Bringing treasured things back to life.
Silverfish Conservation Studio is the practice of Chloe Cox, a restorer working across ceramics, paper, paintings, stone, metal and the built environment.
Where the name comes from
There is a knowing wink in the name. The silverfish is one of conservation’s oldest adversaries — a small, ancient insect with an appetite for exactly the things I look after: paper, book bindings, glue and starch. Any conservator will tell you they are bad news in an archive.
So naming a restoration studio after one is quite deliberately tongue-in-cheek — a nod to the very pest we work to keep at bay, and to the quiet, patient, slightly obsessive nature of the work itself. Think of it as the reformed silverfish: the same fascination with old paper and older things, opposite intentions.
Training & experience
My route into conservation ran through the laboratory. I hold a BSc in Medicinal Chemistry from Stellenbosch University, and went on to complete a Postgraduate Diploma at the South African Institute for Heritage Science and Conservation.
That grounding in chemistry shapes how I work. Understanding what an object is actually made of — its glazes, pigments and papers, and the ways they age and react — is the foundation of treating it safely. Every piece that comes into the studio is met with both scientific care and a genuine respect for its history.
How I work
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The right treatment
Each piece is examined closely before any work begins, so what follows is exactly what the object needs — carried out thoroughly and made to last.
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Reversible where possible
Conservation-grade materials are chosen so that today’s repair can be undone by a future conservator, should they ever need to.
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Honest, not hidden
Restoration can be near-invisible when that is what a piece needs — but the work is always documented and disclosed to you.
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Respect the story
Age, wear and the marks of use are part of an object’s history. The aim is to bring a piece back to life, not to make it pretend it was made yesterday.
From first look to homecoming
- 01
Enquiry
Send photographs and a few words about the piece, and I’ll respond with my initial thoughts.
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Assessment
The object is examined in person, its condition documented, and a treatment proposal and estimate prepared.
- 03
Treatment
Work proceeds only with your approval, carried out carefully and recorded as it goes.
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Return
The finished piece is returned with notes on what was done and how best to care for it.
Let’s talk about your piece
I’d be glad to hear what you have and what it means to you.