Looking at your web site at some of your work, I can appreciate a real
artistry in it as well as what I imagine is going to a huge amount of
trouble to get the authentic and right materials for restoration.

Oh thank you kind sir. You mustn't say restoration though it is a
dirty word in the trade. Use conservation or repair

There is certainly a great deal of valuable architecture in Germany,
and it is obvious as you move from northern Germany to Bavaria and
further on - for example gothic churches in the north like the Dom in
Koeln and onion-shaped domes in the south. I've never studied
plasterwork in them, but my guess would be that it's more likely in
the south to have ornate decoration - the northern ones seem to be
much more austere.

and lots of very good Swiss plasterers on their doorstep. Much of the
finest plasterwork in Venice was done by Swiss plasterers

It might also be worth looking at places like Budapest. I am pretty
sure that you would find interesting things there.

Much Polish decorative plaster was lost in the last war, but under
Communism was restored to its original condition so there must be some
excellent plasterers in Poland. Czech plaster is gently fading away I
think and I know nothing about Hungarian plaster

The water should be warm now, so thankfully off for a soak in a hot
bath

Well deserved by the sound of it.

And (getting hastily back to DIY) when I replumb the hot water system
it will

a) Not get cold so quickly
and
b) Be switchonable from my mobile

Anna

~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642