PAPER, COLECTIONS IN FOCUS, VOL.3, E-BOOK
- Manuel Lemosa, Isabel Tissota,b, Matthias Tissota, Maria João Petiscaa. 2020. Between night and day: the awakening of Cadaval Bed - a material, technological and conservation study. In "The Silver Bed of the Dukes of Cadaval”, Collections in Focus, Vol. 3, Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua, Corp. (ed.), 46-93, ISBN 978-989-54061-8-0.
The Silver Bed of the Dukes of Cadaval
a Archeofactu b LIBPhys Laboratory, NOVA University Lisbon
Introduction
The "Cadaval Bed" is a piece of furniture with unique material and construction characteristics that give it a singular character. Among others, its superlative size and decorative structure stand out, comprising a vast set of metal pieces (copper alloy, gilded and silvered copper alloy, silver alloy and gilded silver alloy), mostly fixed to the wooden structure. The bed's construction, with the fixing of metal pieces, some executed with various delicate elements, onto a wooden structure, conditions its conservation. Furthermore, the previously unknown packaging and display conditions are also significant factors. When acquired, the Cadaval Bed was characterized by the existence of pronounced structural deformations, both in the wooden and metal elements. Additionally, the metal pieces had surface alterations caused by atmospheric corrosion, especially the silver alloys. The corrosion products formed, although stable, altered the view and the perception of the object.
