The Professional Examination

  

This is how a conservator examines a book, explained Jim Hinz, Director of Book Conservation at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts.  There are three steps:

1.  The Cover:  What’s it made of?  How’s it holding up?  Is it clean or dirty?

2.  The Sewing:  How were the pages sewn together and how is the sewing holding up?  Anything detached?

3.  The Text Block:  What’s the paper and what’s the media?  (Wood pulp paper and common black printing ink in the case of my books.)  Does the paper retain flexibility or is it becoming brittle?  Are there other problems like tears, distortions, or surface dirt?



Detached Spine.

Considering the cheapness of their original production, the family books that I brought in for Jim to examine are in pretty good shape.  There’s some surface grime on their covers and minor losses on the slightly battered corners.  The spine linings were insufficient from the start, resulting in detached spines in the cloth layer on two of the books.  The pages are discolored but have not reached a point of severe brittleness yet (it’s just a matter of time with this highly acidic paper though...).

Of course I feel invested in my family books, so it's good to hear that--all things considered--they're in okay shape for typical books published during the greatest age (1850-1950) of bad bookmaking the world has ever seen.

© 2010 Lee Price

The Accession

At the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, I spread the items out on the accession table.  Art on tissue paper from sixty years ago, pencil sketches, watercolors, a charcoal sketchpad, photos of all kinds, and one of the love letters -- 80 items that either had extra special meaning for my sister and me or that appeared particularly fragile.



Lee Price (the client), CCAHA Executive Director Ingrid Bogel,
and Director of Paper Conservation Mary Schobert
look at the photos and artwork.

 

Mary considers the condition of a piece of
tissue paper covered with sketches and writing.



Mary made a personal connection between
Art's Navy images of Shanghai and her own
father's service there.

In Mary's opinion, many of the items were in good shape --
more in need of good storage than costly conservation treatment.

The following items remained at the Center, accessioned for the conservators to prepare condition reports, treatment plans, and cost estimates –

For matting:

Mounted photograph of June’s father at Brown University

For digital restoration:

“Wives of Presidents” artwork on board, watercolor and ink

4 color photographs

For conservation treatment:

4 black and white photographs from Art’s time in the Navy, including a panoramic shot of minesweepers

 “Fabric textures” artwork on board by June

Pencil sketch of a dog by Art

Drawing of model in dress with a cellophane window frame

Sketch of a Navy fight scene by Art

4 life sketches, pencil on paper, by June

Folded tissue paper with pen and pencil art and notations

Large board with two models in dresses, watercolor by June

© 2010 Lee Price

Working with Professionals

Much of the work involved in preserving a family collection can be done by the dedicated amateur.  But there are certain tasks – like conservation treatment – that should be left to trained professionals.  Plus, there are times when you may want some professional advice.  When you need a pro, here are some places to call:

Regional Conservation Centers:  I work for one so (naturally!) I’m listing them first.  There is a network of 11 nonprofit regional conservation centers in the United States that offer expertise in the fields of conservation and preservation.  Some of these centers offer services to individuals and some don’t.  It never hurts to call.  Here’s a

Contact and Locations list of the regional centers along with a few other organizations that offer preservation expertise, courtesy of the Regional Alliance for Preservation.  I work for the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (Philadelphia, PA), which serves the Mid-Atlantic region and specializes in paper and photograph conservation treatment.  We would take your call.

Private conservators:  Many conservators have established private practices that are usually focused on their particular specialty (so there are textile conservators, object conservators, painting conservators, etc.).  Most professional conservators are members of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC).  To find a private conservator, I’d recommend using AIC’s easy-to-use “Find A Conservator” tool. 

Digital Imaging Specialists:  This emerging field is still in the process of developing a set of professional standards.  Michelle Dauberman, the Manager of Digital Documentation at the Conservation Center, notes that you should look for someone with a background in digital photography and/or graphic design.  “Both photographers and designers utilize Adobe Photoshop heavily and can effectively apply their graphic art skills to restoration work,” she says.  “The most significant thing to look for when seeking digitization or restoration help would be a solid portfolio of work.  Ask to see samples of what they’ve worked on.”  If you like what you see, chances are that they’ll do a good job for you, too.