Study and restoration of three pieces by Ángel Ferrant

For the purposes of the Playgrounds Exhibition, three works by Ángel Ferrant have been loaned to the Museo, corresponding to the set of wooden children's toys he produced for the Caño Roto Housing Development (1957-63). According to Antonio Vázquez de Castro, one of the architects in the aforementioned project, Ángel Ferrant took an interest in the experience of the housing developments and wanted to "make a generous contribution, charging what a carpenter or locksmith charges me" in designing these games.

Of the set of six pieces, only these three have been conserved and, sculpturally speaking, are the most significant. The other three missing pieces that accompanied them were L-, U- and Z-shaped.

State of conservation

This involves three objects produced with pieces of pinewood that are joined and glued together and reinforced with iron platens screwed into the edges. Originally they were sealed with Creosote, a product that derived from tar and is banned today because of its toxicity.

Treatment used

In accordance with the proposed treatment, all of the pieces that were heavily warped were dismantled in order to undergo a soaking treatment, remaining in a controlled humidity chamber for the amount of time necessary to recover the flexibility that enabled us to flatten them through constant pressure. This pressure was carried out by placing them between two pieces of blotting paper, in order to progressively remove excess humidity, and two rigid panels pressed between  two  clamps or in a press. The pieces of blotting paper were changed over daily to fully eliminate excess humidity. Once the pieces were flattened out they were glued back into their original position.Show less 
In piece 1 the deterioration of certain areas of the wood was so great that they had to be restored again; in structural areas this was done with wooden pieces, while in areas of lesser importance it was done with epoxy resin (Araldite Wood). In this same piece, also with numerous cracks, strips of the same type of wood were later dyed with nogalina (wood dye) and watercolours to imitate the original wood colour. 

All the pieces were cleaned with a vulcanized latex sponge, removing the surface dirt while conserving the quality of the old wood. 

In the metallic components the surface rust was removed with mechanical tools and the application of a protective treatment was considered to prevent it from forming again. Finally, however, it was not applied due to the difficulties arising from the atmospheric conditions inside the Museo. The original metallic elements, including the screws, were conserved.