Case Study: Bald Eagle
This Bald Eagle is on display at Bryan College’s Henning Museum. A fire in 2000 damaged or destroyed many items in the Henning Museum’s collection; this eagle specimen survived the museum’s fire but was covered with greasy soot mostly from the smoke of burning roof tar (before restoration above, after below). Restoration goals were to remove the soot as much as possible, and otherwise restore to pre-fire condition.
Major areas of restoration:
Head. Soot removal from white feathers (particularly noticable/critical).
Talons. Soot adhered to skin surface; retouching necessary.
Feathers. In addition to soot removal, fire heat may have contributed to feather splitting; extensive preening and realignment needed.
Tail. Sagged and loose from (presumed) original position, with gap and sisal interior stuffing evident, damage possibly from shipping. Tail repositioned and affixed.
Before restoration at left, after at right:
