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Conservation Services

The F.J. Hakimian Conservation and Restoration Atelier offers one of the world's most highly regarded conservation services. Available to private collectors as well as offering their services to museums and galleries, the Atelier has been an essential component of our overall service to clients for over 25 years. The Atelier employs expert conservators and weavers, many of whom were trained in Europe and are fine artists in their own right with a strong intuitive knowledge of colors, textures and composition.  Combined with their in-depth conservation experience, our team is outstandingly qualified to handle fine antique carpets and tapestries.

CONSERVATION GOALS

Part of the attraction of rare and exceptional antique carpets are qualities that they have acquired over time or characteristics of the original weaving process - the mellowing of colors over the years, the subtle "abrash" variations of hand-weaving techniques and vegetable dyes, and the textures associated with normal usage. The goal of the F.J. Hakimian Atelier is to restore a carpet to sound condition while preserving the intrinsic character of a fine work of art.  Since insensitive restoration can adversely affect the value of an important piece, our integral concern is to conserve and only to a lesser extent to repair damage, although restoration of lost areas and detail remains an important part of our work.

EXPERT PROCEDURES

Our initial step when receiving a piece is to undertake a thorough cleaning using either traditional or sophisticated modern techniques.  As is appropriate to the nature of a carpet, the Atelier will hand-wash or dry clean the piece and then evaluate every inch for structural damage before recommending remedial work. Conservation and restoration are processes that demand a high degree of skill.  They may include repairing, backing, reweaving the support and restoring areas of worn pile.  In the latter case, we carefully select natural wool yarns from our inventory of over 3,000 colors or will custom dye and blend yarns that exactly match the originals so that any restoration work is almost imperceptible to the eye. Similarly, sewing and finishing work depends on the skill and sensitivity of the conservator and extends to hand-cutting the pile to replicate the rich, variegated textures of the antique piece.  Such is the attention to detail that the conservation and restoration of a large piece can take several months, but will reflect the patience and exacting standards of our conservators.

LIFETIME SERVICE

The F.J. Hakimian Atelier believes fundamentally that carpets are meant to be walked on and not hung on walls - a certain amount of wear is acceptable, even with the finest antiques.  Our expert conservators, however, will advise you on how to look after a carpet and protect it from extreme damage, such as from direct sunlight, inappropriate cleaning techniques and excessive wear from high traffic patterns. The Atelier will also provide periodic cleaning and inspection to ensure a carpet remains in good condition so that you will derive years of enjoyment from your acquisition without diminishing the value of your investment.