Re: [BKARTS] Flattening rolled vellum pages

[William Minter <wminter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I  "Second"  Bruce's very good recommendation.
Bill Minter



On Feb 16, 2009, at 1:25 PM, Bruce Levy wrote:

> It sounds like a possible first step is humidification and damp  
> pack flattening (there are several techniques, but it's best for an  
> experienced technician to "allow the piece" to "dictate the  
> treatment"- not the other way around).  But I suggest you find  
> someone who has ample experience and have them do it.  When you  
> talk about illuminated leaves there's a possibility of flaking and/ 
> or lifting of the pigment, ground and gold.  There's ways to handle  
> this, and repair lifting pigment or ground/gold but there are so  
> many variables that to do it with instruction mostly gleaned from  
> "words" of others who have experience is really taking a chance.   
> Besides the lifting you have the possibility of too much moisture  
> causing breakdown and gelatinizing. Before one embarks on such a  
> treatment it really behooves you to "observe" (when possible,  
> though it might not be)  parchment treatment by experts. If this is  
> a "one off" project, with no expectation of entering this specialty  
> for yourself, have a qualified conservator do or work with you.
>
> Bruce
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Carolee Harrison" <carolee@xxxxxxx>
> > To: BOOK_ARTS-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [BKARTS] Flattening rolled vellum pages
> > Date:         Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:14:31 -0800
> >
> >
> > I've been presented with a preservation project that is somewhat
> > out of my ken and I'm hoping I can ask for advice from the
> > collective wisdom here..
> >
> > My task is to house seven manuscripts dating from the 1400s --
> > three sheets of music, three illuminated pages taken from separate
> > volumes, and a document that may be a property deed or some kind of
> > legal agreement.  All are written on what I think is vellum of
> > varying thicknesses.  The illuminated pages are decorated with gold
> > initials in very good condition -- everything is in very good
> > repair, in fact, except the more informal deed or letter, which has
> > some tears at the edges and is pretty dirty and faded. The
> > immediate problem I'm facing, though, is that all of these items
> > have been stored rolled-up, and they've curled up tight, possibly
> > permanently.  My initial ideas for storing them involved laying
> > them flat, but is there any way to get them flat again?  Right now
> > I am trying to open them gently under weight but I'm not sure it's
> > having any effect.  Would anyone here have any idea how best to
> > flatten these vellum pages, or do you think it's best to leave them
> > rolled?
> >
> > If anyone has advice for storage of these, as well, I'd appreciate
> > your input too!
> >
> > Thanks so much!
> > Carolee Harrison

******************************

William Minter Bookbinding & Conservation, Inc.
4364 Woodbury Pike
Woodbury, PA  16695
814-793-4020
Fax:   814-793-4045
Email:    wminter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx




                                   
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