Atelier — Conservation
Restoration of antique Persian metalwork.
The same hands that make new work also conserve the old. We restore antique Persian and Iranian metalwork — Qajar, Safavid, and earlier — using techniques unchanged for generations, always favouring reversible interventions and documented treatment.
Philosophy
Conserve first, restore with care.
Our approach follows museum-grade ethics: stabilise before intervening, document everything, prefer reversibility, and respect the piece's history — including its age. We do not "make it new"; we make it readable, stable, and structurally sound.
What we restore
Specialisms.
Cleaning, structural repair, re-chasing of lost detail under loupe and microscope.
Noghre-koobi and Tala-koobi inlay refitted or re-cut to match original tooling.
Stabilisation of crazed enamel; selective infill where ethically appropriate.
Bronze, steel and copper figures — corrosion treatment, structural repair, patina restoration.
Censers, ewers, qalyans and presentation pieces handled with cultural care.
Doors, screens, lanterns — disassembly, treatment, reassembly.
Process
Four careful stages.
Send photographs and provenance notes. We respond with a written condition assessment and a conservation proposal.
Receive the piece (insured transit arranged on your behalf). Full physical examination, photography, and documented treatment plan.
Reversible interventions wherever possible. All work logged and photographed.
Final report, before/after documentation, and insured return shipping.
What a condition assessment should establish.
A darkened surface is not necessarily damage. Patina, gilding, enamel and later coatings need to be distinguished from dirt and active corrosion before cleaning is considered. The aim is to understand what is present, what is stable and what may be at risk — not to achieve a uniformly bright finish.
Earlier soldering, replaced parts, adhesives and repainted decoration can affect the treatment options. Photographs help begin the conversation, but cannot reveal every structural weakness or identify every material. Dating and attribution are separate questions from an assessment of condition; an old-looking motif alone does not prove an object's age.
Before you clean, pack or send a piece.
- Photograph the front, reverse, base and any marks, then take close-ups of cracks, loose inlay and previous repairs.
- Record dimensions and the history you know, separating family recollections from written documentation.
- Avoid abrasive polish, soaking, household acids and attempts to reattach loose decoration before assessment.
- Support the body of the object when handling it; do not rely on a thin handle, old joint or projecting ornament.
- Keep detached fragments and discuss packing and transport before dispatching a fragile work.
Common restoration questions
- Should an antique be restored to look new?
- Not as a default. Wear and surface history can be part of the object. Conservation prioritises stability; restoration may address losses where appropriate. The extent of intervention should follow the object's condition and the purpose of the treatment.
- Can damaged enamel or inlay be treated like plain metal?
- No. Composite surfaces combine materials that respond differently to pressure, moisture and heat. Cleaning or polishing suitable for one part can damage another. Our mina-kari guide explains what distinguishes a fired enamel surface.
- What should I keep after treatment?
- Keep condition photographs, treatment notes and any existing provenance together. They help distinguish original material from later work and give future owners or conservators a clearer account of the piece.
Request an appraisal
Send us your piece.
Email clear photographs (front, back, base, condition details) and any provenance you have. Appraisals are without obligation.