The Bouquet is in its constituent parts and they have been soda blasted to remove the thick layers of paint that have accumulated over the years. The detail is now visible in the leaves but so too is the extent of the corrosion that the painting was presumably meant to conceal.
The picture below shows a number of the features on the Clock that have not fared well, as they were when the Clock was first assembled in Emett's Forge. Starting from the top right. The head of the water spout with its cluster of leaves is now a shadow of its former self. The graceful curving hub that carries the Cobweb Water Wheel has been replaced with an ugly bearing block. The Bouquet's curved support tubes have been reduced in number from six to two and the Bouquet itself, as can be seen from picture in Day 18 has been transformed from a graceful arrangement of delicate copper foliage to a multicoloured misshapen mess. All of this needs to be corrected.
How the Clock should look.
Some of the remaining leaves have now parted company with the branches. The reason is clear from the photograph below which shows the extent of the corrosion particularly at the bases of the leaves where they have trapped water. Where possible the leaves will be repaired. Failing that they will be replaced with new leaves forged by our blacksmith.
Corroded leaves from the Bouquet.
An interesting photograph from Emett's Forge shows an alternative arrangement that he was considering. Gone are the birds, squirrel and frog and instead we can see a dragonfly and a stag hiding among the leaves. Maybe the clash of scales convinced him to change his design. I must ask one of his assistants.
Emett's first arrangement of the Bouquet.
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