King's Coronation Cope

As discussed at lilies war, the king's coronation cope originally made by Master RSVP fifteen years ago is in desperate need of reconstruction. It has been approved for the Needle and Fiber Arts Guild to be the primary conservators during this endeavor. At the coronation of their Highnesses, a very small group of guild members will be allowed into the privy chamber to view the garment and take photos and notes for use during its restoration. I have called the original artist and received his permission to perform the reconstruction. This will be a long and involved process. The current plan is a total reworking of the garment. There will most likely be a new outer body and lining made. The rattail couching which has been falling off for years now will be replaced by gold couching cords. The embroideries themselves will be removed and sent to a professional for careful restorative cleaning. The body will be remade during the next six months using the original plans and patterns. After the coronation of the following crown the disassembly and reconstruction will occur. Although it would be nice to use exactly the same fabrics for the new cope, it would probably be more prudent to use fabrics with a better track record for staying in one piece for the long haul. This means the acetate satin used for the lining will probably be replaced with a more natural and sturdy, yet equally pretty fabric. There will be more updates as the work progresses.

Jose