Collection Care blog

Behind the scenes with our conservators and scientists

42 posts categorized "Paper"

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 !

17 May 2023

Conservation of Maps in the digitisation project: Qatar Foundation Partnership – Part 2

Following part 1 of the Conservation of Maps in the digitisation project: Qatar Foundation Partnership, this second blog post will present the treatments of two maps belonging to the IOR collection of the British Library: IOR/X/10065 and IOR/X/10066. Similar to the maps presented in the first blog post, these maps also have cloth as a secondary support. In these cases, the maps were fragmented and lined on a cloth support which allowed them to be folded (picture 1 & 2). A difference with the first group of maps is that they did not have textile or silk ribbons on the edges.

The IOR/X/10065 map covers in extended detail the river Tigris and its valley in southern Mesopotamia, now Iraq. The map clearly shows canals, settlements and the site of the ancient city of Opis, approximately 45 miles north of Bagdad (Information by Nick Krebs).
Picture 1: IOR/X/10065 recto before treatment
Detail of the IOR/X/10065 map showing four fragments divided by the joints, with cloth as a secondary support.
Picture 2: Detail of the joints (cloth) that allow the folds of IOR/X/10065

These two items had the same main damage. The substrate, a paper lined with cloth, was broken or weakened in various areas of the joints where the maps used to be folded (picture 3 & 4).

Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 map (recto), before treatment. The map covers the River Tigris and associated Katul al Kesrawi and Nahrwan canals in central Mesopotamia, nowadays Iraq from Tekrit, nowadays Tikrit, Iraq. The map focuses particularly on the river and its associated canals with extended details. (Information by Nick Krebs).
Picture 3: Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 recto before treatment
Detail of IOR/X/10065 map during conservation. The four fragments of the map are completely separated due to the broken joints of the secondary support.
Picture 4: Detail of IOR/X/10065 with broken joints

 

The paper support on the IOR/X/10066 map is thicker and distorted, with the distortions possibly caused by its large format and the broken joins no longer creating tension (picture 5). On both maps, there were small paper tears and folds around the edges. There were also loose threads due to the fraying of the cloth along the edges (picture 6). The condition of both maps made handling and digitisation very difficult, especially due to their oversize format, IOR/X/10065 measuring 1014x750 mm and IOR/X/10066 1235x1073 mm.

Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 map (verso), before treatment. The distortion of the map can be seen along the edges of each separated fragment due to the broken joints of the secondary support.
Picture 5: Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 verso before treatment
Detail of the IOR/X/10065 map before conservation. This shows two fragments completely separated due to the broken joints, with loose threads due to the fraying of the secondary support.
Picture 6: Detail of IOR/X/10065 fraying

 

Decision making

The aim of the conservation treatment was to stabilise the items to function in their current role and to ease handling for the next stages of the workflow: cataloguing and digitisation.

For the decision-making process we considered the condition of the maps and their original use, to be folded and unfolded many times when used. In addition, minimal intervention, re-treatability and fit-for-purpose, principles from our guidelines, were taken into account, as well as the 5 hours limit for the treatment of each item.

 

Selecting and preparing materials for treatment

Our treatment proposal was then focused on re-establishing the ability to fold the maps which is convenient for handling and storage. We decided on using a cloth lined with Japanese tissue for the joint repairs, similar to the construction of the maps.

 

Selection of the cloth

A thick Japanese tissue would not be enough to repair areas that are to be folded multiple times. We decided on Aerocotton, a material commonly used by book conservators to reinforce book joints which is a light but strong cloth. The cloth was washed with hot tap water before its use to remove any possible sizing and additives.

 

Selection of the Japanese tissue

We chose an 11g/m2 Japanese tissue with kozo fibers, which is strong and thick enough to give support to the cloth and the tear repairs.

 

Lining the Aerocotton

Aerocotton is difficult to cut after washing, (see picture 7). Therefore, it was lined using Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste (WSP). This helps to stiffen the Aerocotton, with the Japanese tissue working as a support to make it easier to handle and to limit frayed edges. The cloth lined with the paper was left to dry on a wooden board similar to a karibari, to ensure it dried with tension (picture 7).

This image shows two Aerocotton fragments, on the left and right hand sides.  The Aerocotton on the left shows how it looks dried after washing, displaying wrinkle and some fraying on the edges. The Aerocotton on the right shows how it looks dried after lining with a Japanese tissue and using wheat starch paste as adhesive. This fragment looks flat and easier to handle.
Picture 7: On the left Aerocotton dried after washing and on the right lined Aerocotton with Japanese tissue

A second lining of Japanese tissue (11g/m2 with kozo fibers) was pasted to the lined cloth strips, since it reinforced the repairs without adding any thickness. This was carried out again on a wooden board. A plastic strip was placed between the board and the strip. This would function as a barrier and prevent a section of Japanese tissue strips adhering on the board. This way, our second lining dried stretched on the board as it protruded from the plastic strip like it would on a karibari, (video 1).

 

Video 1: Preparing and applying the second lining of Japanese tissue on the lined cloth strips

 

Once the Japanese tissue was dry, we lifted them from the karibari with a bamboo spatula. The plastic strips delimited the area that we used to paste on the map. Finally, we cut them with a water brush so that the edges had a water-cut finish: this gave a stronger attachment to the tear repairs when pasted on the maps, (pictures 8 and 9).

The image shows an Aerocotton strip lined with Japanese tissue on a green cutting mat. On the right of the strip, there is a water brush. This is illustrating process of cutting the edges of the Japanese tissue to create the water-cut finish.
Picture 8: Cutting the edges with a water brush
Close-up of the prepared strips with the water-cut finish on the edges.
Picture 9: Close-up of the prepared strips

 

 

Treatment

Once the materials were ready, we placed the maps on a blotter and Bondina, verso facing up. Because the maps were of a large format, we treated each half separately. Once they were dry, we reattached them together.

For both maps we squared and positioned the fragments of the maps carefully, leaving 3mm space gap for the joints, and kept them in place under weights. Wheat starch paste was applied with a noribake to the prepared strips previously placed on plastic strip. This made the handling easier and the application on the joint to be repaired. Once the strip was on the map, we applied some pressure with a shirobake over the plastic strip. The plastic strip was then removed, leaving the prepared strip on the map and we applied more pressure with a nadebake and with a Teflon spatula. It was left to dry with a Bondina, blotter and weights on top, (video 2 and picture 10).

Video 2: Pasting the prepared strips on the tears of IOR/X/10066

Finally, strips of Japanese tissue (7.3g/m2 with kozo fibers) were applied on the joints of the recto of the maps to reinforce the hinge on both sides of the map, (picture 11).

A close-up of the verso, which is an off-white colour and shows strips of a slightly whiter Aerocotton along the joints.
Picture 10: Detail of the Aerocotton lined with Japanese tissue applied into the verso of IOR/X/10065 to mend the tears
A detail of the map with the strips barely visible along the joints.
Picture 11: Detail of the Japanese strips applied on the same map

 

Results

This treatment was successful on both maps. They can now be handled and stored safely. See video 3 and after treatment pictures 12 and 13.

Video 3: Handling both maps after treatment

 

Overall image of the recto of the IOR/X/10065 map after treatment. The 7.3 gsm Japanese tissue strips are slightly visible on the joints of the map.
Picture 12: IOR/X/10065 recto after treatment

 

Overall image of the IOR/X/10065 verso after treatment. The prepared strips, pasted and dried on the verso of the map, are slightly visible on the joints.
Picture 13: IOR/X/10065 verso after treatment

 

Upper part of the recto of the IOR/X/10066 after treatment. The 7.3 gsm Japanese tissue strips are slightly visible on the joints of the map.
Picture 14: Upper part of IOR/X/10066 recto after treatment

 

Upper part of the verso of the IOR/X/10066 map after treatment. The prepared strips, pasted and dried on the verso of the map, are slightly visible on the joints of the map.
Picture 15: Upper part of IOR/X/10066 verso after treatment

 

Tania Estrada Valadez and Camille Dekeyser

12 April 2023

Preserving Bach’s manuscripts

Two Johann Sebastian Bach manuscripts in the British Library’s music collections - the autograph manuscript of the second book of the Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV 870-893) and of the cantata ‘Wo soll ich fliehen hin?’ (BW 5), recently came into the conservation studio. Treatment was undertaken with generous support from the Leche Trust.

This blog post focuses on the work undertaken on the Well-Tempered Clavier manuscript, which we are pleased to say is now complete.

A musical manuscript showing Bach’s Prelude in C Major. The musical notes have been busily squeezed onto one bifolio. The musical scores have been drawn by hand in a thick dark brown ink on brown paper, which has evidence of being folded previously in half. The bifolio has been mounted in a brown inlay paper which has discoloured over time causing it to darken in colour. The title of the piece is written above the musical scores and it has been signed by J. S. Bach alongside this, his writing is expressive.
Prelude in C Major (before treatment)
This image shows a close up of a brown musical note where the centre of the note is missing, it appears to have dropped out of the page, due to the corrosive and thickly applied ink.
Effects of Iron Gall ink corrosion; Iron gall ink has been used since the middle ages and is found on many of our most treasured manuscripts, including the Lindisfarne Gospels, Beowulf and Magna Carta. The main ingredients of iron gall ink include iron sulphate, tannins from oak galls and water.

 

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II

Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (named after a system of tuning – ‘well temperament’) is one of those musical works that seems to justify the grand claims made about it. On the face of it, it’s a simple series of preludes and fugues in every key, major and minor: 24 in all, with two sets of these (giving the series its nickname ‘the 48’)’. But it’s also a jaw-dropping feat of compositional virtuosity, with Bach using his immense contrapuntal skills to weave together separate musical lines that fit together logically (but never too predictably) and yet also produce inspired music at the same time.

The British Library’s manuscript of the second book of the Well-Tempered Clavier (Add MS 35021 and Add MS 38068) is really a set of individual manuscripts for 21 of the preludes and fugues in the second book (those in C-sharp minor, D major and F minor are unfortunately not preserved here and must have been separated from the others at an earlier date). These were composed between 1739 and 1742.

Each prelude and fugue were mostly written out to (very satisfyingly) fit on a single side of an open folded page, avoiding the need to turn the sheet over – even if this at times means a bit of a squeeze. (No amount of squeezing was going to fit the lengthy prelude and fugue in A-flat major onto one side – this carries on over to the next side). Most of the pieces have been written out by Johann Sebastian Bach himself, apart from four and a bit which are known to be in the hand of his second wife, Anna Magdalena (those in C minor, D minor, E major, G major and the beginning of the prelude in F major).

A musical manuscripts showing Bach’s Prelude in C minor, this has been written in the hand of Anna Magdelena Bach, the second wife of J. S. Bach. The musical scores have been drawn by hand in a thick dark brown ink on brown paper, which has evidence of being folded previously in half. The bifolio has been mounted in a brown inlay paper which has discoloured over time causing it to darken in colour. The title of the piece is written at the top of the piece, A. M. Bach’s writing is much neater than J. S. Bach’s.
Prelude in C minor (BWV 871), in the hand of Anna Magdalena Bach (before treatment)


Planning – what were the issues?

Unfortunately, even in optimal storage conditions, chemical and physical processes that pose a risk to manuscripts like these can, over time, still occur. We minimise threats to the collection as much as possible, by controlling factors like temperature and humidity, by using appropriate housing and by limiting access to, and use of, particularly vulnerable materials. However, even with strict environmental monitoring a common problem that is difficult to halt entirely is one of iron gall ink corrosion. Like much music of this period and earlier, these Bach manuscripts are especially at risk from this due to the make-up of the inks that were used – iron sulphate and acidic tannins in particular, which, over time, oxidise and ‘eat away’ at the paper. There’s an interesting blog post on this here:  https://blogs.bl.uk/collectioncare/2021/06/iron-gall-ink-on-paper-saving-the-words-that-eat-themselves.html.

When it came to planning conservation work, there were two main issues to consider. One was the corroding ink, as mentioned above. This is a particular problem where the ink is applied thickly to a small area, as tends to happen when writing expressive music notation. There were various examples of this on the Bach manuscript, ranging from visible holes to less obvious hairline cracks, making it extremely vulnerable.

The other issue was previous methods of preservation in manuscripts past - the manuscript pages had been bound into a single large volume, with each folio mounted into paper windows. This mounting paper had aged poorly, shown in the image below. Over time, its acidic properties have led to it discolouring and becoming brittle – meaning some were no longer secure in the binding. Tension from the acidic border was also causing stress to the centre of each bifolio of the manuscript, increasing the risk of splitting. It was clear that the time had come to give the manuscript a more appropriate long-term home.

This is a photograph of the previous binding that the manuscript was house within, it is a half leather binding with brownish purple goat skin on the spine and corners and deep purple cloth on the boards. There is two lines of gold tooling along the leather edges at the spine and corners. The edges of the boards and spine are worn and the pages inside the binding are protruding from the edges, implying that the sewing has broken down. The book sits on a plain grey background.
Previous binding for Add MS 35021
This shows the inside of the binding, showing Bach’s prelude in C Major (the same manuscript is shown in Image 1), it is sitting inside the binding surrounded by the discoloured and acidic inlay paper which has gone from cream to brown.
Manuscript folios mounted in paper inlays inside (before treatment)



Conservation over time

Something that really made an impression in the course of this project was the changing approach to conservation over the years – understandable given evolving knowledge, the emergence of new technologies and shifting emphasis in professional standards. However, while treatment undertaken decades ago might appear questionable now, we are mindful that it was done with the best intentions given the tools and knowledge available at the time.

A good example is in relation to iron gall ink. There are very few ways to fully halt the corrosive effects of the ink and limiting the damage is often the only approach. However, one treatment that emerged in the mid-1990s involves an aqueous treatment, using a calcium phytate solution to neutralise the acidic iron content in the ink.

In recent years, the British Library has established processes for this treatment, but still it is not something to be undertaken lightly. While extensive testing prior to treatment ensures that both the structure of the paper and the ink will remain secure, nonetheless the process has the effect of washing the paper. Therefore, this results in the removal of dirt and accretions but also, potentially valuable but less obvious, evidence of historical use.  

The decisions are not easy, as weighed against the potential risk of sometimes losing potential sources of historical evidence, such as staining on the paper, is the risk of the manuscript deteriorating to such an extent that any kind of study becomes impossible.

Decisions

Given the iconic status of this manuscript, many people were involved in the decision-making and the project was a collaboration between curatorial and conservation teams. One objective that was clear was the new housing needed for the folios of the manuscript, which would keep them more secure.

In terms of treatment of the iron gall ink, we decided to take a cautious approach for now, and only apply the calcium phytate treatment to two folios, which suffered from different and more pressing issues from the others. These (which contained the A-flat major prelude and fugue, ff. 13 and 14), had been removed from the bound volume more than a century ago. At different points since then they had received conservation work of differing levels of invasiveness, including a coating of transparent heat set tissue applied to one side of the fugue and repairs along the fold of that page too. The aim in focusing a higher level of treatment on these particular folios was to stabilise the corrosive properties of the ink on one of the most problematic examples among the Well-Tempered Clavier manuscripts, and also to reduce some of the ill effects of previous treatments. This work would also make it possible to safely rehouse these folios in the same way as the others, removing them from their unsuitable temporary storage.

This shows Bach’s Prelude in A-flat major which is obscured slightly, appearing fainter to the other images of the musical scores – this is due to a thin layer of heat-set tissue which was previously applied to the manuscript which is unsympathetically covering the music. At the edge of the page a darker brown boarder can be seen, this is the acidic inlay paper which was then removed by conservation.
Prelude in A-flat major, f. 13v, showing coating of heat set tissue.

 

Conservation work begins

All our manuscripts are special and unique of course, and receive due care and attention to ensure their long-term preservation. Often there are particular manuscripts that are so iconic that you find yourself to be quite awestruck in their presence, this was certainly the case here and it was a wonderful moment when the volume containing the manuscripts was unpacked in the conservation studio. We took a moment to listen to the pieces as we looked at the score, we felt humbled in that moment as we contemplated the music that had inspired so many, as the notes on the page seemed to dance before us.

After thorough documentation and testing, treatment began by disbinding the volume and removing the folios from the acidic inlay paper; this was done mechanically using a poultice of sieved gelatine mousse. Whilst removing the old acidic paper mounts we uncovered the edge of the text previously covered by the inlay.

Bach’s Prelude in A-flat major during aqueous treatment. The image shows a close up of the corner of the manuscript under water, a reflection on the water’s surface can be seen. Held in place by the conservators hand, at the top of the image the handle of a metal spatula can be seen gliding under the edge of the cream manuscript, separating it from the brown acidic boarder.
Removing remnants of acidic paper mounts during the calcium phytate bath

Aqueous treatment of the two folios

The treatment of folios 13 and 14 was achieved in three stages: first the documents were washed then treated with calcium phytate and then calcium bicarbonate. This helped stabilise the corrosive properties of the ink and remedy some of the ill effects of the previous treatment. 

Prior to immersion, multispectral images of these folios were taken by our imaging scientist, ensuring we have a clear record of the manuscript prior to treatment. Multispectral imaging captures image data within determined wavelength ranges across the electromagnetic spectrum. It can be used to examine discolourations and staining, by comparing the "spectral fingerprint" of an accretion to a known chemical substance. It can also reveal things that are only visible on different parts of the spectrum and allow us to capture the true colours of the image to accurately assess any ink changes after treatment.

This shows a multispectral image of the manuscript, the image appears black and white. The media appears dark and various stains and accretions are visible and appear lighter.
One of the series of multispectral images

The existing condition of these particular folia made them a priority to treat in this way, but the experience of doing so will allow us to weigh in the balance the benefits or not of undertaking similar treatment on other folios in the future, should the degradation of the corrosive ink progress. For now, fragile inks on the other folios of the manuscript have been supported with a very fine toned Japanese tissue and gelatine using a low moisture technique. This was carried out over a light box to ensure any weakened areas of iron gall ink were spotted.

After Treatment

All the folios have now been housed individually in a more sympathetic, double sided mount. This rigid mount allows each page to be correctly supported and viewed in full and is suitable for both storage and exhibition display, minimising the need for handling or further work. The mounted folios were then stored in several bespoke acid-free phase boxes to offer additional protection on the shelf.

This image is of all the folios, stacked in a pile in their new rectangle cream mounts and cream inlays which have been cut to the exact size of the folios and adhered with a lightweight Japanese tissue along the edges. The mount is double walled, giving the manuscript a layer of rigid protection, and also allowing them to be displayed cleanly within their mounts as the cover/supportive board can pivot on the hinge attaching it to the window mount.
The conserved folios in their new mounts (after treatment)
This shows one of the musical folios inside a cream window mount and cream inlay paper. The inlay paper has been cut to the exact size of the folio, so the uncut edge can now be seen. The window mount has a bevelled window cut which frames the manuscript. The mounted manuscript sits on a plain grey background.
Prelude in G major (BWV , f. 23r, after treatment)

Conclusion

Thank you to the Leche Trust for their generous support which allowed the items to be conserved and ensured that the manuscripts themselves are now better preserved and protected for posterity.

The British Library’s responsibility as custodian of these iconic examples of Bach’s creativity involves finding a balance between protecting the physical manuscripts and finding ways for their appreciation by a wide audience. High-quality digital images are a key tool for providing access, but this conservation treatment will also make it possible for researchers to work with the original material where this is necessary – further enhancing our understanding of Bach’s creative practise. It is also now safer to exhibit these iconic collections beyond the reading room, in our gallery spaces, where you can join us and experience the real thing.

Samantha Hare and Chris Scobie

 

16 December 2022

Conservation of Maps in the digitisation project: Qatar Foundation Partnership – Part 1

The British Library Qatar Foundation Partnership (BLQFP) is a digitisation project that began in 2012 to create the Qatar Digital Library (QDL). For over ten years this free bilingual online portal has been fed from the British Library´s collections related to the history of the Persia Gulf and scientific manuscripts of the Arabic-speaking world. The items that are selected and digitised include India Office Records, maps, personal papers, catalogued and uncatalogued Arabic manuscripts, sound and video recordings, photographs and much more.

At the beginning of 2022, in the last part of Phase 3, 120 maps entered the digitisation workflow. One of the first stages of the workflow is conservation assessment, where items are assessed and stabilised for safe digitisation and handling. The majority of the maps needed minimal intervention, with only 5 needing a more interventive conservation approach. This blog will focus on the treatment of the following maps: IOR/X/3174, IOR/X/3150/2, IOR/X/9921, IOR/X/10065 and IOR/X/10066.

In order to organise our treatments, we divided the maps into 2 groups according to their similarity in manufacture, their condition and treatment strategy. The first group, which is the focus of the first part of this blog, included IOR/X/3174, IOR/X/3150/2, IOR/X/9921, and had a silk ribbon sewn on the edges of each map. The silk ribbon was placed to protect and give a nice finish to the edge of the maps, since all 3 have cloth as a backing support. We think this was placed because either the paper is too big, or small pieces of paper have been attached together, so the secondary support would give the primary paper support extra protection and ease handling. The silk ribbon protects the edge of the maps and helps to stop the fraying of the textile. We talked to the map’s curator from the Qatar team, Nick Krebs, and he mentioned the possibility that these ribbons were placed when the maps were at the India Office Records.

A map showing where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet. The image shows that the silk ribbon is coming away in many areas around the map, particularly visible along the top and bottom borders.
IOR/X/3174 recto before treatment
The back of the map is blank, and the silk ribbon is clearly coming away from the map in certain areas.
IOR/X/3174 verso before treatment

On these 3 maps the silk ribbon was detached from the edges in some places, due to a broken thread that used to attach the ribbon to the map. Also, the ribbon was very thin and fraying, causing further losses. Apart from this, the general condition of the maps was good.

The silk ribbon is frayed and holey in areas.
Detail of the condition of the silk ribbon of IOR/X/3174

 

This close-up shows the bottom edge of a map, which is crushed and torn and has a detached silk ribbon.
Detail of the condition of IOR/X/3150/2

As paper and book conservators unfamiliar with the treatment of textiles, we took this opportunity to seek advice from the appointed textile conservator at the British Library, Liz Rose. This had the advantage of providing a moisture and solvent free application technique to the damaged silk ribbon, which can be easily damaged by the introduction of moisture. Liz Rose showed us how to prepare the adhesive on crepeline silk and nylon net in the following way:

The adhesive used was a mix 1:1 of two different Lascauxs: 408 HV and 303 HV. The first one dries hard, while the second is extremely elastic and dries tacky. Both are thermoplastic acrylics (AIC - Adhesives & Tapes, 2022), therefore a combination of these two is ideal for reactivating the adhesive with a hot spatula or with solvent (like acetone) to consolidate fragile textiles, depending on the condition of the item.

We prepared two different percentages of the 1:1 adhesive mix, 15% and 25%, to test which of the two had better results on a new silk ribbon. When we had the adhesive ready, this was applied with a brush to a crepeline silk and nylon net, provided by Liz Rose. Fortunately, the crepeline silk and nylon net were already dyed in different tones of green and we only needed to choose the best tone to suit the different ribbons.

Five pieces of crepeline rest on a map, toned in varying shades of blues, greens and browns.
Choosing the best tone of crepeline silk

 

Liz brushes on the adhesive to the crepeline using a large brush. She wears a white lab coat and other brushes and jars of adhesive rest on the table around her.
Applying the adhesive to the chosen crepeline silk and nylon net

Once the adhesive applied to the crepeline silk and nylon net had dried, it was cut to the desired size and heated with a hot spatula to mend the damaged parts of the silk ribbon. As mentioned before, we first tested it on a new ribbon and over cotton textile. From these tests, we determined the best percentage of adhesive to use was 15%, and the appropriate length of time to reactivate the adhesive was 1 minute. We observed in this test that the nylon net melted with both the new ribbon and cotton fabric if heated for too long and if the spatula was too hot. Also, we realized that the nylon net consolidation did not have good results when the consolidation needed to be folded back, due to the fact that some of these maps are oversized and folded multiple times. This was not the case with the silk crepeline, therefore we decided to use this, because we had better results with it being a more sympathetic material with the silk ribbon, and giving us the most satisfying visual result.

Rows of the crepeline have been applied to a white cotton and the new silk ribbon. These test pieces have been arranged in three columns, with writing indicating the percentage of 15, a temperature of 4 degrees, and reactivation times of 1 minute, 30 seconds, and 1 minute 30 seconds.
Tests over new silk ribbon and cotton textile

 

A person uses a tacking iron (a handheld heated spatula) to reactivate the crepeline silk on the test fabrics.
Tests over new silk ribbon and cotton textile

Treatment on the maps: IOR/X/3174, IOR/X/3150/2, IOR/X/9921

After completing tests on the silk samples, we dry cleaned the recto and verso of the maps and then the most damaged sections of silk ribbons were delicately removed from the maps by cutting the sewing stitches. Next, we consolidated the bond between the paper and the lining cloth using Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste.

An edge of a map which is torn and crushes, and shows fraying lining fibres.
Consolidation of the maps supports: paper and linen - before

 

An edge which is now in much better condition, with minimal fraying and crushed and torn areas repaired.
Consolidation of the maps supports: paper and linen - after

We then applied the pre-coated crepeline silk to the inside of the ribbon using a hot spatula to consolidate the fragile segments. The width of the crepeline consolidation was cut to fit in between the edges of the ribbon and its length was cut into small sections (no longer than 7 cm). We noticed that longer repair creates distortion. The crepeline segments were overlapped by 1 mm when it was necessary to cover a longer part.

A ribbon with fraying and holes.
Before consolidation of the damaged silk with the prepared precoated heat-set on crepeline silk
The crepeline rests on top of the frayed and holey areas, just barely visible.
After consolidation of the damaged silk with the prepared precoated heat-set on crepeline silk


The crepeline shows as a gridded texture in this close up.
A close up after consolidation.

In some cases, where the ribbon was particularly damaged, we also needed to consolidate the outside of the ribbon. This helped to further reinforce the zones where the ribbon was completely broken and the zones where the ribbon was folded as the map had been stored in this way.

As the ribbon was attached to the map folded, we applied the crepeline on the outer part on a folded ribbon. The pre-coated crepeline was folded and fitted over the original folded ribbon and then applied with the hot spatula one side at a time.

The edge of a map is shown with the ribbon beneath and the crepeline on top of the ribbon.
Silk crepeline applied on the outside of the silk ribbon

After consolidating the damaged ribbon, we then re-attached the consolidated ribbons onto the maps by sewing them back in place using a green silk thread, similar to the original.

A needle is threaded, and the ribbon is in the process of being sewn back onto the map.
Re-sewing the ribbon

 

A closeup of a map edge showing the ribbon back in place.
The ribbon sewn back on.

Finally, after documenting the treatment, the smaller maps (that fit flat in the storage drawer) were placed in a Melinex sleeve to protect them from frictions and limit direct handling. The oversized maps were placed in a blue folder to protect them from friction in the storage.

The map with the ribbon back in place.
IOR/X/3174 recto after treatment

 

The back of the map after treatment.
IOR/X/3174 verso after treatment

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Camille Dekeyser and Tania Estrada-Valadez

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.

07 December 2020

Lotus Sutra Project: Storage Solutions

Paulina Kralka and Marya Muzart

The Lotus Sutra Manuscripts Digitisation Project at The British Library, is a multi-year project aiming to conserve and digitise almost 800 copies of the Lotus Sutra scrolls in Chinese, with a view to make images and information freely accessible on the International Dunhuang Project (IDP) website. These manuscripts come from a small cave in a Buddhist Cave complex near Dunhuang, in Northwest China, where tens of thousands of documents, paintings and artefacts dating from the late 4th to the beginning of the 11th centuries were discovered in 1900. Out of the 800 manuscripts included in this project, a large portion of them need conservation work.

Depending on the scrolls’ condition, treatment can range from surface cleaning and minor repairs, to lengthy mould remediation and intricate infills to ensure that they are safe for digitisation. With manuscripts in varying states of preservation and size, ranging from 10 centimetres to almost 14 meters in length, they have very different housing needs. Addressing these various housing requirements is part of our conservation work. We take into account our existing storage facilities, and come up with solutions that are best suited for long-term preservation of the collection but are also feasible within the time and budget of a digitisation project. This poses an interesting challenge to us as conservators.

The storage facility for scrolls at the British Library consists of white open shelving or glass enclosed wooden cabinets holding individually boxed scrolls.

Picture 1: Our storage.

Here a conservator is placing a scroll into a pigeon hole. Some of the cabinets have individual pigeon holes for each scroll with the shelfmark noted.

Picture 2: Close-up of the pigeon holes where the scrolls are stored.

The majority of scrolls that arrive in our conservation studio have never been treated before. They are usually tightly rolled on their own or around a thin wooden roller attached to the last panel. This causes tensions and leaves the scroll unsupported where it then becomes prone to distortions, creasing and further mechanical damage when handled. Research and practice show that the larger the rolling diameter, the less likely the scroll is to develop creases and cracks. In order to address this, we always place the scrolls on increased diameter cores after treatment has been completed. These cores are made from acid free cardboard tubes with a 5.5cm diameter, that we cover with a layer of xuan paper 宣纸 using wheat starch paste as an adhesive. The cores help reduce the tensions caused by a scroll being rolled too tightly and also provide it with proper support during handling and storage, minimising the risk of further damage. In addition, each scroll is wrapped in a protective layer of xuan paper, which prevents dust accumulation and surface abrasion.

Here a conservator is unravelling a scroll on a red desk with the aid of a scroll core.

Picture 3: A scroll being handled with the help of a core.

When rolled onto the 5.5cm cores, some of the longer scrolls in the project (typically those over 10 metres long) no longer fit into the pigeon holes of our existing storage. In order to enable the scrolls to still be stored in the existing storage facilities on an increased diameter core, whilst having enough space for safe handling, we have successfully developed a technique of hand-making cores with a smaller diameter of 3.5cm, composed of archival grade kraft paper and wheat starch paste.

A comparison of two scroll cores: the core on the left is wider at 5.5cm while the core on the right is 3.5cm.

Picture 4: Left, the 5.5cm core and right, the 3.5cm core which we hand-make for very long scrolls.

And what about the shortest surviving fragments? They are usually severely damaged. To prevent possible dissociation and further weakening of the paper, we encapsulate them in Melinex pockets. Melinex is an archival grade, glass-clear, thin polyester sheet, which not only helps us protect such delicate fragments but also allows them to be stored flat within custom made folders. Scroll fragments in Melinex are safe and easy to handle as both sides can be easily accessed, whether by our imaging staff during digitisation, or researchers wishing to examine the manuscripts in the reading rooms.

A conservator is encapsulating a scroll fragment between two Melinex sleeves so the scroll lays flat.

Picture 5:  Encapsulation of a scroll fragment in Melinex.

We are lucky that a large number of scrolls in our collection survive with their original wooden rollers still in place. In order to house the rod safely, whilst simultaneously providing appropriate support for the scroll, we have modified our standard core to create a custom-made clamp which fits the original roller inside and increases the rolling diameter. The cardboard core is cut in half; an intricate system of Japanese paper tabs is then pasted down to allow it to open and close smoothly; and, finally, a small groove is cut out to facilitate accommodating the scroll and rolling it onto the core. This clasp core design is adapted from the traditional Japanese wooden roller clamp, known as futomaki 太巻 or futomaki jiku 太卷轴, used for hanging scrolls, but is much more lightweight and economical!

The clasp core design, which safely houses scrolls with the original rod still attached. The clasp core design, which safely houses scrolls with the original rod still attached.

The clasp core design, which safely houses scrolls with the original rod still attached. Pictures 6, 7 & 8: The clasp core design, which safely houses scrolls with the original rods still attached.

In some instances, the original wooden rod is detached from the scroll, which creates another storage challenge. To avoid any dissociation, we always aim to store the rod together with the scroll. In order to achieve this, we have created small foam inserts that fit the roller in them and placed them inside standard cores. We found that polyethylene pipe insulation tubes are well-fitted for the purpose! Thanks to the Oddy tests carried by our conservation scientist Paul Garside, we know they can be safely used with our collection. The tube is cut in half and hinged on one side with Filmoplast SH cotton tape to allow for smooth opening and closing. The rod, wrapped in a protective layer of xuan paper, is placed inside and secured in place with pieces of cotton tying tape, threaded through small slits cut in the tube. The insert fits inside the core quite snugly, so we place a small tab on the bottom of the tube to facilitate access.

The foam tube which houses the detached original rod with the scroll. This tube is split open showing how the tape is threaded through small slits in the tube.

The foam tube which houses the detached original rod with the scroll. This foam tube is split open to reveal the inside.

The foam tube which houses the detached original rod with the scroll. 

Pictures 9, 10, 11 & 12: The foam tube which houses the detached original rod with the scroll. 

These storage solutions show how our work doesn’t end in the conservation studio. To ensure that the collection is well-preserved for future generations, we have to think beyond just the treatment of the object. This project has enabled us to challenge ourselves in thinking outside the box and approach the various storage issues with innovative solutions. 

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’.

27 June 2020

Paper Express! A Hand-Made Tale

Heather Murphy

Recently, within the conservation studio of the British Library Qatar Foundation Partnership, watermarks have been a theme. Throughout the months leading up to lockdown, my colleague Camille and I began developing a project based around some interesting examples of watermarks we discovered in a series of IOR Ship’s Journals dating from 1605-1705 being digitised by the project.  We have since been developing various aspects of this, one of which has been to create a (very) short instructional video on how to make paper, complete with personal watermarks, and the delivery of a paper-making workshop to the BLQFP team. (Another aspect of which has been the remote collaboration with Jordi Clopes-Masjuan and Matt Lee from the BLQFP Imaging team to develop digital tools for the viewing and analysis of watermarks in the collection). 

Having begun our research into watermarks, it was decided that we should attempt to make our own in the hope of learning more about their construction, and to demonstrate to the wider team how they are made. This led to the conclusion that, logically, we would also need to make paper to trial these watermarks. Researching how to make a homemade paper-making mould and deckle, we enlisted some expert carpentry skills, sourced the finest conservation grade chicken wire B&Q had to offer, some mesh, and some metal wire which we combined into a mould and deckle.

Homemade papermaking mouldMould and deckle

Home-made paper-making mould and deckle with watermarks attached.

This was taking place in September, during which was also scheduled the annual BLQFP away day, a chance for the team to both review the progress of the project so far and discuss possible future steps. However, as is happily a common ethos within the project, this is also a time where colleagues are encouraged to contribute and collaborate to make the day more interesting, allowing different teams to share aspects of their work. The format this year involved a series of two minute lightning talks, followed in the afternoon by a series of workshops. We decided that conservation’s contribution should therefore be a two minute video on paper-making, followed by a workshop where our colleagues could make their own papers. This involved some small re-arrangements within the studio, but with the aid of a Go-pro camera and a Gorillapod, we were able to film the paper-making process in action.

Having compiled the video, the next challenge was to figure out how to successfully replicate the setup outside the studio in order to deliver the workshop. This involved a lot of forward planning and, among other things, a blender, plastic sheeting and mason jars full of paper pulp. After a loaded taxi ride we were able to arrive at the meeting room and set up a makeshift paper-making station.

Delivery of the paper-making workshop at the BLQFP away day. The group stand around a desk watching demonstrations of mould and deckle paper-making tools.

Delivery of the paper-making workshop at the BLQFP away day

Other brilliant workshops delivered during the day included a ‘write your name in Arabic’ session with the translation team, where people were introduced to some basics of the Arabic language and learned to write their names.

Arabic language workshop in progress. The participants listen to an explanation of Arabic text by the tutor who stands at the top of the room in front of Arabic script examples hanging on the wall.

Arabic language workshop in progress.

The second was a cyanotype printing workshop with the imaging team, where people were able to learn about and experiment with the process. As another possible development to this watermarks work, we are hoping to undertake a collaborative experiment involving cyanotype printing on our handmade papers, complete with bespoke watermark designs.

Cyanotype workshop in progress. The participants stand and listen to an explanation of the cyanotype method. Cyanotype workshop in progress. The participants use the materials provided to practice the cyanotype method.
Cyanotype workshop in progress.

During the away day, we were able to deliver what seemed like a well-received workshop, where our colleagues could use our two moulds (with watermarks attached) to dip into the ‘vats’ of paper pulp, forming their own handmade papers. These were then couched between sheets of Sympatex and Bondina and pressed in stacks throughout the day.

Making papers and couching the sheets. The participants dip their paper moulds into a vat of paper pulp on the desk to make their paper sheets. They are helped by the tutor Camille.

Making papers and couching the sheets.

Workshops underway. An image from the back of the room showing the workshop participants engaged in listening to explanations and watching demonstrations on various desks laid out in the room.

Workshops underway.

When the day was over, we collected the equipment, delivered it back to the studio, and provided the newly made papers with fresh interleaving. These were left in the press to dry, and when we returned we were able to unveil some fine examples of handmade papers.

Examples of the handmade papers shown on the light-box. Examples of the handmade papers shown on the light-box. Examples of the handmade papers shown on the light-box.

Examples of the handmade papers shown on the light-box.

This is a guest post by Heather Murphy, Conservator from the British Library Qatar Foundation Partnership. You can follow the British Library Qatar Foundation Partnership on Twitter @BLQatar.

10 June 2020

Rolls from the King’s Library: An Unexpected Arrival

Rebecca D’Ambrosio

What do you do when something unexpected happens? When out of the blue something quite big lands in your hands? This is something that we can all too easily relate to today.

Back in March 2019 this is the question I faced when 85 rolls arrived at the Library in need of cleaning, repair, housing, cataloguing and a new storage space. 85 items are a lot of work to fit into an already busy schedule and it had a significant impact on my work over the following 12 months.

A large bench in the conservation centre with all the rolls when they arrived at the BLCC

Picture 1: The rolls when they arrived in the BLCC (British Library Centre for Conservation)

The story concerns rolls that were previously stored in King’s Library at the British Museum, the gallery today known as the Enlightenment gallery. The British Library’s dedicated building in St Pancras opened in 1997 when the main collection was moved, which was followed by the King’s Library Collection in 1998. These rolls however only came to the British Library last year.

When the British Library’s collections were still at the British Museum, the rolled items were locked in secure cupboards underneath the display cases in the King’s Library. This included some rolls from the King’s Library’s collection but also many other rolls from the general collection which were stored with them because of their size.

See photos of King’s Tower and the Enlightenment Gallery today: https://www.bl.uk/about-us/our-story/explore-the-building/what-is-the-kings-library#

In the 1970s, the King’s Library Gallery was re-furbished with new display cases. Then, after almost 50 years, one of the old cases that had been in storage was forced open to reveal a previously forgotten compartment. Inside, they found dozens of rolled sheets formerly stored in the King’s Library, long since established as ‘historically mislaid’ by curators at the British Library. The Museum hastily handed them over.

See photo of the enlightenment gallery before renovation: https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/history

On arrival they were brought to the Conservation Centre for an initial condition assessment. Once it was confirmed that there were no signs of pests or mould I conducted a more detailed assessment of the conservation needs of each roll, liaising closely with the Cataloguer and Curators who would update the details in the catalogue.

I started by assessing each roll individually, recording any conservation treatment required for their safe storage and handling. A spreadsheet was provided with the rolls where I had planned to record for each item whether it needed:

  1. Surface cleaning
  2. Repair
  3. The rolled dimensions, in order to make a storage box.

It quickly became apparent that it would not be so straightforward. Firstly, many rolls had other elements that would complicate their repair, boxing and storage, such as: loose or attached labels (paper or parchment), textile ties (of various colours and conditions) and wooden rods (in varying conditions) that also needed to be recorded. But more problematic were the shelfmarks; many weren’t easy to read, some rolls shared the same shelfmark, others were so similar it was hard to tell the difference, and some had shelfmarks that were not listed on the spreadsheet. This made locating each roll in the spreadsheet very difficult, I had to use any other information I could find to identify what was what.

Spreadsheet screenshot with added columns for assessment

Picture 2: Spreadsheet with added columns for assessment (shaded in green)

Spreadsheet screenshot showing similar shelfmarks

Picture 3: Example from spreadsheet of items with similar shelfmarks

As these rolls already belong to the British Library’s collection there should already have been a record of each roll in ABRS (Automated Book Requesting System). However, the Cataloguer had a difficult time locating the rolls on the catalogue because of the unclear shelfmarks. Using all the information he had – date, title, source and stamp, and any other information on the physical items – he searched the various catalogues, electronic and printed ones, and eventually found 53 of the rolls in the catalogue, all of which had been marked as ‘mislaid’. Of the remaining ones, 14 more were found in a manuscript location list drawn up in the 1970s in a notebook labelled 'Location List [Rolls] King's Library', the location being 'housed in 1st case in Gallery', referring to the British Museum’s Enlightenment gallery. Finally, the Cataloguer suggested new shelfmarks, which will be used to label the rolls’ storage boxes.

Location list for Kings Library rolls binding Location list for Kings Library rolls blue and black ink on paper

Pictures 4, 5: Location list for the King’s Library’s rolls

Location list for Kings Library rolls blue ink on paper

Pictures 6: Location list for the King’s Library’s rolls

The conservation was straightforward, but lengthy. Every roll had a thick layer of dust that needed to be cleaned, this was done with a chemical sponge, gently lifting the surface dirt. Some also needed repair as they were damaged along the edges, these were repaired from the back of the roll using Japanese tissue paper and wheat starch paste. A few in poorer condition also needed repair from the front using a thinner tissue that added the necessary strength and remained discrete. Once complete, the rolls were put into their custom-made box and sent to their new storage place where they are now accessible for any interested researcher to marvel over.

Before conservation treatment showing stained area held flat with weights After conservation repair showing a much cleaner roll

Pictures 7 & 8: Image of before and after conservation repair

Before conservation repair showing illegible text and tears After conservation repair with tears improved
Pictures 9 & 10: Image of before and after conservation repair

To finish I will share why this unexpected arrival was such an exciting one. The collection is of significant value and includes items such as:

  • The ‘Description of the Jousts held at Westminster 13th Feb 1510 to celebrate the birth of Prince Henry’, a unique printed and hand-coloured copy of the original painting on paper belonging to the College of Arms, this roll being the longest of the 85, measuring over 5m long.
  • Prints from the famous 18th century Italian printer, Piranesi, such as the Colonna Trojana, unique in this roll format. This is one of the rolls belonging to the King’s Library collection.
  • Various genealogies such as ‘Heroldt - pedigree of Germanic kings etc’, a very large roll depicting each family members with their coat of arms and with detailed images of German cities in the background.

Partially unrolled 'Description of the Jousts held at Westminster' on the conservators desk

Picture 11: ‘Description of the Jousts held at Westminster 13th Feb 1510…’

The full Colonna Trojana scroll laid out in the BLCC and held flat with weights

Picture 12: ‘Colonna Trojana’

The full Heroldt - pedigree of Germanic kings scroll laid out on a long table in the conservation centre

Picture 13: ‘Heroldt - pedigree of Germanic kings etc’

Un-expected things happen. I learnt through this project that we can (and should) plan for the future and do this well to make our work as efficient as possible, but it’s nothing new that many things remain out of our sight and we have to learn to be flexible and adapt as these come along.

I really enjoyed being part of this project of organising (and doing some of) the cleaning, repairing and housing of this amazing roll collection from the King’s Library. It was exciting to be part of this long story, have a role in making this ‘once lost but now found’ collection available for many others to enjoy.

Roll in its made to measure phase box on the conservators bench

Picture 14: Roll in its made-to-measure box

21 May 2020

Lotus Sutra Project: Conservation of a Scroll with Pre-11th Century Repairs. How Do We Avoid Disassociation?

Marya Muzart, Digitisation Conservator International Dunhuang Project

The Lotus Sutra Manuscripts Digitisation Project at The British Library, is a multi-year project aiming to conserve and digitise almost 800 copies of the Lotus Sutra scrolls in Chinese, with a view to make images and information freely accessible on the International Dunhuang Project (IDP) website. These manuscripts come from a small cave in a Buddhist Cave complex near Dunhuang, in Northwest China, where tens of thousands of documents, paintings and artefacts dating from the late 4th to the beginning of the 11th centuries were discovered in 1900. 

Out of the 800 manuscripts included in this project, a large portion of them need conservation work. This blog post covers the treatment of Or.8210/S.3455, and introduces the approach taken when we come across a scroll with historical repairs which are causing damage, but which we do not want to permanently separate from the scroll.

A scroll with historical repairs which are causing damage. Recto before treatment.

Picture 1: Recto before treatment.

A scroll with historical repairs which are causing damage. Verso before treatment.
Picture 2: Verso before treatment.

Or.8210/S.3455 is an 8-metre-long scroll with many historical repairs (we know that these repairs predate or date back to the beginning of the 11th century due to the provenance of the items in this collection). Carrying out repairs on damaged scrolls was a common practice in Buddhist monasteries, so we frequently come across historical repairs in the form of paper patches not only in the Lotus Sutra Project, but the Stein collection as a whole.[1]

These repairs are present throughout the scroll in varying sizes, however the two large historical repairs on the 1st and 2nd panel were the most challenging ones in terms of treatment. As we can see from the images above, the historical repairs in combination with the adhesive used were causing extreme distortion. As a digitisation conservator my aim is to ensure the item can be safely handled during digitisation and to ensure the text is visible and accessible so that high quality images can be taken. Not only was the scroll incredibly vulnerable to any handling, but its condition would have also made it impossible to produce suitable images during digitisation. This is why treatment on this scroll was necessary. 

Examining the scroll before treatment, it was clear that the historical patches needed to be removed in order to flatten the scroll and carry out repairs. Because the scrolls are archaeological artefacts, separating the historical repairs not only runs the risk of disassociation from the original manuscript, but it also takes away from its rich history as an object. This is why we always aim to avoid the permanent separation of any historical repairs from scrolls and I took the decision to reattach the historical repairs as a final stage of treatment.

How detrimental a historical repair can be, is dependent on the paper and the adhesive used. Thick paper and thick adhesive will cause distortions, as we can see in the images above. However, there has been evidence of some historical repairs applied very finely. So each historical repair that we see during the project presents a unique situation and treatment approach.

Verso after removal of historical repairs. Excess adhesive can be seen, which required further removal. 

Picture 3: Verso after removal of historical repairs. Excess adhesive can be seen, which required further removal. 

The first stage of treatment was to remove the historical repairs. After surface cleaning using a cosmetic sponge, gentle humidification was applied. Patience is key here, as I had to work one small area at a time using a micro spatula to slowly lift the historical repairs. It was important to get enough humidification introduced to soften and swell the adhesive for easy removal, but not so much as the paper would become extremely wet. You can see from the image above, once the historical repairs were removed, the dark crusty areas show how thick the adhesive had been applied, which further helps us to understand the distortions and tensions caused by this. The excess adhesive was further removed using the same technique; gentle humidification and a micro spatula. Any adhesive which was removed was kept in small sample bags for possible future analysis.

Once the historical repairs and the majority of excess adhesive was removed, the panels were flattened under boards and weights. When flattening was complete conservation repairs on the scroll were carried out using toned Japanese paper and wheat starch paste. When the conservation on the scroll was completed, it was time to reattach the historical repairs. 

The historical repairs were not reattached fully onto the scroll. Completely pasting down the historical repairs would simply cause the same damage as before. Instead, they were re-attached using some small Japanese paper tabs and wheat starch paste, each tab measures no more than a few millimetres and these are placed at strategic points underneath the repairs to stop any tension and subsequent distortion from occurring. These can easily be removed in the future if necessary, by simply cutting the small Japanese paper tabs, or by introducing gentle moisture to soften the wheat starch paste. It is important to note that the scroll spends the majority of its life rolled up, so the historical repairs were reattached whilst the scroll was rolled up. If they had been re-attached whilst flat there would be much tension occurring once it is rolled up. 

As you can see from the after treatment images, the historical repairs now do not create any tensions or distortions. The scroll can be safely handled and digitised by trained internal staff. By re-attaching the historical repairs, we have successfully avoided the disassociation that would occur from permanently separating the historical repairs from the scroll, therefore losing a part of its history. All in all, the treatment was successful.  

The historical repairs now do not create any tensions or distortions. Recto after treatment.

Picture 4: Recto after treatment.

The historical repairs now do not create any tensions or distortions. Verso after treatment.

Picture 5: Verso after treatment.

[1]  Rong, X. (2013). Eighteen Lectures On Dunhuang. Translated by Galambos, I. Boston: Brill, p.123.

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