Securing valuable treasures: a behind the scenes look at the work of a Mount Maker
When visiting a museum, an exhibition or brand new display, have you ever wondered how many unique people are involved in the process of bringing these stories to life?
The job of a Mount Maker is one that is always behind the scenes, with their work often hidden from plain sight (that’s the true sign of a great Mount Maker!). With the installation of a new exhibition underway, it felt like the perfect opportunity to explore this hidden trade in a little more detail.
Meet Colin Lindley, a freelance Mount Maker who is working on Diving Deep: HMS Invincible 1744. We spoke to Colin to learn more about his craft.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: We are reinstalling the exhibition ‘Diving Deep’ which we first installed at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. So in this case all the mounts are prepared in advance, have been on display and have now been carefully documented, uninstalled, packaged and are now ready to go back in the showcases.
Q: What does a Mount Maker do?
A: We supply stands to show objects for display and for conservation reasons to support the object and make sure that they are presented well but also safely. So for example that can either be a Perspex panel which objects are placed or pinned onto or a metal armature mount which holds the shape of the object and presents it in the showcase.
Q: How did you get into this line of work?
A: I have a sculpture degree, moved to London and answered an advert in the Evening Standard for somebody who could weld to go and work for the Royal Armouries and that was when they were moving the collection to a new museum in Leeds 6/7 years ago. Then when that opened I came back to London and set up Freelance.
Watch the full interview with Colin here:
See if you can spot Colin’s work in Diving Deep: HMS Invincible 1744.
Colin will also be working with us on our new Ropery Gallery, opening in March.
