The stem following the removal of the old adhesive
The repaired urn, back at Lord's
Completion of essential repairs to Ashes urn
Date released: 22 January 2004
Essential repairs to the Ashes urn have been completed by the leading conservation firm, Plowden & Smith Ltd.
The repairs tackled a range of problems which were identified when, just over a year ago, the urn was examined and X-rayed prior to a planned display in Australia. The X-rays revealed a serious crack in the stem between the main body of the urn and its foot, together with other cracks in the stem and 'shoulder' areas.
With the degeneration of some adhesive that had been used in earlier repair work, the urn was becoming increasingly fragile and its condition was giving cause for concern.
The recent restoration project has returned the urn to a stable but still delicate condition. The project included: an analysis of samples of the paint and adhesive used in the earlier repair; the subsequent removal - as far as possible - of the materials used in this repair work; and detailed restoration work in the damaged stem area.
Commenting on the project, MCC's Secretary & Chief Executive, Roger Knight, said: "I am delighted that these repairs have been completed safely. I am very relieved, too. The project revealed that the urn was in an even more precarious condition than the X-rays had suggested. Thanks to the expertise of the conservator, the urn is now in much better shape than before. As a result, we hope it will be possible to re-schedule its planned display in Australia; we have already been in touch with Cricket Australia with a view to bringing this about. In the meantime, we are delighted to have the Ashes back on display in the MCC Museum at Lord's."
The project conservator at Plowden & Smith Ltd, Maryam Collins, said: "Repairing the Ashes urn was both an enormous privilege and a very daunting experience. It is the perhaps the most famous sporting artefact in the world - and surely the most fragile one, too. Everyone at Plowden & Smith Ltd was delighted that we were entrusted with the task of stabilising the condition of this irreplaceable piece of sporting history. We are proud to have played our part in extending its 122 year life."
