On slow days when we have some free time (and no board for box making), we tackle some paper repairs on non rare maps from the maps library. Perfect activity for a warm, sunny Friday in the lab. #paperconservation #maps
Special Collections Conservator Bexx Caswell using the Preservation Pencil to locally humidify a map to facilitate flattening and repair. #paperconservation #maps #specialcollections #conservation (at MSU Libraries)
I feel like I just repaired Humpty Dumpty! Swipe for the before photo to see what I mean. This job didn’t require all of the King’s horses and all of the King’s men...just a whole lotta wheat paste, Japanese paper, and patience! - Bexx #paperrepair #paperconservation #specialcollections #maps (at MSU Libraries)
This map from our Africana collection came into the lab tightly rolled, torn, and crumbled. I humidified and flattened it, surface cleaned it, and did a whole lotta paper repair! - Bexx #bigimprovement #paperrepair #paperconservation #maps #maprepair #specialcollections #conservation #libraries (at MSU Libraries)
Looks like I️ have my work cut out for me today! #ilovepuzzles #maps #libraryconservation #paperconservation #specialcollection (at MSU Libraries)
Conservation technician Linsey Allen carefully aligns the edges of a tear before placing a repair. #maps #maprepair #paperconservation (at MSU Libraries)
Oh sweet, I love how that red felt tip pen bleed into that tape adhesive before it dried out and got all crusty. #sarcasm #tapeisevil #taperemoval #maps #paperconservation (at MSU Libraries)
A few weeks ago, the Head of the Maps Library called me to come take a look at some maps that had been bound together. Because the paper is fragile and can’t withstand folding and unfolding, she wanted to disbind the book and store the maps flat. The book appeared to be side-sewn, and I thought it would be easy to cut the sewing and release the pages. I was very surprised to discover that it was NOT sewn...instead it was held together with nails!!!
I was able to pry the nails out (with some effort) so that the maps could be separated. Many of the maps were torn, so they have since come down to the lab for treatment. Conservation Technician Linsey Allen will surface clean and repair the maps with heat set tissue.
- Bexx
The Map Library recently acquired this large map, which was attached to wooden rods for hanging. Since we plan to roll this map for storage (it is too large for our flat flies), the rods had to be removed.
The map is too large for any of the tables in the conservation lab, so I decided that it would be safer and easier to work on it in the Map Library. I was able to remove the nails holding the rods in place.
My work is far from done. There is a lot of surface dirt, and the map is pulling away from its linen backing. One corner was badly damaged and has a large loss. More on-site conservation work is in my future!
Recently, I treated a very large map that was in very bad shape. It was printed on poor quality paper, and then backed with linen to add strength. It had been tightly rolled, and was curled and cracking in numerous places. To make matters worse, it was filthy and had suffered water damage.
After gently unrolling the map, I carefully surface cleaned it. I wasn’t able to clean it as thoroughly as I would have liked because the paper was flaking away from the backing. Next, I used our Preservation Pencil to humidify curled or creased areas, repairing and flattening as I went. Only the worst tears were repaired, and flaking bits were re-adhered with Lascaux 498HV (paste would have caused stains). It was a long an exhausting day’s worth of work!
Finally, I worked with Eric and Autumn to move and encapsulate the map in Mylar. Since the map is too large to fit into a flat file, it was rolled onto a 6″ tube for storage.
Although the map is still in very poor condition, it can now be used and stored. safely.
- Bexx
These are all the sponges I’ve used so far to clean this 1849 map of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin: http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/search/c?SEARCH=g4060+1849&sortdropdown=-&searchscope=39
Dirt for daaaaaaaays y’all
~Autumn
Our intrepid volunteer paper conservator Hilary is removing some stubborn packaging tape from this 1853 map of the Amazon valley, using methods ranging from a methylcellulose poultice to solvent vapor chambers.
The trouble with tape, as any conservator will readily tell you, is that once the carrier (or backing) has been removed, the remaining adhesive could present an entirely new set of challenges. Not to mention that carriers and adhesives all vary widely among different types of tape, and respond differently to each treatment, especially depending on the nature of the paper and ink underneath whatever carrier/adhesive combo one might encounter.
Once this map has been de-taped and repaired, come visit MSU Special Collections to view Hilary’s beautiful handiwork: http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b1069118~S39a
Also, we want to say a big thank you to Hilary and wish her luck in her new conservator position, although we wish she wasn’t going all the way to Nebraska :( She will be missed! ~Autumn
Intern Hilary LeFevere is using our new Preservation Pencil to humidify and flatten creases in this map of the Italian countryside from the 1600s. The Preservation Pencil allows us to use controlled, heated steam provided by an ultrasonic humidifier to humidify paper and remove certain tapes and adhesives without allowing the item to come into direct contact with water.
It didn't take all the King's horses or all of the King's men to get this map back together - just a few hours of paper repair, tweezers, and a magnifying glass. - Bexx
Today's project - flattening and repairing a map using the suction platen. The suction helps keep the map flat, while also speeding up the drying time of wet treatments. It's a huge help when repairing materials that are sensitive to water (like this map, which has been colored with water colors). On the right, you can see a pile of tape that was removed from the back of the map yesterday. I will show off the front when I am finished. -Bexx
Encapsulating a rare Michigan map. #mittenstate