Volume 37, Issue 3-4 -

Historically, conservation of maps included the application of silk facings, heavy cloth backings and use of inappropriate adhesives. This combination of papers, linings and adhesives often causes undulations, tenting and stiffness, hindering their use. Furthermore, silk yellows over time, which compromises the visual interpretation. The National Archives UK faced these problems when preparing Samuel Holland’s 1765 3×4 m map of St John’s Island for display. This paper outlines the complex conservation treatment of a large scale paper object, the creative and innovative techniques developed and the challenges of preparing such an object for display. All products from previous repairs in 1973 were removed using aqueous treatments, the distorted map was mended and realigned and in a major undertaking this large scale object was lined, using up to date techniques. This required building a bridge and a platform and forming a team of 12 colleagues to accomplish the complex and challenging multi-layered lining. A better understanding of treatments and materials available today enabled a successful conservation treatment, which left the map more accessible, visually engaging and flexible for the future, whilst changing protocols of future treatment of maps at The National Archives with application for the wider conservation community.

The exhibition of 75 cartoons by Charles Le Brun (1619–1690) in Madrid and Barcelona scheduled for March 2016 offered a good opportunity to discuss the collection’s overall condition which was at that point very heterogeneous. Several solutions for storage and transport will be introduced in the article. Cartoons which had already been lined on canvas and stretched on auto-tensor frames were inserted into movement, storage and transport boxes adapted to the needs of a graphic art collection. Cartoons which had been already mounted on cardboard were additionally protected by covers with spacers. For cartoons which had remained rolled since they have entered the collection in 1690, specially customized portfolios were designed for transport and storage using a wooden grid frame to obtain a very light, but rigid support. The creation of prototypes allowed us to refine the portfolio’s design little by little.

Honeycomb panels (8.3 mm thickness) are suitable as a drying stack material because of their large dimension, smooth surface and excellent dimensional stability after repeated contact with humidified paper and simultaneous loading; due to their light weight, they allowed a short drying time and efficient handling by a single person. A prototype vertical storage package features two panels (13 mm thickness) and a double-wall corrugated board with a built-in bend that enhances the supporting function of the sandwich by ensuring slight pressure contact with the object. The sandwich edges are enclosed using U-shaped rails made of acrylic glass or corrugated cardboard. To protect the sides of the package from external moisture sorption and mechanical damage, a barrier film or a corrugated board featuring one sorption-retardant surface can be added as an exterior sandwich layer.

As a mount support for a large drawing on tracing paper, six honeycomb panels were adhered with Primal AC 33 acrylic adhesive to a wooden latticed strainer. The 13 mm-thick honeycomb panels were lap joined and the overlapping edges tacked down with Beva ® 371 heat seal film (0.025 mm thickness) to conceal the joins. Japanese paper hinges were adhered at strategic and unobtrusive locations along the top and right verso edges of the drawing and threaded through the honeycomb panel for attachment on its verso. After the top hinges had been secured to the mount, the drawing was allowed to settle in a vertical position and then the remaining hinges were secured to the mount. The spaces between the lattice bars on the verso were filled with honeycomb panel pieces for added mechanical protection and moisture migration control. Mount and drawing are in good condition after 10 years.

This paper focusses on the causes for damage to a paper-caché bust (Property Staatliches Museum Schwerin, Germany) and strategies for prevention of future damage by the implementation of a new mounting support system. The bust of Friedrich Wilhelm II was created in the late eighteenth century in Ludwigslust (Germany) and is made of up to 40 layers of paper bound with thin starch paste. The bust itself, the base and the connecting cardboard tube were separated, and some parts were severely deformed. In order to re-connect the three main parts, to support fragile areas, to reduce stress induced by uneven weight distribution and to be able to safely move the sculpture, a new mounting support was designed. Being inserted into the inside of the bust, the structure is invisible and does not interfere with the visual effect of the sculpture.

This paper describes a new mounting system for a structurally damaged paper maché object by the artist Franz West (1947–2012). Due to a massive but now inactive pest infestation, the papier-mâché core of the artwork was substantially damaged by numerous bore holes and tunnels. Moreover, mechanical impact had fractured the artwork, which further decreased its stability. To successfully stabilize the structure, methods of consolidation and strategies for mounting had to be combined. Conservation focused on consolidation and loss compensation of the insect damaged surface and subsurface of the object. The second and equally important part of the conservation concept dealt with mounting and at the same time securing the fractured area. This was accomplished by constructing a grid-shaped support structure that perfectly fit between the uneven backside surface of the object and the plane perspex back-board of the existing frame. The support structure holds the vulnerable area along the fracture in place while at the same time allowing for mounting of the object within the frame.

In the eighteenth century, paper theatres were presented in special boxes on fairs. This technical note describes three ways to present these small decorative art objects in exhibitions: mounting the paper theatres in a box of museum board, between acrylic glass rods or in a frame.

Over the centuries, fans have been produced in a large range of shapes, styles, sizes and a variety and combination of materials. Each one, therefore, requires its own tailor-made mount, as poor display can cause severe damage. Long term display or storage in the open position, for instance, can lead to a fan becoming ‘set’ in that position, and if it can no longer be closed, its integrity is compromised. This article outlines some of the likely weaknesses of fans and the way in which they can deteriorate if not properly supported while on display. The vulnerabilities inherent in fans with a paper element are, more often than not, equally applicable to those incorporating other materials such as vellum or textiles. An understanding of the potential causes of degradation will guide good mount design and display practices.

The so-called Croÿ albums, kept by the Collection of Manuscripts and Rare Books at the Austrian National Library, form a convolute of 15 baroque red leather bindings housing 936 gouache paintings on double-sided parchments dating from 1560 to 1621. The opulently decorated topographic views of the possessions of Charles Duc de Croÿ (1560–1612) have undergone conservation treatment at the Institute for Conservation, followed by digitisation, allowing for a restricted access to the valuable albums. The planning of the project involved a wide range of possibilities and several levels of decisions. The construction of a decision tree and decision matrices helped to visualize the complexity of the issues involved and to consider the various options. The cultural importance of the Croÿ albums was decisive for choosing an overall treatment. Polyester pockets which had been added in the 1970s were removed from the albums. The fragile paint layers on the parchments were consolidated with gelatine. The modified remounting of the gouache paintings into the albums was done with a modified form of T-hinges which are combined with a protective layer of Japanese paper. Extremely sensitive paintings were taken out of the albums and mounted in double-sided mats. For the readers, an illustrated instruction sheet was placed into each volume’s archival box. It shows the correct turning of the album pages.

A pair of Chinese scrolls representing the earth and sky were donated to the Bodleian Library in 1684. They are thought to be ephemeral items printed during the late Ming dynasty. Records indicate that in 1883 the scrolls were trimmed, patched with transparent paper, backed with cloth and mounted in an unsympathetic manner. In this paper, we consider the conservation and preservation measures adopted by the then Bodleian Librarian and reflect on his participation at the St. Gall Conference in 1898. The conservation treatment of the scrolls completed in 2015 was guided by their past repairs, current ethical considerations and scientific analysis. Breaking the strong bond between the transparent paper and the fragile surface of the scrolls required experimentation with the Albertina Compress and Gellan gum. The recreation of functional hanging scrolls involved the use of traditional scroll-mounting techniques and the reinterpretation of the Chinese mounting style from a western conservation perspective. We also discuss the experience gained in treating two artefacts with almost identical problems.

In preparation for the British Library’s exhibition to mark 800 years of Magna Carta, the Library’s copies of the charter, and three related documents, were reframed. There were several requirements: minimal intervention; allow re-treatability; fully show rectos and text; present the charters as documents rather than artworks. Comprehensive risk assessments and work plans determined appropriate working methods, display angles, mounting techniques and materials, taking into account the particular features of each charter, including seals, ribbons and seal bags. Frames from commercial manufacturers were considered, and a selection made on several criteria: security, accessibility, environment, aesthetics and versatility. This project has demonstrated how a sophisticated and comprehensive initial assessment allowed a relatively simple but demonstrably appropriate solution to be implemented, using well established and understood materials and methods. This provided secure and sympathetic frames for the six documents, catering for the specific requirements of each item, and also allowed versatility should requirements change in future. We worked closely with other stakeholders, and were able to argue for the best outcomes for the objects themselves, demonstrating that high profile objects do not necessarily require expensive, “high-tech” solutions. Thorough planning and preparation ensured the reframing was completed within time and under budget.