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Revelation

The National Conservation Centre's Reveal gallery has an eclectic mix of objects on display, which present a variety of different challenges to conservators. To find out more about these objects and the hidden stories behind them:

  1. click on 'all' categories below to see everything on display, or select a category from the list to refine your search;
  2. then scroll through the thumbnails and click on any of the objects for more information.
Conservation categories
all
ceramics and glass
horology
land transport
metals
models
organics
paintings
paper
sculpture
taxidermy
textiles

ceramics and glass

Roman bowl

A Roman bowl
Roman glass cast moulded bowl

Rosenthal candle holder

A small clear red tealight holder with a Medusa image on the front
Modern glass Rosenthal candle holder

Pilkington vase

A brown earthenware glazed vase
Earthenware vase, 1906

Roman glass beaker

A Roman glass beaker
Roman glass beaker, 5th century AD

Roman glass bottle

Roman glass bottle
Small Roman glass bottle, provenance unknown

Roman glass jar

Straight sided Roman glass jar
Roman glass straight-sided jar, late 2nd to 3rd century AD

Roman glass jar

Small Roman glass jar
Small Roman glass jar, provenance unknown

Roman glass jar

Roman glass jar
Small Roman glass jar, provenance unknown

Roman glass tear catcher

Tall thin Syrian tear catcher bottle
Roman glass Syrian tear bottle or catcher, 3rd to 4th century AD

Roman glass urn

Roman glass urn
Roman glass cinerary urn, 1 AD

English teapot

Brown earthenware teapot with a pewter spout
English stoneware teapot with pewter spout

Teabowls and saucers

A pair of Chinese teabowls and saucers
Pair of Chinese ceramic teabowls and saucers

Repaired bowl

Patch repaired bowl with Chinese decoration
Patch repaired ceramic bowl

Stoneware teacup

Chinese brown stoneware teacup with gilt repair
Chinese brown stoneware teacup with gilt repair

Stapled bowl

A cracked bowl repaired using staples
A stapled bowl
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horology

Painted wooden clock

Wooden cased clock with inlaid floral design and decorative brass detailing
Wooden cased clock, c1735

Metamec clock

Mantelpiece clock in dark wood
Metamec clock, 1950
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land transport

AER motorcycle

AER motorcycle
AE Reynolds Ltd motorcycle
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metals

Excavated iron

Excavated lump of iron
Excavated iron harness buckle

Roman coin

Fire damaged coin
Roman coin from Apulia

Anglo Saxon sword

anglo saxon sword in 2 pieces
Anglo Saxon sword in two pieces

Pendant

Delicate metal pendant with rose quartz, garnets and enamels
Pendant made of rose quartz, garnets and enamels, 1600

Brooch

Metal brooch with a colourful pattern
Brooch by Jane Adam

Anglo Saxon coin

Small metal coin with fire damage
Anglo Saxon coin from Canute Lincoln Sumerlida

Charles I half crown coin

Coin showing signs of fire damage
Charles I half crown coin, 1634-35

Edward VI half crown

Old coin with fire damage
Edward VI half crown, 1551-53

Roman coin

Fire damaged coin
Roman coin from Picenum

Roman coin

Fire damaged coin
Roman coin from Picenum

Roman coin

Fire damaged coin
Roman coin from Umbria

Medal

Medal with a portrait of the king and on a red, white and blue ribbon
British war medal, 1914-20

Medal

Medal with colourful striped ribbon
Allied Victory medal, 1914-19

Shirley Gordon trophy

Silver cup trophy on a black base
Shirley Gordon's Command Performance trophy

Blue and black Rover

Blue and black Rover toy car
Blue and black Rover toy car

Green and black Coupe

Green and black toy car
Green and black Coupe toy car

Red and black Coupe

Red and black Coupe toy car
Red and black Coupe toy car

Flatbed transporters

Two blue and black flatbed transporter toy trucks sealed in a bag
Two flatbed transporter toy trucks sealed in a bag

Green caravan

Green toy caravan
Green toy caravan, 1930s

Blue streamlined racer

Blue streamlined toy racing car with number 3 on the side
Blue streamlined toy racing car

Red and cream streamlined racer

Red and cream streamlined toy racing car
Red and cream streamlined toy racing car

White streamlined racer

White streamlined toy racing car with a number 3 on the side
White streamlined toy racing car

Corgi transporter

Corgi toy transporter carrying serveral other toy cars
Corgi toy car transporter, late 1960s

Flatbed truck

Flatbed truck made by Dinky toys
Flatbed truck made by Dinky toys

Petrol tanker

Dinky toy green Mobil petrol tanker
Mobil petrol tanker made by Dinky toys

Red rescue truck

A red rescue truck toy
Red rescue truck made by Dinky toys
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models

Vietnamese fishing boat model

Model of a boat
Model fishing junk made by Mr Truong Phat Quy

Reno tug model

Working model steamboat
Working model of a steam tug 'Reno'
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organics

Nkisi figure 'Chcôca'

Wooden nail-covered figure of a man with a box on his stomach
Nkisi figure from Kongo, Central Africa

Mummified ibis

Mummified ibis
Egyptian mummified ibis

Mummy of Pedeamun

Mummy of Pedeamun
Egyptian mummified figure

Plastic raincoat

Raincoat with black and white 'Op Art' pattern
Plastic 'Op Art' raincoat

Amazonian headdress

Headdress decorated with different coloured feathers
Feather headdress

Amazonian armlet

Armlet decorated with green shiny and brown patterned beetle wings
Beetle wing case armlet

Teddy bear

An old worn teddy bear
Steiff teddy bear

Inuit seal game

Game with fish-shaped pieces of animal skin and a bone threaded onto a fishing line
Inuit game made of bone, skin, and wood

Doll in a pink dress

Doll in a lace trimmed pink dress
Child's doll in a pink dress, 1880-1900

Doll in a purple dress

Doll wearing a purple dress, next to a spare black and yellow striped dress
Child's doll in a purple dress, 1870-1890

Grodnertal doll

Doll in a white patterned dress with holes in the skirt
Grodnertal doll, 1820-1840

Small doll figure

Wooden doll in a pale brown/grey dress
Small doll, 18th century

Annabell baby doll

Modern baby doll
Modern doll, 'My First Baby Annabell'

Sasha Bratz doll

Modern doll with a spare outfit and accessories
Modern doll with accessories

Bob the Builder

Soft toy doll of Bob the Builder, with overalls, boots and a 'hard hat' made of fabric
Modern doll of Bob the Builder

Barbie doll

Barbie doll in a pink dress with a multicolour bodice
Modern Barbie doll in a party dress

Action man

Action man in patterned shirt, sleeveless jacket, shorts and wellies
Action man dressed as a desert hunter

Sindy doll

Modern doll wearing a white frilly blouse with red waistcoat and trousers
Modern Sindy doll, 1979-1980

Quiggins carrier bag

Quiggins Centre carrier bag
Quiggins Centre carrier bag

Paper dress

Brightly coloured patterned paper dress
Paper dress, 1960s

Tree cross section

Cross section from a tree, showing the annual growth rings
A cross section from an oak tree

Wooden plinth

Square Bronze Age wooden plinth with a hole in the middle
Bronze age wooden plinth, 1000 to 800 BC
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paintings

Roscoe portrait

Painting of Roscoe in profile with a dark background
Painting of William Roscoe, c1790

Madonna Suckling the Child

Painting 'Madonna suckling the child'
Early 16th century painting

A Duet

Painting of a man and woman singing, accompanied by a harpsichord player
19th century painting

The Judgment of Paris

Painting of the mythological scene of the judgement of Paris'
Painting, c1600
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paper

Musketry class photograph

Group of soldiers from a musketry class, 1916
Group photograph including Corporal Alfred Gallagher, Knowsley, 1916

Wartime Christmas card

Inside the Christmas card, featuring the signature and a colour image of a soldier
Christmas card sent by Corporal Alfred Gallagher

Soldier's service and pay book

Cover of Corporal Gallagher's service and pay book
Corporal Alfred Gallagher's service and pay book

Corporal Gallagher in barracks

Group photo of soldiers in barracks, 1916
Group photograph with Corporal Alfred Gallagher in barracks, 1916

Corporal Gallagher in uniform

Photograph of Corporal Alfred Gallagher in uniform
Photograph of Corporal Alfred Gallagher

Soldier's notebook with diagrams

Soldier's handwritten notebook
Corporal Gallagher's notebook, with drawings and notes on instructing troops

Soldier's notebook

Corporal Gallagher's handwritten notebook
Corporal Gallagher's notebook, with instructions on the care of weapons

Soldier's discharge certificate

Discharge certificate for Corporal Gallagher
Discharge certificate from the Army Reserve for Corporal Gallagher, 1928

2nd Lieutenant Jenkins

3 soldiers during the First World War
Photograph of 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins and 2 other soldiers

Jenkins' burial place letter

Official letter recording the burial place of 2 Lt. Jenkins
Letter recording the burial place of 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins

Jenkins' grave

Lt Richard Owen Jenkins' grave
Photograph of the grave of 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins

Field service postcard

Address side of field service postcard, dated 18th July 1915
Field service postcard sent by 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins to his parents

Letter of condolence

Handwritten letter of condolence
Letter of condolence to 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins' father

Notes for officers

Information card about burials in battle areas
Information about burials in battle areas issued to 2nd Lieutenant Jenkins

Letter to 2nd Lieutenant Jenkins

Handwritten letter from Albert Buckley to 2nd Lieutenant Jenkins
Letter to 2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins

Jenkins' barrage map

Annotated map showing a bombardment timetable and German positions
2nd Lieutenant Richard Owen Jenkins' map from the 3rd Battle of Ypres

Cream nightclub flyer

Front of Cream club flyer
Flyer advertising the Cream nightclub

Music magazine

Front cover of music magazine
Larks in the Park magazine, 1985

Save Quiggins gig advert

Advert for a gig to promote the Save Quiggins campaign
Save Quiggins gig advert, 2004

Eric's club handbill

Handbill advertising Eric's club
Handbill advertising Eric's club

Creamfields 2000 booklet

Advertising booklet
Creamfields 2000 advertising booklet

Creamfields 2000 booklets

Creamfields booklets
Creamfields 2000 advertising booklets

Creamfields 2000 neckband pass

Creamfields neckband with several passes displayed
Neckband security pass from Creamfields 2000

Creamfields 2000 ticket

Ticket for Creamfields 2000
Ticket for Creamfields 2000

Creamfields flyers

Two flyers advertising Creamfields 2000
Two flyers advertising Creamfields 2000

Preston Guild poster

The Preston Guild poster, in its frame
Framed poster commemorating the Preston Guild celebrations, 1882

Family bible

The cover of the colour illustrated edition of The Holy Bible
Family bible, late 19th century

Shirley Gordon photograph

Black and white portrait photo of Shirley Gordon
Black and white portrait print of Shirley Gordon

Albany Cinema programme

A programme from 1961 featuring Shirley's photo and brief biography
Shirley Gordon's photo and biography in the programme, 1961

Letter of engagement

Letter on headed paper from Prestatyn holiday camp
Letter from Prestatyn holiday camp to Shirley Gordon

Shirley Gordon's diary

Small black book with 'DIARY' and 'WVS CIVIL DEFENCE' embossed on front in silver
Diary recording event bookings

Rialto Theatre programme

Rialto Theatre programme featuring Asna Swerdlow
Programme featuring Asna Swerdlow, 1927

Ball gown photograph

Photograph of Asna Swerdlow in a ball gown
Photograph of Asna Swerdlow posing in a ball gown

Charleston photograph

Asna Swerdlow performing steps from the Charleston dance
Photograph of Asna Swerdlow in a pose from the Charleston dance

Heebi-Jeebies photograph

Asna Swerdlow performing steps from the Heebi-Jeebies dance
Photograph of Asna Swerdlow in a pose from the Heebi-Jeebies dance

Natural history book

Large hardback book, closed
'The Natural History of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri' by HO Forbes, 1903

Diacetate sheet negative

A negative image of cars outside Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral
Negative from the Stewart Bale archive, showing the Anglican Cathedral

Glass plate negative

A damaged negative image of a transit ship in dock
Negative from the Stewart Bale archive showing a ship in dock

BICC Prescot dance at Leigh

Black and white photo of a dance
Photograph from the Stewart Bale archive dance series, 1960

Deck chairs on the Queen Mary

Black and white photo of deck chairs on board the Queen Mary
Photograph from the Stewart Bale archive liners series, 1947

Littlewoods, Walton Vale

Black and white photo of a Littlewoods shopfront
Photograph from the Ste