beginner in stone

["George Graham" <georgergraham@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

dear Sheila,

Without seeing your stone, I would say that taking
apart your stone is a very risky thing to do.
Considering the age, apparent old repairs, and the kind
of marble, the chance of breaking a corner while taking
it down, is great. Old vermont marble is extreamly
fragile.

The carving your discribe, has to have been carved by
hand. It sound like a fine example of the old style.
Preserving it is a good thing. You need to weigh the
benefits of refinishing the work against what will be
lost from retooling and sanding. Old vermont marble
tends to be very grainy and crumbly. Raised carving is
extreamly ready to fall off!!

The more I think about it , the less I like the idea of
taking apart an old 3 piece monument. A lot of damage
can be done , real fast!

Look up information on cemetery restoration information.
There are some organizations around the country,
historical socities, etc., that would be very glad to
give you more information.

Take your time of this project. Your stone has been up
for 100 years , so take your time.

Hang in there,
George Graham