Relative being the key word in this talk, Steven Weintraub of Art Preservation Services, Inc., presented a checklist of critical thinking when making decisions about relative humidity (RH) microclimates for collections.
Question the accuracy of your RH measurement
Weintraub points out it’s really easy to be 5% off on measuring RH for a myriad of reasons including sensor locations relative vent locations, drift in the measuring equipment. While 40% to 60% is the usual goal, a conservator has to ponder how comfortable are you with 35% to 65%? Weintraub admitted those extremes make him less confident for preventive conservation; microclimates can be the answer when an object requires tighter control.
The talk ended on this accuracy theme as well. While technology has come to RH measuring systems such as blue tooth systems so the case no longer has to be opened, accuracy remains in issue. Before setting up an exhibit, compare all the meters so to have at least an internal standard for readings. Calibrating the meters before exhibitions is ideal, of course but not always feasible. If there is a large discrepancy in RH readings between the loaning institution and your institution, it might be worth having a conversation about calibration methods.
To seal or not to seal a case
Weintraub recounted the common reasons for not sealing a case: Avoid trapping off-gassing; gallery climate control is adequate; it’s harder and more expensive to construct an airtight case. However hindsight is harder to manage. It’s harder to retrofit a leaking case and make it air tight after the fact when too much dust is collecting on the objects or other problems occur. Thus it’s best to start with air tight cases and loosen if needed. Hence whether intentional or not, sealed cases are microclimates.
Microclimates: Active control, Passive control, or Nothing
Weintraub recommend building all cases to have the provisions for at least a passive RH control system regardless. Again the theme of enabling flexibility and avoiding retrofitting later applies. Building space for silica gel trays and not using it is easier than retrofitting the case later.
What is the rate of leakage for the case is the most important question for microclimates. The leakage rate will determine if a passive control is adequate or active control system is needed. Weintraub noted, no silica gel system in the world is adequate for a highly leaky case. Nominal leaking from a tight system then begs the question about why an active system is needed.Leakage assessment can be easily accessible. Weintraub feels it’s important and empowering for institutions to be able to conduct their own leakage rate tests. It will enable identifying when repairs are needed under service contracts and also make more informed choices about the steps needed for microclimates. A caveat on interpreting leakage rates when you’re shopping for cases No standard protocol exists for determining leakage rates; so manufacturers reported values are hard to compare. Leakage rates change over time as materials age and warp
Creating your own leak detector
Weintraub shared two easy ways to have your own leak detection system. Cans of dust-off contain small amounts of refrigerant. A refrigerant detector can be easily purchased from HVAC suppliers for about $500; the detector is akin to a Geiger counter. It’s a qualitative tool that helps locate the leaks. The second leakage assessment choice is monitor carbon dioxide levels. The carbon dioxide level in the case increased above ambient levels (600 to 2500 ppm) and use a meter installed in the case to monitor the change in carbon dioxide levels. Let the case reach equilibrium at before starting the leak test. Weintraub and students at the NYU conservation center are currently examining how long it typically takes to reach equilibrium. Weintraub likes to run his leak tests for 3 days. Basically it’s calculating the rate of loss of CO2 Thus the difference in CO2 measurements over the time period. Close to 0 for the rate means success as there is minimal leakage. A large rate indicates an issue. At that point, consider looking at the half-time decay, how many days it takes for CO2 levels to drop 50% in the case.
How much silica gel?
Answer: Leakage rate * number of exhibit days* buffering capacity of silica gel at your target humidity levels= weight of silica gel.
You can examine compare different silica gel types for your scenario as some silica gels perform better at high humidity and others at low humidity. For a maintenance-free case, Weintraub’s rule of thumb is double the exhibition quantity of silica gel. Another silica gel tip is to mix silica gels at different humidities to get the target humidity such at mixing 55% and 40% RH gel systems to get a target of 50%.
Also, mind the air gap in the case. An air gap is needed to make sure air flow is adequate in the case to get the benefits of silica gel actually reaching the collection objects.
Lastly, we as conservators need to do a better job of sharing our learning and experience about microclimate to develop a collective pool of knowledge
Weintraub’s article on Demystifying Silica Gel is available on Art Preservation Services website along with some of his work on LED.
Category: Topics
C2CC Webinar: Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram, Oh My! Sharing Museum Collections through Social Media
Join Connecting to Collections Care on July 14 at 2:00 EDT for a free webinar:
Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram, Oh My! Sharing Museum Collections through Social Media
Social media has infiltrated our lives, and it’s no longer restricted to personal use. Many cultural institutions are using social media outlets very effectively to connect and communicate messages to a wide variety of audiences. There are so many choices and platforms and ways of engaging with the public, which can make even just the term “social media” seem overwhelming or daunting. Whether you’re completely inexperienced or you’re looking to refine or streamline and make the most of your efforts, this webinar will provide an opportunity to learn more about what is out there, how different platforms are being used, and will provide tips for effectively using social media to share your collections, which ultimately assists in furthering access and preservation.
Presenters:
Molly Gleeson is the Rockwell Project Conservator at the Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology). She works full-time in the museum’s open conservation lab on Egyptian mummies and artifacts. Molly received her M.A. from the UCLA/Getty Master’s Program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials in 2008 and her B.A. in Art Conservation from the University of Delaware in 2002.
Tom Stanley is a Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator at the Penn Museum. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in 2007 from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., where he studied Communications with an emphasis in Broadcasting.
Sign up:
http://www.connectingtocollections.org/facebook-and-twitter-and-instagram-oh-my-sharing-museum-collections-through-social-media/
Survey on methods for cleaning and protecting historical lead
A research team from the National Center for Metallurgical Research (CENIM-CSIC) is carrying out a study about the methods of cleaning and protection of historical lead. As part of this study, the investigators hope to learn about the methods applied by professionals and their personal experience with them. The survey should take 10-15 minutes and it is available until July 15th at: http://goo.gl/forms/80sJsl3Nx9 Please feel free to forward the link to interested colleagues.
The results will be published afterwards, and will be sent to interested participants. To receive results, please leave your email in the contact details section of the survey. For more information about this study, please contact t.palomar@csic.es. Thank you in advance for your collaboration.
Dr. Teresa Palomar Sanz
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalurgicas (CENIM) Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) Avenida Gregorio del Amo, 8.
28040 Madrid
Spain
Welcome 2015-2016 ECPN Officers!
We are pleased to announce the new officers for the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network for the 2015-2016 term. The new and returning officers are very grateful to all the outgoing officers who have worked so hard in their 2014-2015 term: Heather Brown, Laura Neufeld, Ayesha Fuentes, Amy Hughes, and especially our out-going chair, Megan Salazar-Walsh. We wish you the best and hope to see you involved with future AIC and ECPN activities!
Meet the 2015-2016 ECPN Officers:
Fran Ritchie, Chair
Fran graduated with a BA in Art Conservation and Anthropology from the University of Delaware (2006), an MA in Museum Anthropology from Columbia University (2009), and an MA and CAS from the Buffalo State College Program in Art Conservation (2013) with a specialization in objects. She completed pre-program jobs and internships at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, Patronato Panama Viejo in Panama City, Panama, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Her Third Year Graduate Internship at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University and subsequent Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the National Museum of the American Indian solidified an interest in organic materials. Fran is currently a Project Conservator at the American Museum of Natural History working on a grant-funded project researching dyes used in recoloring faded taxidermy. After serving as Communications Co-Officer (2013-2014) and Professional Education & Training Co-Officer (2014-2015), she is now ECPN Chair (2015-2016).
Michelle Sullivan, Vice Chair
Michelle graduated with a BA in Art History and Studio Art from the University of California at Santa Barbara (2005). In August, she will earn an MS and CAS from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (2015), specializing in works on paper with a minor concentration photographic materials. Michelle has completed internships at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the National Gallery of Art. She will return to the Getty in September as a post-graduate fellow in the Department of Old Master drawings. Previously, Michelle has served as ECPN Regional Liaison to Southern California (2011-12), Graduate Program Liaison to the University of Delaware (2012-14), and Professional Education and Training Co-officer (2013-15).
Jessica Walthew, Professional Education and Training, Co-officer
Jessica holds a BA in Art History and Biology from Williams College (2009), with an MA in the History of Art and Archaeology with an Advanced Certificate in Conservation from The Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (2015). She has worked in the conservation departments of the American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Museum, The Frick Collection, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Penn Museum. Her research interests include theory and practice in archaeological and ethnographic conservation, best practices in documentation, and technical research in art history and archaeology. In fall 2015 she will begin an Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at The Metropolitan Museum of Art researching the intersection of textiles and objects conservation practices in the Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas.
Elyse Driscoll, Professional Education and Training Co-officer
Elyse is Assistant Paper Conservator at the Brooklyn Museum. She holds a BFA in Drawing from Pratt Institute and an MA and CAS in Art Conservation with a specialization in works on paper from Buffalo State College (2014). Her training included internships at the Morgan Library & Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Williamstown Art Conservation Center. This is Elyse’s first year serving ECPN.
Alexa Beller, Communications Co-officer
Alexa holds a BA in History, a BFA in Painting, and a minor in Chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2013). She is currently a second year graduate fellow at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation and is focusing her studies on paintings conservation. Alexa has had pre-program jobs and internships at the University of Illinois Library Conservation Unit, The Spurlock Museum, the Chicago History Museum, in the private paintings conservation practice of Ria German-Carter, and Architectural Conservation Inc as well as a graduate internship at the Western Center for the Conservation of Fine Art. She previously served as the ECPN Regional Liaison for the San Francisco Bay Area (2013-2014).
Rebecca Gridley, Communications Co-officer
Rebecca holds a BA in Art History from Yale University (2009). She is entering her third year at The Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, where she is specializing in objects conservation. Prior to graduate school, she worked for three years as a National Account Manager at The Conservation Center in Chicago and completed pre-program work at Art Conservation Group and Cranmer Art Group, private practices in New York with respective specialties in objects conservation and modern and contemporary paintings conservation. She recently completed an internship at The Museum of Modern Art, and is interning at The Frick Collection this summer. This is Rebecca’s first year serving ECPN.
Anne Schaffer, Outreach Co-officer
Anne Schaffer earned her BA in Visual Art and Chemistry from Bennington College (2011), with additional coursework at Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy. She has held pre-program internships at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Williamstown Art Conservation Center, Higgins Armory Museum, and Baltimore Museum of Art, in addition to work in private practice. Anne completed a graduate summer internship in 2014 at ICA – Art Conservation in Cleveland, OH and is spending the summer of 2015 at the Menil Collection in Houston, TX before beginning her third year graduate fellowship at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Anne expects to earn her MA and CAS in Art Conservation with a paintings specialization from Buffalo State College in 2016. This is her second year serving as an Outreach Co-Officer for ECPN.
Kimi Taira, Outreach Co-officer
Kimi has a BA in Studio Art from Mills College (2008) and is finishing her degree with the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, specializing in paper with a minor in library and archival materials. Her interests include conservation ethics, community-centered preservation initiatives, and the relationship between tangible and intangible heritage. She has worked various conservation positions and internships at Zukor Art Conservation, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. She is completing her third-year internship at the Cleveland Museum of Art and will continue as their Kress Fellow. This is Kimi’s first year serving ECPN.
43rd Annual Meeting- Heritage Health Information Survey Results Revealed, and The Past & Future of Conservation Funding Panel Discussion
I, like many others, had been looking forward to hearing the results of Heritage Preservation’s Heritage Health Information Survey, HHI 2014. Unfortunately, at the time of the meeting those results were not yet available for sharing. Despite my disappointment in not seeing those results the session was well conducted and highly informative.
Dr. Connie Bodner, Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) discussed support for programs addressing collection care priorities identified in HHI 2004 over the past ten years as well as her Institute’s continuing commitment in those areas.
The major priorities identified in the HHI 2004 report were:
• Institutions must give priority to providing safe conditions for the collections they hold in trust.
• Every collecting institution must develop an emergency plan to protect its collections and train staff to carry it out.
• Every institution must assign responsibility for caring for collections to members of its staff.
• Individuals at all levels of government and in the private sector must assume responsibility for providing the support that will allow these collections to survive.
Substantive progress has been made in responding to those priorities over the past ten years. Connie put forward as one outstanding example the Connecting to Collections – A call to action program which over four years raised awareness of collection care in many small to medium museums. In addition to distributing collection care ‘bookshelves’ to 3000 institutions, it created the internet based discussion list and webinar series that has now been adopted by FAIC as Connecting to Collections Care where it will be maintained and further developed.
Heritage Preservation’s Acting President Thomas Clareson provided a recap on the process of dissolution of Heritage Preservation set to occur on June 30, 2015. Many programs have been transferred to FAIC as detailed in our Executive Director’s communication in the May 2015 edition of AIC News http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/periodicals/aic-news-vol-40-no-3-(may-2015).pdf?sfvrsn=2. In addition, Heritage Preservation business archives are being transferred to the Smithsonian Institution Archives and the Saving Outdoor Sculpture (SOS) archives are being transferred to the University of Maryland. Digital resources for Heritage Preservation programs will continue to be made available through CoOL (even more good reason for each of us to financially support CoOL!)
The disposition of several programs is still being worked out. These include the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, HHI 2014, and the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP). There will be announcements about homes for these programs in the near future. The IMLS reiterated its commitment to continuing support for the CAP program.
Regarding the Heritage Health Information Survey, HHI 2014, while much of the 2014 survey was kept consistent with the 2004 version to allow comparison of results over time, there were some changes such as more information gathered on digital resources. The survey was sent out in October 2014 and data collection ended in February 2015. The response rate was about 20% based on 1800 responses from an estimated universe of 50,000 institutions.
The complete HHI 2014 report is now expected to be published in the fall of 2015. In addition to the report, brochures will be produced and press conferences scheduled. This could be an ideal time for collection care staff in institutions large and small to bring preservation issues and priorities to the attention of senior management and governance. Interestingly, survey response data files will be available on the IMLS website for download and further analysis.
High-level and long-term perspectives on foundation-based support for conservation training and practice were then offered by officers from three of our long-term, committed supporters: the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Getty Foundation, and Kress Foundation. Each discussed the history and underlying philosophy behind their ongoing support for conservation.
First, Alison Gilchrest of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation outlined its 46 years of support for conservation beginning with a grant to support Dr. Robert Feller’s work on photochemistry and light damage at the Mellon Institute. Since then 310 grants with a conservation component have provided funding totalling $191,433,145 – an impressive investment indeed. These have been targeted through careful selection to support strength and potential, information sharing and networking. Alison has begun to explore how grant resources have been distributed over time and across the field with a view to ensuring there is collaboration across the Mellon foundation to fulfill its mission “to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.”
Antoine Wilmering, Senior Program Officer then spoke of the Getty Foundation’s support for conservation which has included 1133 grants over the past 30 years and 287 grants over the past 10 years. The foundation is tending to support more broadly integrated projects which include research, development, training, capacity building, and dissemination. It is actively scanning the field for both what they read and hear and what they are not seeing and hearing to identify areas in which they can invest to best effect.
Max Max Marmor, President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation was pleased to report his Foundation has supported more than 4500 Kress Fellows since 1961 and currently supports nine conservation fellowships each year. This is in addition to the substantial support associated with the conservation of the Kress collection itself, primarily through Kress Program in Paintings Conservation at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts, and through such initiatives as the Summer Teachers Institute in Technical Art History (STITAH). Max believes that important priorities in the future will be sustaining the interest of young professionals in conservation and ensuring they will have adequate opportunities for development and employment, while also raising consciousness more generally in the importance of heritage preservation.
Numerous participants thanked the presenters and spoke to the benefits they had received through support from these foundations.
Robert Waller, Protect Heritage Corp.
Survey: "Know anyone using display cases or glazed frames?"
University of Warwick SURVEY INVITATION FOR:
“Users of display cases & glazed frames for local environmental control of indoor heritage collections”
This survey (closing July 1st) aims to capture the recent behaviours & opinions of enclosure users from around the world – at a time of changing environmental guidelines.
It takes 20 – 30 minutes depending on the respondent’s experience.
Heritage conservators, registrars, curators etc are encouraged to consider completing the survey and to forward this announcement to colleagues in their workplace, region & international networks.
The survey is looking for responses from people around the world working for heritage institutions of all sizes & types, and with any level of experience.
A conservator researching heritage microclimates at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom designed the survey.
It was tested with conservators & scientists working for metropolitan and regional institutions in the United Kingdom & France:
- The British Museum
- C2RMF, Louvre Museum
- Museum of London
- English Heritage
- Birmingham Museums Trust
- The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum
It is expected this research will guide the future manufacture, testing, use & maintenance of enclosures for more sustainable conservation of vulnerable exhibits.
The results will first be presented at the Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology Conference taking place on Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 July 2015 at UCL, London.
The Powerpoint presentation for that conference will be emailed to survey respondents who choose to be contacted. It will also be publically available for download – with a link from LinkedIn’s “Exhibit Enclosure Environments” discussion group. An extended written analysis & discussion of the results, in the form of a paper, will be submitted for publication to open access and peer-reviewed international heritage conservation journals.
Survey closing date: Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Survey is here: https://goo.gl/5OqbkA
Alternatively the survey can be shared via social media:
- LinkedIn’s Exhibit Enclosure Environments discussion group: https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=8331052
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExhibitEnclosureEnvironments
— James Crawford, PhD student, Department of Physics, University of Warwick
43rd Annual Meeting – Collection Care Session: Beyond ‘No Food or Drink Allowed in the Gallery:’ Best Practices for Food in Cultural Institutions by Rebecca Newberry, Fran Ritchie, and Bethany Palumbo
Does the thought of blue martinis, smelly hot dogs, and live penguins in your exhibition space make you gag? The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections has sponsored a survey and development of best practices to help mitigate the risks posed by food service (and inebriated guests) in collections storage and display areas. This presentation summarized the survey responses, and illustrated them with a number of entertaining and apt case studies. The best practices document will be posted on the NHPRC website in the next few months.
The survey was initiated by Cathy Hawkes in 2011. In addition to answering questions, the survey also solicited written food policies from the respondents to reflect current practice. The top result of the survey was concern about not having a written policy; and 40% of respondents reported pest-related activity related to food in the building.
The best practices that came out of the survey have been well-proven through the experience of the survey respondents and the authors, and are generally agreed upon. The key is to develop a written policy on food management and get buy-in from all stakeholders to enforce it (e.g. administration, vendors, facilities, café/store staff, curators and collections management staff, security). The policy should address preparation, consumption, and disposal of food. It should explain the housekeeping and integrated pest management implications of food in collections areas. Staff should be well-trained in how to interact with the public to enforce the policy. And risk mitigation should be part of contracts signed with vendors; the contract can also reflect a “This event never happened” clause (i.e. leave no trace).
Some specific tips discussed include:
- Clean up immediately after an event
- Put out extra tables for dirty dishes (so they don’t go on top of exhibit cases)
- Provide space for staff to eat with proper waste containers
- Make clear signage for where to eat and not; include a simple educational message like “Food attracts pests which can damage our collections.”
- Determine the path that food and waste will take in and out of the collections space.
- Menu should consist of food that is tidy when eaten: no popcorn, red wine, ice cream, or round things that roll under exhibit cases like grapes
- Ventilation and fire suppression need to be accounted for
Following these steps will help you to avoid getting ketchup on your dinosaur (yes, it really happened!).
SPNHC Food Survey Report 2014
43rd Annual Meeting – Book and Paper Group Session, May 15, 2015. “Superstorm Sandy: Response, Salvage, and Treatment of Rare Pamphlets from New York University's Ehrman Medical Library" by Angela Andres
Angela Andres, Special Collections Conservator at New York University (NYU) Libraries, presented a case study of the salvage and treatment of a rare pamphlet collection from NYU’s Ehrman Medical Library. The collection consists of approximately 200 medical works, which sustained water damage when New York City took a direct hit from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. This presentation tied in well to the overall conference theme of Practical Philosophy, or Making Conservation Work, as the aftermath of the storm made the salvage and conservation of this collection particularly challenging.
Power outages and infrastructure disruptions were widespread in New York City in the weeks following Superstorm Sandy. Though conservators from NYU’s Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department were quickly on hand to assist with the Ehrman Library recovery effort, they were unable to enter some of the library spaces immediately after the storm due to flooding. Once the building was accessible, conservators worked with disaster recovery vendor Belfor and library staff to salvage water damaged materials, including this pamphlet collection. Due to concerns about mold growth and difficulties in locating a freezer or reliable power source, conservators interleaved the pamphlets with Tek-Wipe and packed them for removal to the Conservation Lab at NYU’s Bobst Library. Because of ongoing transit interruptions, it was necessary to transport the collection to the lab by taxi.
The pamphlets were frozen to allow for treatment in smaller groups over the next two years. Because the collection had been submerged in flood water containing sewage and medical waste, individual pamphlets were thawed and rinsed in a water bath. If mold was present, it was remediated after thawing with an alcohol solution. Dirt, fasteners, adhesive residue, and threads were removed while the object was in the bath. Each pamphlet was then dried, surface cleaned, mended, and rebound. Partway through the project, the Ehrman Library decided to digitize the collection, so the level of treatment was scaled back to accommodate imaging more easily.
In the wake of such a large disaster, the urge to assist can be overwhelming. Angela’s assessment of the positive and negative outcomes of this project was both practical and insightful. The active role taken by NYU Library leadership, as well as the effective division of labor, helped recovery efforts go as efficiently as possible. The Ehrman Library had a recently updated disaster plan with designated salvage priorities, and worked quickly to get a contract in place with a disaster recovery vendor when it proved necessary. The conservation treatment of this collection also afforded the Ehrman Library the chance to digitize and rehouse these materials as part of its long-term preservation strategy.
However, the in-house treatment of this collection significantly affected the conservation lab functions, and led conservators there to reexamine their approach to future salvage situations. Angela acknowledged that the strong desire to help in the aftermath of the storm might have prevented conservation staff from evaluating the situation more critically. In retrospect, Angela felt that it might have been useful to do a smaller pilot study prior to beginning treatment of the collection. That would have enabled conservators to get a better sense of treatment times, identify areas where treatment steps could be streamlined, and determine whether additional funding or staff would be needed to complete the project.
During the question and answer session, audience members asked Angela about specific salvage and treatment protocols. One participant asked why the Tek-Wipe interleaving was removed prior to freezing. Angela responded that the Tek-Wipe interleaving had become saturated with filthy water, and conservators wanted to get as much dirt away from the objects as possible. Pre-cut freezer paper is part of the conservation lab’s disaster kit and was readily available, so that was used instead. Another audience member noted the presence of iron gall ink on some of the pamphlets, and asked if any iron gall ink treatment was done. Angela responded that there were comparatively few iron gall ink inscriptions in this collection, and no additional treatment was done.
43rd Annual Meeting- Architecture and Wooden Artifacts Joint Session, May 14, “How to Salvage your Historic House Museum after a Car Crash: The Marrett House Emergency Preservation and Conservation Project” by Benjamin Haavik and Alexander M. Carlisle, Historic New England
When a drunk driver crashed into the parlor of Marrett House (1789) in Standish, Maine, the staff of Historic New England was able to see first-hand how well their disaster plan worked!
The damage was serious: clapboard smashed, wall studs snapped, wainscoting was knocked out, and furniture was displaced inside the room.
Local staff were on the scene quickly to secure the area. A team drove up within hours of the crash, to add temporary supports for the 2nd floor and to board up the hole in the house. The insurance company was called, and the policy was able to cover some recovery costs.
With such extensive damage, recovery was not straightforward. The floor carpet (dating to 1857) was undamaged, and due to its size, it was rolled and boxed to remain in the room during construction work. Furniture and objects had been removed from the room immediately, to be treated and stored. The house remained open for tours during the entire process.
The conservation and restoration of the structure was carried out with the goal of maintaining as much of the original materials as possible. The 1857 wallpaper and paint finishes were protected in situ. Where new support beams were needed, the modern additions were marked with copper tags to identify them as non-original. Plaster, lathe, and wainscoting were replaced; in the end, only spot retouching of the paint on the paneling was necessary.
Only three pieces of furniture were actually damaged (two chairs and a card table), and one vase fell during the crash. No pictures fell off the walls, and the rug was totally fine. Overall, they feel lucky that the damage was not worse.
Here are some tips they shared for disaster response:
-photograph the damage before starting recovery: this is good documentation practice and can help with insurance claims
-don’t throw anything away: a small bit of veneer from the damaged table was later discovered among the wood splinters and debris swept up during recovery (and saved in a box), and was able to be reattached
-make sure the emergency telephone tree makes sense: HNE is geographically far-flung, and in this case the first people called were NOT the closest to the scene
43rd Annual Meeting- Research and Technical Studies Session, May 15th, “Back to Natural Processes: Controlled Carbonation for Recalcifying Malacological Artifacts”, Presented by Edgar Casanova-González, Jocelyn Alcántara-García & Nora Ariadna Pérez-Castellanos
Seashells were considered to be very significant items in the pre-Hispanic world. For certain cultures they were as valuable as precious stones. They were used as jewelry, decoration for textiles, musical instruments, currency etc. In the Tlalocan-Tepantitla temple, located at the famous Mexican pyramids site “Teotihuacan”, as in many other sites, seashells were discovered in hundreds, probably serving as sacred offerings. Some were also decorated.
The seashells from Teotihuacan were buried for hundreds of years in a damp acidic soil. Therefore, the protein matrix that is embedded in the CaCO3 layered structure has solubilized almost completely. Moreover, CaCO3 structure itself has greatly degraded, as it naturally reacts with acids. Alcántara-García and Casanova-González indicated in their presentation that the shells “would crumble by the touch of a hand”. Mechanical cleaning was not a viable option in their state.
SEM image of an Archeological shell showing two mineral layers (aragonite) about to delaminate (photograph courtesy by the presenters. Has not been published yet)
The two researchers presented their initial trials in establishing a mass treatment procedure for the degraded, non-painted seashells. The procedure should be inexpensive, time efficient and on site, via controlled carbonation. They tested both artificially aged seashells and actual samples from the site. Firstly the shells were stabilized in a humidity chamber, then they were submerged into a limewater (Ca(OH)2) solution and were kept inside a sealed CO2 saturated atmosphere for controlled carbonation.
Before and after treatment, the samples were examined for changes in their properties: hardness and water absorption tests were performed as well as colour change assessment. The mineral structure was also analyzed by XRD and SEM. The preliminary results were encouraging. The hardness and porosity properties were improved and the colour change was minor. However, on the archeological samples, the CaCO3 which was formed by this process, accumulated as a superficial layer on top of the natural ones, and initially did not penetrate well. This new layer did not render enough stability to withstand handling and to hold the shells without them disintegrating.
My thoughts as a listener object conservator: Shells, much like bone or ivory, are created in biological processes but their composition is mainly inorganic. In cases of structural degradation of these materials, I am more familiar with consolidation treatments which involve diluted synthetic resins of various types. What I liked in this presentation was the shift in approach towards shells. Alcántara-García and Casanova-González presented an interesting new approach to restore the degraded shells which mostly lack protein matrix. As a mineralized, non-organic substance, they applied a treatment that is more common in stone conservation. This diffusion in materials, methods and thoughts between the different fields was very interesting for me.
(The presenters requested that I mention that the results of their research have not been published yet)
Hadas Seri, Object Conservator, Chemistry Conservation Laboratory for Organic and Metal Artifacts, The Israel Museum