Collection Care blog

Behind the scenes with our conservators and scientists

25 posts categorized "Exhibitions"

06 July 2023

Taking the British Library by Storm Scott

In September 2022, I began a yearlong internship at The British Library in the conservation department. Prior to this I studied general conservation at Lincoln University, and whilst I enjoyed learning about all types of materials, once I started treating paper objects I knew that I had found my passion, and hopefully my future career.

My studies took place during the Covid-19 lockdowns, so my access to hands on conservation was limited. Entry-level conservation jobs often require a minimum of two years practical experience post training, so finding this internship felt something like a blessing. During my yearlong internship, I have been learning from expert preventive conservators, object, textile, book and paper conservators in a fully equipped conservation studio. This blog post will give an overview of my time spent during the first six months of my internship, beginning with the Exhibitions and Loans team, and then on the long-term bids team.

A view of the main studio of the British Library Centre for Conservation, showing the large space with high ceiling and natural light. There are many workbenches covered with conservation tools and equipment, including a large book press in the foreground.
Img. 1: The BLCC purpose built main studio

 

Exhibitions and Loans 

The Exhibition and Loans (E&L) team within conservation deal with the treatment and condition checking of objects that have been requested for upcoming exhibitions, either internally at the BL or externally at other lending institutions, including touring exhibitions.

Condition checking and documentation is crucial to the culture of institutions loaning each other objects as record of the exact nature and degree of all damage is important to show that an object has not been further damaged during transit or display. I started on the Exhibitions and Loans team during the install of the Alexander Exhibition, where I was able to watch loan items from other institutions arrive, and to see how different conservators at a variety of institutions described and highlighted different types of damage. I also had the opportunity to assess and record the condition of individual items going out on loan and an entire touring exhibition on its return to the Library. This allowed me to familiarise myself with the specialist vocabulary used in book conservation, the various book structures, and the common types of damage.

I have learnt that putting together an exhibition is a truly collaborative process. During the install many different departments work together to ensure that the final exhibition is educational, contains the most relevant and beautiful objects, is enjoyable for visitors but above all that the objects remain safe, stable and undamaged. The E&L team play a massive role in this: they decide which items are in good enough condition to be displayed, undertake any necessary conservation treatments and decide how best to display objects.

I also worked on the Chinese and British exhibition; I mounted many flat items for display, learning various techniques that ensure each object is displayed at its best whilst being appropriately supported.

Hand-drawn and labelled map, drawn in black ink on beige paper. The map has been mounted onto cream mount board using v-hinges, a mounting technique allowing the hinges to not be visible from the recto. The map is slightly dirty and a previous repair is visible to the bottom right corner but the map is in a good condition.
Img. 2: ink on paper map mounted with V-hinge technique so the hinges aren’t visible
Img. 3 mounted
Img. 3: ink on paper flat work mounted using Melinex corners and sides for additional support

In addition to mounting objects for internal exhibitions I also treated items for internal and external exhibitions, focusing on damage that could increase whilst in transit or on display or aesthetic damage to the display opening. The following are examples of items I have treated for exhibitions and loans.

The front board of volume 10880.d.27 prior to treatment, a half bound green leather volume with marbled paper covers. The leather is in poor condition, it has degraded completely in some areas – the spine the spine has a fluffy texture and large pieces are at risk to flake off it. The board corners are visible and the bottom board corner is scraped. There is also a tear between the spine and the front board at the top edge.
Img. 4: Volume 10880.d.27 before treatment
The front board of volume 10880.d.27 post treatment. The board corners have been covered with Japanese tissue toned to match the leather. The leather has been consolidated darkening the leather but making it stronger. The tear between the spine and the front board has also been repaired using a small piece of leather inserted underneath the spine leather.
Img. 5: Volume 10880.d.27 after treatment, including binding repair, leather consolidation and covering board corners
The head edge of volume 1258.k.5 before treatment. The paper is flaking off the board edges, with areas of complete loss where the board is showing. The leather is very worn at the spine edge and flaking off. The board corners are also bent and starting to delaminate.
Img. 6: Volume 1258.k.5 pre-treatment
The head edge of volume 1258.k.5 after treatment. The covering paper has been re-adhered to the board edges, though the areas of loss where the board is visible remain. The leather has been consolidated. The board corners have been repaired, though the right board corner is still slightly bent.
Img. 7: Volume 1258.k.5 post-treatment: consolidating leather and covering material, repairing delaminating board corners

 

Long-term bids

In the long-term bids team I have been lucky enough to have three different mentors with varied backgrounds leading to their slightly different areas of knowledge and expertise. This has been an amazing way of learning as I get to see a wider range of treatments and processes and different ways of approaching similar problems. I have learnt that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to conservation, each book is unique and various materials both deteriorate and respond to repairs differently. I explored which approach suited me best and chose the best method and materials for the treatment of every object. I have been able to learn and develop a wide variety of skills this way: tear repairs on flat works, books and scrolls; many applications for different gels; toning tissue; paring, toning  and consolidating leather; repairing board corners; binding repairs; sewing sections of a text block; sewing endbands; removing spine linings and more.  However, for the purpose of this blog I will detail the treatment of 118.e.5, and how I was able to develop the skills required for each treatment step.

Volume 118.e.5 in a wooden book press, with boards protected by just visible mount board on either side, sits atop a studio bench. The spine is upright with the tail-edge in the fore ground so that the endband is visible. The endband is partially detached and hanging by a thread.
Img. 8: Volume 118.e.5 pre-treatment

The tail endband had become partially detached and the endband and spine were dirty. I began with surface cleaning to improve the appearance and to ensure repair materials would adhere sufficiently.

I attended a gels course run by three British Library conservators where I learnt how to make a variety of gels at different concentrations and experiment with their suggested applications.

A variety of gels in individual marked plastic sealed bags sit in rows on top a sheet of Tyvek on top of a trolley. From left to right these gels are: Agarose 2%, agarose 3%, agarose 5%, agarose 10%, agar 2%, agar 3%, agar 5%, agar 10%, LA gellan 1%, LA gellan 1.5%, LA gellan 2%, LA gellan 2.5%, 30:20 xantham:konjac 1%, 50:50 xantham:Konjac, nanorestore peggy 5, peggy gum, nanorestore peggy 6 and Nevek 4.5%.
Img. 9: The different gels tested during the gels course
A sheet of paper lies on a piece of Tyvek with different types of stains: tea, coffee, biro pen, ink, permanent marker and Evacon adhesive. Different gels are being tested on each of these stains, some with a barrier layer of Bondina some without, some with a glass weight on top and some without.
Img. 10: experimenting with a variety of gels to reduce different types of stains
Volume 118.e.5 is held in a wooden book press, protected by mount board on either side. The left board and the spine are visible, including the partially exposed text block at the bottom edge and the endband which is only attached at the right side. The endband is covered in a layer of Konjac and Xantham gel.
Img. 11: Endband during cleaning with Konjac & Xantham
Volume 118.e.5 after gel cleaning is held in a wooden book press, the image is taken from straight above the book meaning only the spine is visible in the image. The exposed text block and partially detached endband are both clean.
Img. 12: Endband and exposed spine after cleaning

I selected Konjac and Xantham gel to clean the spine and endband by applying it as a poultice, leaving for a few minutes and then removing the poultice, which was very effective. The endband was now ready to be reattached!

I learnt to sew endbands whilst making a sewing model, which furthered my understanding of the structure and purpose of the endband.

A hand holds a text block without boards attached. A bright red and deep burgundy endband has been sewn onto the text block, matching the curvature of the spine.
Img. 13: Sewing model endband

I learnt to reattach endbands by observing my mentor completing an endband repair to a volume where the head and tail endbands were detaching. This enabled me to take photos and make detailed notes before repairing the other endband, giving me enough confidence to carry out similar treatments more independently in the future.

The head edge and top of the spine of volume 118.e.5 are visible. Multiple strips of paper poke out of the head edge of the text block to mark the centre of each section that will be sewed through.
Img. 14: endband fixed into original position and endband markers mark each

I fixed the endband into its correct position using a piece of Japanese tissue adhered with wheat starch paste before marking the centre of each section I planned to sew through. After the first stitch, I tied a knot on the outer side of the spine to secure the thread.

Only the top edge of the spine of volume 118.e.5 is visible. The thread has been poked through the spine, around the top of the endband and tied in a knot on the exterior of the spine.
Img. 15: endband sewn back into original position

I then sewed underneath the endband core, back over the top of the endband and then back through the textblock, with a linen thread that closely matched the original white thread.

The top section of the spine and the head edge of the text block are visible. The repair stitching has been covered with a piece of thin Japanese tissue.
Img 16: The repair stitches

Now secured, the next step was to reform the head cap using archival calf leather.

I had no experience working with leather prior to my internship, but have quickly learnt that each leather is different and that paring leather takes a considerable amount of strength! My first attempts at paring leather were thankfully on strips of off-cut leather as they were not pretty, though I’m assured it’s a skill that requires much practice to perfect.

The endband has been reattached into its original position and the partially exposed spine has been covered with a piece of leather that closely matches the colour of the leather on the spine.
Img 17 : The spine edge and head edge of volume 118.e.5 after treatment

After paring and consolidating the leather, I adhered it to the spine using wheat starch paste.

I loved working on this book, having confidence in my ability to complete each step made me feel like a real, fully-fledged book conservator, and I was really happy with the outcome of the treatment. I am learning more and more by the day and whilst I will be sad to leave the long term bids team, I am excited to join the preventive team before returning to the studio to focus on binding structures. If you’ve found this an interesting read, I will be writing another post detailing my time on future teams so watch this space !

03 May 2023

Whales, horses and zebras—oh my! Conservation work for the Animals: Art, Science and Sound exhibition

In preparation for the Animals: Art, Science and Sound exhibition, Conservation assessed the suitability for display of over 150 BL collection items, of which just over 120 items actually made it into the exhibition. Seventy of these items came into the conservation studio for treatment prior to being displayed. The kind of treatment for each item varied greatly. Some volumes needed intensive treatments because the covers had become completely detached, and others just needed some minor care, such as tidying board edges that had become split and frayed. Some of the paper items needed tear repairs or flattening because they had been stored rolled or folded and many of them needed window mounting so they could be framed or displayed vertically.

The conservation work for all the items was shared between many conservators in the studio. The work started in January, giving team members enough time to complete their treatments prior to the install of the exhibition in March. Conservation play an integral part of the exhibition process and without the support we provide, many of these wonderful items would not make it into the show.

Below, three conservators discuss a few items that came through the studio for treatment ahead of the exhibition.

Amy

I worked on several volumes for Animals.  My favourite was Or.917, which contains very detailed paintings of whales. . My attention was immediately caught by two in particular – as well as being beautifully painted they both have rather evocative facial expressions!

A painting of a killer whale on a cream background. It is shown from the side, with its tail in the air and its flippers held out on either side of its body. The whale is mostly black except for its belly, which is grey and white. The whale’s eye is half-shut and it looks sleepy. Its ear is shown as a little white circle behind the eye. Its mouth is open, showing its pink gums and sharp white teeth. There are eight labels in Chinese characters which are joined to the whale’s dorsal fin, eye, tongue, ear, blowhole, and belly with red lines.
Painting of a killer whale
A painting of a mottled grey whale on a cream background. The whale’s skin has been given a textured appearance on its back and side by manipulating the paint with a circular sponge or fingertip. It is shown from the side and holds its flippers out on either side of its body. There are areas of small white dots on the whale’s back, belly, tail, jaws, and on one of its flippers. This gives the impression that the whale is covered with barnacles. It also has small white whiskers on its chin. The whale’s eye is half shut and the curve of its mouth is like an upside-down smile. There are ten labels in Chinese characters which are joined to the whale’s chin, back and belly with red lines. Below the whale’s head is a picture of a piece of baleen – it is a small white rectangle with long hair-like strands extending from one of the long sides. It is also labelled in Chinese characters with a red line.
Painting of a whale with barnacles

The most badly-damaged book was an early nineteenth-century volume entitled Fishes of the Ganges (Mss Eur E72). When the book came to the conservation studio the paintings themselves were in good condition, but 200 years of usage had taken their toll on the volume’s binding. The green leather of the spine was badly abraded and several pieces of it were missing. This posed a structural risk to the book, as it made it more likely that the boards would become detached at some point in the future. The red-brown paper which covered both boards was also not in a good state, with the pigment faded and rubbed away and pieces missing at the corners and edges of the boards.

A hardcover book against a grey background, photographed showing the front cover.  The book is covered in reddish-brown paper with a blue marbled pattern and a blue-green leather spine. Some areas of the paper are cream-coloured where the reddish-brown pigment has been rubbed away. The leather has split vertically down the edge of the cover and also has cream covered areas where the top layer has rubbed or peeled off. The paper and leather are missing at the corners of the cover, exposing the brown board underneath.
Mss Eur E72 before treatment

As conservators our aim is always to retain as much original material as possible when carrying out treatment. My repairs to the marbled paper were very minimal. Using acrylic paints I toned a piece of Japanese handmade paper to a similar colour to that of the original, which I then used to fill in the gaps on the corners and edges of the boards. The damaged leather required a more interventive approach. After careful consideration I concluded that it was not possible to both keep the original leather and reinforce the binding structure. I therefore replaced the old leather with new green goatskin, but retained the old pieces so that readers can still access these remnants of the original binding. An additional result of this treatment will be that when Fishes of the Ganges returns from exhibition it will be robust enough to be consulted by readers and researchers without (hopefully) sustaining further damage.

The same hardcover book against a grey background after conservation treatment, photographed showing the front cover.  The old damaged leather is gone and the spine is covered in new, dark green leather. The exposed corner areas on the right-hand side of the cover have been covered with reddish-brown paper, a slightly lighter shade than the original.  The paper still has cream-coloured areas where the reddish-brown pigment has been rubbed away.
Mss Eur E72 after treatment

 

Veronica

The animal protagonist of a volume I treated for this exhibition is the horse. ‘The Anatomy of the Horse’, 1766, a printed book by the British painter George Stubbs, includes exquisite etchings engraved by Stubbs itself, which are anatomically accurate and elegant. The binding is a purple quarter leather binding with purple covering cloth on the sides of the boards and parchment reinforcement on the corners beneath the covering material. The leather spine is gold tooled with the author’s name, title and place and date of publication. The numerous plates in the text block were printed on thick laid paper.

The right page of the intended display opening, showing an incredibly detailed black and white full body anatomical drawing of a horse, with its head facing right and tail facing left. There are clear plate lines an inch or two away from each edge of the page, showing this image was printed from a plate. Small text at the top right corner, within these plate lines, reads, “Tab IV”. The top and fore-edge of the right board are visible, showing a dark maroon covering material, with gold tooling forming a thin line close to and parallel with the board edges. The covering material has detached from both board corners and the boards are delaminating, this damage is more pronounced in the top corner.
Tab IV. Exhibition opening page.

The binding was in poor state of condition, with both boards detached, delaminated and with missing areas, and the cloth and parchment covering materials on the corners considerably abraded. The leather was split along the spine edges and was heavily worn and coming unattached on the spine, with the grain layer flaking heavily, and some missing areas at head and tail on the endcaps, along the bands and along the edges. The gold tooling on the spine was partially missing.

The left board of a maroon cloth bound volume is partially visible; the fore-edge side of the board is out of frame, the spine edge in frame. The edges of the board are a slightly lighter colour, the covering material visibly detaching from the tail edge. The spine piece is heavily degraded, with the spine leather completely detached from the spine in places and the leather join split almost the length of the spine.
Left leather join split.
A maroon cloth bound volume lies flat on top a grey surface, showing the spine and the left board. The spine is visible in full, lying horizontally across the frame. The spine leather is heavily degraded, only small sections of dark leather can be seen, as the majority of the leather visible is a light brown and appears fluffy in texture. There are six separate spine sections, split by five raised bands, at least two of these raised bands have been lost completely, a further two are heavily abraded and damages and the final band is not visible due to the spine pieces on either side being so detached that they cover this area. The Spine pieces at the head and tail end have also come detached. There are two labels adhered to the head edge of the spine. There is gold lettering and tooling in every section on the spine. The other sections show design/emblems.
Highly degraded leather spine.

The conservation treatment started with the consolidation of the board corners, by reconstructing the missing areas with layers of Japanese paper adhered with a reversible adhesive. Next, we stabilised the parchment board corners with Japanese paper. The boards protected the text block again!

Once the treatment of the boards was completed, we proceeded with the removal of the old spine lining which was acidic and inflexible and caused the volume to not open well. For the lining removal, we used a poultice, locally applied to the spine to soften the lining materials and adhesives used in the past. The new spine lining, made of Japanese paper and aero-cotton, was strong and flexible and has the function to suitably support the text block spine during opening.

For the treatment of the highly degraded leather spine, together with the exhibition and loans manager and the departmental curator, we carefully evaluated the most suitable option.  Considering that the leather spine’s original state was already been lost and had no historic significance, we decided to apply a new leather spine on the book, gold tooled in the design of the original, and to keep the original pieces, consolidated, in a polyester pocket, secured into the box. With this solution, the volume could be safely displayed and handled, while as much as possible of its physical integrity was retained, with the original spine pieces available for research.

The leather reback on the spine was carried out with a goatskin leather that matched the colour and grain of the original one and was worked to the desired thickness. The treated book was finally housed in a phase box.

A maroon cloth bound volume lies flat on a grey surface. The entire left board is visible and the spine piece is partially visible. The covering material does not cover either of the board corners, which are white rather than maroon, though the corners are not bent or delaminating. Gold tooling of a thin gold line is visible along all edges of the left board, other than the board corners. A reddish brown leather covers the spine, with five raise bands visible along the spine. There is a slightly larger gap between the bottom band and the tail edge than there is between the top band and the head edge, with equal spacing between the raised bands.
Left board after treatment.

 

Old spine leather that has been removed from a volume, in six separate pieces, in a long thin melinex pocket. Each piece of leather is heavily degraded, some of the leather a darker brown but the majority a light brown. All sections of the spine have lost their original shape due to loss of leather. Gold letter is still visible on the second piece from the top, reading, “STUBBS ANATOMY OF THE HORSE”. Gold tooling is visible on all other sections. The top and bottom section show the emblem of a crown, whilst the other three sections show the same decorative emblem. The top section has two labels: a blue circular label reading, “460 f13” and a white rectangular label reading, “74/”.
The original consolidated leather spine is attached by means of Western handmade paper strips to a Melinex pocket sealed on all sides and to the box where the volume is housed.
A reddish brown leather spine piece lies on a grey surface. This spine contains five raised bands, which create six separate spine sections, each complete with gold tooling. A double gold line is at the top and bottom of each section, the top section also shows the emblem of a crown and a white rectangular label reading, “…”. The second to the top section contains gold lettering reading, “STUBBS ANATOMY OF THE HORSE”. The bottom section also depicts an emblem of a crown, and lettering reading, “74/460.f.13”. The other sections depict the same decorative emblem.
New leather spine with gold tooling.

Storm

Historia Aethiopica is a beautiful parchment bound volume I helped treat for display in the Animals: Art, Science and Sound exhibition. This volume included three foldout folios that protruded from the text block even when folded in resulting in heavy creases and weakened paper that had led to tears and areas of loss. I surfaced cleaned the display pages and other pages I treated which displayed surface dirt, to prevent moisture from any materials used in the treatment from causing the dirt to further bond to the surface and to improve the overall appearance of the object.

Volume lies open on conservator’s bench, surrounded by different size and shaped weights, clamps and other tools. The left board, together with the majority of the Textblock, is resting on a large triangular plastezote book rest. The right page is an oversized fold-out currently folded in, so the images are not shown in full, a tree is visible as well as the long tail of an animal. The right board and remainder of the Textblock are lying flat on the bench on top a layer of blotter and bondina. The top page on this side is an oversized folio that is folded out; the picture shows the verso but a large Zebra visibly fills the page. This folio is resting on a piece of mount board and bondina with three thick boards underneath right side so the page lies flat. Multiple thin Japanese strips are visible, these are tear repairs drying before the excess is trimmed. Two weights sit on top of a piece of mount board and bondina in the top right corner as an infill repair to the corner is drying under weights.
Verso of opening page during tear repair treatment

I repaired all tears and areas of loss on the display page, and other fold out pages, using toned Japanese tissue so the repairs were subtle and did not draw attention, and wheat starch adhesive, a reversible water-soluble adhesive.

The right page of the intended opening, a large fold-out folio depicting a black and white print of a large Zebra standing on a grassy area with two small trees on his left side and two larger trees on his right. There are clear plate lines showing this image was printing using a plate. Text above the zebra reads, “ZECORA QUADRUPES PULCHERRIMA / Lusitanis Buroodo Matto. Priscis / Oi Oaypr O., Asimus syloestris”, text in the top left corner reads, “Pag. 150. N.LXXIX”. All this text is within the plate lines. The page is noticeably dirty, has two small areas of loss along the right edge, one visible tear at the bottom edge in the centre and is noticeably dirty.
The display page pre-treatment
The same page depicted the black and white print of the Zebra is shown. However here it is noticeably cleaner, some of the heavier creases have been reduced, and the areas of loss and tears have been repaired.
The display page post-treatment

I used a heated spatula, with a barrier layer to protect the paper, to reduce some of the heavier creases and to flatten the corners as they were heavily curled. I also used the heated spatula in combination with some wheat starch adhesive to strengthen the edges of the page as they were extremely thin and weak, therefore were at a high risk of further deterioration.

A volume sits on a white surface, only the bottom right corner of the text block is in frame. Text is visible on the top page written in black ink and in Italian, the paper is slightly yellowed at the edges. A heated spatula is being applied to the bottom corner of this page, with a square of blotter beneath the page and a layer of bondina between the spatula and the page
Using a heated spatula to flatten a page’s corner

There was also damage to the binding, a tear at the top edge between the left board and the spine, which would likely have deteriorated further during exhibition, as it would be displayed open causing more stress to this area. I repaired this by inserting a piece of unbleached shirlan cotton adhered with a mixture of EVA and wheat starch adhesive to hold the board and spine together to reduce the risk of it tearing further whilst on display or during future handling.

Parchment bound volume lies on a layer of blotter covered with bondina. Only the top left corner of a the left board and top section of the spine is visible. There is black lettering on the spine, though only part of each word is visible: ‘..OLFI/ ..ariusin /…ICAM”. A piece of acid-free tissue is protruding from underneath the left board. The left board is covered in small scratches and there is a small split at the top edge between the left board and the spine piece. A small piece of white fabric is protruding from this split, having been inserted into the left board side and adhered in place.
The binding repair during treatment
The top left corner of a parchment bound volume is visible, showing the top left corner of the left board and the top section of the spine. The left board is covered in scratches and a small split is visible between the left board and the spine at the top edge, with the left board side of the split overlapping the spine piece.
Damage to binding
The top left corner of a parchment bound volume is visible, showing the top left corner fo the left board and the top section of the spine. The left board is covered in scratches. There is a small split visible but the parchment on either side of the split are almost touching with a small visible white gap between.
Binding repair

Both the head-edge endband and the tail-edge endband had also become almost completely detached from the text block, thus needed to be repaired. As I was unfamiliar with this type of treatment I closely observed as my mentor, Veronica Zoppi, undertook the treatment to the head-endband. This was incredibly educational as I was able to take photos and short videos of each treatment step whilst asking questions, which allowed me to make detailed notes complete with diagrams for future use and to treat the tail-edge endband.

First, I cleaned the endband and spine edge of the textblock using Konjac and Xantham gel, to improve the appearance of the endband but also so the repair materials would adhere properly.

A hollow-back parchment bound volume stands upright on a conservation bench on top of a piece of blotting paper. The volume is opened at roughly the centre, fairly wide, exposing the hollow. A green and white endband is visibly detached from the text block, there is a thin strip of the text block closest to the spine much lighter in colour than the rest, where the endband would have once covered. The endband is lying flat across the hollow, it is attached the volume on the right side but the left side of the endband is detached and the central core is visible. There is gel covering the endband.
Endband with gel on during cleaning

The endband was then fixed in the right position using a strip of Japanese tissue adhered to the bottom edge of the endband and to the spine of the Textblock, this was then left to dry shut.

A parchment bound volume lies closed on a piece of blotter and bondina. Only the spine side of the head edge is visible. A green and cream sewn endband follows the curvature of the spine. There is a small piece of bondina and a small piece of melinex protruding from between the text block and the spine.
Japanese tissue holding endband in position drying

To reattach the endband, I sewed through the text block, around the endband core, passing again through the centre of some sections in the text block, marked by paper markers. Usually when re-attaching endbands a conservator would have access to the spine of the text-block, as the spine piece would have been partially or completely detached. As this was not the case, to allow access to the spine, the volume was held open with weights, and then a curved needle was used to reattach the endband using linen threads that closely matched the original endband colours.

A thick volume is held standing on a conservation bench, on top of a layer of blotter and bondina. Only the head edge of the volume is visible, with the fore-edge out of frame but the endband and spine edge visible. Six paper markers spaced approximately evenly throughout the text block, protrude slightly from the head edge.
Section markers
The head-edge of a parchment bound volume is partially visible, with the fore-edge side and the majority of the head-edge of the volume out of frame. A green and cream endband is visible with a clear gap between this endband and the text block and another gap between the endband and the spine.
The endband pre-treatment
The head-edge of a parchment bound volume is partially visible, with the fore-edge side and the majority of the head-edge of the volume out of frame. A green and cream endband is visible, the endband touches the text block at the very left edge, but a small gap is visible between the endband and the text block, this gap widens from the centre to the right side. There are three very thin threads visible in this gap; this is the repair stitching holding the endband in place.
The endband post-treatment

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into preparing items for display. All items are now on view in the exhibition. Book your tickets here.

03 June 2021

Iron gall ink on paper: Saving the words that eat themselves

Paul Garside & Zoë Miller

Iron gall ink (IGI) will be familiar to most of us as the characteristic brown ink that we associate with the authenticity and softly aged aesthetic of historic documents.  It is the most important writing and drawing ink in Western culture, initially emerging in the first centuries AD and continuing in widespread use until the 20th century.  Many thousands of examples of its use on both parchment and paper can be found in the British Library’s historic collections, ranging from Treasures and other important items, such as the Codex Sinaiticus, the Lindisfarne Gospels, Magna Carta, manuscripts penned by Henry VIII and the works of famous diarists such as John Evelyn, to more commonplace letters, notes, musical scores and records. And IGI documents will form a vital part of our forthcoming exhibition Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens .

Figure 1: Three sheets of paper with dark brown iron gall ink.  The ink on the opposite sides of the papers is starting to show through.

[Figure 1] An example of IGI on paper (Walpole Papers 73898).

However, IGI may damage the surface on which it is written, and paper is at particular risk, leading to characteristic haloing, fragility, fracturing and areas of loss. It has been estimated that up to 80% of European archives contain items at significant risk of this problem. The potential to cause damage has been known for a long time: in 1765 the English chemist William Lewis published a treatise on the stability of IGI, and over one hundred years ago the Vatican Library warned about the impending destruction of many precious manuscripts from the effect.  However, the ink remained popular, not least for its durability and permanence (it adheres firmly to the substrate, and resists rubbing and washing, unlike carbon inks), but also because it was easy and cheap to make, using a wide variety of historic recipes.  Most recipes are based around four principal components: gallic acid, derived from oak galls; iron(II) sulphate (often referred to as green vitriol); water or an aqueous medium; and a binding agent, such as gum Arabic.  When these ingredients are mixed, the acid and the iron sulphate react together then oxidise to form iron(III) gallate, which is strongly coloured; the ink is typically a dark slate grey when first formed, turning brown or orange as it ages.

Figure 2: A magnified image of iron gall ink on paper, lit from the back, showing dark haloing around the text and areas of loss from regions of heavy ink.

[Figure 2] The effects of IGI corrosion.

Why does this ink cause damage? There are two main, interlinked processes. Sulphuric acid is a by-product of the reaction which creates the ink, and this can lead to hydrolysis of the cellulose that forms the building blocks of paper. Excess iron(II) ions, from the initial ingredients, can also speed up the oxidative degradation of cellulose. In conjunction, these two effects are often referred to as IGI corrosion, and in extreme cases inked lines can actually crack and drop out of the paper surface. We have found that imbalanced recipes and impure ingredients can complicate the aging process and damaging properties of these inks, resulting in wide visual differences. The Instituut Collectie Nederland (ICN) has developed a four level system to categorise the damage caused by IGI , from 1 to 4 ('good' to 'very poor' condition), as shown in these examples from the BL's collection:

Figure 3: The four ICN condition levels, illustrated with examples from the British Library’s collection.

[Figure 3] The condition of IGI on paper: 1 (good condition - no/light discoluration and stable to handle); 2 (fair condition - dark discolouration around ink, with no immediate mechanical damage, but this could result from handling); 3 (poor condition - some mechanical damage around ink, and handling is likely to cause more damage); 4 (very poor condition - serious loss of substance, which will be exacerbated by handling).

Historically, treatments for paper documents suffering from IGI corrosion were much more invasive than would now be considered acceptable, including processes such as lamination, simmering or aggressive de-acidification.  Greater understanding of the material and developments in conservation science have allowed a more tailored, less invasive range of options. For some documents, aqueous treatments will be the most appropriate choice: the items are immersed in a calcium phytate solution, to bind and isolate damaging iron(II) ions, accompanied by gentle de-acidification, to remove existing acids and provide an alkaline reserve.  For other documents, low moisture repairs (using gelatine adhesive, which resists IGI attack as well as providing mechanical stabilisation) or the more conventional support of physical damage will be better choices.  The following chart gives an overview of our thought-processes when considering the best approach; we developed it to help visualise the process and explain our decision-making to colleagues.  As can be seen, we would consider a wide range of factors, including:

  • The state of the IGI and the damage it has caused, assessed using the ICN categorisation.
  • The overall condition of the item, taking into account any signs of damage to its composition or structure, the presence of vulnerable components such as water-sensitive materials, and its general stability and ease of handling.
  • Our 'risk appetite' for the item.  This represents our willingness to accept risks when treating the object, and is related to factors such as cultural value, historic significance and rarity. This would obviously be very low for Treasures items, but even with objects assigned a higher risk appetite, we would not act recklessly or without planning – we may, however, be willing to consider more interventive or extensive treatments to enable the item to be more widely accessed.

Figure 4: A flowchart indicating the decision-making process for the treatment of iron gall ink on paper.

[Figure 4] Decision-making for the treatment of IGI on paper.

This scheme is not prescriptive, however, and each object would be assessed and treated on its own merits. Furthermore, sometimes the best conservation decision is to carry out no treatment at all, and in all cases our work is underpinned by good preventive conservation, in the form of appropriate storage, suitable environmental conditions and sympathetic handling.

Figure 5: A British Library conservator carrying out immersion treatment of a paper manuscript with iron gall ink.

[Figure 5] Aqueous treatment of poor condition IGI on paper, in the BL’s conservation studio.

Many thanks to the Thriplow Charitable Trust for supporting this research.

22 October 2020

On light: conserving material for our exhibition Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights

Alexa McNaught-Reynolds, Conservation Exhibition and Loan Manager

Two of the items selected for display in our exhibition: Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights appear to be in good condition but have vulnerabilities that may not be immediately obvious. In Conservation we strive to understand every component of an object in order to recommend the best course of action for their long-term care.

Item 1. NEWS.REG170: Daily Mirror front cover: Tuesday 28th March 2017

Vulnerability: newspaper is not made to last

This is an important item in the exhibition, highlighting how strong working women are still sometimes represented in the media today. Newspapers are produced from poor quality wood pulp that is inherently unstable due to something called lignin, and they are not made to last. Lignin makes the paper acidic and when placed in direct sunlight, as many of you will have seen, newspapers turn yellow and become brittle very quickly.

Controversial front page of the Daily Mirror on Tuesday 28th March 2017 showing Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon. The headline reads 'Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!'

Figure 1: Controversial front page of the Daily Mirror on Tuesday 28th March 2017 (NEWS.REG170)

We strive to protect our newspaper collection by storing them in alkaline buffered material, in a stable environment free from exposure to light sources. These actions significantly slow the degradation process.

But what about when one is requested for exhibition? While we are familiar with the vulnerabilities of newspaper generally, we are not sure how stable the media will be under exhibition conditions. The exhibition environment is very stable and the newspaper is subjected to low levels of light. While light level is low, with no UV, and the time is restricted, we are not sure how much of an effect this limited light exposure will have on the media.

In order to get a better understanding of how the media will fair under exhibition conditions, we will be monitoring this item closely. To do this, we are measuring the colour by using simple colorimetry. This is completed with 'Lab*' colour measurements which is a method of representing colour using numerical values, in a similar way to the more familiar RGB or CMYK systems. One of the particular advantages of the Lab* system is that it is based on the way in which the human eye and brain observe colours and determine differences between colours. 'L' represents lightness, from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white), while 'a' measures the green-red axis (negative values are green and positive values, red) and 'b' measures the blue-yellow axis (negative values are blue and positive values, yellow). The system is capable of detecting colour changes smaller than the human eye can observe, and so gives us another tool to help us provide the best possible stewardship for the items in our collection.

Controversial front page of the Daily Mirror on Tuesday 28th March 2017 showing Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon. The headline reads 'Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!' This image has been labelled with yellow lines and numbers showing where colour measurements were taken.

Figure 2: Front page of the Daily Mirror with areas marked in yellow indicating where colour measurements were taken.

Highlighted in the image above are the areas where the colours were measured. The same areas will be re-measured at the end of the exhibition. This will detect any colour changes that have happened (hopefully none) and will inform the future display limitations of this item and for other similar contemporary newspapers.

Item 2. Add MS 88899/6/13:  Greenham fence wire from the Angela Carter archive

Vulnerability: highlighter ink loses colour under light exposure

This item is a piece of wire cut from the perimeter fence of RAF Greenham Common Airbase during anti-nuclear protests by the Women's Peace Camp and sent to the novelist Angela Carter who was against nuclear weapons. It was attached to a record card through two punched holes in the centre with typed notes above and below the wire.

Greenham fence wire piercing a white flash card from the Angela Carter archive with high-lighted typed message.

Figure 3: Add MS 88899/6/13:  Greenham fence wire from the Angela Carter archive with highlighted typed message.

Although the item itself is in good condition, highlighter pen was used over the top of the typed message. Highlighter pens contain fluorescent colours which are notoriously light sensitive; they will not retain their colour over extended periods of light exposure. For this reason, we will be displaying this item at our exhibition under low light levels but we will also be limiting future display in order to preserve the bright colour.

At the British Library we aim to make everything as accessible as possible so that everyone can enjoy the collection and see the items in their original condition. However, in order to preserve the collection some items do need to be restricted for various reasons, such as fragile condition, or in these cases, to limit their light exposure and preserve the bright colours for future researchers to see.  Although this means that some items can only be able to be exhibited for short periods, there are alternative solutions for display. For items that were mass produced or have multiple copies, it is possible that a replacement can be found. When an item is unique or other copies are not available, we can suggest a high-quality facsimile be made, this way the viewer can see the uninterrupted exhibition story. In this way, we can maintain the integrity of our collection for as long as possible, as well as finding ways for everyone to enjoy it in the meantime.

Fortunately, both original items will be displayed in ‘Unfinished Business: The Fight for women’s Rights’.

31 March 2020

The mannequin must be unpacked!

Before the Library was closed, three bust forms and one full sized female mannequin arrived at the British Library Centre for Conservation (BLCC). These are the supports for four costumes which were to feature in the Library’s forthcoming exhibition Women’s Rights: Unfinished Business: https://www.bl.uk/events/unfinished-business

Three bust forms on display on desks in the British Library Centre for Conservation.

When the boxes arrived at the BLCC it was not possible to tell how the mannequins had been packed into the boxes. Unable to foresee how long the Library may be shut, it was essential that they were unpacked: it would be problematic if the forms stood on their heads for a long period.

They were unpacked and are now sitting on a table in the BLCC and safely off-gassing in the dark!

Mannequin pieces on display on a table in the British Library Centre for Conservation

Liz Rose, Textile Conservator

23 November 2018

Conservation Cats: An Exhibition

Cats on the Page’ is a free exhibition now open in the front entrance hall of the British Library running until Sunday 17 March 2019.

Have you ever wondered how all the items for an exhibition are prepared?

Once the exhibition concept has been approved and the curators have chosen all the items that they would like to display in the exhibition, conservation becomes involved.

We start by examining each item and checking for the following things:

  • Condition: is it in a condition that is stable for display?
  • Treatment: does it require any conservation treatment to make it stable for display? If so, how much?
  • Display: How is it going to be displayed, does it need any special mounting?
  • Vulnerability: Is it particularly sensitive to light or environmental changes?
  • Touring: Is it suitable for display at multiple venues?

Collection times on a trolley going through the exhibition selection and conservation assessment process

Any exhibition can have between 100 – 300 items selected for display and are spread over many different departments, so assessing each item can be time consuming.

Book entitled Orlando ready for assessment   A selection of books with a cat theme being assessed

Once everything has been assessed anything that requires treatment is arranged to be delivered to the conservation studio, this will usually be about 4-5 months prior to the install of the exhibition (or longer if needed due to high amounts of treatment required).

All items arriving in the conservation studio are brought up on a ticket which has a special code for the conservation department. Not only this, but everything is also entered into our ‘tracker’ book, which allows everything to be signed in and out of the studio.

The types of treatments that we undertake in preparation for an exhibition can range from simple treatments such tear repairs to the opening page or more in-depth treatments such as board attachments and pigment consolidation. Due to the high number of items that need preparation for exhibition, anything that requires more than 10 hours of treatment will generally be removed from the exhibition list and handed over to the Conservation collection care teams for full treatment.

This copy of ‘Puss in Boots’ is a pop-up book that was just one of the items that required treatment prior to going on display.

A pop-up edition of Puss in Boots

Pop-up books are inherently fragile because of the moving parts but this book is also made from very poor quality card that has become very acidic and brittle over the years. It required some minor treatment in preparation for its inclusion into the exhibition.

A shot of the inside of the Puss In Boots pop up book showing some damage to the paper  A shot of the inside of the Puss In Boots pop up book showing the paper repair complete

The Exhibitions team order custom made book supports for each book, specific to the page opening.

Books being installed in to the Cats exhibition

The book is strapped to the book cradle, using Melinex® strapping to help it stay open during the exhibition. It is then ready to be installed into the showcase by the Exhibitions install team with the other material.

Image of one of the completed display cases for the Cats exhibition

The variety of different books and artworks have highlighted the love of our furry friends, ‘Cats on the Page’ is open for three months and free to visit, so don’t miss this lovely exhibition!

 

Alexa McNaught-Reynolds, Conservation Exhibition and Loan Manager

09 May 2017

Craft Week - Conservation at the British Library

Paper, book and textile conservators participated in London Craft Week on Thursday 4 and Saturday 6 May with demonstrations and talks at the British Library.

The event was very successful and was well attended by those interested in the craft of conservation and how we care for our collections.

Many conversations were had with visitors to the Library: some were on holiday, others had come to work or study, many were supporting London Craft Week and others had tickets for the Russian Revolution: Hope, Tragedy, Myths exhibition.

Visitors at the London Craft Week talk with Conservators on the other side of a long row of tables. The Conservators are in dialogue with the public, showing tools and techniques used in their work.
London Craft Week demonstrations at the British Library, Thursday 4 May 2017

Thanks to all who attended to make the day so memorable. If you missed the event but are interested in conservation at the British Library, don't forget there are tours on the first Thursday of each month. The tours begin at 14:00 and depart from the exhibition area in the Centre for Conservation. Book your place now as spaces are limited.

08 May 2017

Beauty is only Skin Deep – Installation of the 101st Soviet Rifle Regiment Banner for the Russian Revolution Exhibition

Iwona Jurkiewicz reports on the installation of an extraordinary and iconic banner on exhibition for the first time outside Poland at the British Library's latest exhibition: Russian Revolution: Hope, Tragedy, Myths. It can be seen until the exhibition closes on 29 August 2017.

It is a well-known truth that external attractiveness bears little relation to the essential internal qualities of a person. This time, the old saying: ‘beauty is only skin deep’ proved to be true for a banner.

The 101st Soviet Rifle Regiment banner captured in the 1919-20 Soviet–Polish War by the victorious Poles is very plain and unassuming in appearance. It is, however, of enormous value, being the only surviving banner from that conflict still held in the Polish collections.

A great number of other banners were captured during the Soviet-Polish War and kept in the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw. In the 1950’s all but this one were ordered to be returned to the Soviet Union (hence its unique status).

Soviet Rifle Regiment Banner, as displayed in a mounting behind a glass frame. The banner is a very off white (originally red) background, with a white star centred, bearing within that a crude representation of the hammer and sickle. Above and underneath (mostly underneath) the star there is (in Cyrillic) the writing and slogan of the regiment.
The banner of the 101st Soviet Rifle Regiment with the popular propaganda slogan of the time: ‘Peace to huts, war to palaces’.



The banner has been borrowed from Warsaw for the Russian Revolution: Hope, Tragedy and Myths Exhibition together with a much more visually appealing hat of a Red Army soldier, known as Budenovka.

A Red Army uniform hat mounted on a fabric display head, mounted in turn on a green backing board on the red-colored exhibition wall. The hat itself is a faded green with a large red star in the centre. There is a small cloth visor and ear flaps tied up at the side, with a fabric point on top.
Red Army uniform hat named after Red Army Commander, Semen Budennyi.



Yet, it was this plain looking banner, with its twists and turns of history that go beyond the Russian Revolution, rather than the cute red hat, that captured my attention.

The current monochrome appearance of the cotton ground is misleading since it was originally red, and the star stitched in the middle of the banner with the early emblem of the Soviet state of a hammer and sickle was - against all expectations - white.

We know this thanks to the detailed documentations of all captured banners made between 1930's-1950's published in a book on trophies seized during the Soviet–Polish War by Jarosław Pych1.

The banner as originally shown in the 1930's. The background colour is a faded red while the crude hammer and sickle motif superimposed on the central white star is much more clearer and concise. The writing beneath the star is also clearer and darker in black ink.
The banner as shown in the documentation in the Polish Army Museum after it was donated in the 1930’s



Unfortunately, this iconic item lost its original colours in the course of the long term display and due to the poor stability of the dye used. It now, indeed, seems very plain and unassuming. However, the post Second World War Soviet intervention gave it the status of the only surviving banner in the Polish Army Museum collection, and this added to its already great national significance. The banner has never been displayed abroad before, and it was conserved prior to the Russian Revolution exhibition by the Textile Conservation team based in the Polish Army Museum and led by Jadwiga Kozlowska, who also couriered the item for the British Library exhibition.

Jadwiga Kozlowska, glasses in hand, is standing facing camera next to the banner which is lying flat on mountboard, on a table in front of her. to the right of the table are some papers, glasses and some tools, being used to ready the item for exhibition. The background is of the exhibition space itself, with bright red walls, and some prints already mounted.
Jadwiga Kozlowska with the banner.



Her presence during the installation proved vital. The banner, usually displayed in portrait orientation in Warsaw had firm attachment – a Perspex rod - on the short side, but not the long one as was necessary for the landscape orientation of the case in the Russian Revolution exhibition.

A close-up of the left hand corner of the banner in a portrait orientation, focused on a clear perspex rectangular rod which is running horizontal through the banners hoist. the flag is resting on mountboard.
The Perspex rod attachment of the banner.



The display case ready to receive the banner. The case is square in landscape orientation, in a dull red colour. The backboard is manufactured to lean back on an angle to accomodate the flag at the right viewing angle. Next to the display case can be seen another print, of a man on a rock, already mounted.
Landscape orientation of the display case.



This situation was promptly remedied by Jadwiga Kozłowska who was able to stitch the crêpeline facing the banner alongside the top edge using an invisible polyester thread.

Jadwiga Kozłowska attaching the banner to the underlying supporting mountboard. The banner and mountboard are resting on a grey table, with tools and papers to the right of the banner.
Jadwiga Kozłowska attaching the banner to the supporting board.



This enabled a secure display of the item in landscape rather than portrait direction. The banner is displayed on a slope within the case, and the supporting board is secured using acrylic clips.

The Banner being carefully installed into its display case by three conservators. Behind the display case can be seen a brighter red curtain providing a backdrop to the banner and its case.
The final installation of the banner.



The installation of the banner with such a chequered history couldn’t have been straightforward, but nothing proves impossible with teams of dedicated exhibition, conservation and loans registry staff!

The Russian Revolution: Hope, Tragedy, Myths Exhibition opened on 28 April and will run until 29 August 2017. You can also read articles from our experts exploring some of the themes of our exhibition on our Russian Revolution website.

 

Iwona Jurkiewicz

 

I would like to thank Jadwiga Kozłowska for not only helping with the installation, but also providing the information about the banner.

Further reading:

1. Jarosław Pych "Trofea wojny polsko-bolszewickiej 1920 roku", Warszawa, 2000

11 November 2016

The British Museum Bindery heroes

In the British Library Conservation Centre there is a small plaque commemorating four members of the former British Museum Bindery staff who were killed in the First World War.

The plaque honouring the four bindery staff members killed in World War 1. The plaque is black with gold text.

Until 1927 the work of binding and restoring the library's collections was contracted out to private concerns. The earliest contractor was appointed in 1760 and in 1881 the firm of Eyre and Spottiswoode was awarded the contract to supply binding services to the Museum Library. In 1927, His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) took over the Bindery and continued until April 1982 when the staff of the binderies became employees of the British Library.

The four men commemorated are Pte Horace Crawley, L/Corp Horace Davis, Rifleman Thomas Wickham and Pte Alfred Williams. I have been trying to discover a little about who they were and when and where they died. The main source of information is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)’s website, which gives details of all casualties and where they are buried or commemorated. Further information can be found at The National Archives in the War Service records and the battalion War Diaries. The War Service records show when and where each person joined up – unfortunately they are incomplete as many were damaged or destroyed by enemy action during the Second World War. The Commanding Officer of each battalion wrote a brief summary of each day’s events in a War Diary: these usually state where each unit was and may give details of the actions they were involved in.

Three of the men could be identified without difficulty from the CWGC website.

Horace Charles Davis

Lance-Corporal, 21st Battalion, The London Regiment (1st Surrey Rifles). Service no. 1786. According to his War Service record, Horace Davis joined up on 7 August 1914, one of many who volunteered in the wave of patriotic enthusiasm that swept the country immediately after the declaration of war on 4 August. He gave his age as 17 years and 4 months, and his occupation as Catalogue Assistant at the British Museum. He was the son of Edwin and Maria Davis of Chryssell Road, Brixton. He died on 15 September 1916, aged 18, at the battle of Flers-Courcelette and is buried in Warlencourt Military Cemetery, on the road between Bapaume and Albert, Pas-de-Calais. (If the age on his gravestone is correct, he would only have been 16 when he joined up.)

The 1st Surrey Rifles moved to the Somme front in July 1916, and on 10 September joined the line at High Wood. As part of the battle of Flers-Courcelette they moved into Mametz Wood on 15 September and then attacked a German trench, the Starfish Line. According to the War Diary:
4.45pm. Battn advanced in artillery formation to the attack with a fighting strength of 19 Officers and 550 ORs [Other Ranks]. Arrangements could not be made for artillery support or adequate covering fire, and as the leading platoons came under observation they were subjected to an intense artillery bombardment and later to heavy rifle and machine gun fire. The casualties in this advance amounted to 17 Officers and 490 other ranks, of whom a large percentage must have been killed by heavy shells. The remaining officers and a few NCOs and men dug themselves in and held on to what ground they could occupy until the Battn was ordered to withdraw at 7.30am on the 16th.

This was the first battle in which tanks were used, though in a different part of the field.

On the left is the white gravestone with a cross engraved at the bottom, and on the right is an image of the sign for Warlencourt British Cemetery in white stone on a brick wall.

Horace Davis’s gravestone in Warlencourt Military Cemetery.

Thomas Frank Wickham

Rifleman, 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. Service no. B/203615. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Wickham of Twisden Road, Kentish Town. Died 23 June 1917, aged 41. No known grave, but commemorated on the Arras Memorial, which honours those who died in the Arras sector between Spring 1916 and August 1918.

In June 1917 the 1st Battalion was operating east of Arras, south of the River Scarpe. The War Diary states:
June 22/23. During the night of 22/23 Battalion HQ moved to [map reference] H30 d2.5 in bank near Lone Copse [south of Fampoux and west of Pelves]. I Coy moved up to Welford Trench.
June 23. At 1030pm B Coy made a raid on the enemy’s trenches in I25 b, resulting in the capture of 1 officer and 6 ORs, and accounting for about 35 others.

The account is incomplete but it is possible that Wickham was killed in hand-to-hand fighting during this raid on the German trenches, which would explain why his body could not be recovered.

Thomas Wickham’s name engraved in a light-coloured stone.

Thomas Wickham’s name appears on one of the huge walls of the Arras Memorial.

Multiple gravestones dot the green lawn of the cemetery, with a white building in the background.

The Arras Memorial lists the names of 34,785 men who have no known grave.

Alfred George Williams

Private, 18th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (1st Public Works Pioneers). Service no. 204113. Son of Alfred and Charlotte Williams of Eresby Road, Kilburn. Born in Willesden on 20 December 1897 and worked in the Book Department at the British Museum. Joined up on 28 June 1915, giving his age as 19 though he was only 17 years and 9 months. Died of wounds 11 October 1918, aged 20. Buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais.

The Pioneers provided support services to the front line, repairing trenches, tunneling, laying rail tracks, revetting canals etc. Many of the men were miners or had experience in heavy construction. In September 1918 the 18th Battalion was working west of the Canal de St Quentin, between Cambrai and St Quentin, making roads passable and demolishing damaged bridges. The War Diary gives little information, but records that on 26 September the battalion was working on the 33rd Divisional HQ and approaches, and on the preparation of the Etricourt – Heudicourt horse transport tracks. 2nd Lieut. Howell and four men were wounded and eight killed. Williams was seriously wounded in the left arm, left leg and chest and was evacuated to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital in Dannes-Camiers (between Etaples and Boulogne) where he died on 11 October.

Alfred Williams’s white gravestone with a cross near the bottom and surrounded by grass and flowers.

Alfred Williams’ gravestone in Etaples Military Cemetery.

Etaples Military Cemetery with its rows of gravestones, green grass, and large building in the background.

General view of Etaples Military Cemetery.

This leaves us with Horace Crawley. Nobody of this name appears in the CWGC database; the only casualties named Crawley from the 6th Battalion, London Regiment are T H Crawley (no first names or age given) and Ernest Victor Crawley. Further searching revealed that T H Crawley is commemorated on the Mill Hill War Memorial, and the related website suggests that this was probably Thomas Horace Crawley, who is also commemorated on the Crawley family gravestone in the churchyard of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Kensal Green. His date of death matches that in the CWGC database, so we can be reasonably certain that this is the right person. However, his parents lived in Barnsbury, so it is not clear what links Kensal Green, Mill Hill and Barnsbury.

T(homas) H(orace) Crawley

Rifleman, 6th Battalion, The London Regiment (City of London Rifles). Service no. 3396. Son of Horace and Bridget Crawley of Barnsbury. Died 7 April 1916, aged 19. Buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery, 5km south of Bethune, Pas-de-Calais.

The 6th Battalion, London Regiment was known as the Printers’ Battalion because many of its members were recruited from Eyre & Spottiswoode’s printing works. Early officers included George and William Spottiswoode. The battalion was stationed near Vimy Ridge from March 1916, and according to the War Diary:
6th April. Battn in billets at Villers au Bois [about 5km NW of Arras]. Baths at the disposal of the Battn from 8am to 12 noon and from 2pm to 6pm. All ranks bathed according to orders issued. All ranks washed and greased their feet before going into the trenches. The major, adjutant and Company Commanders went to reconnoitre the left sub-section, Carency section prior to taking over. 5 officers and 250 ORs detailed to work under REs [Royal Engineers] on Cabaret Rouge. Lieut Col M A Mitchell CMG returned from England.
April 7th. Battn in billets at Villers au Bois. Battn paraded at 9.45pm for the purpose of proceeding to the trenches, left sub-section, to relieve the 17th Battn London Regt. Owing to heavy shelling by the enemy of our communication trenches relief was delayed for an hour. Order of relief, Front Line C Coy, Quarries B Coy, A Coy in cellars at Ablain St Nazaire, D Coy in dugouts, Sunken Road, Ablain St Nazaire. Relief complete at 1.25am. 1 officer and 60 ORs remained at Villers au Bois as a permanent working party (under RE).
April 8th. Battn in the trenches. There was good deal of sniping activity immediately after dawn. The enemy shelled Cabaret Rouge with shrapnel. 1 officer and 60 ORs wounded.

It is possible that Crawley was killed by the shelling of the communication trenches or by a sniper. He was presumably known to his colleagues in the Bindery as Horace rather than Thomas, which is why that name appears on the memorial.

Horace Crawley's white gravestone with a cross engraved.
A general view of Hersin Communal Cemetery showing rows of gravestones, trees, and blue skies with clouds.

Horace Crawley is buried in the British section of Hersin Communal Cemetery.

And older gravestone for the Crawley family surrounded by grass and other gravestones.

The Crawley family grave in Kensal Green (from the Gravestone Photographic Resource).

From this gravestone we can see the sadness of the Crawley family: Horace’s younger brother Joseph died when he was only 3 and Horace was killed when he was 19. Mr Crawley died in 1929 and Mrs Crawley lived on until 1943.

So there we have it: three young men who joined up, presumably thinking that fighting would be more exciting than book-binding, and an older man who certainly did not have to fight (conscription for men up to the age of 41 was not introduced until January 1916), but who maybe volunteered out of a sense of duty. We salute them.


Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx

Mill Hill War Memorial: http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Middlesex/MillHill.html

Gravestone Photographic Resource: http://www.gravestonephotos.com/

Alfred Williams: see Mike Hall, A Miners’ Pals Battalion at War, vol. 2, pp 273-274. Kibworth Beauchamp: Troubadour Publishing 2015. ISBN 978 1784620349

The National Archives
War Service records: file series WO 363 and WO 364
War Diaries:
6th Battn, London Regt. WO 95/2729/2
21st Battn, London Regt. WO 95/2732/5
18th Battn, Middlesex Regt. WO 95/2417/5
1st Battn, Rifle Brigade. WO 95/1496/4


Dr Barry Knight

03 November 2016

Mounting and Framing: Preparing the Maps and the 20th Century Exhibition at the British Library

 

A large colourful map of China rests on a table during the mounting process.
Mounting one of the largest maps in the exhibition.

 

 

In a few days the Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line exhibition will open in the main exhibition area in the British Library. The preparation for this exhibition started well in advance and involved several departments within the British Library. As a conservator and project manager for this exhibition I worked closely together with the exhibitions department and curator.

The exhibition department conveys the wishes of the exhibition designers to the conservation department and together we discuss the possibilities of making that happen whilst ensuring the physical condition of the object remains unchanged throughout the whole process. At an early stage we evaluate each item together and discuss possibilities and potential practical issues. This includes assessing whether or not items need conservation treatment prior to mounting, what type of mount and what type of frame the exhibition designers have requested and will it be suitable for the item. If the object does need more than minor treatment before mounting and framing then that is further discussed with the curator.

There are many ways of mounting and framing. Museum standard conservation mounting and framing puts the best practice conservation principle of using methods that do not damage the object or speed up the degradation process in any way first. What little adhesive we do use is reversible and the different types of mount board are all acid-free archival quality boards. The works of art on paper are attached with different types of hinges made of Japanese paper and wheat starch paste. Self-adhesive tapes are never used in direct contact with any paper object, no exceptions. It is however used to attach different layers of mount board together to create a more rigid backing or when attaching the fillets to the inside of the frame to provide distance between map and Perspex. When possible we use non-adhesive solutions, such as photo corners made out of inert and transparent polyester sheeting.

 

Two postcards being mounted.
An example of two postcards mounted for this exhibition with handmade polyester photo-corners inside a window mount allowing the edges of the object to be visible.
A close-up of polyester photo corners on one of the postcards.
A close-up of polyester photo corners on one of the postcards.

 

 

Three commonly used methods are; a ‘window mount’ where the object is hinged to the backboard and the edges of the object are overlapped by the window mount. A second option is a ‘float mount’ with regular V-shaped hinges made of varying types of Japanese tissue in combination with fillets to create distance between object and Perspex. Distance between the two is necessary to prevent potential adhesion of media to Perspex. The type of Japanese paper chosen is based on weight, thickness and relative transparency of the paper substrate. A third option is a slot mount which will allow the hinges to be slid through incisions in the back board. This option is favoured for heavier objects and/or undulating objects. Depending on the needs of the object these methods are combined and adjusted in a variety of ways.

A number of mounted maps lean against the wall, awaiting framing.
Several mounted maps ready to be framed.

 

 

There is a difference between temporary framing and (semi-)permanent framing. While the same best practice principles apply to both, mounting and framing an item for potentially decades, as opposed to 3-6 months, requires a different approach with different materials. For instance using any self-adhesive materials is usually the weakest link in any long-term solution. However for an item that will be exhibited for less than 6 months, the use of self-adhesive tapes can be an effective time-saving option.

Conservation grade self-adhesive tapes are a reliable and useful material because they will not degrade significantly within six months. Using tapes also reduces the time required to remove items from frames and mounts as opposed to a conservation quality adhesive such as EVA, which makes it a desirable option for shorter exhibitions.

For permanent framing other factors become relevant. For instance the bare wood on the inside of the frame might off-gas and cause the paper to discolour over long periods of time. This might not happen with modern frames in combination with temporary framing methods, but it could potentially happen when works of art on paper are exhibited or stored in frames indefinitely. To prevent this, a barrier is created by applying a layer of inert material between wood and the mounted object.

The same idea applies to light sensitivity of media on works of art on paper. Longer exposure means a larger risk of fading or discolouration of the media and/or paper substrate over time. Our preventive conservators work with the exhibition department to establish the best compromise between causing the object the least potential damage whilst making sure there is sufficient visibility for visitors to be able to fully appreciate the objects.

However with (semi-)permanent exhibitions the amount of light accumulates over the years, increasing the risk of damage. One way to alleviate this risk is to invest in a type of Perspex that is not only anti-static, low reflectance, low scratch, light weight, but also 99% UV filtering. High quality conservation glass that is low reflectance, shatter proof and 99% plus UV filtering certainly does exist, but apart from being costly the sheer size of the maps in this particular exhibition exclude the option of glass due to weight.

 

Conservator Lizzie lifts a map out of its frame while removing dust from the Perspex.
Lizzie Martindale framing one of the maps for the exhibition.

 

 

Almost all of the maps for this exhibition were mounted and framed exclusively for the four month exhibition that opens on 4 November 2016, but there are a few that were framed for permanent housing. After the exhibition ends on 1 March 2017, these objects will return to storage in their current frames. This was done at the request of the curator who expects these items to be requested for loans and other exhibitions in the future. One example of that is My Ghost 2000-2016 by Jeremy Wood1 (see picture) which was slot mounted onto white mount board with Japanese Paper hinges and wheat starch paste and further adhered to two sheets of cross-lined conservation quality corrugated board with EVA adhesive to make a more rigid mount. The inside of the wooden frame was covered with a barrier layer and the fillets were adhered to the inside of the frame with reversible EVA adhesive.

 

The frame rests on a table ready for the map to be placed in it.
Frame in front has barrier and fillets adhered to inside of the frame and is ready for the map. Frame in the background shows fillet drying with weights keeping them in place.

 

 

A map with a black background and yellow and white lines.
Mounted object ready to be framed. 

 

 

1 My Ghost 2000-2016 by Jeremy Wood (Maps CC.6.a.83)
From the 1990s Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology became increasingly available to civilian use, most prominently in car navigation. Artists also came to appreciate the use of GPS for capturing, commemorating and commenting upon patterns of existence. Jeremy Wood pioneered drawing with GPS, using a receiver to track his movements, using his body as a ‘geodesic pencil’. This print shows 16 years of Wood’s movement around Greater London, the white lines representing his movement by foot, bicycle and motorised transport, the yellow lines by aeroplane. Lines occasionally abruptly stop, reminding us that even digital mapping can occasionally fail.

The majority of maps for the Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line exhibition where float mounted with V-shaped Japanese paper hinges onto white museum mount board to complement the white frames. The joy of conservation mounting and framing is that one often has to come up with creative solutions in the moment because a work of art on paper will have special requirements that make it impossible to use one of the standard methods. One example within this exhibition was Maps C.49.e.56, Post-War New World Map published in Philadelphia in 19422. This map has its own decorative and protective binding. The map could not be temporarily removed for the exhibition without causing damage to both volume and map so it was decided to incorporate the volume inside the mount so as not to have to separate the two.

 

A volume lays open on a table with a map folded out.
Measuring the edges of the binding on to corrugated board.

 

 

2Author: Maurice Gomberg. Shows protectorates and peace-security bases. Title continues: As the U.S.A., with the cooperation of the democracies of Latin-America, the British Commonwealth of Nations and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, assumes world leadership for the establishment of a new world moral order for permanent peace, freedom, justice, security and world reconstruction.Citation/references note: The Wardington Library: important atlases & geographies, property of the late Lord Wardington and the Pease family.

 

A close-up of the cutway where the volume will rest.
The cut away was covered with self-adhesive tape with a paper backing to cover any sharp edges.
A close-up of the book fitting into the cut-out.
Making sure the binding fits; height and width as well as depth.

 

 

 

 

The mount with stripes of double-sided tape around it.
The corrugated board covered with double sided archival quality self-adhesive tape so that the next board layer can be attached efficiently (without drying time). None of the tapes used are in direct contact with any of the objects.

 

 

 

The top layer of white board with a cutout where the book's pages show through.
Layer of white museum mount board attached with self-adhesive tape to the corrugated board underneath.

 

 

 

The mount is held up to ensure the volume is safe--the book's pages flop open.
Making sure the volume is secure within the multi-layered mount.

 

 

The book's pages are unfolded to show the map on the mount.
After unfolding the map the edges are adhered to the museum mount board using Japanese tissue V-hinges and wheat starch paste.

 

Within this exhibition many large maps were framed in standard frames, but there were four maps so large that a box frame was a better option. A box frame in this context is a frame built around the mounted object and attached directly to the wall. The maps were slot mounted onto corrugated mount board with a border of white Japanese paper to cover the edges underneath. The weight and undulation of these larger maps meant that it was needed to distribute the weight by not only using hinges around the edges but also dispersed integrally and to have one large hinge just above the middle. The hinges were attached to the back of the map with wheat starch paste. The hinges were slotted through and attached to the back of the corrugated board with EVA adhesive and a second cross-lined layer of corrugated was attached to the back for added support and rigidity. The benefit of this material, besides being of conservation quality, is that it is lightweight yet rigid and can be ordered in very large sizes. Finally the layer of white Japanese paper was adhered to the back of the corrugated with EVA adhesive.

The map rests face-down on a table with hinges around its perimeter.
The positions of the hinges are marked with an awl and incisions are made along the edges so the side hinges can be slotted through. But first the hinges dispersed along the back of the object are adhered to the corrugated mount board with wheat starch paste and left to dry under weights.

 

The map with hinges on the table from a farther-away angle.
Seen from the opposite side.

 

The hinges coming through the board.
Hinges were slotted through and adhered to the backboard. Larger hinge can be seen above middle.

 

The map rests on the table with boards and weights on top while the adhesive dries.
Second layer of cross-lined corrugated board is adhered on top with EVA adhesive. The layer of white Japanese paper to cover the board edges is now ready to be wrapped around and adhered to the back of the corrugated board.

 

A close-up image of the Perspex clips.
The finished mounted map is attached to the backboard using non-adhesive Perspex clips. Finally the frame is attached to the wall on top of it.

 

Working on this project and getting to see the exhibition take shape over the last few months has been very rewarding. I’d like to especially thank Janet Benoy, Mark Browne and Tom Harper for their support every step of the way and to Lizzie Martindale, Julia Wiland, Daisy Todd, Rick Brown, Jenny Snowdon and Gavin Moorhead a wholehearted thank you for helping with the mounting and framing.

Kim Mulder

Book now to visit Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line.

Collection Care blog recent posts

Archives

Tags

Other British Library blogs