Furniture Conservator

• liaising with clients to discuss and agree on the conservation of a piece of furniture and explaining the sometimes complex process involved;
• taking photographs of individual pieces of furniture and their components and maintaining detailed records of their condition and special features before and after work is carried out;
• closely observing and assessing the state of a piece of furniture and making decisions based on these observations about the best way to restore or conserve the piece;
• thinking creatively and planning carefully around challenging restoration or conservation jobs;
• combining specialist knowledge of furniture with practical techniques in order to prolong and protect the survival of a piece of furniture;
• working closely with a range of materials and equipment in a precise and detailed way as part of the conservation process;
• sourcing upholstery and other materials for use in the restoration process;
• providing photographs and other records for clients when the work is complete;
• applying preventative measures in terms of environmental, biological and human conditions, in order to protect and preserve furniture;
• attending antiques fairs and auctions;
• keeping up to date with new preservation techniques and equipment, such as the development in the use of digital imaging;
• staying informed about research and developments in furniture history;
• travelling to a variety of locations to work on pieces in situ;
• working on a number of different projects concurrently.

• Salaries for those with experience (eg, after 10-15 years in the role) vary between £22,000 and £40,000 (salary data collected Aug 05).
• Salaries vary according to employer but are usually fairly low, even for those with a high level of experience and professional qualifications.
• Many conservators/restorers work on a self-employed basis, often specialising in a particular type or period of furniture, and so pay varies enormously and can rely on sales and other abilities.
• Work is often based in a workshop environment, either working alone or sharing the space with other furniture conservators/restorers.
• Self-employment is common. There are opportunities to work on a consultancy basis for museums, stately homes and other organisations.
• As there are relatively few job opportunities and low levels of movement from one job to another, with most furniture conservators/restorers staying in one job for a long duration, there is a high level of competition for work.
• The ratio of men to women in this field is around 80:20, though this is starting to change.
• The practical and technical nature of the work can make serious long-term demands on physical health.
• There is a comparatively high level of mature individuals working as conservators/restorers as many entrants to the field are going into their second or third career.
• The work may require a certain amount of day-to-day travel when moving from one project to another.
• Absence from home at night or overseas work or travel are uncommon.

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