Three 17th century Chinese vases, which were damaged last year when a visitor to the Fitzwilliam Museum fell down the stairs and collided with them, have been restored and are now back on display.

Nick Flynn, who caused serious damage to the vases as he tumbled down the stairs in January last year, was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, but was not convicted.

The vases smashed by Mr Flynn date from the latter years of the reign of the Kangxi emperor (1662-1722) and are painted in enamels with traces of gilding. The lidded baluster jar, 80cm in height and weighing 45kg, has now been set up in a specially designed case and is positioned in between two smaller porcelain jars of “yan yan” shape. The vases are together
thought to be worth in excess of £100,000.

Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum Duncan Robinson said, “We are very pleased with the result of this major restoration project and delighted to see the Qing vases back on display in the museum. “The risk that sunlight and heat would eventually degrade the adhesive used in their conservation has prevented us from putting them back in the window recess where they were originally displayed, but the advantage of their new location is that visitors will be able to walk around them.”

Penny Bendall, the Suffolk based ceramics conservator who restored the vases, said, “The sheer size and weight of the vases
proved a challenge at times during the conservation process but I am very pleased to have brought this extensive project to a successful conclusion. “The emphasis on minimum intervention has hopefully demonstrated that, in the majority of cases, conservation to exhibition standards can successfully be achieved without excessive retouching.”

The Fitzwilliam has launched an interactive feature on its website to accompany the return, with a time-lapse video showing the restoration of one of the vases.

The visitor who caused the smash in January 2006 was originally said to have accidentally slipped on a loose shoelace. He was attended to by staff first aiders at the museum, but was asked by the Institution “not to visit them again in the near
future”.

Nick Flynn, 42, from Fowlemere in Cambridgeshire, told the press at the time: “It was just a regrettable accident. I snagged my shoelace, missed the step and crash, bang, wallop there were a million pieces of high quality ceramics lying around underneath me.“

The regular visitor to the Fitzwilliam added that, “seeing they were the prize possession of the museum, I thought they might take a little bit better care of them.” He said: “I think they are a bit embarrassed at the moment, with them being worth such a considerable amount, and there is no way my pocket will stretch to reimburse them for the damage that I’ve done.”

At the time of the incident police said they had ruled out any malicious intent. However, Flynn was arrested later in the year on suspicion of criminal damage. He was released without charge in June.
Camilla Temple