The ethics of conservation are based on the fundamental belief that alteration of an object from its original state diminishes it as an object of research, aesthetic appreciation and cultural worth. Conservation is therefore often highly controversial. The usual order of priorities is 1. provision of correct environmental conditions of climate and storage/display and 2. provision of suitable conservation treatments. The author gives two conservation decision-making examples: the conservation of a stoneware puzzle jug and a gipsy caravan.