When visitors think of the artifacts that are on view at Tryon Palace, they often think of the physical furnishings located inside the buildings. But the statues and architectural features outdoors are also part of the Collection on view to the public. Conservator Richard Baker regularly checks, cleans, and maintains the many sculptures and outdoor objects at the Palace and historic house gardens, North Carolina History Center, New Bern Academy, and at the burial site of Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight in Brice’s Creek.
Around the grounds there are forty-eight statues and stone benches and many individual objects and architectural features. Objects and architectural features include ironwork, fountains, outdoor plaques, a cannon, flood marker, and many other items. All these surfaces require monitoring and some degree of preservation.
The statues on view are made from different materials including marble, Portland stone, limestone, granite, sandstone, terra cotta and concrete. Outdoor objects can be made of stone, brick, concrete, wood, metal, plastics, and modern materials. The statues are cleaned on a scheduled rotation that is based on the fragile nature of their materials. When cleaning is performed, the surfaces of the statues are wetted with water and then a biodegradable liquid solution is applied. This solution does not include acids, chlorine or salts and is pH neutral. It will remove stains from mold, lichens, air pollutants, algae, and mildew. It is generally applied wet and scrubbed onto the surface with a soft brush and then left to sit for several weeks or months allowing natural weather conditions to clean the surface.
Check out videos concerning cleaning statues and the preservation of the Governor Spaight burial site on the Tryon Palace YouTube channel.
By Richard Baker, Tryon Palace Conservator
Tryon Palace • 529 South Front Street • New Bern, NC 28562 • 252-639-3500 • www.tryonpalace.org