The iconic central lights, rare books and a silver salver are among the finds from the archaeological survey of the Mackintosh Library at the Glasgow School of Art, which was gutted in a fire last May.

Kirkdale Archaeology in partnership with AOC took 12 weeks to document, sift and remove the remains following the blaze.

"There have been some remarkable finds from the forensic archaeology," says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The Glasgow School of Art. "We are still awaiting the final reports from the survey, but we are delighted that the majority of the pieces making up the intricate metal lanterns from the iconic light fitting have been found along with books from the rare book collection which can be conserved to some degree, parts of the studio clock and of the original library chairs and periodicals desk.

"We have also learned a tremendous amount about the construction of the library which will be invaluable when we come to begin the restoration."


Professor Inns said the majority of the archives and collections survived the fire intact, but that there had been losses.

"All of the surviving material is now stable and secure," he said. "It will be reviewed by expert conservators as part of a recovery programme which will take place over the next three years."

Some of the most popular items in the Recognised Collection are now accessible by guided tour in a new Furniture Gallery.

All items that were in the east wing of the Mackintosh Building survived the fire and were taken to offsite storage. These included items in the Furniture Gallery, Director’s office, Mackintosh Room, Mackintosh Museum and Boardroom. Some of these items have now been put back on public display in a newly created Furniture Gallery in the Reid Building.

The majority of the paper archives and artworks on paper, including over 100 works by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, were unharmed by the fire.

However, it is thought that about 90 of the oil paintings on canvas in the School’s collections were destroyed, including two paintings by Mackintosh, a handful of works by Newbery and one work by Joan Eardley. All paintings had been digitised and can be accessed via the online archive.

Around 8,000 books and journals in the Mackintosh Library, including part of the GSA’s rare book collection, were also destroyed in the fire.

The GSA also said the majority of the contents of the library were destroyed, but forensic archaeology has retrieved a number of items including parts of the studio clock and all its mechanisms, most of the metal from the lamps in the central light fitting, some of the rare book collection - including The Sights and Sounds of Fair Japan – and parts of some of the library chairs and the periodical desk.

(IT)