"A green plaque saved from the former north-west London residence of Alice in Wonderland illustrator Sir John Tenniel, which was demolished in 1959, has found a new home after being restored. The sign was due to be scrapped when the Maida Vale home was knocked down as it was so damaged, but in a fortunate twist of events, it was put into storage."
"English Heritage said when the plaque dedicated to Sir John Tenniel was rediscovered it was "structurally sound", but said it showed "clear signs of damage, including scratches, splashes, fissures, and several losses to the glaze and ceramic body". It said: "Conservation specialists painstakingly cleaned the surface, removing decades old mortar before using dry pigments and stone powders to recreate the original green glaze.""
"Senior historian at English Heritage, Howard Spencer, said: "At nearly a hundred years old, this plaque has an extraordinary story. "English Heritage has never conserved and reinstalled such a historic plaque before, so it was something of a leap of faith - but we're delighted with the result.""
A nearly century-old green plaque honoring Sir John Tenniel was salvaged from a Maida Vale house demolished in 1959 and placed into storage rather than being discarded. English Heritage conservators found the plaque structurally sound but with scratches, splashes, fissures, and glaze and ceramic losses. Specialists cleaned decades-old mortar and used dry pigments and stone powders to recreate the original green glaze before reinstalling the plaque in West Kensington, where Tenniel spent his final years. Sir John Tenniel died in 1914 aged 93 and is known for illustrations for Alices Adventures In Wonderland, Through The Looking-Glass, and political cartoons. The plaque is part of the London-wide blue plaques scheme that has operated for 150 years.
Read at www.bbc.com
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