the work.
Competent restoration of a painting can return it to an exhibition-worthy state and significantly increase its market value. A specialist carefully removes old, yellowed varnish, strengthens the paint layer and canvas, and meticulously fills in losses. As a result, the work returns to its original color palette, and the viewer can once again see it as the artist intended. In this case, the impact of restoration on the antique's price is exclusively positive.
To ensure that intervention does not turn into vandalism, professional restorers worldwide adhere to strict principles. Among them, two fundamental rules can be highlighted that define the quality and acceptability of any restoration work.
These rules help preserve the historical and artistic integrity of the object, without replacing the original with a modern imitation. Adherence to them is the main criterion that distinguishes scientific restoration from amateur repair.
| Criterion | Scientific Restoration | Alteration (Refurbishment) |
| Goal | Conservation, preservation, repair of critical damage | 'Improving' the appearance, adding shine, changing the design |
| Methods | Minimal reversible intervention, use of archival data | Aggressive cleaning, complete repainting, replacement of parts with modern ones |
| Result | Preservation of historical value, increase in price | Loss of authenticity, transformation into a decorative object, sharp decrease in value |
The key question for any antique owner is: where does life-saving restoration end and destructive alteration begin? The fine line between these concepts determines whether the item's value will increase or decrease after intervention. Understanding this difference helps to correctly assess the condition of an antique and make the right decisions.
Restoration is aimed at conservation and repairing damage with minimal intervention, while alteration is, in essence, the creation of a new object based on an old one, often with a complete loss of its authenticity.
Therefore, before taking any action, it is worth consulting with a professional restorer. Sometimes the best thing you can do to preserve an item's value is to do nothing at all.
