Irving Slavid

 Restorations to Works of Art in Stone and Ceramics

I am a conservator of artworks and historical artifacts with over thirty years experience specializing in ceramic and glass, serving private collectors, dealers and museums. Since 1995, I have focused on works of stone, including marble and sandstone.

Stone conservation is blend of art and science, where respect and appreciation for the original artwork mixed with a thorough understanding of artistic and scientific techniques help to give new life to an artwork or monument that might otherwise be lost to history and culture. I am now recognized as an authoritative specialist in the restoration of New England’s historic brownstone, marble and slate grave markers, a priceless repository of historic and cultural information as well as American folk art. My work has taken me as far afield as American Samoa to restore damaged historical sites, preserving material culture and artwork. I am a member of the Association of Preservation Technology (APT) and a Professional Associate of the American Institute For Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC), which is a peer-reviewed distinction.

I have a long record of promoting and sharing accepted and recommended materials and techniques to others in the field, and have contributed to research in the development and publication of new conservation materials in peer- reviewed journals.

My early experience restoring museum quality antiques combined with an expertise in working with exterior stone monuments and sculptural architecture, gives me a unique combination of skills and awareness to help retain the distinctive quality and appearance of the original monuments, sculptures and artworks. While almost all work to large sculptures are done in situ, preparation and testing of materials and the restoration to smaller art objects are done in the studio.

My colleague and I have collaborated with architects and engineers to develop materials-and-methods recommendations for conservation of stone artifacts and sculptural architecture. We hold US Patent No. 6,296,905 (and world-wide patents), a treatment that protects and strengthens deteriorating building stones such as marble and limestone, used by conservators worldwide.

To see more information relating to historic cemeteries mcc-monument-conservation.com