Let me speak up for my profession here. A professional conservator
often has a better skill set and knowledge of deteriorating paint on
architectural surfaces to be able to consolidate and save what remains
and to develop an approach that will be preserve the original artifact
while incorporating a measure of appropriate visual reintegration
(that's often called restoration). It all depends on what your goal is
here. Do you want as much of the original stabilized and preserved or
do you want something "newer" to take its place. In a conservation
approach we often use resins to isolate an original layer from our
filling and inpainting and always strive to use reversible materials.
In architectural conservation often a knowledgable conservator will be
brought in to develop standards and techniques for the project and
then oversee the work of skilled contractors in its execution. We
recently performed such a role in the recently completed restoration
of the wonderful Gamble House in Pasadena.

Cheers,
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, California

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