AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

The Poster Session will be held in the AIC Exhibit Hall from 10 AM to 5:30 PM on May 22 and May 23.  

The Poster Session will be held in the AIC Exhibit Hall from 10 AM to 5:30 PM on May 22 and May 23.  

The management of textile collections poses a series of challenges to cultural heritage professionals: (i) specific materials’ properties that affect objects’ degradation processes and may cause unpredictable change; (ii) small numbers of specialists in Brazil experienced with treating textile materials; (iii) limited storage space and resources to process and safeguard objects, and (iv) a perception of lower value than other object types such as paintings and sculptures. These challenges affect decision-making in all collection management activities, including accessioning and disposal, preservation, use, and object documentation. Consequently, it is essential to develop and improve tools to aid heritage professionals in decision-making processes.

Over the last two decades, there have been several developments towards statistical modeling of risks, change and damage that affect cultural heritage objects and their collections. These models consider environmental data and object-specific information such as material composition, condition, significance, and values, as well as the ways they are or may be used in heritage. Recently, models have also sought to include users’ expectations for the duration and care of these objects. Models can provide useful information for planning resource allocation, developing preventive conservation strategies, and informing accessioning and disposal decisions. Additionally, they serve as a tool to assess and predict the impact of change and damage on objects’ values and the ways users access and relate to them.

Our work discusses results from a survey carried out with Brazilian museum professionals, heritage researchers, and exhibition visitors, who were questioned about objects’ values and condition, ways of use, and expected future duration. Responses were analyzed using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to map out correlations and patterns among respondent groups. These initial results are foundational for the ongoing development of a decision-making model that is informed by and centers around users’ views and expectations about modern and contemporary textile heritage objects. Following steps involve analyzing users’ attitudes towards different change scenarios and conducting degradation tests with mock-up materials.

The MCA variables cloud shows great congruence between the expectations of museum professionals and visitors regarding the future availability of objects and their collections: both would like objects and collections to be available forever for virtual exhibitions, research, educational activities, and as inspiration for making replicas or other objects. Additionally, both groups expect that collections - but not objects individually - should be available forever for in-person exhibitions. In our analysis, these prospects appear on the same axis as value categories associated with more traditional views of cultural heritage: historical, associative, age, rarity, and educational values. Alternatively, researchers both in cultural heritage and other areas expect objects and collections to be available for between 200 to 500 years for most use scenarios. Considering that it is not possible for objects to be available forever for research, in-person exhibitions, and educational activities, our model intends to provide more realistic timeframes as a planning horizon for collection managers. Professionals can then use this information to better communicate expected change and duration to other users.

Collaborative projects have the potential to uncover new perspectives and the ongoing exploration of leather by the Leather Discussion Group (LDG) is no exception. The group, established in 2016 to discuss the effects of leather dyes on leather, has evolved into a much larger project with many facets. What started as a discussion among a small group of book conservators now includes conservators in multiple disciplines as well as leather researchers, suppliers, and leatherworkers in both the US and Europe. The group has learned a great deal about the ways in which people view leather, the philosophies behind its use, and how variations in training and region affect outlooks.

Recent broad-scale explorations of health and safety concerns, sustainability, and the environmental impact of leather production have led to a reduction in leather use due to a need to perform more research in some of these areas. This, combined with a need for further research on the long-term effects of recent leather treatments and the relative longevity of modern skins compared to traditional (stable) and industrial (highly unstable) skins has tabled leather use in many cases where this is of paramount importance. Meanwhile, explorations of non-traditional leathers and leather substitutes have added new aspects to the practice that also need further study in order to establish their relatively stability, or lack thereof, in comparison to traditional leather. The project has led to many surprising discoveries and unearthed copious avenues for future study. From explorations of the potential effect of animal husbandry on skin quality to historic leather testing methods, research into various aspects of leather longevity is nothing new.

Shifting institutional and client priorities play a large role in the place leather has in any given setting. Where it was once ubiquitous as a bookbinding material, changes in the tanning process, ostensible longevity issues, training, and the availability of alternative materials have created a divide between typical institutional and private client trends. Institutional focus on rehousing or minimal treatment is economical yet often fails to return a book to its fully functioning potential. Meanwhile, individual clients often opt for more leather use with future handling in mind.

Dive deep into the folds of leather with us with this poster, which will summarize the current and previous topics addressed by the leather discussion group. They include a survey of historic leather research projects, an exploration of changes in the tanning process, an overview of tests used to assess leather quality, philosophical and practical approaches to leather as a material, an exploration of leather chemistry, and the creation of a digital repository for leather related research.

Collaborative projects have the potential to uncover new perspectives and the ongoing exploration of leather by the Leather Discussion Group (LDG) is no exception. The group, established in 2016 to discuss the effects of leather dyes on leather, has evolved into a much larger project with many facets. What started as a discussion among a small group of book conservators now includes conservators in multiple disciplines as well as leather researchers, suppliers, and leatherworkers in both the US and Europe. The group has learned a great deal about the ways in which people view leather, the philosophies behind its use, and how variations in training and region affect outlooks.

Today, shifting institutional and client priorities play a large role in the place leather has in any given setting. Where it was once ubiquitous as a bookbinding material, changes in the tanning process, ostensible longevity issues, training, and the availability of alternative materials have created a divide between typical institutional and private client trends. Institutional focus on rehousing or minimal treatment is economical yet often fails to return a book to its fully functioning potential. Meanwhile, individual clients often opt for more leather use with future handling in mind.

There is a need to perform more research into many leather topics such as health and safety concerns, sustainability, the environmental impact of leather production, the long-term effects of recent leather treatments and the relative longevity of modern skins compared to traditional (stable) and industrial (highly unstable) skins. However, research into various aspects of leather longevity is nothing new, and investigations into the properties of bookbinding leather go back centuries.

Assessing the potential drivers behind the decision making surrounding this very traditional material, as well as evaluating the relative permanence of modern leather in comparison to historic leather, may be accomplished best if the data is coalesced into one place. In this talk we will introduce a newly launched georeferenced leather database, which is intended to serve as a cross-referenced repository for leather research. The database will allow for input from bookbinders, leather researchers, tanners, and other leather workers worldwide and data within it can be accessed and analyzed freely. It is the LDG’s goal that this repository and the associated knowledge-sharing will shed new light on both historic and modern leather as a material and serve as a basis for guiding future treatment.

When the H.L. Hunley submarine (1864) was rediscovered in Charleston Harbor and raised from submersion in 2000 it presented a great opportunity for underwater archeology and conservation efforts. The Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC) was established to address the 3000 artifacts that were recovered from the submarine as well as the vessel itself. Included in the collection are the leather shoes of all eight crew members. The waterlogged shoes were first excavated, documented, and partially conserved from 2002 to 2004. In some instances, the artifacts were found completely encapsulated in concretion and required different mechanical and chemical techniques to free them. The majority of them exhibited iron staining due to thier proximity to the iron hull. They were treated to reduce the staining and with bulking agents to freeze-dry the leather.

After freeze-drying, the shoes were then left in storage for an extended period before the final phases of treatment involving reconstruction and the development of a plan for the storage and display of the shoes was revisited in 2022. The case of one particular pair of shoes, those belonging to crew member Wicks, presented a unique challenge for reconstruction as well as the opportunity to showcase conservation methods to future viewers. They were identified as brogan style half-boots, a common Civil War footwear for soldiers, although these were of a higher than standard quality with metal eyelets. A relatively large fragment of the upper of Wicks’ right shoe was never removed from the hard concretion in which it was discovered. The leather, metal eyelets and fragments of shoelace and textile were deemed too fragile to safely remove. This presented the opportunity to create a replica of that fragment to be either attached or presented with the rest of the artifact. The dimensions of the embedded fragment were carefully traced onto Mylar and then tests were performed to establish which materials would be most appropriate to replicate the various components of the fragment. The interior of the shoes were carefully measured in order to create custom supports that would allow them to be stored and displayed safely and effectively. It was then decided how best to associate the replicated fragment of Wicks’ right shoe with the original main portion given that there was no point of contact between the remaining leather on the shoe and the separate fragment. At the end of their reconstruction these shoes will be ready for display alongside many of the other artifacts from the Hunley submarine thereby contributing both to a better understanding of the historic vessel and the conservation efforts involved in presenting it to the public.

The Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC) in Charleston, South Carolina serves as the repository for the collection of the H.L. Hunley submarine (1864) project currently undergoing conservation and documentation. Raised from submersion in 2000 and largely excavated by 2006, this submarine is historically significant as the first to successfully sink an enemy ship in battle. Over 3000 objects have been recovered from the submarine, including personal artifacts of the crew and submarine components in various states of degradation. Included in the collection are the leather shoes of all eight crew members. The waterlogged shoes were first excavated, documented, and partially conserved from 2002 to 2004. The excavation of the shoes presented a complex scenario for the team. They were part of an assemblage of composite materials that included leather, foot bones, textiles, metal, and soft tissue from the skeletal remains of the crewmembers. The excavation revealed that foot bones were still contained within the shoes, some of them still articulated. Additionally, soft tissue and remnants of wool socks were also present. The shoes provided archaeological information on many levels, including the site formation process, as the shoes were filled with sediment, osteological data, as well as archaeological evidence related to the shoes themselves.

Once excavated, the leather shoes were found to be in different degrees of deterioration with the majority of them exhibiting iron staining that related to their proximity to the iron hull. In some instances, the shoes were found to be completely encapsulated in concretion and required different mechanical and chemical techniques to free them. Several studies were performed to remove the iron staining from the shoes as well as to find adequate bulking agents to freeze-dry the leather.

The shoes were then impacted by a challenging period in the WLCC’s history where the storage of artifacts in a stable environment was not possible and the resulting fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity lead to a darkening of the preserved leather. This shift in the coloration between the time they were initially treated and their current appearance was noted when the shoes were re-examined so that they could be studied to be included on the report required by the US Navy as custodians of the submarine. The final phases of treatment involving reconstruction and the development of a plan for the storage and display of the shoes was revisited in 2022. In collaboration with archaeologists at the WLCC, stylistic options for the shoes were considered as conservators developed a new conservation plan. Material challenges relating to the extremely fragile condition of the previously waterlogged leather, and ethical considerations concerning the level of intervention called for, are being addressed in treatment solutions. These shoes present the opportunity to consider the changes in conservation decision making that have been developed over the past twenty years as well as the results of a changing environment. At the end of their reconstruction the shoes will be ready for display alongside many of the other artifacts from this historic vessel.

The modern first edition dust jacket—so often discarded in its day—has become the part of a book that holds the most historical and commercial value. Despite this increase in their artifactual status, I have observed extensive cosmetic restorations to valuable dust jackets over the years that don’t suit their rarity and importance. This talk will demonstrate nearly invisible repairs to damaged modern first edition dust jackets using a lightweight kozo tissue precoated with Klucel G (hydroxypropylcellulose) adhesive and leaving losses to be filled visually by a toned or printed secondary jacket placed underneath the original. The advantage of this approach is that the dust jacket retains its authentic condition while appearing complete when viewed from a short distance on exhibit. A dust jacket in poor condition can easily be made to look better or its poor condition can be emphasized, depending on the needs of curatorial interpretation.

These subtle and easily reversible strategies for loss compensation were developed to satisfy a curatorial brief at the Houghton Library of Harvard University in early 2023 to return a once disassociated and broken dust jacket for E.E. Cummings’s The Enormous Room (1922) to usable condition for display and then storage on its book thereafter. The goal was to make the jacket appear as though it did not have losses from a distance in the exhibition while avoiding invasive and time-consuming fills in order to leave the jacket as original as possible.

The core of this talk will be an illustrated and stepwise review of The Enormous Room dust cover treatment along with my rationale for avoiding any aqueous techniques with this type of material. Additional examples of this treatment approach will be shown where greater compensation for design and text was required of the secondary jacket. Information on sourcing, scaling, and color-correcting digital files to match the original jacket will be provided. Finally, It is hoped that the visibility of the post-print of this presentation in the Book and Paper Group Annual will show that there is a conservative yet aesthetically satisfying alternative to the in-painting and fills common in current dust jacket restoration.

Paste paper is a style of decorated paper which was first in popular use in Germany and nearby countries as book papers, wall coverings, and furniture linings from around 1600 to the 1830s. Though culturally and technically distinct from more popularly recognized marbled papers, ambiguous terminology and a lack of academic literature have led to confusion and ignorance among both public and specialized audiences. While pigment analysis is a proven provenancing technique for paintings and illuminated manuscripts, this research is the first to address its potential for paste-decorated papers. A bibliographic survey was conducted to catalog color, pattern, and publication/production data for 255 paste paper objects from Harvard University's Rosamond B. Loring Collection and several private collections. 16 of these were selected for an analytical survey involving stereomicroscopy, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and multi-spectral imaging techniques including IR reflectography and false-color imaging. The results mark the first known analytical investigation of historical paste paper colorants, revealing trends in the use of indigo and Prussian blue pigments and additives including alum, chalk, and orpiment. These insights, especially as a supplement to pattern statistics from dated objects, demonstrate the potential for improved characterization of paste papers through material analysis.

From the mid-19th century until about 1990, acidic paper-based materials were produced in large quantities throughout the world. Unfortunately, the use of acidic paper reduced the paper's strength due to chemical reactions during long-term storage. Although efforts have been made to mitigate this degradation through deacidification such as the Bookkeeper (BK) method, it remains difficult to restore the strength of degraded paper. The authors have developed an innovative coating method using fine cellulose fibers (FCF) as a strength-enhancing treatment after deacidification of degraded paper. FCF are defined as nano or submicron fibers prepared from cellulose fibers by miniaturization, and are characterized by high optical transparency and chemical affinity with the cellulose. This method was patented and registered as a Japanese patent in February 2022.

Prior to FCF coating, the BK method was conducted on naturally degraded wood-free paper, after which the paper was wetted and excess of water was removed on a vacuum suction table. Until now, FCF coating process has been done manually using a coating bar. In this study, we developed a compact coating machine that enables continuous coating on both sides of degraded paper by passing through two rolls in sequence. As optimized conditions, a coating speed of 4 m/min and a gap of 1500 μm between the rolls were selected for the coating of commercial FCF. Freeze drying, thermal drying, and vacuum drying were attempted as drying conditions for the paper after coating, with vacuum drying being the most appropriate. In this experiment, vacuum drying was performed at 40°C. Under this condition, the coating amount was approximately 1.2 g/m2.

While BK treatment of degraded paper did not change the tearing strength of the paper, FCF coating treatment increased the tear strength of BK-treated paper by 1.2 times. Comparing the tear strength of papers after accelerated aging showed that BK-treated paper was 1.2 times stronger than the untreated paper, indicating that degradation was inhibited. Furthermore, BK-treated paper coated with FCF was 1.4 times stronger than untreated degraded paper. This indicates that the combination of BK treatment and FCF coating treatment can achieve both degradation suppression and strength improvement. The legibility of the original paper remained unchanged after the FCF coating treatment, and the increase in thickness due to FCF coating was about 1% of the original thickness.

Good experimental results were also obtained in the possibility of lowering the drying temperature from 40°C to 30°C and in the preparation from raw materials ( Hardwood bleached karft pulp ) of FCF suitable for the coating.

Backing boards are commonly used as secondary supports for artwork but often degrade over time and subsequently adversely affect the primary support. As a fiber furnish, straw was used relatively briefly in paper and board production during the mid-to-late 19th century. Two strawboard samples, one with facing papers, one without, were analyzed to determine their degradative properties and whether they are safe materials to be in contact with artwork. PLM and fiber staining along with SEM identified the fiber furnish as a type of pure straw; ATR-FTIR identified the presence of proteinaceous material and an oil or resin in the facing paper, possibly from an adhesive layer, but lack of such materials within the board; material suitability testing identified one sample as permanent (copper coupon) / temporary (lead and silver coupons); pH testing determined the relative alkalinity of the board samples. While the alkaline pH of the board material suggests a potential benefit to the artwork by slowing degradation, the strawboard material is inherently structurally unstable on its own.

Drying boards are one of the most frequently used equipment in Eastern painting and calligraphy conservation and mounting studios, aiming to dry and flatten artworks. Traditional drying boards are made of wooden boards, or a combination of wooden boards and paper, or wood strips with paper such as the classic Japanese-style Karibari.

High-quality wood strips and craftsmanship can be costly, limiting the options available to some studios and conservators and reducing the likelihood of use.

In this article, I will share how to use aluminum extrusion brackets instead of wooden strips and combine them with paper to create drying boards with the same functionality. This method allows for easy production of drying boards in any desired size, offering lightweight, high structural strength, and resistance to deformation. Moreover, connecting drying boards of the same size can also provide a convenient option for occasional conserving or mounting of larger artworks.

Electronic media works often pose challenges with preservation and display, but when the electrical components are 60 years old, even more complicated decisions must be considered. With the 1963 mixed media artwork Wall Structure in Nine Parts, Each Containing a Work of Art by Other Artists by American artist Sol LeWitt (1928-2007), there was concern about exhibiting the work with the aged thermal flasher relays and electrical wiring, as well as accurately representing the original Artist intent.

The artwork consists of nine boxes joined together in a 3x3 orientation, each containing an artwork by a different artist that is revealed by lights flashing on and off. The corner boxes are each illuminated by a 10-watt lightbulb, and the remaining boxes are illuminated by a single 75-watt lightbulb in the center box. The lights are wired on two different thermal flasher relays: one for the four corner bulbs and one for the central bulb. The relays turn their corresponding lights on and off. Switching at slightly different rates, the corner bulbs and central bulb oscillate over time between switching in unison and switching oppositely.

In 2022, a full condition assessment was carried out, and while the sculpture could still be turned on, the original electrical components were in various states of degradation. The relays were causing the lights to turn on and off sporadically and inconsistently. Glenstone’s conservation team and electrician were concerned about the possibility of electrical arcing or an electrical fire when the relays ultimately fail, as the mechanics of thermal flasher relays leave them prone to gradual degradation over time. There was also some concern about yellowed wires and splices held together with degrading electrical tape.

Conversations with the Artist’s Estate, the LeWitt Collection, and a conservation colleague who had treated a similar LeWitt sculpture were influential in developing the most sympathetic and authentic treatment approach for Wall Structure in Nine Parts, Each Containing a Work of Art by Other Artists. These discussions lead to a consensus about how to best preserve the electrical functionality in the long term.

The Estate-approved treatment was carried out in collaboration with Glenstone’s licensed electrician to properly address the aged electrical components. The project involved rewiring the entire work without altering the original appearance of the piece. New relays were programmed to best approximate the existing timing. Lightbulbs were replaced with modern equivalents to ensure they do not burn out during the duration of an exhibition. Additionally, a stockpile of lightbulbs was acquired to ensure the artwork can be displayed in the future. The original electrical components removed from the Artwork were accessioned in the museum’s Artist Material Archive for safe storage and future reference. The poster showcases a successful collaborative treatment of an aging electronic media artwork that allows the piece to be safely displayed as the Artist intended, while ensuring the possibility of any necessary future modifications.

With the second industrial revolution (1870-1914), materials typically used in the making of art underwent a substantial transformation in order to meet new expectations that would fulfill the needs of the artist. In sculpture, traditional processes were used until the very end of the 19th century. Traditionally, softer materials such as wax or clay would be used for producing the original sculpture models by the artist, that would then be transferred into a more durable material.

The sculpture models made in clay were inconvenient in that once the clay would dry the artist could not make modifications to the model. Using wax also proved problematic, as it does not resist high temperatures very well and also lacks ductility. By the mid 19th century there are records of recipes that were being developed to modify waxes in order to impart more ductile proprieties. These hand-mixed, homemade formulas came to be known as modern modeling materials. However, it is not until the end of the 19th century that modeling pastes were being developed in a more industrial manner.

The materials used to form these original positive models were often recycled and repurposed for other sculptures after being cast in plaster or transferred directly to another more durable material. Therefore, it is very rare that they would have been preserved. However, some do survive, such as the collection at the Rodin Museum in Paris. These extant original positive models are so important because they are often the only pieces produced that were made directly by the artist’s hands. They often still have the artist’s fingerprints and can give clues into the artist’s creative process. After being modeled, these models were often taken by others to be transferred into plaster, stone, metal, etc., with some possible final intervention of the artist. In these instances, one can note the changes from these original models to the final sculpture. Even rarer, some works only exist as these original positive models.

This paper will affirm that there are three (3) different modeling pastes with similar characteristics but different formulations that were invented during the period of 1879 and 1897. These new modeling pastes were dry to the touch, permanently malleable, and resistant to heat. It is known that artists like August Rodin, Edgar Degas, and Ismael Smith had used these new formulated modern modeling materials to produce their original models.

The goal of this research was to better understand the origins of these modeling pastes and their chemical characteristics which could then be used to positively identify them at various artwork original models. In addition to identifying these materials, the research also involved observing the main issues of the aging material and how they interact with other materials over time, as well as providing tools to fellow conservators in order to help them with the conservation process of these rare artwork models made with early modeling pastes.

Genomics can offer unique perspectives into the creation and history of cultural heritage objects. The possibility of learning more about the makers of objects through genomics is tantalizing: there are examples where an artisan’s intimate contact with the manufacturing of art materials suggest that genetic information may survive. Gofun, a calcium carbonate pigment commonly found in traditional Japanese paintings, is one of these examples, and this abstract describes our attempts to isolate the genetic information of the maker from a modern preparation. The paint is prepared from gofun powder, which is made by an intensive pulverization of air-dried oyster shells and kneaded by the artist or their assistant with an animal binding glue. A small amount of water is added before application to a textile or paper support. The paste is kneaded by hand for at least an hour, thus increasing the opportunity for cell-free DNA from the artisan’s hands, including the artisan’s own DNA, to become incorporated into the paint. This phenomenon sparks intriguing questions about what information genomic tools can provide about the history of a painting such as: Who prepared the paint? Could that correlate to the attribution? Does attribution require a combination of human and microorganism genetic information? What microorganisms and organic materials were the painting exposed to, and how might that impact conservation treatment?

This project, representing a novel collaboration between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Mason Laboratory of Weill Cornell Medicine, explores the extent to which these questions can be answered using the smallest paint sample possible. As sample size is the limiting factor for most art analysis, especially Asian art, which typically is painted in very thin layers, the following work describes what might be possible on milligram sample sizes with the hope that miniaturization could be achieved. A modern gofun paint mockup, prepared by a Met conservator, served as our paint source. A protocol optimized for highly-fragmented DNA from calcium-based sources was implemented on four samples, ranging between 0.5 - 2 mg of paint. We selected a protocol that was sensitive to small fragments of DNA as the paint source was exposed over time to light, water, and enzymes that digest DNA, all of which drive DNA degradation reactions. Moreover, calcium ions from the gofun interfere with extraction by tightly binding to DNA, so a protocol that sequesters calcium was essential for DNA recovery. As the extraction yield was too low for detection, we amplified the extracted DNA to reach the minimum concentration required for sequencing. Fluorometry and automated electrophoresis following amplification support the presence of DNA in the paint samples. Moreover, software tools for organism identification reveal the presence of human, bovine, and mollusk DNA, among other species, suggesting the power of genomic tools for material verification. Genomic isolation and analysis from smaller-sized samples of gofun may be possible; however, challenges remain. Repetitive amplification of the sample can create byproducts that interact with other samples run on the same instrument, leading to crosstalk between samples. This can result in the false identification of unexpected species found in other samples. Future studies will probe into better addressing these issues.

This poster summarizes the results of a short internship in 2023 focused on plastics identification at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. The goal of this research was to more accurately identify a selection of plastics in collections objects and deepen my understanding of the types of polymers typically found in design museum collections.

This project follows up on a year-long survey begun in 2012. In this survey, ca. 1,500 collections objects were assessed for condition, storage recommendations were made and implemented, and a handful of objects were analyzed using portable Raman and Fourier-transfer infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy by conservation scientists. My project focused on a small subset of the objects included in the earlier survey. Over four weeks, 37 collections objects and 58 reference samples were analyzed using Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectroscopy.

Cooper Hewitt’s remit is to collect and care for important and impactful design. As indelible materials of the 20th century design narrative, its Product Design and Decorative Arts curatorial department is filled with examples of natural (horn, tortoiseshell) and early plastics such as those made of cellulose derivatives and formaldehyde-based resins (i.e., Bakelite). Modern plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane foams have consistently made their way into the collection over time. As today the museum collects a wide variety of objects, from one-of-a-kind works of art to disposable commodity items, an impressive range of plastics in varying conditions are present both on display and in museum storage.

It’s no secret that art and design museums face unique challenges when it comes to understanding plastics in their collections. Plastics are made from varying proportions and mixtures of polymers and additives and can be nearly impossible to distinguish from one another, even if their degradation phenomena and aesthetic qualities appear nearly identical. The complex composition of these objects challenges both identification and appropriate treatment and/or storage options. Complicating matters is the fact that many design objects exist as multiples or editions, calling into question long-held conventions in our field regarding authenticity, authorship, and ownership.

While many objects in our survey were identified with confidence, matches using FTIR were not always straightforward. Plasticizers and other additives can obscure spectra, rendering confident identification nearly impossible. Compounding the complexity of the task is the fact that many objects are made of composite materials. While ATR-FTIR is a very useful technique for bulk polymer identification, not all collections objects are suitable for this technique due to their size, shape, and/or condition, among other factors. It thus became vital to use a three-pronged approach: considering historical context along with sensory information and the use of scientific analysis to accurately determine polymers. The short but ambitious project provided the institution – and me – with a wealth of information about the complex plastics materials increasingly encountered by cultural heritage professionals, especially those working in modern and contemporary design collections.

Custom-dyeing support fabrics to match textiles in need of treatment is standard practice for conservators, however the process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, requiring multiple rounds of trial and error. The "Test Tube Method," an approach developed at The Met’s Costume Institute, streamlines dye formulation by reducing the number of dye sessions needed to determine the right recipe.

Before dyeing, recipes are approximated in test tubes using ten drops of up to three PRO Sabraset dyes diluted with water to simulate different depths of shade. The tubes are visually compared against the target textile and plotted on a dye triangle to narrow the range of potential recipes. Adjustments are made accordingly. Subsequently, swatches are dyed using the refined recipes and assessed for accuracy against both the target textile and their corresponding test tubes.

Despite some limitations such as the less accurate representation of especially deep colors and the unpredictability of different dyes’ exhaustion rates, the method provides a systematic and sustainable way to achieve accurate colors quickly without an extensive library of dye recipes. It drastically reduces the need for additional chemicals, fabric, and DI water associated with conventional dye processes, aligning with the growing demand for eco-friendly conservation practices in addition to cutting costs. Recorded test tube efforts also create a valuable resource for future projects, further promoting efficiency and sustainability.

Textile conservators are often faced with borrowing techniques and materials that originate from other industries. In this case study, knowledge from the theater costume, millinery, and couture fashion communities was utilized in developing a treatment for restoring the original design intent of a pink faille dress designed by African American designer Ann Lowe in the mid 1960s. Prior to display in Ann Lowe: American Couturier at Winterthur in 2023, conversations with the individual lender led to the decision to replace the original twenty-two pink ostrich feathers attached to the dress with modern feathers. The original feathers had become very fragile and flattened over time, therefore new feathers would honor the original artistic liveliness and intent of Ann Lowe’s design. White ostrich feathers were purchased from a specialized feather supplier in New York City and with advice from feather-related sources, the feathers were cut, washed, dyed, and curled to match an archival photo of the dress during its runway premier. In collaboration with Winterthur’s objects conservators, the feathers were curled using steam, a hair curler, and a diluted Aquazol-based “conservation hairspray” to keep the curls in place, an adhesive not commonly used in textile conservation. Storage systems were developed for the new and old feathers as well. This project was atypical for textile conservation treatment, however fashion objects frequently present new challenges and materials that require learning in action.

The identification of wood with the use of visibly induced ultraviolet fluorescence has been used mostly for the timber industry and has only briefly been explored in the field of Art Conservation. Making use primarily of relatively large core samples dispersed in solvent, the need for a more reliable, faster, and less invasive technique for wood identification is of pressing importance. Thanks to the recent advancement in Fiber Optics Spectroscopy (FOS) the possibility of creating repeatable fluorescent responses from wooden art objects has become more of a possibility. This poster explores the potential application of Fiber Optic Spectroscopy (FOS) in the ultraviolet (UV) range for the minimally invasive identification of wood species, in the context of art conservation and cultural heritage.

The study focuses on the identification of various wood species commonly found in cultural heritage institutions, including Mahogany, White Oak, Walnut, Poplar, and Ebony, through UV-induced fluorescence spectra and compares the results to known fluorescing species such as Staghorn Sumac. Notably, many of these woods are not known to visibly fluoresce under UV light with the results revealing that FOS in the UV range can produce identifiable spectra for wood samples, even in cases where visible fluorescence is absent. The emission and absorption bands for each wood species are analyzed, providing characteristic spectral fingerprints.

The poster concludes by highlighting the potential of FOS in UV fluorescence as a minimally invasive tool for wood identification, particularly in art conservation, offering a new potential approach to addressing this aspect of the field. The need for further research is emphasized, including the expansion of the sample size to encompass a broader range of wood species, investigation of how growing environments affect spectral responses, and the creation of a comprehensive spectral database for future comparative analysis.

This poster discusses the conservation of one of Tutankhamun’s beds which dated back to the new kingdom. This bed is consisted of a gilded wooden frame and the middle of the bed was made of braided Halfa plant covered with gesso layer. The four legs of the bed were formed in the shape of lion paws. The ancient Egyptians depicted the paws of the lion in this bed perfectly to the extent carving lion's sharp nails precisely. Unfortunately, the middle part of the bed had separated partly due to dryness and weakness of the edges of the braided Halfa plant. Also, the bed suffered from previous conservation materials such as paraffin wax which covered many parts of the bed and was desperately in need for removal. For these reasons, the condition of the bed demanded a quick intervention with conservation procedures to reach a sustainable condition and restore its original shape. The surprise was finding that the nails of the lion paws in the four legs of the bed are made of silver according to the test applied by portable XRF analysis. Although, the legs of the bed were documented previously as made of wood only. This twist in information caused changes in the applied conservation plan of the bed.

Good management of lighting in museums and galleries requires balancing the visibility needs of viewers, the curatorial and artistic vision for an exhibition, the possible loan requirements, and the conservation concerns for the art displayed. External windows that introduce varying amounts of sunlight depending on the time of day, season, and geographic location contribute to a fundamental uncertainty in environmental conditions. Their presence further complicates decisions regarding adjustments to artificial lighting, window treatments, and exhibition length. Galleries are rarely static – artworks with photosensitive elements are frequently considered for display, and without sufficient light monitoring data, windowed galleries present a worrisome unknown. However, data loggers typically afforded in museum budgets only capture information for a single localized area. Consequently, conservators must take into account the unique geometry and architecture of the space when determining what defines sufficient data to summarize lighting conditions. Restrictions on the amount of time and location of data sampling similarly impede the conservator’s ability to accurately capture and evaluate current conditions. The dynamic nature of sunlight within the museum environment and the inherent limitations of monitoring technology necessitate efficient and low-cost methods for studying and reporting typical light levels within a space. This poster presents two case studies demonstrating novel and accessible solutions for reliably evaluating lighting conditions in windowed galleries.

Two lighting surveys of the Lehman Wing and Arms and Armor galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art provide light monitoring strategies for these types of dynamic and architecturally-complex galleries. We developed methods outlining suitable monitoring equipment, monitor placement, data collection, geographical considerations, data processing, and interpretation. Both surveys primarily used commonly available Onset HOBO monitoring tools, Microsoft Office Excel templates, and inexpensive mobile applications. In one survey, deadlines for gallery designs limited available monitoring time, requiring light level predictions informed by local weather patterns and gallery geometry. In the other, we supplemented a twelve-month data collection period with visuals from time-lapse cameras to better document the impact that a combination of skylights, architectural columns, and shades had on the way sunlight travels around the gallery. In both cases, light level reports were organized as a composite of multiple data sources and broken down to demonstrate daily, monthly, and location-dependent trends to help visualize changing conditions. The shared and ultimately successful goal of these surveys was to find ways to effectively communicate current lighting conditions in the galleries to colleagues regardless of their familiarity with typical conservation lighting and monitoring practices. By developing comprehensive data collection and reporting strategies for these galleries, museum staff have additional tools for managing uncertainty associated with windows and rotating art collections.

The stucco windows in museum stores are exposed to neglect. The stucco window in this study is preserved in the stores of the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt. Is not registered in the museum records, and this window has been subjected to many aspects of neglect, the most important of which is the fire that broke out in the museum in 2006. The firefighters used water to extinguish the fire, which affected the components of the window and caused many manifestations of damage to it, as proven by the necessary investigation and analysis that was conducted for each component of the window separately (stucco-glass – wood). A comprehensive investigation into Stucco window dating to the Ottoman period has been undertaken. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDX, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared coupled with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) were the analytical tools used for the investigation. The analysis revealed that the stucco window was exposed to fire, causing the transformation of some of the gypsum to anhydrite. Furthermore, demonstrate that the stucco decoration was previously treated with a consolidant.

Washington Color School painters Morris Louis (1912–1962) and Gene Davis (1920–1985) are part of a collective of abstract expressionists whose oeuvre is characterized by large-scale compositions, which feature vibrant paint colors and generous swaths of exposed canvas. Louis is known for his “Unfurled” series, which includes the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) painting: Beta Upsilon, 1960, Magna on canvas, 102½ x 243½ inches. Davis is known for his “Stripes” series, which includes the SAAM painting: Dr. Peppercorn, 1967, acrylic on canvas, 117 x 224 inches. These two raw/unprimed canvases are large-scale and posed notable challenges when the rolled paintings in storage had to be re-stretched for museum display.

Raw canvas is especially vulnerable to staining from accumulated surface grime, fabric oxidation, or interventive conservation treatment (wet cleaning, adhesive-based linings, addition of surface coatings, etc). Taking these concerns into account, a non-traditional edge-lining method was sought to provide adequate strength and stability for the tacking margins of Louis’s Beta Upsilon and Davis’s Dr. Peppercorn. After testing various hand-stitching techniques, it was determined that a customized sequence, based on stitches used in sailmaking, would provide the necessary support. The stitching sequence provides the strength of a zig-zag stitch, a running stitch, and a back stitch; without having to do the individual methods independent of one another. Since these two conservation treatments required a team of people to complete the work, consistency in the stitching was another essential component. Guideline markers were measured and drawn onto the edge-lining fabric to provide guidelines for the stitch height and maintain a straight edge for the stitching.

The hand-stitched edge-lining technique incorporated in the conservation treatment of Beta Upsilon and Dr. Peppercorn is adaptable for other modern and contemporary artworks with unprimed cotton duck canvases. In addition to reviewing this adaptive method for edge-lining, the authors will also provide other relevant planning techniques employed in the projects, including materials and custom-designed worktables to advise others in their logistical planning.

Soy-based ink is an increasingly popular material among contemporary printmakers. These inks are marketed as non-toxic, environmentally safe, and easy to clean using soap and water, making them an appealing alternative to traditional printmaking inks that require organic solvents and ventilation. The National Gallery of Art recently accessioned two large woodcuts on Japanese paper printed with Akua Intaglio® soy-based ink by Catherine Kernan [American, 1948– ]. Unlike traditional linseed oil or other vegetable oil drying inks that “dry” via polymerization, soy-based inks dry (for lack of a better word) by absorption into the support or interleaving. Kernan’s woodcuts were freshly printed when they were accessioned by the National Gallery, posing storage and handling problems as the inks were offsetting onto their interleaving, had a strong odor, and felt malleable to the touch. Not only is there no existing metric for how long a print made with soy-based ink takes to dry, the manufacturer of Akua states that “if there are any layers of ink that have not been pressed into the fibers of the paper, they will not dry” (Speedball Art Products Company, Frequently Asked Questions, 2023). This poster presentation explores the potential conservation and storage challenges posed by non-drying soy-based printmaking inks, and it outlines our observations derived from testing on two groups of mock-up linocut prints.

Both the mechanism for drying and the mechanical and chemical stability of soy-based inks printed on paper is unclear. Drying time depends on many factors, such as how thickly the ink is laid, how many layers of ink the printmaker applies, how the viscosity of the ink is modified using mediums, and the print substrate. As Kernan’s woodcuts continue to dry, we pulled two groups of mock-up linocut prints using Akua Intaglio® inks. One group was printed on Somerset, a thick Western cotton fiber paper, and the other group on Sekishu, a Japanese kozo paper. With consideration to the above factors affecting drying time, we made single-layer and multi-layer prints, single-color and two-color prints, prints with modified ink, and lightly inked ghost prints. Over several months, drawdowns with cotton swabs were performed to assess degrees of smudging occurring throughout the drying process. After almost six months, the mock-up prints had not dried appreciably. This finding led us to pursue scientific analysis of the proprietary ink formulation. With analysis, which will be undertaken by conservation scientists at the National Gallery (additional National Gallery co-authors to be added in the coming months), we intend to better understand the mechanism by which the prints dry and to identify the components that are left on the paper surface during and after drying. Finally, we will make recommendations for storage and handling of Akua Intaglio® ink prints.

Thorns are a practical and effective cleaning tool for soft metals like gold and gilt surfaces. Previous literature about their use in conservation either lacks detail on where to source thorns or recommends species that are unavailable in the United States.

The Maryland Archaeological Conservation (MAC) Laboratory sits within the 560 acres of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM) in southern Maryland. The park features grass, wildflower, and agricultural fields, plus wetlands, riverfront beaches, and forested land. With guidance from the park’s horticulturist, two types of thorns (black locust and greenbrier) foraged at the park were tested for their use in the conservation lab. Criteria were developed for selecting thorny plants as well as basic procedures for harvesting, processing, and using thorns as handheld cleaning tools.

While this research focuses on plants available in the mid-Atlantic, these species are common (or invasive) across the United States and Canada. Purchasing thorns online may be expensive, result in inconsistent quality, and have questionable (or illegal) sourcing. Finding a local source for thorns, and foraging in a sustainable way, can benefit the environment while also providing free disposable tools for a busy conservation lab.

One of the statutory functions of the National Library Board is “to share information on library and archival collections by any means, including through publications and exhibitions”. The Archives Conservation Lab supports exhibitions by working closely with the curators from the planning and ideation stage, condition assessments and installation – all of which often require innovative problem solving and racing against time to manage the curveballs that come together with exhibitions. Every exhibition is different, and conservators increasingly must find a balance that works – without compromising the preservation needs of the items.

The "Architecture Archives Exhibition" running from November 2023 to June 2024 at the Urban Redevelopment Authority Building, Singapore, presents architectural drawings from a special collection of the National Library of Singapore. This exhibition features over 550 multifarious design drawings covering 19 contemporary architectural projects from 1981 to 2015.

The paper-based items included sketches on translucent tracing and butter paper, building plans, watercolour presentations, diazo prints, and printed images on copier paper. Some of the drawings had multiple sheets that were taped together to create greater depth via a unique overlay effect when viewing. Some had a sheet of translucent paper superimposed over an opaque print or paper, while others had varying layers of translucent paper stacked over each other.

On top of this, the design of the exhibition display sought to intentionally contradict the archetypical museum style, instead opting for a more organic 'working studio' aesthetic. This approach presented several obstacles in mounting items for vertical display. The curators proposed displaying vertical items by sandwiching the top edge of the object between plywood bars with magnets. However, as the objects varied in size and material, the magnetic force could be acceptable for some but potentially harmful, causing dents, in others. There was also a risk of tearing the object during the installation or deinstallation process; especially those made from butter paper which were extremely thin and fragile.

Hence the team was tasked with a unique problem – how do we enable the vision of the exhibition while ensuring the safety of the items? To achieve this, the team pioneered a new way of hinging, enabling a balance between curatorial direction and conservation integrity by altering how the objects were secured between the plywood bars. Since the conventional method of framing or hinging onto a mount board did not fit the design aesthetic of the exhibition, we eliminated direct contact of the plywood bars to the object by including a modified T-hinge. The modified T-hinge uses Japanese tissue and thin folder stock, which were adhered to the object using either wheat starch paste or heat-activated tissue, Filmoplast® R. The choice of adhesive depended on the object’s sensitivity to moisture. The object was then attached to the showcase wall using 3M™ 415 double-sided polyester adhesive tape. This method sufficiently supported and safeguarded the object; also remained completely unobtrusive for the viewer.

This new method saved 60% more time than the traditional T hinge method and the team used folder stock off-cuts to make the support T-hinge, making it cost effective too. It was all hands-on deck, with conservators trained in the new hinging method to ensure consistency. 253 items were successfully mounted in this way, paving a new alternative for similar exhibitions in the future.

This gargantuan effort with numerous consultations with curators and exhibition designers, shows that the role of conservators goes beyond simply providing one-off exhibition support. Through close consultation the curators in the exhibition team were reminded that they too play an equally important role upholding preservation guidelines and initiating conservation efforts as early as possible, regardless of the condition of items. Given the changing nature of exhibition spaces becoming more immersive and interactive, this is only the beginning of more of such unique, informal exhibition designs and there will be more variants of conservators ‘crossing the T’s’ to come.

When requesting a book from the Thomas J. Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can expect to be presented with a rectangular, book-shaped box, or 4-flap. What you might find inside that enclosure could be a shoe, a bottle, a can of soup, sheet of pasta, or a very small book in a much larger enclosure. The Watson Library’s holdings of over 1 million books includes an international collection of over 10,000 artists books which relate to the Met’s art collection and utilize the book format in some way. A key focus of the Sherman Fairchild Center for Book Conservation is ensuring these materials are accessible to patrons with minimal intervention from staff. Only around 80 items in the collection require handling assistance. The inclusion of greater numbers of artist books and books with non-book-like formats on library shelves requires streamlining the design of special housing for books of unusual size, shape, and materials, while keeping in mind shelf space, upright storage, usability, ease of production, and the sustainability of materials. The poster is focused on easily integrated methods of producing housing for items that must be stored individually on library shelves and will be handled by patrons rather than curators, conservators, or library staff.

We will illustrate in our poster 3 to 5 specific housing solutions, designed for specific objects, that have been integrated into our workflow. For example: an early 3D printed book, “Orihon”, by Tom Buronwood (2014), is a fragile, plastic, and sizeable object (13 x 20 x 20 cm). It consists of eight leaves hinged together in an accordion style. The housing used was a clamshell box fitted with padding for shelf stabilization and an easily constructed drawer made of mylar. It includes simple worded instructions for patrons to operate the drawer, remove, and replace the book.

Another one of our examples is a miniature book, Le Nouvel Almanach Sans Titre: Mais Très-galant, et Chantant (1776). This delicate embroidered binding measures 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 cm and is made of white satin and decorated with intertwined silver gilt thread and flowers. Because each of our miniature books are shelved separately, we need an easily constructed custom insert, not made of foam, that securely holds small items in a container that won’t damage neighboring books or get lost on the shelf. An insert designed by a prior Library intern and pop book artist, Kyle Olomon, allows us to use standard book size 4-flaps and custom fit them with a simple folded and pasted bristol-board insert to secure the book inside of the enclosure.

In addition to these and other selected solutions, we will have on hand a series of printed images of various housing solutions tailored to the challenges of many other artist books from our collection.

The cloth covered box for rare books, commonly referred to as a clamshell or drop spine box, is often considered the gold standard for housing library materials. They are valued by curators for their aesthetic qualities and rigid protection. Learning how to build them is part of the training for many book conservators and technicians. At the Library of Congress (LC), clamshell boxes were introduced in the 1970s. They continue to be made but their production has curtailed recently due to variety of reasons including availability of materials, cost of labor, and cheaper, faster alternatives like custom fitting corrugated boxes. For many curators and specialists, however, clamshell boxes are still seen as the preferred enclosure. As a result, approximately 25 clamshell boxes are made every year for rare and unique items.

The most common adhesive used for clamshell box making at LC has been PVAc (poly-vinyl acetate) and this is generally true in book conservation as a whole. While the working properties of PVAc have made the formulations an obvious choice, concerns about stability and off-gassing have also played a significant role in the reduced number of clamshell boxes made at LC.

In 2011 those concerns led LC conservators and scientists to evaluate PVAc as an adhesive for covering housings in which the adhesive film and covering cloth would be even closer to the enclosed book covers than in a typical clamshell box. All the PVAc films tested performed poorly. In 2017, six years later, the naturally aged PVAc films were evaluated again. Surprisingly, the films still performed poorly, including films that had been diluted in 9:1 wheat starch paste to PVAc ratio. As a result of those tests, LC conservators began to move away from using PVAc as the primary adhesive or avoid it all together in box construction.

The purpose of the most recent research was to advance the evaluation process and collect data on possible replacement adhesives. This goal was accomplished by building multiple clamshell boxes solely for the purpose of testing a formulation of PVAc commonly used by conservators along with a wide variety of other adhesives for comparison. Some of the other adhesives were designed for library and archives conservation and some used in other specializations. Evaluation was broadly separated into two categories: usability as determined by conservators making the sample clamshell boxes and chemical risk to collections as determined by LC Preservation and Research and Testing (PRTD) staff. Usability criteria included evaluating the ease of preparation for each adhesive, flow when applied to the substrate, open time for working, tack, and other features. PRTD analysis included Oddy testing, direct thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and air sampling in order to understand the potential risk the adhesives pose to collections. Results of the usability and risk of components of the project will be discussed as well as future research initiatives.

Conservation treatments often use materials that have a negative impact on the environment during their production, use, and disposal. In 2018, Sustainability in Conservation (SiC) produced an international survey that named solvents as one of the most used materials in conservation and the material most conservators would like to replace. Over the past several years, silicon-based solvents have been suggested as a more sustainable solvent for conservation treatments.

In this study, three silicon-based solvents were tested for use in paper conservation. Within paper conservation, pressure sensitive tape removal often utilizes excessive amounts of non-sustainable solvents. Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), hexamethyldisiloxane, and octamethyltrisiloxane were utilized for the removal of a variety of artificially aged pressure sensitive tape samples. The silicone-based solvents were evaluated based on their sustainability, feasibility, and efficiency in the removal of the aged pressure sensitive tape.

Reverse protection in painting on canvas has a great application in the field of conservation. In recent decades, its qualities have been analyzed as a simple way to mitigate the negative effect of vibrations, relative humidity and temperature fluctuations, dust accumulation, and the action of polluting gases, light, and certain biological agents, mostly. The list of products that can be used as a backing has evolved according to advances in the matter. Currently, as part of the results of the Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STiCH) project, the impact of the carbon footprint of the production of materials has become another criterion for selecting backing material.

Intending to contrast the results of the theoretical studies with their application in real practice, we carried out a first field study where we compared bibliographic sources of different types with conservation interventions carried out by different professionals. As a result, we identified certain discrepancies in the use of materials that made us interested in the topic from the perspective of the conservator-restorer himself.

For my doctoral thesis, which we are carrying out with a contract from the Ministry of Universities of Spain (FPU20/00384), we designed an online survey with 19 questions in English and Spanish through Microsoft Forms. The first three were directly related to the criteria that we were subsequently going to use to interpret the data: the sector (public, private or both), the country of work and the years of experience. Next, 16 questions were presented about the concept they have of the backings, the role they played within their usual intervention proposals, the materials they used and the positive or negative experiences they had had with them, among other points of interest.

Since its publication, in March 2022, until its closure in September of the same year, we have obtained a total of 126 responses from 23 different countries. Spain represents 51.9% of the responses, followed by the USA with 12.0% and Canada with 5.26%. 46.8% of the total responses are from the public sector, 45.2% from the private sector and 7.9% come from both areas. Professionals with a career spanning between 20 and 30 years of experience represent 31.0% of the total responses and are followed by those with a career spanning between 5 and 10 years with 24.6%.

In the first place, the general results show the lack of a precise definition of the concept of backing as a treatment to prevent pictorial support. The main difference between the three employment sectors is the reason for their placement. Among the different generations, the use of a wide variety of materials stands out, which decreases with years of experience. The most significant contrasts between countries are the type of backing, the nature of the products used and the way they are placed.

In 2022, an assessment focusing on measuring the acidic off-gassing of The Mariners’ Museum and Park’s motion picture film collection was completed. This assessment employed A-D Strips®, colorimetric and photographic documentation, and creation of a set of reference strip standards exposed to known concentrations of acetic acid. A-D Strips are a proven method of evaluating acetic acid off-gassing from cellulose acetate film. A previous study conducted by the authors sought to standardize the interpretation of the color changes made to the strips by exposure to acetic acid.

Photographic images were collected under both standard studio conditions and working survey conditions in the 2022 investigation. In 2023, RGB values were collected from these images of strips and compared to the L*a*b* colorimetric values. These RGB values and L*a*b* colorimetric measurements are compared in this study with the goal of assessing how differences in photographic conditions impact interpretation of the results. This investigation examines the feasibility of standardizing photographic interpretation of A-D Strips using RGB values of photographs collected under varying lighting conditions. Success of this standardization could possibly circumvent the need for a colorimeter. Finally, a set of standardized RGB values for printing a calibrated scale is proposed.

Durham University’s MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects is a two-year program in which students learn to conserve and care for a range of materials commonly found in cultural heritage. During the first year, the students are taught on the Durham campus and the second year they spend on placement in a conservation laboratory at a major museum or cultural heritage institution in the UK or abroad. Over the last three years, we have been exploring the use of Digital Storytelling within the program’s curriculum as a tool for facilitating the student’s transition onto their placements and helping to develop their identities from “students” to “emerging conservators.” This paper will discuss our work and the pedagogical considerations in developing our approach and its placement within the arc of the program. We will discuss the use of digital storytelling as a tool that supports the evolution of a professional identity for developing conservators drawing on data gained from digital stories and reflections on learning by students. More significantly we will reflect on the surprises that we have encountered in this project, the alterations we have needed to make and the lessons that that has taught us about perception, connection, passion, and leadership in the field.

In 2021, Duke University Libraries Conservation Services Department (CSD) received a Lyrasis Catalyst Fund grant to digitize and preserve their legacy conservation treatment documentation. The records spanned seventeen years and were comprised of paper forms, 35mm color slides, photographic prints and born digital documentation. Grant funds were used to hire a student assistant, intern, and vendors to digitize the slides and paper documents. Conservation staff and students created enhanced descriptive metadata for each conservation treatment, including high-level descriptions of the treatment event; format, material, and cultural descriptions of items treated; as well as specific condition and treatment information. 1400 treatment records were ingested into the Duke Digital Repository for preservation, and the collection became public in the summer of 2023. Each item in the archive is linked to the library catalog record for the item treated, and a local note in the catalog directs researchers to documentation for that item in the archive. The CSD plans to add to the collection on an annual basis.

The metadata in the collection are keyword searchable and a subset of fields allow for faceted browsing. The author will discuss the department’s approach to choosing standardized vocabulary for the collection. One of the great offshoots of this project was that it allowed CSD to think more critically about the terms used in their documentation and how previous forms revealed problematic blind spots in staff’s knowledge of bookbinding history. The project prompted an audit of treatment forms to make them more inclusive and accurate for collection materials from a diverse array of cultural traditions.

In many ways, this was a pandemic-era project, and there was a need to manage the endeavor through changing work environments (from working in lab spaces to working remotely, and from analog to digital documentation). With very few peer collections available, the resulting Conservation Documentation Archive (CDA) presents one approach for preserving conservation treatment records and making them available to the public. This model may be useful to consider for institutions planning a similar move from analog to born-digital recordkeeping, and for institutions hoping to shift towards better preservation of their records and increased transparency of their conservation treatment practices. Lessons learned about privacy concerns and other surprises encountered during the project will also be shared.

The Shekhawati Project is an international association created by conservation experts based in Paris, France. In collaboration with an Indian NGO, its goal is the preservation of the architectural and pictorial heritage of the Shekhawati Region of Rajasthan. These exceptional Haveli are covered with frescoes and murals on both interior and exterior walls, creating an extraordinary open-air art gallery - a witness to the splendor of an era. This unique heritage is threatened by over half a century of neglect.

The Project is founded in the belief that the conservation of this heritage is an important part of the rehabilitation of the entire region. The pressing issues of waste management and flooding are surprisingly linked to the protection of the frescos. For example, trash builds up and damages the foundations of these historical palaces.

The Project advocates for economic change through development of sustainable tourism, in close cooperation with local entrepreneurs, to preserve traditional skills and promote adapted reuse of the buildings for the local community. Working with regional contacts to lobby local governments to implement protective measures for the monuments. The project aims to include town infrastructure and city services, which could directly improve the condition of the buildings and their frescoes.

The Project organizes interdisciplinary conservation workshops with students and graduates in architecture and conservation, from India, Europe and Australia. Conservation treatments take place on the frescos in the center of the Shekhawati towns, allowing the local citizen to share the ongoing transformation. Integrating different professional backgrounds and approaches, our workshops combine the know-how of local craftsmen with modern conservation techniques.

Since 2017, the Project has been successfully using the workshops to showcase the best practice and act as an incentive for Haveli owners to conserve and rehabilitate their properties. Our program aims to promote international exchange for young and experienced professionals implementing protocols to adapt effective methodologies and up-to-date materials for conservation in a harsh environment with an extreme climate and high pollution.

“Surprising and unexpected” are the terms that perfectly describe this challenge!

How does the community setting impact the conservation process? Thanks to funding for a research project during my 1-year National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in the Book Department at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts I was able to spend a week on site at George Floyd Global Memorial where I remediated mold on over 100 offerings, attended and spoke at the Rise and Remember Conference, and participated in other events for the Rise and Remember Celebration. This work presents the mold remediation process used and summarizes the creation of a quick reference guide for mold remediation for works similar to protest art. Next, the poster explores how the conservation process is adapted to the community setting by considering factors like limited access to resources, work space availability, and the necessity of relationship building. Finally, the poster begins to define the term “street conservation” and discuss its similarities and differences from “art conservation”.

In 2022, a 17th-century Dutch portrait (44 x 37 1/8 in.) from the Memorial Art Gallery (accession #T334) by an unknown artist was brought to the Garman Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State University for technical study and conservation treatment. The oil on canvas painting depicts a military figure and is an example of late Dutch Golden Age painting. The artwork exhibited a range of condition issues, including structural instabilities and aesthetic disfigurements alongside previous restoration campaigns.

The painting was analyzed with imaging and analytical techniques including multimodal imaging, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, polarized light microscopy, and cross-section microscopy to gain a better understanding of the artist’s materials and techniques as well as the prior restoration. The results indicated that the materials, including pigments and preparation techniques, were consistent with 17th c. Dutch painting styles. The previous glue-paste lining and tear repair were also failing. Results of the materials analysis informed the subsequent treatment which included both structural and aesthetic steps. Lining was performed using two layers of BEVA 371a film (commercially available since 2021) with heat and pressure via a hot vacuum table. While initial lining results were satisfactory, it was clear that the changes to the previous formulation impacted the treatment. The film did not have the same adhesive properties, required a higher temperature to adhere BEVA-to-BEVA and BEVA-to-canvas, and reacted readily to solvent exposure. Notably, the solvents used in the first varnish application caused the lining to separate from the original, creating pockets of delamination. As a result, the painting was subjected to additional heat and pressure to fully re-adhere the lining.

The treatment was successful and the painting is once again able to be safely displayed. Nevertheless, the differences in adhesive properties of BEVA 371a are worth discussion. In 2023, a Getty Conserving Canvas workshop addressed the reformulation and similar challenges using reformulated BEVA in treatments were reported in the AIC Global Conservation Forum. Further informal discussions among paintings conservators regarding use of BEVA 371a indicate the impact of the reformulated adhesive in practice; however, the lack of formal publications show a need for continued research and discussion. The unexpected lining process experienced in this case study serves as a starter for such conversations.

Archaeological iron is well known to be prone to deterioration. Chloride ions accumulated in burial can cause aggressive, cyclical corrosion processes. If left untreated, in environments over 12% relative humidity, these corrosion processes can continue until the artifact is unrecognizable. Desalination methods are used to slow this degradation by drawing chlorides out of the object.

In The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, a simple desalination method is used. Objects are submerged in a sodium hydroxide solution that is changed at regular intervals until the amount of chlorides measured in the solution decreases to our minimum level of detection. The artifact is then rinsed in deionized water and dried in an oven.

This treatment can be intense for objects, particularly if they are in a fragile state. Over the years, conservators have noticed that artifacts that are small or have areas that are thin and delicate, can unexpectedly fragment during this process. This deterioration can range from small fractures to full areas of detachment, and is not always predictable.

Staff wanted to find a way to reduce potential fragmentation while still allowing fragile objects to undergo the crucial treatment step of desalination. After several test rounds, conservators have adopted a method of lining susceptible objects prior to desalination. A piece(s) of fiberglass tissue is adhered to one side of the object with Paraloid B-72 to provide support. The lining remains on the object throughout desalination, rinsing, and drying. It can then be removed with acetone brushing and tweezers. For very fragile artifacts, the lining can be replaced and serve as semi-permanent support.

This method was shown to provide adequate support for objects of varying sizes and prevent fragmentation. In cases where fracturing did still occur, the fiberglass tissue retained the original location of the fragments allowing for more accurate reassociation after drying. This poster will fully outline this technique as well as provide examples of successful treatments.

Whilst working for the Conservation and Museums Advisory Service (CMAS), I carried out stabilisation and mounting of a Wasp Nest for Sherborne Museum, UK. The nest was to be displayed illustrating the interior construction and allow for close inspection of the surface by visitors. Wasp nests are made of wood, which is chewed by the wasps, combined with their saliva, to form a pulp. This pulp is accreted to form thin paper like walls. The nest brought to us was large and extremely fragile with sections of walls actively flaking off the surface. I had no experience of treating this kind of object and found no published articles on the conservation of wasp nests. Research across different disciplines and practical tests were required to produce an appropriate treatment method.

Having reached out to fellow conservators on the American Institute of Conservation’s (AIC) Global Conservation Forum, I had three main areas of focus – what consolidant to use, how to apply the consolidant and how to support/ mount the object to prevent further deterioration via handling. Fellow conservators responded, having previously treated wasp nests by spraying with 10% Paraloid B72 in acetone, Lascaux MFC applied in a nebuliser and methyl cellulose or Klucel. Due to ethical concerns, I decided not to spray the entirety of the nest with a consolidant but to focus on more localised application techniques more familiar to paper conservators such as pre-coated Japanese tissue, micro-dots and direct application. I also discounted cellulose ethers and BEVA consolidants based on further findings and decided to test Aquazol, Lascaux, Wheat starch combined with Methyl cellulose and Paraloid B72 which were easily accessible in the lab. Small fragments of the nest that had already become detached were used to carry out testing and I found that applying small dots of a 50:50 mix of 10% Methyl cellulose to 3% Wheat starch using a fine brush along the break lines of fragments produced good results – the consolidant was strong enough to hold the fragments together and did not create tide marks after curing.

The majority of loss was due to handling, so an appropriate support was a priority. A mount was needed that the object could be transported and displayed in. Although more complex mounts were considered, made from acrylic so more of the object could be visible, static charge lifted surface fragments when the object was placed near plastic, so a more low-tech approach was chosen. Ethafoam blocks were used, covered in a layer of polyester wadding and soft undyed, unbleached linen which provided a more appropriate colour that did not visually distract from the object.

Although I would describe the result of the treatment as a success, I am aware that the object will continue to flake and deteriorate. The consolidation technique only covers areas that are already fragile not any that may become weak in the future, and the application technique is time consuming. Hopefully my project can be a starting point for future research.

The Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah houses a variety of artifacts that come from the Topaz incarceration site, used from 1942 to 1945. The area consists of one square mile of land now owned by the museum that once was the location of barracks where 8,100 Americans of Japanese descent lived after being forced to leave their homes on the West Coast. Not only does the collection include examples of everyday items family members brought with them from home, it also consists of a surprising variety of artwork and objects that was made on-site by the relocated individuals during the time they lived at Topaz. The harsh conditions of the western Utah desert, with extremely cold winters and hot summers, very little shade or vegetation, loose soil, high winds, and the presence of snow and ice collecting on surfaces for long periods of time present challenges to many pieces conserved outdoors. Some very significant examples made on-site include, but are not limited to, at least three cement lanterns made for a Buddhist temple created by individuals at the camp. One very large, incomplete, three-legged toro lantern, along with two unique lanterns that would have originally lined and illuminated the path to the Buddhist temple, made of cement and local materials, have made their way from the site to the museum, and have passed through the hands and yards of members of the local community. Originally intended to function in the garden surrounding the Buddhist temple, these sculptures have greatly deteriorated over the years, most likely due to a combination of exposure to harsh environmental conditions as well as the composition of available concrete and other materials used to create the objects. Vandalism is also a common problem that many of the artifacts on site face. Conservation treatment for these objects has been challenging to plan and execute considering both the conditions and composition of materials, particularly when faced with the decision to display these pieces outdoors. The organization of the space and planning for an adapted method of limiting the effects of the harsh environmental conditions on the treated objects remains to be determined. Working closely with the museum and other collaborators on possible protective methods for these sculptures destined to remain outdoors has proven to be an interesting and fruitful collaboration to problem-solve for this unique collection. Current methods for protecting outdoor sculptures have been considered, as well as partial coverings designed to limit the possibility of snow and/or ice collecting on the sculptures, but we have not yet found a satisfying solution. Not only does the successful method of preventive conservation need to meet the needs of the cement sculptures but it also needs to consider the way in which the space is organized and the effect it may have on the display of the objects. Long-term conservation of these objects outdoors will require open-mindedness, flexibility, collaboration, careful interpretation, and an effective solution to protect these unique pieces from the harsh environment in which they were created.

In the context of the still present debate about the stabilization and mending of canvas supports, the main aim of this presentation is to provide an introduction to the problematic, focused on practice in the Slovak Republic. The conducted research has been concentrated on the most preferred methods and procedures in this area, and due to a certain persistent stagnation, it tries to bring new, applicable suggestions.

Despite the enforcement of the minimal intervention approach, there is still a strong inclination towards structural treatments. For a long time, lining was considered as the most effective treatment in cases where the canvas support is too weakened by the presence of numerous perforations. This preference is based on the current condition of objects of art in Slovakia and also ensuring stable environmental conditions is problematic, mainly in the case of paintings in private collections or situated in a living liturgical space, which can lead to reappearance of surface deformations, especially for large-format paintings. In the decision-making process between lining and alternative stabilization methods, the final decision is often influenced by the increased risk of the necessity to repeat such intervention. The climatic conditions themselves had an impact on the specific lining techniques. There was an obvious difference between the Italian practice and the methodology beyond the Alps, subject to climatic conditions affecting the mechanical properties of the canvas supports. Starch glue adhesive was preferred in dry and warm climate of Italy, while in humid and cold regions beyond the Alps, wax-resin adhesive prevailed. The Slovak Republic is located in Central Europe, in a mild climate zone, which rather enabled the coexistence of both approaches. Currently, mainly under the influence of global development and simplification of the process itself, the use of synthetic adhesives prevails. The introduction of BEVA 371 into the Slovak restoration practice occurred with a considerable delay, however now it is the most popular. In case of tear mending is situation very similar. Most of the restorers lean towards polyamide mending powder. Use of this type of synthetic adhesive is curently reassessed, although in our environment it took a long time even its introduction. Research into the EVA and PVAc synthetic polymer dispersions could bring further diversity due to their availability and ease of processing. Despite the fact that in many cases it is not possible to avoid such an extensive intervention as lining, by improving the alternative treatments (e.g. consolidation, strip lining, loose lining, tear repair, strategies of preventive conservation, etc.) it is possible to maximize the success of such a partial operation and thus extend the life of the work itself without calculating the potential risk of damage.

Understanding certain established models that determine the form of local practice is a necessary step to be able to come up with new and especially realistically usable methods.

When evaluating a book for treatment that has detached boards or other structural problems with board attachment, it is often preferable to conserve the original structure as much as possible by reattaching the boards as a functional part of the binding. However, in some cases where the original boards are badly damaged, lost, or otherwise unable to be reattached, new boards must be incorporated.

Finding or creating new boards has been a challenge for many conservators, especially with early printed books and manuscripts, as commonly available commercially made boards are dense, heavy, and have a smooth surface that can seem incongruous with the idiosyncratic character of the text block. This poster will highlight a relatively new product called ABM Board (first marketed in 2020) that captures the weight and feel of pre-19th century pulp boards, has excellent workability and versatility, and harmoniously incorporates principles of sustainability in its production. Two treatments of books from the University of Notre Dame’s Rare Books and Special Collections will be presented that demonstrate how ABM Board was employed effectively to recreate historic binder’s board. Information on the development and making of the board gained from interviews I conducted with the three producers of the board will also be included. Likewise, photographs of the making of the boards in Andrea’s studio and in-process treatment photographs will be included in the poster.

The University of Notre Dame’s Analog Preservation and Conservation department visited local papermaker Andrea Peterson’s studio in Laporte, Indiana in November 2022, where I first learned of her handmade ABM Board. Essentially a thick sheet of handmade paper, ABM Board has many of the characteristics of early pulp boards, is composed of sustainable materials (recycled, acid-free off-cuts from an archival products supplier), and is affordably priced. Retailed by Mary Uthuppuru of Colophon Book Arts, Andrea Peterson’s ABM board was developed in collaboration with bookbinder and toolmaker Brien Beidler in an effort to recreate the highly textured boards found in pre-industrial book bindings. After visiting Andrea Peterson, I kept an eye out for opportunities to use her ABM Board in upcoming treatments, and I have used it twice this year on books from Notre Dame’s collections: the rebinding of a 15th century manuscript and the rebinding of a large early 19th century gradual. In each instance ABM Board was selected because of the thickness of board required, the ability to manipulate the board through sanding and lamination, its light weight and strength, and the surface quality of the boards transmitted through the books’ different covering materials. These treatments serve to show the working properties of ABM Board and its suitability for use in a special collections conservation setting.

Epoxy is one of the most common materials used to complete antique glass, but it is a non-recoverable material, so an attempt is being made to find another recoverable material that can be used for this purpose.

Paraloid is actually used in assembling archaeological glass, but it is difficult to use it for completion due to the many number of air bubbles present in the paraloid mold. The study aims to identify how to produce a paralloid mold without air bubbles and use it to completion glass. Paraloid 44 was chosen because it can withstand high temperatures, as it does not become flexible except at a temperature of 60° degrees.

The main problem lies in the presence of many air bubbles in the paralloid mold, which causes the solvent to volatilize quickly, so the solvent is worked to volatilize gradually. This was done by placing the paraloid in the mold first, then placing it in the refrigerator. After a while, it was taken out of the refrigerator and the lid of the mold was uncovered for a little while and left for a while, then the lid was completely uncovered and left until it hardened well. Thus, molds of the paraloid material were obtained without the many air bubbles.

An experimental study was conducted in which thermal, moisture, and moisture aging were performed, as well as light aging using UV. To evaluate the results before and after aging, ATR analysis was used, and color change was measured using a colorimeter.

Applying the Paralloid 44 to completion of archaeological glass object dating back to the early Islamic period, Which is missing part in a weak place and needs protection.

Giovanni di Paolo’s unusual use of silver is a material choice unexplored, yet it contributes to defining his aesthetic, as well as contextualizing him within the artistic zeitgeist of his generation. The genesis of this project was the conservation treatment and technical study of Giovanni di Paolo’s Saint John the Evangelist, The Assumption of the Virgin, and Saint Ansanus, part of the Kress Collection at the El Paso Art Museum. Treatment and technical analysis revealed that this predella fragment once had a silvered frame and silver leaf ground, prompting a reevaluation of how the work should be displayed, and how its current condition with degraded and tarnished silver affects our reading of the work.

Giovanni di Paolo (c.1402-1482) was a prominent Sienese artist; his style is typified by his surreal compositions and imaginative spirituality. His works express a vivid opulence through a rich use of pigments and geometric patterning, and he doggedly pursued a traditional style while many of his contemporaries had moved on to more realistic imagery. As a result, he is often labeled as eccentric, idiosyncratic, and anachronistic. These labels are predominantly based on his fantastical imagery rather than his choice of materials, yet during the course of this project a review of fifteenth-century Sienese panels revealed that Giovanni di Paolo was seemingly alone in his continual use of silver leaf for backgrounds and framing - a stylistic choice more closely tied to fourteenth-century Sienese practices.

Unfortunately, as a painter of predominantly altarpieces, most of Giovanni di Paolo’s works are now in a fragmentary state. This creates a challenge when contextualizing how the predella fit into its original altar format, and whether it is feasible that the artist mixed metal leaves without a clear example as a comparison. A known fragment from the same predella, owned by the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, was also examined and compared, and provided additional information about the original structure. John Pope-Hennessey had proposed a reconstruction of the altarpiece, yet misunderstood the physical structure of the predella fragment. I evaluate his hypothesis, with the materiality of the object more clearly explored.

Silver is well known to oxidize and tarnish, turning a reflective white metal surface to dull, mottled brown and black. This physical change of silver is often overlooked or misinterpreted in the reading of an object, and silver is particularly vulnerable to aggressive and damaging restorations. Text labels in books are frequently incorrect in identifying silver as gold, and from photographs alone it can be hard to identify the once white metal. Yet, Giovanni di Paolo actively chose to use silver over gold for aesthetic reasons, and this choice, as demonstrated through a reconstruction, changes the tonal color balance of the panel. This highlights the need to truly reflect on materials used within an altarpiece, and stresses the importance of understanding the materiality of an object when reconstructing larger pictorial schematics.

King Tutankhamun's tomb (the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom) was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, situated in the Valley of the Kings near modern-day Luxor. Among the finds were textiles, considered an essential component of the burial. These textiles provide valuable insights into the history, craftsmanship, and cultural significance of ancient Egyptian textiles. Tutankhamun's textiles were intricately woven and often adorned with elaborate patterns and motifs, typically featuring religious symbols, mythological creatures, or scenes from ancient Egyptian life. Despite the scarcity of surviving ancient Egyptian textiles, the collection from Tutankhamun's tomb presents a remarkable opportunity to illuminate this aspect of ancient Egyptian identity. Carter recognized the significance of these findings and emphasized the need for meticulous study and careful preservation of the materials found in the tomb.

The majority of ancient Egyptian textiles were made of linen, derived from the bast fiber, flax. The vast assortment of fabric discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb includes various items like garments, gloves, shrouds, sashes, cloth covers for statues, loincloths, and headgears. These findings provide valuable insights into fabric usage during the Eighteenth Dynasty. However, the collection arrived in poor condition due to inappropriate storage conditions at the Egyptian Museum since its discovery.

The research aimed to preserve the collection through an interdisciplinary approach. Preventive conservation is emphasized to safeguard the collection for future generations. The focus is on the preventive conservation plan which was applied to prepare and preserve the collection for display at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Given the fragile nature of these artifacts, a comprehensive and multidisciplinary strategy was required, extending beyond physical preservation to consider their historical identity.

This research highlights the challenges and obstacles we faced during our work to preserve and store the collection. Different types of challenges like the diversity of the collection forced us to explore the best methods, technologies, and scientific approaches for conserving the unique collection of ancient Egyptian textiles.

Part of the collection was very fragile and carbonized which led us to focus on preventive conservation techniques to minimize intervention and ensure the long-term preservation of these valuable historical artifacts. Another part suffered because of the previous intervention, which affected the collection badly. In some cases, the previous intervention changed the characterization and the archaeological context of the object, which posed a high challenge.

Mounting more than 200 pieces was a big challenge because of the diversity we faced and the different obstacles that took us time to manage and deal with in order to achieve the main objective of preserving the textile collection.

This study offers a valuable chance for conservators to learn about the challenging choices made while managing numerous rare and valuable objects as well as the teamwork and planning techniques based on recent scientific approaches.

National Park Service Harpers Ferry Center (HFC) recently conserved an historical lifesaving vessel referred to as the “Life Car.” This early 20th century galvanized steel marine watercraft belongs to Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) and is exhibited inside the open-air, historic Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station located approximately 100 yards from the Atlantic Ocean. The Life Car was originally used in oceanic surf rescue where passengers would be loaded inside the enclosed, top-latched vessel from a foundering ship. Rescue crew members from the Life-Saving Station would pulley the vessel between the ship and shore by a line tethered through two arched iron bails welded to the structure, with one end of the line anchored to the shore and the other attached to the ship.

During examination, conservators tested the multiple campaigns of flaking white paint on the exterior of the vessel using a portable X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF) and results were positive for the presence of lead (Pb). This required conservators to wear specialized PPE and construct a custom lead remediation room to safely treat the Life Car without contaminating the surrounding lab space. Mechanical and chemical tests were performed for the removal of unstable paint, biological growth, and topical corrosion from the oversized object. Factors such as safety, efficacy, efficiency, and overall success of treatment method were assessed. A form of micro-air abrasion called “sweep blast cleaning” was selected for the surface treatment of the Life Car. This treatment technique is strong enough to clean and profile the metal surface while being gentle enough to prevent excessive removal of the galvanized zinc coating by utilizing a specific PSI and blasting media grit and mesh size.

Other treatment steps included corrosion removal from iron bars and rivets, stabilization of interior wood components, and finally the priming and recoating of the Life Car with a white colored high-performance marine-grade coating. The coating served a dual function of protecting the metal surface in the marine environment while also preserving the original appearance of the vessel, which was traditionally painted white. The final step of the treatment involved the installation of reproduction bumpers along the gunwales of the vessel. This poster will outline the treatment steps performed, PPE selected and the adjustments made to mitigate lead exposure, results of mechanical and chemical testing, and the decision-making process regarding the selection of the final primer and topcoat.

In the spring of 2023, conservators at The Metropolitan Museum of Art began assessing the condition of objects in the Modern and Contemporary Art collection to prepare to move the collection offsite during the renovation of these galleries. As part of this assessment, several radioactive glass and ceramic objects (including four from the popular Fiestaware brand) were initially identified using a Geiger counter, then analyzed via pXRF to confirm the presence of uranium. In preparation for packing, Met conservators sought to develop a storage solution that would mitigate health risks to museum professionals working with radioactive objects.

Objects containing uranium emit alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. While alpha and beta radiation have the greatest ability to damage living tissue, gamma radiation is generally considered more concerning for professionals working with uranium-containing ceramics and glass because alpha and beta particles are unable to travel far from their sources and can be blocked by relatively light materials. Studies have found the risks of handling uranium-containing ceramics and glass to be minimal when reasonable precautions are taken. However, in the event of damage to a radioactive object, prolonged close contact with fragments caught in the folds of clothing or a particle inhaled into the lungs could have serious health effects through direct exposure to alpha and beta radiation. In addition to these risks, uranium also generates radon gas as it decays. Radon is carcinogenic and the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking.

Institutions concerned with the containment of particles shed by radioactive objects have come to diverging solutions. Sealing objects in polyethylene zip top bags effectively prevents particulate contamination but also traps radon gas generated by the objects, necessitating the opening of the bags in a well-ventilated space. Housing radioactive objects in open boxes or trays prevents radon buildup but may not adequately address the problem of containing particles should the object be damaged.

The authors devised an elegant solution that addresses both problems by creating enclosures using a combination of soft Tyvek® (grade 14-M) and polyethylene zip top bags. Experiments on barrier materials for radon detectors by members of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists have demonstrated that Tyvek® allows nearly 100% radon transmission. As a polyethylene material, Tyvek® is easily joined to components from polyethylene bags using a heat sealer. The custom pouches made from Tyvek® and zip top bags are designed to contain fragments generated by damage to the object inside while still allowing the venting of radon gas. They are resealable and provide a clear window through which the object can be viewed. Beyond radioactive objects, the pouches have the potential to be used in any situation where the creation of a microclimate in a sealed bag is undesirable. This poster will detail the factors considered in developing the pouches and include product samples to share with interested colleagues.

This paper explores the decision-making process behind the reconstruction of a painting of St. Andrew by an unknown Cuzco school artist. The original format of the painting had been dramatically altered at least twice, leaving behind a work of art with several aesthetic inconsistencies. After the original painting was initially cut down, a floral border was added, covering important iconographical features. The painting was cut down a second time, cropping large portions of original paint and the floral border. The alterations at one of these stages may have included some iconoclasmic damage to the devilish figures tormenting St. Andrew. The work was restored by its amateur owner in the 1970s before coming to the paintings’ lab at Queen’s University.



The most challenging aspect to the treatment occurred at the stage of retouching and reconstruction, as we grappled with ethical and technical challenges associated with various options under consideration. Given the compromised nature of the design layers, various digital images were produced to explore options for reconstructing the missing perimeter. The owner expressed a strong preference for a ‘finished’ painting with a full recreation of the missing elements and tests were undertaken to determine whether this was technically feasible using canvas inserts and wax-resin fills. The results of the material tests limited the choices available for reconstruction, however the ethical considerations were a greater factor. A minimal reconstruction was proposed to square off the edges of the painting and reconstruct some missing elements to present a complete painting.



In this paper, we will present the critical pathways through the technical and ethical options and the outcomes of the treatment.

The Yag laser is considered to have several advantages. It can be used for restoration

purposes due to its relatively low cost, its availability and portability, the immediate

control of the device, the flexibility that the device provides in terms of pulses and emits typically in the near infrared region (NIR) at λ = 1064 nm (ω). Recently, this type of laser has been developed to emit radiation at λ = 532 nm (2ω), λ = 355 nm (3ω), λ = 266 nm (4ω), and λ = 213 nm (5ω) , Therefore, it was used in the case of a Graeco-Roman Egyptian cartonnage from Egyptian Museum in Cairo (TR: 20.12.25.6-SR: 5/290).

Several methods have been used for documentation, examinations, and analyses, such as:photographic documentation, AutoCAD, visual examination with a optical microscope and a colorimeter device.

Through these tests and analyzes it was found that the face of the cartonage had stains that obliterated its features, and the body of the cartonage also suffered from fungi, so laser was resorted to as one of the solutions to preserve the shape and show it , given that traditional methods did not give results.

In the end, the restoration was carried out in steps that began with the laser, which proved that the wavelength 1064 nm (ω) and 20 frequency is the appropriate solution in removing stains that cover gilding layer from the face.

While its success has not been proven with the fungal damage found on the cartonage’s body

Keywords: Yag laser, cartonage, gilding layer, fungal damage, , colormeter

When two new, commissioned thangka paintings arrived damaged and incomplete, conservators at the Carlos Museum engaged a contemporary artist to accomplish an intervention that combined conservation methods, traditional techniques, and art practices. In 2021 the Carlos Museum commissioned artists at the Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture in Dharamsala, India to paint thangkas depicting the Bhavachakra: Wheel of Becoming and Samatha: Abiding Calm. The images were chosen in consultation with faculty in the Religion Department as well as the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University. Measuring 41 x 41 inches each, the pair of paintings arrived rolled in a wood crate that broke during shipment. Lacking internal rigid support, the rolled paintings partially crushed against the crate wall. Once unrolled, sharp creases and losses were evident throughout the painted surfaces with areas of flaking and cracked paint. Iconographic elements of the meditation for developing a peaceful mind were noted to be missing from the Abiding Calm painting. The much-anticipated new works were due to be celebrated with lectures and programming during the annual Tibet Week 2022, approximately one month after the damaged crate arrived. Conservators faced both the urgent need for intervention and the ethical limitations that prevented them from repainting or completing the images. Calling upon the expertise of Tibetan scholars and artists, conservators at the Carlos and consulting colleagues developed a multiphase intervention that enabled the paintings to be stable and accessible. Over the course of one year the paintings were first relaxed and temporarily mounted for installation in the galleries and use in teaching. They were then flattened before damaged areas were repainted and missing elements were completed by a thangka painter. Finally, the paintings were mounted and framed for long-term storage and rotation on display. Conservators employed established conservation methods for localized and overall humidification and flattening as well as for temporarily and permanently mounting the thangkas. Contemporary Tibetan artist Buchung Nubgya, formerly retained by His Holiness the Dali Lama, came to Emory to repaint damaged areas and add missing iconographic elements. He referenced photographic documentation and condition maps prepared by conservators and worked in dialogue with the original painter, Tenzin Norbu. Both artists are attributed in accession records. While the guidelines of ethical practice limited the steps conservators could make to repair and repaint, the artists themselves could carry out this intervention. The artist’s visit afforded opportunities to document traditional materials and techniques for creating and restoring thangkas. Further materials analysis of his paints was accomplished in the conservation lab. The visiting artist and the Tibetan scholar, a former Buddhist monk, who served as interpreter also guided decisions about how to mount and display the thangkas, without silk backings or coverings. They both returned to the Carlos Museum during Tibet Week 2023 to participate in a public program about this vital exchange.

The northern Italian city of Brescia had a thriving artistic output in the early Cinquecento despite being the target of multiple attacks during the War of the League of Cambrai (1508-1516). Brescian art was under-appreciated by art historians of the twentieth century who considered Brescian artists inferior, provincial members of the Venetian school since Brescia was part of Venice’s terra ferma. Recently, the Brescian school has been recognized in its own right as an innovative group of artists influenced by not only Venice but also Milan and by their own unique sensibilities. Still, there have been very few technical studies of works by Moretto or Romanino, and none published in America. Therefore, the arrival of an early Cinquecento Brescian altarpiece at the NYU Conservation Center in 2022 provided an opportunity to enhance understanding of Brescian artistic practice.

The Samuel H. Kress Collection’s “Madonna and Child with Saint James Major and Saint Jerome” (oil on panel, 58 5/8 × 54 1/2 inches) at the High Museum in Atlanta has a long-disputed authorship between the two of the greatest painters of this period, Moretto da Brescia (1498-1554), known as Moretto, and Girolamo Romanino (1484/87–1560), called Romanino. My proposed paper expands on my preliminary findings presented at ANAGPIC this year as I have worked to integrate technical findings with art historical research to make a case for the painting as a collaboration between the two artists. For my technical study, I utilized X-radiography, infrared reflectography, X-ray fluorescence, cross-section microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and close examination of the painting in its cleaned state to understand the artist’s technique. Significant findings include infrared evidence that the artist worked up the Madonna’s head several times and that Saint Jerome’s pose, which many art historians used in their attribution arguments, was altered between the underdrawing and the final painting. I will further evaluate how our visual appreciation of the painting has changed as a result of changes made over time, both naturally and through human intervention. For example, we calculated a loss of six centimeters from the top of the panel based on the position of the dowel holes, and this seemingly insignificant portion made a significant visual difference in the digital reconstruction I created.

Ultimately, this study intends to deepen our knowledge of the understudied artistic practices of Romanino and Moretto and to encourage further study of Cinquecento Brescia.

Egyptian incense burner for burning incense in front of a divine shrine. Bronze. Twenty-fifth Dynasty. The third intermediate period. 700 BC

The first recorded use of incense was by the Egyptians during the Fifth Dynasty, 2345-2494 BC. The use of incense in religious ceremonies developed further.

The incense burner is in the shape of an arm. This type of incense burner appeared in the period of the Middle Kingdom. It was topped with a box for storing incense grains, and a dish for burning incense.

The arm-shaped incense burner in the Middle Kingdom was called n sntr and in one case the material used in its manufacture was identified as m HtmaS. This name also appeared in the Greek and Roman eras in the form of the letter n Hr. It was the popular name for the arm-shaped incense burner throughout the Middle and New Kingdoms, and in the Late Period in ancient Egypt.

The ancient Egyptians also used incense in many aspects of their daily lives, in medical prescriptions, personal care, perfuming homes, clothes, and magic, in order to protect them from evil spirits. They also considered incense one of the most important disinfectants in the rituals of the Egyptian religion. The use of incense was of great importance in the daily service of the temple gods, and it was used in almost every ritual conducted within Egyptian temples. In addition, it was used in religious ceremonies. Thanks to its importance, the Egyptian temples included factories for manufacturing perfumes that were burned inside the temples.

Egyptian texts indicate that the ancient Egyptians gave incense burners many names since the era of the Old Egyptian Kingdom. Then the names of the censers varied according to their shapes. KAp was the name of the cup-shaped incense burner with a lid. StAt was a rare name for cup-shaped incense burners as well.

The case of the incense burner was broken into several parts, and was covered with a lot of rust and many layers of mud.

A plan was drawn up to work on it and conduct some analyzes to determine the thickness of the rust. Some analyzes were also conducted to determine rust compounds. The restoration process began with mechanical cleaning using many different brushes and brushes. It was ensured that all layers of rust were removed and the insulation material was prepared.

The separate parts were also assembled using non-reactive or materials (bronze) and were prepared for display in one of the halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Keywords: Techniques, Bronze, Conservation, The Grand Egyptian Museum.

The Chimei Museum collections become the world's largest musical instruments of historical significance in 2021, in particular violins and other string instruments by famous artisans. During the past 30 years, Chimei Museum is well-known for the loans the antique instruments to distinguished musicians free of charge. For receiving a new normal lifestyle after certain prevention rules in epidemic years, an innovative exhibition project in Chimei Museum has planned the Outside Box special exhibition for 30th anniversary celebration since 2021. The exhibition named ‘When Machine Meets Art’ opened in June 3rd, 2023. The values of exhibition impart stories for Chimei founder Mr. Wen-Long Shi’s thinking outside the box from antique machines, showcased by eight artists from six different countries who draw inspirations from machines and industrial materials. It illustrated their unconventional ways of creativity with interpretation how art-work used by daily materials.

National Science and Technology Museum is national-level applied science museum located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Industrial machinery and tools are common for NSTM collections that include typewriters, sewing machine and lathe. Chimei Museum’s antique industrial objects were carefully selected after conjunction with NSTM collections researchers examined objects’ condition and evaluated the historical meaning in industry. The purpose of the study will focused on the antique machine collections and a discussion the relation between early machine’s conservation and exhibition. In addition, give Outside the Box exhibition insight a summary and interpretation after exploring the connections between industrial innovation, social changes, and artistic creativity.

Through practice, experienced natural dyers anticipate what can feel like supernatural or shocking results from the dye bath. Colors from bright fuschia to rich brown emerge from a pungent stew, and with minor ingredient variations, a new, unexpected color may emerge, embedded in the fabric. Natural dyes are known to be sourced from a wide array of organic and inorganic substances, from insects to plants to minerals. Fungi, organisms of a separate phylum from plants and animals, and lichens, consisting of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, have also historically been used for dyeing textiles. These organisms have been briefly explored in dye literature, namely by Dominique Cardon, however the cultural practice, breadth of colors available, and aging properties have been largely unpublished. Some colors can be identified visually, have known chromophores or signatures in specific wavelengths, but many dyes continue to be mysterious. Conservators, curators, and communities alike are often unsure about the sources of dyes on cultural heritage objects. While a number of non-destructive characterization tools are available for certain colorants, the identification often requires a reference set for comparison. For fungi and lichen sources, this data currently does not exist. The International Fungi and Fiber Symposium offers a biennial gathering of fiber and mycology enthusiasts. An array of dyed samples, representing a rainbow of colors from common fungi and lichen foraged in the United States were created at this symposium in 2022. They have been studied and multimodal imaging characterization has been completed. Further, the longevity of the dyes have been examined using spectrophotometry before and after accelerated aging. Future goals include conducting Microfading Testing (MFT) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to characterize the dyes and create a reference set to be useful for analysis of future cultural heritage objects. Through sharing this initial information, images, and resources, the authors hope to spark connections with others who may be asking similar questions about colors in the collections they care for.

An unexpected consequence for libraries is to have books returned with an unusual odor, such as cigarette smoke or smoke from a fire or cat urine. Before these books can be offered to another patron, they must be cleaned and deodorized.



Fortunately, universities have research facilities that can analyze odors and help to determine the best approach. In collaboration with the Penn State University Food Science Department, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to compare the results of several common methods of odor removal.



The study compares baking soda, kitty litter, Gonzo (a volcanic absorbent stone), microchamber paper, as well as other techniques. These methods were compared with a chamber connected to a common air scrubber used by many disaster restoration companies.

The final poster will show the results of the collaboration between the local Fire Department, Food Science Department and the University Libraries’ Conservation Centre.

Every batch of rare items that our lab receives from the Special Collections Library has a surprise. From artist books in odd shapes to miniatures that require specialized support, there’s always a new challenge. When we received two 18th century Spanish antiphonals we knew we were in for a challenge. After the conservation treatment was done, we still had the hurdle of housing. We needed an enclosure that would be lightweight, since the books were already large and difficult to handle. We also needed to protect the protruding metal furniture on one of the volumes.

We made two quilted book cozies which are modifications on a design made by Mary Baughman in 1996 at the University of Texas at Austin. In our case, we used a pre-quilted fabric from Test Fabrics, Inc. to speed up construction and inserted custom-cut ethafoam supports for the elaborately decorated covers.

This poster will include details of the construction and changes we made and provide advice for others who want to construct similar housings for oversized books.

The treatment was taken under the guidance and support of Grimwade teaching staff, Dr Paula Dredge John Hook, and Dr Jonathan Kemp, with special credit to Dr Jonathan Kemp, who sourced the tear repair equipment (Pine 64) under the Master’s course in Cultural Material Conservation at the University of Melbourne. 

The Church Painting 1, possibly painted in 1889 by an unknown artist, is framed with a four-membered wooden frame. Together with Church Painting 2 is the collection of St Columb’s Church Hawthorn. The owner sent the painting to the Grimwade Centre of the University of Melbourne as a teaching and research object. The painting was in poor condition, with a major tear of approximately 300mm noted at the top right of the canvas.

Prior to the major tear repair, dry cleaning, pH and conductivity testing, and other treatments were conducted. The torn area was humidified in a controlled approach and then flattened with blotter paper and weights overnight. The tear of the canvas was repaired by bridging the gap with foreign fibre. Natural adhesives pose a threat to insect and microorganism attacks, which might not be suitable for future storage. The heat-activated synthetic adhesive, polyamide welding powder, was used to repair the tear. A mixture of original fibre extracted from the canvas and new linen fibre was chosen as the bridging threads.

As suggested and provided by Dr Jonathan Kemp, lecturer at the Grimwade Centre, the low-cost heating needle, ‘Pinecil’ of the brand Pine64, is originally a mini portable soldering iron used in repairing electric circuit boards. The set temperature of the solder ranged from 100 °C to 400 °C, which is lower than other soldering irons (usually starting from 250 °C). In order to figure out a suitable operation temperature, the polyamide powder was first applied to the mock-up canvas with the heated needle set at different temperatures. At a set temperature of 120 °C, the polyamide powder started to melt but was too rigid to apply. A set temperature of 140 °C was tested as the minimum temperature for the polyamide powder to melt thoroughly and become flexible to apply. The tip of the apparatus is exchangeable and supported with different sizes and shapes. The high temperature might be a concern to the canvas; however, during the application, the needle should not contact the canvas directly (adhesive in-between), and no observable change in the mock-up canvas was noted after the application.

The molten adhesive first adhered the original canvas and one end of the foreign thread together. Tightened (tensioned) the thread with a micro pointed tweezer and applied the molten adhesive to the other end of the thread. The treated area was then left dried under weight for minutes. The tear was successfully secured in place with fibre and polyamide welding powder.

In recent years, 3D technology has emerged as a transformational set of tools in the realm of cultural heritage preservation. This poster explores the multifaceted applications of 3D technology, with traditional model making practices in cultural restoration, creation of replicas to enhance museum accessibility, mount making for exhibitions, and artifact storage and transportation. With the ability to capture intricate details, facilitate precise reproduction, and enhance preservation efforts, 3D technology has become an invaluable to the preservation of our rich cultural heritage.




Cultural Restoration:

One of the most compelling aspects of 3D technology is its role in cultural restoration. This set of case studies will delve into the ways in which 3D scanning, printing, and CNC machining can breathe new life into damaged or deteriorating artifacts. This set of examples will show where 3D technology has been employed to recreate lost or damaged sacred objects that are cultural treasures, in collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the native Alaskan Tlingit clans, enabling us to recover and appreciate their heritage in ways never before possible.




Creating Replicas for Museum Accessibility:

Museum accessibility is a central concern for institutions worldwide. 3D technology is making cultural heritage more accessible than ever before. Examples will show how 3D scans, 3D CAD modeling and digital sculpting are transformed into tactile replicas, enhanced by traditional model making, enabling visually impaired visitors to engage with artifacts through touch, for the National Museum of American History exhibitions "American Democracy" and "Many Voices, One Nation".




Mount Making for Exhibition:

Mounting and displaying artifacts in exhibitions pose unique challenges. Examples showcase how 3D technology can revolutionize mount making by providing custom-fit, aesthetically pleasing, and preservation-friendly solutions. Such as creating 3D printed "stand-ins" during the mount making process, resulting in safer production. Attendees will gain insights into the process of creating tailored mounts using 3D production processes, that are non-invasive and reduce artifact handling.




Storage and Transit of Artifacts:

Preserving artifacts during storage and transit is of paramount importance for cultural institutions. Examples will highlight how 3D CAD modeling assisted in the creation of a custom painting mount for exhibition and transportation. The process enabled limited handling of the painting, precise planning with conservation staff, and informing the traditional mount making process, to create a mount that that stabilized the object, and was utilized for exhibition and transportation.




Each of the case studies will site challenges, and successes of incorporating 3D technology into the display, preservation, and restoration efforts. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential and limitations of 3D technology in various aspects of cultural heritage preservation.




The intersection of 3D technology and cultural preservation represents a dynamic frontier where tradition meets innovation. Join us for an exploration of how this technology is shaping the future of cultural heritage conservation, restoration, and accessibility. Whether you are a curator, conservator, researcher, or enthusiast, this poster will inspire you with the possibilities that 3D technology offers in the realm of cultural heritage preservation.

The wheels started turning in a different direction for conservation in the National Archives of Singapore 3 years ago. Tucked away in a picturesque hillside building, the conservation team operated in the shadows, as a back-of-house function. Driven by the goal to raise the profile of conservators, stoke an interest in conservation resulting in pride in and respect for the meaningful work conservators do, a progressive route was charted for the team targeting outreach, education, and engagement.

Outreach

We were eager to challenge preconceptions of conservation being deadly serious business, with no room for humour. From a dearth of conservation-related posts on our institution’s social media 2 years ago, conservation is now front and centre, gracing social media platforms such as Zoom, Instagram, YouTube and most recently TikTok, making archival conservation sexy again!

Notably, Conservation in NAS, a 10-episode TikTok series, threw the spotlight on our conservation team. The series highlights behind-the-scenes conservation processes at NAS. It has garnered 1,465,200 views and climbing (the average view per clip is 146,520). Most hearteningly, the comments section has been ripe with queries on how one can join the profession. It also won the National Library Board’s Outstanding Innovation Award in 2023 – a recognition for being the first conservation series from an institution in our local TikTok scene. Ultimately, it has endeavoured to make conservation education accessible, eliciting wonder and reaching new audiences.

Education

It is no surprise that conservation practices are varied around the world. With limited educational institutions offering conservation training especially in Asia, such educational opportunities or professional training might be out of reach for many aspiring conservators. To tackle the issue of making conservation training accessible for our team, we created a comprehensive in-house professional training programme that serves a dual purpose of being an induction programme for new conservators and as a progressive training model for conservators to develop their competencies at beginner, intermediate and expert levels.

Taught by veterans in the team who have cultivated a wealth of experience training on the job, this model also serves as a means of sustainable knowledge transfer. Born during the Covid Pandemic when we were sorely missing travel, it was aptly named the “Training Passport”, where conservators ‘travel’ to new experiences and challenges and obtain a stamp when they reach their destinations. While putting together the sessions which targeted skills necessary for a paper conservator, from cooking wheat starch to cutting mat boards to sizing and lining, we also made sure to include training for operating the lab equipment in the lab. This ensured that crucial knowledge and know-how did not solely rest on one or two conservators’ shoulders but are now part of the skill set of every member of team. Supplemented by a curated list of external online courses, we have been keeping abreast with the dynamic conservation landscape.

In early 2024, we will be extending an abridged version of this training to a group of conservators in neighboring countries and helping to raise the standard of conservation for in the region.

Engagement

Necessitated by internal incidents with hazardous chemical agents and agents of deterioration, the Archives Conservation lab designed a first ever internal records handling programme for our library and archives staff. NLB has a mandate to collect, preserve and manage Singapore’s public and private archival records of historical and national significance for their long-term preservation. As recent local and international events demonstrate, it is not enough for conservators alone to be apprised of the potential hazards in collections. Anyone who has exposure to physical records needs to be alert and informed of the signs of potential risk, and how to respond and protect oneself.

A component of our Collections Disaster Management Plan, it covers agents of deterioration, assessing condition of records, staff health and safety measures, best practices in records handling, how to identify health hazards and mitigating steps to be taken. It has changed the way collection staff approach records, prioritizing their health and safety. Communication is smoother and quicker with clear escalation channels when the unforeseen happens. Staff and users are educated to understand the vulnerability of the materials which they are handling.

Our training which focuses on the special care required to ensure the long-term preservation of records has also been extended to include participants beyond our organisation, with external collection owners, archivists, and conservators from other local GLAM organisations to cover a wider group of users. This strengthens and cements the unifying role we play in preservation- as agents of change, actively engaging an otherwise rather fragmented local conservation community.

This three-pronged approach has transformed the role we play as conservators in our organisation. We are highly encouraged and motivated to do more and to do better – to make conservation accessible to all.

In this study, polysaccharides, namely, potato starch, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), were used as consolidation materials for papyrus. The starch solution was applied on papyrus strips by two different methods: by brush and by an ultrasonic humidifier, the latter being a new approach for the application of consolidation materials. The consolidated papyrus was subjected to a thermal ageing study and several measurements were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the selected consolidation materials and of the two different application methods of starch. The mechanical properties of the consolidated papyrus strips were evaluated by measuring the tensile strength and elongation. FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the papyrus strips were performed before and after thermal ageing. The study showed that CNC and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose improved the mechanical properties of the tested strips. Applying potato starch using the ultrasonic humidifier improved the mechanical properties of the consolidated strips more significantly than its application by brush

This poster aims to take a closer look at the materials and techniques used in the creation of Tibetan furniture. This understudied area of East Asian furniture production has been the focus of only one English-language conservation publication despite pieces being held in many collections throughout the United States. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s group of Tibetan furniture forms includes approximately 30 pieces of furniture in large part drawn from the Hayward Family Collection. The Hayward Family seeded significant works throughout other major collecting institutions.

As part of the EU Horizon 2020 GREENART project (https://www.greenart-project.eu/), several pieces of furniture were selected for technical study, with a particular focus on their original paint stratigraphies and later-applied coatings. The poster will share preliminary findings from these pieces with an emphasis on the elaborately painted and gilded surfaces. The primary case study presented will be Altar Table with Dragons and Auspicious Symbols (https://collections.lacma.org/node/214797) which includes several colorants, metallic flakes and leaf, and raised grounds. Samples were collected from this group of objects. Several analytical techniques (e.g. SEM/EDS, FTIR, XRF and Raman) were used to help characterization of the pigments and organic binders.

Many of the objects in the LACMA collection exhibit tacky, darkened coatings which both obscure original surfaces and make storage difficult. It is hoped that this poster can serve as a jumping-off point for conversation around Tibetan furniture with the end goal of promoting greater understanding between both conservators and those with traditional source community knowledge. This study will provide a foundation for the eventual design and implementation of sympathetic, nuanced conservation interventions.

The husband-and-wife duo Charles and Ray Eames are some of the most influential designers of the 20th century. The Eames’ designs, organic and inspired, softened industrial materials, bringing them into the homes of a wide consumer base. While they experimented and worked with a range of materials, they are particularly known for their pioneering use of molded plywood. Released in 1946, the FSW (folding screen in wood) exemplifies the Eames’ design philosophy.

The FSW in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s modern and contemporary collection is composed of six molded plywood segments joined in sequence with woven hinges. The plywood segments are veneered with mahogany and have a bell curve-shaped profile. Fully extended, the screen measures 58 ½ in long and 68 in tall.

Pieces of furniture are enmeshed in the events of daily life that occur around them, capturing records of those activities in the form of wear from regular use, or scratches made by young children and stains from a spilled drink. The Eames FSW is a particularly dynamic object, meant to be moved, opened and closed, and repositioned in endless configurations. The Met’s screen bears the markings of an actively used domestic object, including home repairs likely made with materials the original owner had on hand.

In a museum context, the purpose of The Met’s FSW has changed. It is no longer a specific screen in the home of a specific family—it has become an archetypal example of a design object. Evidence of the screen’s previous life now distracts from its most important attributes, chiefly form and materiality. The surfaces of the Met’s FSW exhibited deep scratches in the finish as well as fourteen patches of overpaint that starkly contrasted with their surroundings. Two sections of one of the woven hinges had detached from their housings.

This paper will detail the treatment of The Met’s FSW, completed as part of the author’s 3rd year graduate internship. Rather than focus on specific outcomes, it will describe the decision-making process that guided the treatment. This process was complicated by the screen’s finish, which was identified as containing cellulose nitrate using the diphenylamine spot test. Working within the limitations imposed by the sensitive finish, retouching using Maimeri Ketonic Resin Colours with ShellSol D38 was ultimately decided to be the best course of action for addressing the overpainted patches. The scratches in the finish were re-saturated with 20% Plexigum PQ611 in Shellsol D38 and the woven hinge resecured with Lascaux 498 HV. With this paper I hope to illustrate the challenging decisions involved in treating a consumer object that has undergone changes both intentional and incidental.

Preventive conservation in its ideal form is an integrated part of every position in a cultural heritage institution, with the preventive conservator as a spider in the web of daily activities throughout the organization.

Established in 1958, University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections holds over eight miles of book, archival, photo, architecture and map collections with a focus on Literature, History of Science, Political Affairs, Performing Arts, the University of Arizona, Arizona and the Southwest, Arizona Queer Archives, and the US-Mexican Borderlands. I joined this department in 2022, with the intention to start a more comprehensive preservation program for these collections. Starting a new program to preserve these impressive collections, covering a wide variety of materials, provides great challenges, ranging from developing item-level solutions to departmental-wide rethinking of roles and responsibilities.

During the first year, we established a preservation studio where a Preventive Conservator, a Preservation Assistant and two student employees work on minor treatments and enclosures for collection items and exhibition production. We expanded the climate monitoring program, starting monitoring light-levels around the building, and established an IPM program that includes raising awareness among staff of the importance of IPM practice. Together with a library conservation consultant and colleagues across the libraries and campus, we created a report on preservation-focused space planning. This will help Special Collections plan for growth space and an improved preservation environment in the near and further future.

We started a training and outreach program for staff, student employees, and community groups, and are establishing new exhibition production procedures, which are tested in small-scale pop-up displays curated by students throughout the year. In collaboration with student employees and interns, we conducted a survey and measurement of the extent, materiality and storage conditions of all collections, and started a box-level survey of processed archival materials to identify collection and furniture needs and potential improvements in processing. A digital production lab is soon to open next to the preservation studio, and processes and responsibilities to integrate preservation work in digitization processes are being developed. Some early identified high priorities are in progress, such as the development of an emergency plan in collaboration with other University of Arizona Libraries, and establishing a new exhibition manual in collaboration with Special Collections librarians.

This presentation reviews the efforts that were already in place and how I mapped out priorities starting this position and program, consulting various stakeholders within the libraries and building on a preservation survey executed by a conservation consultant in 2019. I reflect on what we have achieved so far, what our challenges have been, what I would do differently looking back, and where we plan to go from here. Establishing a new program and making preservation a consistent part of everyone’s work around the department takes time and requires consistency, patience and flexibility, and the planting and nurturing of many seeds.