RESTORATION
Signature Handprints has an established reputation for being the go-to source in Australia for historical wallpaper and textile restoration and replication.
Image: This design was originally printed in the 1980’s for NSW Parliament House, and has been reproduced from the archives for the 2023 chamber refurbishment project.
The Restoration Archive
The restoration archive contains designs that capture the history of the early stages of interior design and decoration in Australia. Each of the designs were drawn by hand in the 1970’s and 1980’s, although many of the designs created were actually replicas of even older patterns dating back as far as the late 1800’s. Many of the designs were commissioned for specific buildings and residences, and were often based on small remaining fragments of existing older papers found at the site.
Since the 1980’s Signature Prints has printed and supplied wallpaper to some of Australia’s most iconic public institutions such as NSW Parliament House, as well as numerous private residences across Sydney and Australia. Many of these original installs are now approaching 40+ years old, and as a result we are currently seeing an increase in renovations and restoration projects at these sites. With the original film artwork (and in some cases even original archival silk screens) having been preserved and protected, we are now able to re-print those same wallpaper patterns, allowing these historic spaces to be refreshed for another 40+ years of life.
These designs are also available to be custom printed for new projects that require period-appropriate wallpaper and decorative treatments.
Background Image: Hand drawn outline tracing of a ceiling wallpaper pattern designed c.1914. The original wallpaper did not have enough contrast to show up on a digital scan, so tracing the pattern elements is one way to capture the design for later restoration.
Restoration and replication of out-of-copyright / out-of-print designs from other sources
In some cases Signature Handprints is able to provide design restoration services to replicate and print wallpapers and textiles from sources outside the library. This service is limited strictly to designs that are of an age to be either out of copyright or out of print, and acceptance of this type of project is undertaken solely at our discretion after having satisfied any copyright/ethical concerns. We WILL NOT replicate any design that is still available to purchase in the marketplace, or that can be traced to a designer/print house that is still operational (unless with their express permission). Artwork restoration is completed by our in-house textile designer and can be an extensive process, usually involving a detailed hand-drawn colour separation process to prepare the artwork before printing can even begin.
In cases where design replication /colour separation has already been completed by another source, we can also become just the production facility for such projects. Once artwork has been supplied to us we can then prepare screens and produce the screen-printed products. With our expertise in precise colour-matching we can ensure that any replication is as close to the original as possible, allowing these historic spaces to be refreshed in a sensitive manner that retains all of the charm and elegance of the original.
For all restoration enquiries, please contact our team with the details of your project.