FAQs

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SFLAC is a conservation center offering a wide range of services for the preservation, conservation and restoration of cultural and historical materials. SFLAC serves museums, libraries, historical societies and archives, as well as independent art professionals and private and corporate collectors.

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SFLAC conservators can treat a wide range of works of art. Among these are paintings, works of art on paper, documents and ephemera, sculptures, and archaeological, decorative and historic objects in a broad variety of materials.

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Works of art are accepted at SFLAC by pre-arrangement only. To have an object in your collection treated or examined, or to arrange for a consultation, please contact our office for an appointment at 561 557 4036 or by e-mail at info[at]sflac.net. If you have further questions, you will be referred to the appropriate conservator.

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What is the process to get my artwork treated by SFLAC? There are four main steps to have your artwork treated by our conservators:

1. Examination of Artwork and Objects - All items must first be examined by a SFLAC conservator. During the examination, the conservator will detail the condition of your piece, perform the necessary tests and determine the proper conservation treatment. The conservator then provides you with a written Condition Report, Treatment Proposal and Estimate.

2. Approving the Treatment - Sign and date the appropriate lines on your SFLAC Condition Report and Treatment Proposal. Send it to us together with the deposit fee check. Once we have receive it, your artwork will then be scheduled into our workflow.

3. Treatment Conservation - Treatment work begins when your piece is reached in the conservator’s queue. All treatments conducted adhere to The Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

4. Completion - When conservation treatment on your piece is complete, you will receive an invoice for our services. Once payment is received, you may pick up your piece from our facility or arrange for return shipment. You may also choose to pay for your treatment when you pick up your art or artifact. Please arrange an appointment with SFLAC to do so.

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Treatment cost is based on the amount of time and materials required by your specific artwork, not on the value of the artwork itself. Every conservation treatment is a new approach and depends upon the individual piece and its conservation needs. We cannot provide an exact cost estimate without physically seeing the piece. Nevertheless, we can offer you a ballpark estimate if you provide a description of the piece as well as photos of front and back and details of damaged areas. Once the actual item is examined we will provide a firm estimate.

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Do you charge for restoration or conservation estimates? No. We offer verbal estimates at no cost. However, a written estimate will be provide if necessary and the cost of it will be deducted of the total amount of the treatment if approved. We can assess the item in your home (on-site visits require scheduling conservator time, therefore some costs are involved). Also, you can either bring the item to us (by appointment only) or you can send it to us. If you choose this last option, please call us to arrange the shipment schedule.

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We strongly recommend that private owners personally deliver their works. If third-party delivery is necessary, we recommend the use of professional shippers. If an object is too large, heavy or fragile to be safely transported ask about an on-site visit. Note that we cannot accept shipments without a preliminary arrangement. Please call us to organize the shipment schedule.

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Most treatments can be completed within a month, though more complicated treatments may take longer. Rush jobs may be accommodated but will incur in an additional fee.

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Usually, collectors require the services of an art conservator to perform conservation treatments when necessary; to periodically monitor the condition and recommend changes in the object environment; to perform routine maintenance on more sensitive pieces, and finally, to assess condition before works of art are collected. Major museums (with their own conservation staff) pass all potential acquisitions through the conservation departament for an assessment. This process is even more important for private/corporate collections since an individual cannot know everything necessary to ensure a well-informed purchase or whether an artwork is maintainable.

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No, we don’t do appraisals. As per the AIC Code of Ethics, it is unethical for conservators to provide appraisals. There is conflict of interest when a conservator is asked to value a piece that they are estimating for restoration. Value of the work should no interfere with the actual costs of restoration or conservation work.

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Appraisals can be quite subjective and vary extremely. Reliability improves with the expertise of the appraiser, the comparison of the artwork to known sales (a known artist in a recognized style and period are easiest to appraise), and the independence of the appraisal from any imminent buy/sell transaction. For more information about certified appraisers, you can visit the Appraisers Association of America web page at http://www.appraisersassoc.org/index.cfm