THE Bowes Museum’s Silver Swan continued to perform to awestruck audiences last week despite being in pieces.
Visitors looked on as a collection of six experts in conservation, horology, and clockmaking from across the country came together to dismantle the iconic piece and consider the best way to conserve it for the future.
As part of the live display were sessions where people could ask questions.
About 40 people were involved in the first session on Tuesday. Lead conservator Matthew Read said: “There was almost a knee-jerk reaction wanting to know when it will be running again, but the importance of this is that there is still a form of activity around it.”
Mr Read was part of an original group that first dismantled the swan in 2008 and discovered there were problems including damage caused during previous repair work.
However, that project revealed that the swan could be partially dismantled and toured – this revelation led to it going on loan to the Science Museum for its Robots exhibition in 2019, Mr Read said.
Sadly, the group involved in the 2008 work have since dispersed and with them the knowledge they had picked up individually – hence the idea to bring in other experts on the latest project.
Mr Read said: “We wanted to share the information with a wider gene pool and get more input on it to get a wider perspective.”
With the shared information it also “devolves ownership” of the swan, he said.
Historian David Rooney, of the Science Museum, was among those present.
Dr Rooney said: “I am here more for the story of the Silver Swan and about what stories to tell in the future.
“It was designed in its time to amaze the world and spread awe and wonder.
“It was intended to go to China.
“The swan is a performance and it was a musical piece as well as a mechanical piece – it was meant to dazzle the ears as well as the eyes.
“New stories about it could be told in new musical performances, new theatre productions or new dance performances.”
It is not known when the Silver Swan will be back on public display in full working condition.
