$39,000,000 Restoration
Project Coordinator: Norton Art Conservation, Inc.
Robinson Iron Project Manager: J. Scott Howell
On May 1st the restored English Gates were thrown open and the public invited in to see the results of a five year refurbishment of the Nemours Mansion and Gardens near Wilmington, Delaware. Built by Alfred I. duPont in 1910 it is one of the grandest buildings ever constructed in the state and includes the largest formal French garden in North America. The prestigious New York architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings designed the home with the duPonts sparing no expense to furnish it in appropriate style with new as well as important historic ironwork. With an approaching 100th birthday in 2010 a complete restoration of the house and grounds was deemed imperative.
This issue is devoted to the extraordinary work completed by our firm on this single project. Under the guidance of Norton Art Conservation, Inc., a fine arts conservation firm headquartered in Philadelphia, the project was completed over the course of three years. Norton’s principal, Virginia N. Naudé, is fully involved in the design and implementation of the firm’s work - building teams of specialist conservators, conservation scientists, project managers, technicians, researchers and clerical support to meet each project’s requirements.
Ginny, as she is fondly known, has worked as a professional sculpture conservator since 1976. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and a Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation (IIC). She has served on the boards of national and local organizations involved in the preservation of cultural property. Her careful investigative hands-on approach is both knowledgeable and intuitive and is born of a thorough understanding of the materials used. The training she received while a student in the conservation Department of The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England has been augmented by extensive personal experience in the field. She is the recipient of numerous awards honoring her work.
Historic documentation for the restoration included this photograph from 1910.
The Conservatory as it appeared shortly after construction.
Historic photo of The English Gates
The Nemours Mansion today – The English Gates are being installed in the foreground. One can see The Russian Gates beyond at the end of the gravel drive.
Virginia N. Naudé works to establish a “gilding
schematic” for The English Gates under the watchful eye of Mr. Richard H. Robinson,
President of Robinson Iron.
Ginny determines that the interior of some floral details will remain black while their exteriors are to be covered in 23.75 carat gold leaf.
Ginny kneels to inspect the newly uncrated second story grills at far left is Scotty Howell, Vice President/ General Manager of Robinson Iron.
