Approaching the preservation of polyurethane ester soles on football boots

Abstract

This paper discusses the condition, research and treatment of two pairs of football boots, one worn by George Best in 1976 the other by Pelé potentially from 1969. Owned by the same individual who requested the boots to be reconstructed for display, both treatments focus on the plastic soles of the football boots, both identified as polyurethane ester via FTIR, which displayed severe deterioration in the form of cracking, areas of loss, blooming on the surface and failed previous treatments. In both cases, conservation to prevent further loss involved making substantial fills. This paper presents details of the treatment developed to stabilise the soles on both pairs of boots and make them fit for short term display, comparing the different methods chosen and outlining the decision-making process. A long-term packing solution was also developed for both objects. A review of the treatment after a few years indicated that not all the problems were fully resolved, and the authors present a range of alternative options which could be considered to conserve similar boots in future.