The restoration of historic technological artefacts, scientific instruments and tools

Abstract

An increasing number of museums and private persons are today collecting ‘bygone’ technological objects, ranging from scientific instruments to machines and vehicles. The primary consideration of public collections is usually the information function—the technological, historical, economic and perhaps even sociological significance embodied in these objects. To varying degrees, these are the same aspects that interest the private collector, for whom, however, the outdated object also represents a source of innocent pleasure, its age being expressed in its exotic form and function, in traces of wear, in its altered surface, etc., indeed in its overall appearance and feel.