Wardian case

Context and aim

Wardian cases were sealed glass cases developed in the 19th century to keep plants alive on long journeys, holding in moisture like a miniature greenhouse. Victorian fern cases such as this one, made in Glasgow around 1860, protected rare and tender plants brought to Britain from overseas. It is a cruciform case in painted metal and glass, with gilded decoration and a removable domed lantern, standing on an ebonised and gilded wooden stand with a metal vase on its stretcher. Water draining through the lead trays inside had stained the top of the stand, while the case had broken and missing glass, corroded trays, failing putty, flaking paint and worn gilding, and the stand was dirty and scratched.

The case was conserved for Aaron Angell’s exhibition at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), where it was the centrepiece, on show for the first time in over a quarter of a century and planted again with ferns and mosses, as it would have been in the 19th century. The conservation was supported by the Friends of Glasgow Museums.

After testing, the case, stand and vase were cleaned with methods chosen for each surface, and fragile paint and corroded metal were consolidated. Broken and missing panes were replaced and reset in linseed oil putty, losses in the paint were filled and retouched, and the gilding was cleaned and touched in with shell gold. On the stand, loose joints were reglued with fish glue, water stains reduced, scratches toned and the surface waxed. Because the case would be planted and watered again, we designed bespoke Perspex trays and a clear drainage system that runs down into a liner hidden inside the vase, so that water can no longer reach the timber.