Collection Care blog

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.

Picture 1: IOR/X/10065 recto before treatment

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).

Picture 3: Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 recto before treatment

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.

Picture 5: Upper part of the IOR/X/10066 verso before treatment

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).

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).

Picture 8: Cutting the edges with a water brush

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).

Picture 10: Detail of the Aerocotton lined with Japanese tissue applied into the verso of IOR/X/10065 to mend the tears

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

Picture 12: IOR/X/10065 recto after treatment

Picture 13: IOR/X/10065 verso after treatment

Picture 14: Upper part of IOR/X/10066 recto after treatment

Picture 15: Upper part of IOR/X/10066 verso after treatment

Tania Estrada Valadez and Camille Dekeyser

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.

IOR/X/3174 recto before treatment

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.

Detail of the condition of the silk ribbon of IOR/X/3174

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.

Choosing the best tone of crepeline silk

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.

Tests over new silk ribbon and cotton textile

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.

Consolidation of the maps supports: paper and linen - before

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.

Before consolidation of the damaged silk with the prepared precoated heat-set on crepeline silk

After consolidation of the damaged silk with the prepared precoated heat-set on crepeline silk

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.

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.

Re-sewing the ribbon

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.

IOR/X/3174 recto after treatment

IOR/X/3174 verso after treatment

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Camille Dekeyser and Tania Estrada-Valadez

Author: Emma Smith, Textile Conservation Intern

Introduction

This blog post will discuss the conservation treatment of four silk theatre playbills and programmes, dating to the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Playbills like these were printed for special performances, such as the benefit, gala and state performances promoted here. Since they were intended to be sold at the theatre as souvenirs, they were not printed on the rough, cheaper paper generally used for this type of promotional material, but on a fine silk fabric that gave a soft textured sheen. Playbills like these were often also embellished with a delicate fringe, making them all the more desirable as mementos of the performance. The objects featured here are part of a collection consisting of six playbills and programmes;

• 689.a.2.(1.): Theatre Royal (Sunderland), [A Playbill for a performance, 7 August 1846]. Printed on white silk satin.
• 689.a.2.(2.): Lyceum Theatre (London), [A Playbill dated 21 February 1850]. Printed on white silk satin.
• 689.a.2.(3.): Royal Opera House (London), [Programme for gala or state performances, 11 June 1907]. Printed on white silk satin.
• 689.a.2.(4.): Royal Opera House (London), [Programme for gala or state performances, 27 May 1908] [London, 1908]. Printed on white silk satin.
• 689.a.2.(5.): Royal Opera House (London), [Programme for gala or state performances, 11 May 1914.] [London, 1914]. Printed on white silk rib.
• 689.a.2.(6.): Royal Opera House (London), [Programme for State performance in honour of the visit of the President of the French Republic dated March 22 1939]. Pamphlet on card

Conservation of the paper programme (Tab.a.2.(6.)) and additional silk playbill (Tab.a.2.(2.)) from the collection is due to be completed following the reopening of the Library.

Figure 1: Tab.689.a.2.(3.) before (left) and after (right) treatment

Condition before treatment

The playbills and programmes arrived in poor condition. They had been adhered into a customised guard volume which did not meet contemporary conservation standards, and was acting as an acidic environment, promoting degradation of the silk giving an overall yellow discolouration and brittleness. As well as the paper and cotton tape hinges from the current mounting, the 20^th century programmes had been subjected to previous mounting which was evident due to patches of adhesive in the corners; this was causing discolouration and embrittlement to the silk and fringing. The 19^th century playbill had additional paper repairs on the reverse causing the silk to embrittle and split.

The treatment planned was to remove the objects from this historic housing, reduce the acidity and adhesive staining, and develop a new storage solution allowing them to be safely accessed by readers. For the playbill with old paper repairs these needed to be removed, with new repairs introduced which were more sympathetic to the silk.

Figure 2: Tab.689.a.2.(1.) in its old housing

Figure 3: Paper repairs on the reverse of Tab.689.a.2.(1.)

Figure 4: Adhesive staining on the reverse of Tab.689.a.2.(3.)

Treatment

The playbills and programmes were first removed from their housing using a scalpel to cut the paper and cotton tape hinges that secured them in place. This allowed further examination and assessment of their condition, before speaking to curators about the proposed treatment.

It was decided that due to the acidity of the silk and the presence of what looked to be an animal glue adhesive, wet cleaning to reduce this would be the best course of action. In-situ wash-fastness tests were performed in order to understand how the colour of the printed design would respond to water, especially whether dye bleed may occur. Each colour was tested by exposing small areas of the playbills and programmes to blotting paper wetted with reverse osmosis water (a pure water which would not leave residues in the objects after washing) for around an hour. No colour bleed or transfer was seen in any of these tests and so wet cleaning went ahead. It was decided to wet clean the playbills and programmes in slightly warm water in order to help solubilise the adhesive, with soft sponges and brushes used to aid in removal. The water was changed regularly to prevent the adhesive solubilising into the rest of the textile. The fabric and paper hinges and paper repairs were able to be removed as part of the wet cleaning process. Following wet cleaning, any fringing was aligned and the objects were dried under slight weight to prevent dimensional change and creasing.

Figure 5: Removing the cotton tape hinge from Tab.689.a.2.(4.) during wet cleaning

Wet cleaning was incredibly successful, the adhesive staining, overall yellowing and acidity was reduced, enhancing not only aesthetics but the longevity of the objects. For the 19^th century playbill where paper repairs had been removed however, there were now numerous unsupported holes and areas of weakness. In order to support the playbill an overall support of silk crêpeline, dyed to match the colour of the playbill and backed with conservation grade adhesive, was used. The weave of the support was aligned to the weave of the object to provide strength, and a heated spatula was used to reactivate the adhesive, securing the support to the object. 

Figure 6: Reverse of Tab.689.a.2.(3.) after wet cleaning

Figure 7:Tab.689.a.2.(1.) after adhesive support had been applied

Finally, the objects were secured to custom made padded boards; unlike the original storage method these were made from acid free materials.  To negate the need for stitching into the objects in order to secure them to the boards, the three fringed 20^th century programmes were secured using nylon net tabs at the corners. Due to its increased fragility a more robust solution was needed for the 19^th century playbill. Strips of adhesive cast silk crêpeline were adhered to the front edges of the playbill in order to sandwich the object between these and the support. The silk crêpeline was extended to just beyond the edges of the playbill, allowing this to be stitched into to secure the object to the board. These new boards fully surround and support the playbills so that each can now be separately lifted from a custom made box which will be created for their storage, without the need to touch the fabric surface at all. This improved handling platform allows the playbills to be made available to readers in the Rare Books Reading Room of the Library, according to their research needs. Handling instructions will also be made to accompany the objects to the reading room to ensure their safety.

Figure 8: Securing Tab.689.a.2.(1.) to the padded board

Ongoing treatment

The remaining playbill is in the worst condition. The silk is incredibly brittle and yellowed, with a multitude of adhesive stains and paper repairs to the lining, and a large amount of structural damage to the silk. Conservation of this playbill will continue following return to the Library, and will hopefully be the feature of a future post.

Figure 9: Front of Tab.689.a.2.(2.)

Figure 10: Reverse of Tab.689.a.2.(2.)

Figure 11: Close up of damage to Tab.689.a.2.(2.)

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

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!

Liz Rose, Textile Conservator

Mary Horrell, Conservation Support Assistant, and Mark Oxtoby, Collection Care Workflow Coordinator

The Felbrigge Psalter’s decorative 14c covers (pictured below) are the oldest known examples of English embroidery on a book and a prime example of the type of binding this project is working to protect. 

Felbrigge Psalter

Although faded with areas of lost stitching the design is clearly visible. Luxury bookbindings like this have covers of fragile silk, satin, and velvet and are often decorated with pearls, sequins and gold and silver embroidery threads, all of which may require different approaches to conservation but should all be stored in a similar way.

The project to re-box collection items with ‘at risk’ embroidered and textile bookbindings has been ongoing since 2016 and has involved colleagues from various teams including; Conservation, Western Heritage Collections, Basements, Collection Care North and Reader and Reference Services.

C.108.aa.7: 17c English prayer book.  The design has a stunning trompe l’oeil effect which can still be seen despite the loose threads.  The spine piece has also been lost.

The first step of the project involved Maddy Smith, Curator Printed Heritage Collections, and Philippa Marks, Curator Bookbindings, selecting around 100 bindings which needed attention and preparing a preservation bid. Traditionally these items were boxed to resemble leather bindings on a library shelf, stored in sometimes abrasive slipcases, or in tight drop-back boxes lined with woollen fabric.

Maddy Smith (left) and Philippa Marks (right) reviewing some embroidered bindings.

Philippa says: ‘The Library’s collection of textile bookbindings is so rich that the problem regarding selection was not what to include, but what to exclude! An important first step was to identify the books which had been boxed in the past or were not protected at all. Boxing provided an effective and practical solution historically, but we now know some elements of the construction can put bindings at risk. Today conservators have a choice of modern materials, all of which have been tested by Paul Garside, Conservation Scientist, and will remain stable and protect the textile and embroidered surfaces’.

C.183.aa.6: enlargement of 16c English binding shows red and green embroidery threads, metallic coils and sequins which have oxidised (blackened).

At this point it was down to the Library’s Textile Conservator Liz Rose to devise storage solutions to protect these fragile bindings. Liz was invited to attend an embroidered books rehousing workshop at the Herzogin Anna Amelia Bibliothek in Weimar, Germany, where conservators from Germany, France and Austria discussed storage and handling solutions for these delicate structures to both prolong their lifecycle and enable access.

Liz says: ‘It was a privilege to be the only textile conservator invited to attend the workshop. The organiser, Jonah Marenlise Hölscher, from the Anna Amelia Bibliothek had visited St Pancras in early 2016.’

C.23.a.26: enlargement of late 16c binding design comprising pearls.

Following this workshop Liz pursued her idea of using standard sized phase boxes (these are archival storage boxes) lined with Plastazote®. The new boxes were made by Mark Oxtoby, Collection Care Workflow Coordinator in Boston Spa and then lined with removable Plastazote®, a type of foam. The bookbindings were wrapped in Bondina® (a smooth polyester tissue used for conservation).

C.65.k.9; enlargement of centrepiece of 16c Italian embroidered prayer book.

During the following period Liz and her colleague Mary Horrell, Conservation Support Assistant, consulted with colleagues from other Library departments to ensure that the change from 18c methods to the new approach was approved by all. Prototype phase boxes and bespoke inserts were constructed.

Peter Roberts, Basement 2 Manager, says: ‘The main consideration from the Operations side was how much extra storage space and what sort of storage would be needed when the items returned in expanded, padded boxes.'

‘We got an estimation of the expected dimensions, numbers and configuration of the new boxes from BLCC. We have begun moving four ranges of Case books (rare printed books) to provide enough shelf space to accommodate the new boxes and to ensure each item can be safely shelved. We recently attended a demonstration of the padded boxes so I will be able to brief my team on how to assemble the boxes and what to look out for if any parts go missing/get damaged with use.’

C.130.a.11; note the wear around the edges of the velvet covers of this 17c Danish binding and the raised decoration (called stump work).  The clasps (in the shape of a face) would cause damage to neighbouring books if not boxed.

The consultation stage of the project is now almost complete and a collection handling morning has taken place where Liz and Mary demonstrated the new storage solution to colleagues across the Library.

Philippa concludes: ‘I was so impressed by the way colleagues worked together, each using their individual skills and experience to ensure that these items, some of them 400 years old, last another 400 years ... at least!’

G.6319 19c French binding by Louis Janet. Enlargement shows the raised nap on the velvet covers at risk of abrasion.

As part of London Fashion Week Nabil Nayal hosted his presentation at the British Library on Tuesday 18 September. He is an advocate of ‘research in fashion education and practice’ and has used the collections at the British Library extensively. The image below shows how he used Elizabeth I’s famous Tilbury Speech as inspiration for one of his printed textiles.

www.nabilnayal.com

The Library Collections are diverse and complex, representing many cultures and comprises of published, written and digital content together with letters photographs, paintings, newspapers, sound recordings, videos, objects and textiles.

Textiles are found in all curatorial divisions: Contemporary British; Western Heritage, European and American and most widely in the Asia and African collections. As textile conservator, I have chosen a few of the most beautiful and inspirational objects.

Royal MS 12C VIII 1 – Chemise book jacket with the badge and motto of Prince Henry Frederick (1594-1612): red velvet, silver and gold metal thread and seed pearls.

See the item online here. 

Or 1234 – Manuscript with blue silk pages and red silk embroidery.

Qianlong's Ten Victories: chronicle of ten successful campaigns conducted by the Emperor in 1790. The author is the Emperor himself, and the manuscript contains the Emperor’s own handwriting embroidered on silk.

Explore and learn more about this item here.

MSS EUR G59 – Large ceremonial, silk brocade bag which housed an ‘Ornamental Letter of Credence, dated 27 Oct 1835, from `Louis Philippe Empereur des Francais' (1773-1850) to Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), ruler of the Punjab 1792-1839’.

Explore and learn more about this item here.

Unfortunately, the above items are all restricted due to their fragile and rare status. Letters of introduction can be written to the curators to request permission to view restricted items.

LIZ ROSE, Textile conservator

MPhil student Clara Low is studying Textile Conservation at the University of Glasgow. As part of her course she is completing a placement for six weeks between her first and second year, here at the British Library.

The following images were taken by Clara whilst she worked on the unfolding of a silk bundle. The Tangut silk fragment was excavated in Kharakhoto (western Gobi desert) in 1914 by Aurel Stein. Clara used controlled humidification to enable this process. She worked with Vania Assis, paper conservator for the International Dunhuang Project and Liz Rose, textile conservator. See the amazing results below.

Or 12380/3665 before conservation. 

Or 12380/3665 during conservation – revealing a printed design.

Or 12380/3665 - Clara working on the fragment.

Or 12380/3665 after conservation – reverse showing characters, (bottom left), seams and stitching.

Or 12380/3665 after conservation – obverse showing characters and printed stars (bottom right).

Or 12380/3665 after conservation – detail of characters.

Can anyone tell us what it says?

Update: many thanks to Andrew West for a speedy solution:

Textiles at the British Library come in many guises. This remarkable book was discovered by a reader in the Rare Books Reading Room last week and was shown to a member of staff. 

The shelfmark is C.70.g.6. and the textile additions are described in the notes field below:

• Title: [A series of engravings of subjects from the Life of Jesus Christ. Designed by M. de V. Engraved by J. C. Weigel.]
• Author: Marten de VOS
• Contributor: Johann Christoph WEIGEL
• Publication Details: [Nuremberg?, 1725?]
• Identifier: System number 003817622
• Notes: The draperies, etc. are cut out, and supplied by pieces of cloth and silk pasted at the back of the engravings.
• Physical Description: 4º.
• Shelfmark(s): General Reference Collection C.70.g.6.
• UIN: BLL01003817622

Engraving coloured from the reverse with pieces of textile showing through cut-out holes.

Engraving detail showing texture of textiles.

Reverse detail showing overlapping textile patches stuck to the page.

Our textile conservator Liz Rose is often overwhelmed by the quantity, quality and diversity of the textile objects within the collections. It should be remembered that the British Library is a reference library and many of these wonderful objects can be viewed in the library reading rooms. 

Arrangements were made by Liz Rose, textile conservator, to remove the contents of three intriguing packages from the Ruth Prawer Jhabvala archive. The packages were sent from New Delhi to New York in 1976 and were wrapped in cotton and stitched closed.

From left to right: Zoë Wilcox, Curator Contemporary Performance & Creative Archives, Contemporary Archives and MSS; Ava Wood, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's daughter; Pauline McGonagle, Collaborative Doctoral student working on the Prawer Jhabvala archive with the University of Exeter and Liz Rose, Textile Conservator.

Careful unpicking of the stitches.

Peeling back the cotton wrap.

Liz and Zoe removing the cotton wrap.

Zoe opening the inner, black plastic wrap.

Two hours later and only one package opened! Inside a collection of notebooks including some original hand-written first drafts for her novels Esmond in India (first published 1958) and A Householder (first published 1960).

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 101^st 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).

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.

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 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 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.

The Perspex rod attachment of the banner.

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 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 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