Although The Preservation Lab is primarily a book and paper lab, we often receive items that fall outside this realm and are required to do a little research and get creative. I was recently assigned a small collection of various grooved disc media that required archival storage solutions. “Grooved disc media” is an umbrella term that encompasses any type of sound recording that features small grooves cut into its surface that a stylus then passes over to produce an audio signal. Think vinyl records, shellac discs, 45s and more. Another term I like that covers multiple varieties of grooved discs is the term “records”, which I will use interchangeably with “grooved discs” for the remainder of this post.
Considerations
Until this point, we had not received any grooved disc media requiring new housing at the Lab. In situations like this, I like to do a bit of research and figure out what is required of the housing to determine what is required for safe storage. We found several trustworthy sources that provided tips for what to do as well as what not to do. The most important ones are as follows:
First and foremost, any grooved disc should be stored upright. When multiple discs are placed on top of each other, their collective weight can compound quickly. This weight can then slowly compress the grooves on the discs and result in loss of media.
Grooved discs should have their old plastic sleeves, both inner and outer, replaced with archival plastic sleeves. Older records often have non-archival plastic outer sleeves that are susceptible to warping over time. This can lead to the discs themselves warping, affecting playback speeds which can lead to further degradation. We ended up purchasing these Original Master Sleeves and Archival Record Sleeves, both made by Mofi Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab.
A non-archival plastic outer sleeve. Notice how the plastic is starting to curl along the edge.
A new archival plastic outer sleeve (left) next to a new archival plastic inner sleeve (right).
The original cardboard sleeves should be retained if desired and if they contain any information or artwork related to the recording. However, it is advisable to store these separate from the sleeved records, or at least with the record inside a protective archival inner sleeve before placing it inside the cardboard. These cardboard sleeves can sometimes foster mold growth in high humidity environments.
Ideal relative humidity for the storage environment is between 30-50% with fluctuations not exceeding +/- 5% in a 24-hour period.
Solutions
After learning all these considerations, assistant conservator Catarina Figueirinhas came up with the following solution.
The tray and its various components that was designed to hold the records in their new archival sleeves.
Individual corrugated board trays were constructed for each disc. Corrugated board was chosen because it is lightweight, inexpensive, and relatively strong. They were cut slightly oversized to provide room for protective bumpers to the left and right of where the sleeves will be attached.
Each disc was placed inside its own archival inner sleeve. These are the sleeves that Mofi refers to as “Original Master Sleeves”. Each disc inside its inner sleeve was then placed inside the archival outer sleeves, which Mofi refers to as “Archival Record Sleeves”. In cases where a cardboard sleeve was present, they would also be placed inside these plastic outer sleeves. The disc’s inner sleeve should protect it from coming into contact with the non-archival cardboard, and the plastic outer sleeve will also help protect the cardboard from damage.
A final pocket was constructed of Tyvek to store each disc inside its sleeves, which was then adhered to the corrugated board trays using PVA.
To prevent any potential abrasion to the discs while sliding them in and out of their final enclosure, several small, corrugated board bumpers were added to the left and right of each attached Tyvek pocket that were thicker than the pocket and all its contents.
A single corrugated board banker’s style box was constructed to house each disc/tray in the series.
To help with removal, Tyvek tape pull tabs were added to each individual tray.
After adding all the trays and their discs to the banker’s box, it was discovered that the box was quite top-heavy and prone to tipping over. To combat this, I added a strip of Dibond (a composite material consisting of a polyethylene core sandwiched between two pieces of aluminum sheeting) to both the bottom of the inside of the box and to the underside of it as well. This provided extra weight to the bottom and added some nice stability. For future enclosures of this nature, I will make the box thicker, adding fill if necessary. This make it more stable without the need to weight the bottom of the box.
The banker’s box style enclosure with its lid removed to reveal the contents.
The banker’s style box with its trays removed revealing a piece of Dibond lining the bottom. An additional piece of Dibond has been added to the underside of the box for added stability.
Final Thoughts
Although this storage solution will almost certainly continue to evolve as I make more of them, I was very happy with how the first batch turned out. Part of the fun of creating new storage solutions is figuring out what works and what doesn’t and adjusting accordingly.
On a side note, I realize that some readers of this post may be concerned for their record collections as they do not have a conservation lab at their disposal to construct an enclosure like this. To that I would say that any of the storage considerations mentioned that are achievable, such as storing discs upright and in new archival sleeves will go a long way in ensuring the longevity of your collections.
A huge thank you is deserved to both conservator Ashleigh Ferguson-Schieszer and assistant conservator Catarina Figueirinhas, who helped me brainstorm on this project.
When a group of four folded parchment deeds arrived at the Preservation Lab, I was immediately excited about the project. It is not often that we work with parchment, particularly on “flat” items such as parchment deeds. I use “flat” in quotation marks because these were anything but flat once unfolded.
Before treatment photography – four folded parchment documents.
At first glance, they looked deceptively simple: compact, neatly folded, and quite small. Once opened, however, they revealed large, creased, and cockled sheets of animal skin, some with fragile wax seals and one composed of multiple leaves stitched together along the bottom edge. (Prior to treatment, each document was photographed as they were received in the Lab):
These 18th-century documents, part of the Archives and Rare Books Library, include three indentures consisting of single parchment leaves, and one composed of three parchment leaves secured with wax seals and parchment stays along the lower edge. They record land leases and property transactions.
The documents were brought to the lab for stabilization and improved access for teaching and research. In their folded state, they were difficult to handle, especially the multi-leaf example, which could not be fully examined as stored. Centuries of folded storage had clearly left their mark.
Parchment document with three parchment leaves.Parchment document with no wax seals.
So how do we safely unfold and stabilize these items for handling, teaching, and research?
Parchment is highly responsive to humidity. It expands, contracts, cockles, and stiffens depending on environmental conditions. Long-term folded storage had left deep set creases, and exposed areas showed noticeable darkening. These distortions became even more apparent under raking light photography.
Treatment Approach
Flattening parchment is never as simple as adding moisture and pressing. Too much humidity risks gelatinization, while too little leaves folds unchanged. Wax seals add another layer of complexity since they are brittle, protruding, and highly sensitive to pressure. To begin conservation treatment, each document was first surface cleaned using a hydrophilic sponge to remove surface grime. Ink testing followed to ensure stability before any humidification. All inks tested were stable, and no iron gall ink was detected. With testing complete, humidification could begin.
Drying on the suction table.
The single-leaf documents were humidified in short cycles within a cold humidity chamber. After each cycle, they were dried gradually under felts, with pressure slowly increased and carefully kept away from seal areas. Drying methods were adapted depending on structure and condition. One single-leaf document without seals was dried under tension on the suction table, while the others were dried under felts and weights, again avoiding direct pressure on wax seals.
The Multi-Leaf Document
The multi-leaf deed required a more complex and iterative approach. It consists of three parchment leaves attached together, each responding differently to moisture. Initial humidification was carried out using an ultrasonic dome with a Gore-Tex barrier supporting the lower leaf. The upper leaf responded well, but the middle leaf remained resistant. To improve moisture distribution, unbuffered interleaving paper was placed between the leaves. Even so, the middle sheet required additional targeted treatment.
The most effective approach combined localized humidification with staged flattening. Each leaf was treated individually while the others were protected with polyester film and weighted mat board to prevent unwanted moisture transfer or movement. Stubborn folds were gently humidified using a localized ultrasonic humidifier and immediately set under pressing stacks of blotter and Hollytex, followed by gradual weighting. This allowed controlled relaxation of specific areas without over-treating the entire object.
During treatment – localized humidification for the multi-leaf document.
The process was highly collaborative, often requiring two or three people working at once. One person applied moisture and guided the parchment while another adjusted weights and pressing materials in real time. Throughout treatment, wax seals were carefully protected using mat board barriers and spacing systems to ensure they remained free from pressure. Once fully relaxed, the document was dried under felts with weights in place, while polyester sheeting remained between the leaves to prevent adhesion or distortion.
Wax seals
Three of the four documents retain wax seals along their lower edges. These seals were structurally fragile and were consolidated using fish gelatin applied with a fine brush. During treatment and flattening, they were carefully isolated so that no direct pressure was applied.
During treatment – multi-leaf document after humidification and flattening.
Housing for Support and Access
Following treatment, each document was rehoused in a custom sink mat system. Before constructing the full-sized enclosures, I made a small working model using a scrap piece of parchment to ensure that what I had in mind would actually function for these large documents in practice.
Small scaled model of the enclosure for each parchment document with the different components, including sink mat and polyester film sling.Small scaled model created for the parchment documents.
The documents rest on polyester slings secured within sink mats and are held in place with cloth ties. The interior lids are lined with Ethafoam, providing gentle compression and helping to minimize movement caused by environmental fluctuations. The multi-leaf document required additional structural support through reinforced mat board construction. The three smaller documents were housed together in a corrugated clamshell enclosure. This housing balances long-term preservation with accessibility, allowing the documents to be safely handled for teaching and research.
Each document housed in a custom matting system.
Final results
Raking light photography after treatment shows a clear reduction in creasing, along with a noticeable shift in how the documents behave physically. The parchment still carries evidence of its long folded history, as these materials tend to do, but it is no longer locked into those distortions. While not perfectly flat, the material is now stable, supported, and significantly less stressed along its former fold lines. Under raking light, what once appeared as sharp ridges and tension lines now reads as a softer, more coherent surface. It feels as though the parchment has settled back into itself after a long period of compression.
Before treatmentAfter treatmentBefore treatmentAfter treatment
Perhaps the most satisfying change, though, is in handling. What began as awkward, resistant objects that required constant caution are now stable enough to be lifted, viewed, and studied with far more confidence. They remain delicate, but they are no longer unpredictable in the same way. There is a clear sense that they can finally move between storage, teaching, and research without the same level of hesitation at every step.
Before treatmentAfter treatmentAfter Treatment – parchment document housed in a matting system with a polyester sling.
I picked this tattered Bible up off the shelf where it had been waiting for an enclosure thinking it would be a quick and easy project. All it seemed to need was a corrugated clamshell and a pocket for some ephemera – easy enough. What I wasn’t expecting was for the ephemera inside of this book to be human hair. Multiple locks of it.
A card that accompanied the bible from Kenton County Public Library said that the family listed in this Bible (last name of Gegner) seemed to be more Cincinnati-based than Northern Kentucky-based, and it ‘contained lots of interesting items within.’ And ‘interesting items’ was an understatement!
Along with the Bible was a folded handkerchief, which, when unfolded, contained a small lock of hair tied with a blue ribbon.
I thought this was the interesting items mentioned but decided to untie the Bible and peek through it as well. Imagine my surprise when I came across another lock of hair tucked within the pages! But it didn’t stop at one – I ended up uncovering three locks of hair, three pressed flowers, and one icon of Jesus and the Sacred Heart that seemed to be hand embroidered.
After talking to some people about the Bible at our annual open house, it came to my attention that this Bible is probably a family Bible, used to keep family records. I also was made aware that typically in family Bibles, deaths, births and marriages are recorded on the pages between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Lo and behold, when I opened this Bible to the New Testament, sure enough there were birth and death dates!
As mentioned above, this Bible wasn’t in for any major treatment – it received a corrugated clamshell with some fill to make it 5” x 7” so it doesn’t get lost on the shelves, and a pocket was made and attached to corrugated board to keep the handkerchief and the card from Kenton County Public Library. Additionally, the newly discovered items inside the Bible were also placed in polyester sleeves, in order to protect the pages, and then laid back in where they were found. These efforts will help to keep the Bible stabilized on the shelf, so it will be useable for longer.
While this Bible isn’t connected to any famous names, it’s still amazing to know that we are helping preserve local history. Hopefully, we can help future generations get a glimpse into their past relatives’ lives by preserving something like this Bible.
I was fortunate enough to attend Paper and Book Intensive (PBI) for the first time this year as part of my annual staff development. If you are not familiar with PBI, it is a non-profit group that hosts an annual sabbatical-style work retreat that focuses on book arts, papermaking, and conservation. It takes place in Saugatuck, Michigan at the OxBow School of Art and is structured into two sessions, and each session lasts four days. Each attendee takes two classes during the first session and one class during the second session. The first session is broken up into a morning class and an afternoon class, while the second session classes are full day and more intensive.
When you apply to PBI you rate your preferences of classes. If you are accepted, you are then placed in classes based on availability and demand. Again, I was incredibly lucky and I was placed in all of my top choices for classes. For session one: American and English Boarded Bindings, 1780-1830 with Todd Pattison (AM session) and Marbling on Paper with Steve Pittelkow (PM session). For the second session: Madagos: The Living Tradition of Ethiopian Bookbinding with Bill Hanscom.
Boarded Bindings with Todd Pattison
Todd brought a host of historical examples for us to examine, including volumes printed in Britian and America, which was fantastic.
Extra boarded bindingExtra boarded bindingExtra boarded binding – glazed paper
During the class we created two models: one cutaway and one paper-covered model. Both models were sewn on two recessed cords with an abbreviated, two-on sewing pattern. Once the text blocks were sewn, a layer of wheat starch paste was applied to the spine. Then the spines were rounded and backed. For the cutaway model, one board was attached by lacing the cords through the board, which is more commonly seen on the British boarded bindings, while the other board was attached by simply combing out the cords and adhered it down to the board, which is more commonly seen with American boarded bindings. For the paper-covered model we could attach the boards however we liked (I chose lacing them on). Todd was then kind enough to prepare additional materials for us, so that we could make an extra third models if we wanted. I chose to cut my third model (landscape oriented originally) into two small models. I then made a smaller cutaway model and small quarter binding model with marbled paper (an “extra” boarded binding) using marbled paper I had just created in my afternoon class.
Todd adding wheat starch paste to the ends of the cords in preparation for lacing
Though I have been paper marbling for years, I was super excited to take this class from Steve, because he is such an amazingly precise pattern-maker and his colors are so bright and vibrant. Little did I know before the class, we would be using acrylics, which is the one type of marbling media I really haven’t worked with too much, and definitely haven’t come close to mastering. My foundational experience with marbling has been in traditional Turkish marbling with watercolor pigments, and then I’ve also experimented with the dye-based pigments that are used in fabric marbling. But using acrylics was a whole new exciting world for me and I learned so much from the class. I also greatly improved my pattern making. I’ve always been someone who is very fond of a stone or a drawn stone pattern (a stone pattern that is manipulated with a stylus), but when it came to using combs and/or rakes to make intricate patterns I would shy away or be lazy in my pattern making practices. Steve’s focus on marbling best practices and following a rhythm in your movements as you are pulling more intricate patterns, working around the bath in a methodical, precise way, was so helpful and something I will carry with me going forward.
A Selection of My Papers
Cockatoo or octopus patternOctopus with Moire Spanish wave Drawn stone patternNonpareil with Moire Spanish waveReverse of the Moire Spanish wave under raking light to show how the paper was folded prior to pulling the sheetChrysanthemum patternBouquet patternSnail patternDrawn stone patternSpanish wavePalm or flame patternOver-marbled patternGet-gel or gel-git with Spanish waveGap tooth patternNonpareil pattern
Ethiopian Bookbinding with Bill Hanscom
Following a wonderful Show & Tell where we got to see all of the amazing projects from all the classes during session one, we had a short break and then proceeded into session two, which for me meant Ethiopian Bookbinding. I was super excited about this class, partly because of the recent release of Bill Hanscom’s (the instructor) new book Ethiopian Bookbinding Tradition, and partly because I was sitting across from Bill throughout the Boarded Bindings class and they announced that they had over-prepared and brought a ton of extra models. Basically, the participants would have PLENTY to work on, and then some! I couldn’t wait. For book nerds, this was basically a declaration that we would be kids in a candy shop, and they weren’t joking. Here is proof that Bill was indeed not lying about their preparation, which was quite extensive and so well-organized:
Some of Bill’s preparation for the Ethiopian Bookbinding class…so organized!
Bill also had two exemplars of Ethiopian binding, both of which showed traits we would be replicating throughout the class; a smaller volume (pictured in the first gallery below, belonging to Todd Pattison) and a larger binding (pictured in the second gallery below, belonging to Bill).
The class was a true immersive experience in Ethiopian bookbinding, with Bill really aiming to give us a taste of as many aspects of the tradition as they possibly could. From thread making out of deer sinew and parchment to hand-drilling our tunnels in our wooden boards with a heated awl, though for practicality sake and the sake of our poor awls, we just did that as a practice on a sample board and we used a pin-vise and a gimlet to drill and bore the holes for the rest of our models. Bill even constructed their own parchment adze, an Ethiopian took used to remove the hair from the skin of the hide, from a branch found at OxBow (see below).
Deer sinew in various processing stages.GimletParchment adzeThe parchment adze Bill created while at PBI.
Bill demoing how to attach the textile board lining and leather patch attachment before covering with leather.
Throughout the workshop we made two primary wooden board models with paired station sewing (four sewing stations, using 4 needs and two lengths of thread) and the “typical lacing hole arrangement” which is the most commonly seen example of board attachment (and what is used on the two exemplars). Of the two primary models we were creating, one was to be covered in leather. Prior to covering we added textile board linings and leather patches. Once covered, we created leather endbands that were then attached to the inner joints and anchored along the head and tail. The model was then blind tooled. Naturally, Bill had a plethora of historical examples of tooling designs for the class to look at for inspiration.
In addition, we could also make a textile over-cover, which I opted to do for my second model, since the over-cover is sewn around the book and meant to stay on. And then on the final day we made leather satchels. I was one of the few who opted for the more strenuous double-walled satchel (for my second model), which meant punching through three layers of thick leather in multiples sections of the satchel, but I’m very happy with how the satchel turned out. It even has a pull string to allow you to remove the book more easily, as it is meant to be a snug fit (which mine is!).
Bill also prepared additional boards and text blocks for class participants, if they were interested, encouraging us to try three station sewing at our leisure. For those who were interested, we dyed some cotton thread red in order for us to better see the various three station sewing patterns. Of those, I tried the hook variation and the pick-up variation. I also split the board of one of these models so that I could repair it it with a common thread repair.
Finished Models
Bill and Brien Beidler made all of the custom finishing tools based off of Ethiopian patternsBoard edge tooling and headbandTextile board lining and tooled turn-ins and leather patch, as well as endband tie-downsOne piece, double-walled leather satchel.Leather pull string aids in lifting the book out of the satchelTextile over-coverThread loop secured the overcover in place around the headcap of the bookOver-cover is sewn around the boardsLeft: Pick-up variation of three station sewing, Right: Hook variation of three station sewing with broken board repaired with thread. Front board was split in order to be repairedCommon sawtooth board repair pattern
Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I walked away with so much knowledge and appreciation for the traditions, materials I worked with, and the new people I met.
If you haven’t checked out the two reels recapping my experience at PBI on the Preservation Lab Instagram, I highly recommend taking a couple minutes to watch them:
A huge thank you to my supervisor, Holly Prochaska, for her continuous support in my professional development and to my Associate Dean, Brian Gray, and UC Libraries for the financial support for this impactful experience. And also thank you to the Ohio Preservation Council for the development grant which help to subsidize some of the funding as well.
When a copy of Frankenstein: the Man and the Monster came into the lab from CHPL, Catarina asked me to make an enclosure for it – easy enough. What I didn’t imagine was how tricky a book this little can be. This book measured around 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide and maybe a quarter of an inch thick – small, thin, and not very heavy at all.
The problem wasn’t the box, but the integrated cradle, which is essentially a few pieces of corrugated board adhered together to create a rest so the book can open with less stress on the spine. With a book as small and lightweight as this one, the pages and cover weren’t heavy enough to weigh down the arms of the cradle, therefore I needed to figure out a way to keep the arms of the cradle down so the book could open fully.
To achieve this, I used linen tapes to hold the two halves of the arms together so they stayed firmly down without needing the book to weigh them. The tape on the outer part of the arm is tied into a bow with another piece of tape that is attached to the base of the cradle.
Furthermore, to keep the cradle from opening too far, I used more linen tapes on the interior of the arms to hold the arms at the exact width I wanted them from the spine of the book. This helped the cradle keep it’s shape, and created tension for the ties.
Please join the Preservation Lab (300 Langsam Library) for our annual open house on Thursday, April 30th, in celebration of ALA’s Preservation Week. There will be cookies, bookmarks and stickers!
Also, this year we will have two exam week activies at the entrance of Langsam Library, by the Desk@Langsam. Learn about housing complex materials and relax with a hands-on activity:
Tuesday, April 21, 10-11:30am
Thursday, April 23, 2-3:30pm
All events are open to the public! Parking is available for a fee in Woodside garage.
This past December, the Lab hosted a small 3D Imaging workshop for a group of digital imaging colleagues. The workshop was led by UC School of Art professors, Jordan Tate and John-David Richardson. Colleagues from Ohio University Libraries, the Ohio State University Libraries, Library of Michigan, Veterans Affairs History Office in Dayton and UC Libraries were able to join us for this amazing opportunity to learn practical, high-resolution 3D imaging techniques using a simple setup.
Jordan demonstrating to the group how to set up a low-angle shot.
Prior to the workshop, I had worked with UC Libraries special collections curators to attain a selection of various objects for imaging ranging from cuneiform tablets to plaster busts. For the workshop, we began with a painted wooden Nigerian statue from the Winkler Center. We walked through the imaging process first, using a fairly standard DSLR manual setup and a ring flash with a polarized filter. The object was placed on a motorized turn-table which allows you to determine how many rotations or shots you want per angle.
Yoruba statue, from the Winkler Center, being photographed on the motorized turntable.
Once all the images were captured, we moved onto the processing portion, using Agisoft Metashape Professional Educational edition.
The model of the Yoruba statue being processed in Agisoft Metashape software.
After lunch we ran through another imaging and processing session, to reinforce what we had learned in the morning. Overall the day was incredibly successful and I am beyond grateful to Jordan and John-David for sharing their time, knowledge and passion for 3D imaging with the group. They truly made the imaging capture and processing experience fun and attainable!
Following the workshop, fellow Assistant Conservator, Catarina, and I were able to get some 3D imaging practice in; using what we had learned in the workshop and putting it into action. This was made possible by two very important factors: first, Jordan had graciously loaned us his equipment to use before the ’26 Spring semester began, including his polarized flash ring, and second, we had a couple of slower days, following our special collections returns and prior to winter break, which afforded both Catarina and I this time to learn and hone this new technique.
The combat medic statue from the Winkler Center being photographed.
In the end, Catarina and I ended up imaging three additional objects, including a Gothic manuscript from the Archives and Rare Books Library, a plaster bust of Antoine Lavoisier from the Oesper Collection, and a combat medic statue from the Winker Center.
Again, thanks to Jordan’s immense generosity, he has hosted the 3D models of the objects we captured on his site, so that they can be shared more broadly with a wider audience. If you can click on the links below (whether with computer, phone or tablet) you can view and manipulate the 3D models of each object, as well as read more about the object:
Again, a huge thank you to Jordan and John-David for their eagerness to share their knowledge during the workshop, and to Jordan for his ongoing generosity and collegiality. And, as always, thank you to our curators for supplying us with an array of objects for the workshop, and to our department head, Holly Prochaska, for her perennial support and advocacy.
Catarina attempting to hug the Lavoisier bust model. This model is being projected from an iPhone, allowing it to be “placed” on the table.
For the past few years, I have been working on the conservation treatment of the Lawrence Notebooks, a remarkable collection of 99 handwritten volumes created by William J. Lawrence that document his extensive research on the Irish stage from 1630 to 1911. Over many years, Lawrence filled these small, lined notebooks with careful handwriting, news clippings, photographs of actors, typed play transcriptions, and detailed notes on theaters, performances, ticket prices, and even personal anecdotes. Together, the notebooks offer a rich and vivid window into the history of Irish theater and the cultural life of Dublin from the seventeenth through the early twentieth centuries.
In 2021, we had already completed 37 of the 99 volumes, and we still have 62 volumes in the Lab.
This project was a collaborative effort and was completed gradually over several years, with individual volumes treated alongside other conservation projects rather than all at once. Our former colleague Chris Voynovich created custom cloth-covered clamshell enclosures for all 99 volumes, while I was responsible for the evaluation and conservation treatment of the notebooks themselves.
Although the Lawrence Notebooks shared a broadly similar format, closer examination revealed subtle but meaningful variations in both their covers and text blocks. Most volumes were small, square notebooks with thin boards covered in cloth or paper covers, in a range of muted colors including red, orange, green, blue, and black. The text blocks were generally composed of one or several gatherings sewn through the fold, with the primary support most often being lined paper.
Variations in cover materials and colors across the Lawrence Notebooks.
Once all the volumes were received in the lab, each notebook was evaluated for its condition and assigned to one of three categories: good (no treatment required), fair (requiring stabilization), or poor (requiring more extensive treatment). The notebooks showed clear signs of long-term handling and use. Many volumes had weakened or detached covers, some of which had been previously repaired with pressure-sensitive tape. Other common condition issues included broken sewing, tears along the spine folds of the text block pages, and brittle newspaper clippings that had also been repaired with pressure-sensitive tape.
Condition evaluation of the Lawrence Notebooks prior to treatment.
When determining the most appropriate conservation treatment for each volume, it was also important to consider their future digitization. Treatments were selected to stabilize the notebooks while ensuring they could be safely opened, handled, and imaged without placing additional stress on the original materials.
Most of my conservation treatment ended up being hours spent removing pressure-sensitive tape, many more hours toning Japanese paper with acrylics for the repair and stabilization of paper covers, along with surface cleaning and a lot of time dedicated to tear repair.
Toning Japanese paper with acrylics.Toning Japanese paper with acrylics.Toned Japanese paper for repair and stabilization next to the respective notebooks.
Completing the conservation treatment of all 99 Lawrence Notebooks marked the end of a project that unfolded slowly over several years. Because the work was done alongside many other conservation projects, progress often happened one volume at a time, making the moment when the final notebook was finished feel especially satisfying.
With treatment complete and each volume now housed in a custom clamshell enclosure, the Lawrence Notebooks are stabilized and better supported for future handling, digitization, and research. While the notebooks still show the signs of long use that make them such compelling working documents, they are now structurally sound and prepared for the next phase of their life in the collection.
Projects like this reveal how conservation work happens slowly and methodically, often behind the scenes. Completing treatment on all 99 notebooks and seeing them reunited as a stabilized collection reinforces the importance of long-term care in preserving these records of Irish theatrical history for future research and access.
The Lawrence Notebooks shelves in the Archives and Rare Books Library stacks.
How often do we pay attention to the framed portraits of important people and historical figures that hang on the walls of our institutions? Perhaps we glance their way every now and again, perhaps we even contemplate these forgotten ghosts briefly; but how often does a piece with its own provenance, characters, and stories simply become part of the everyday background, and how do we approach preserving these items, so they are not lost to history?
Frame By Frame
Recently I was assigned a framed portrait of German chemist and historian Hermann Kopp from the Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati Libraries. It arrived with a similarly framed portrait of German physicist/mathematician Gustav Kirchhoff, both of which were gifted to early UC chemistry department chair Thomas Norton in 1875 upon completion of his PhD at the University of Heidelberg. They would later become part of the Oesper Collections, and have been, for some time now, hanging on the wall of the library section since the collection was moved there in 1998, according to librarian Mark Chalmers.
The framed portrait of chemist and historian Hermann Kopp, before treatmentThe framed portrait of physicist and mathematician Gustav Kirchhoff, before treatment
The Preservation Lab has received quite a few framed items from this collection as of late and the treatment/housing requested by the selectors has become a common one that we practice. It involves scanning the original and printing a high-quality surrogate image of the photograph or print which can then replace it inside the original frame. The original photograph/print can then be moved to a more archival storage option where it will be less susceptible to damage and degradation. A framed portrait of Marie Curie’s daughter, Irene Joliot-Curie with an inscription from Ralph Oesper received this treatment and storage solution.
The Kopp portrait however, proved to require more creativity than prior framed items, and gave me an opportunity to try out a more unique storage solution.
Kopp’s Portrait
The portrait was framed under several layers. From the bottom up, they included: a beige backing mat which the (likely) albumen print photo of Kopp was attached to, a thin piece of paper featuring an oval-shaped window with a golden border, and a thick brown textured paper, also with an oval-shaped window. These had been secured into a brown varnished wooden frame with painted gold inlays and a solid wood backing board held in place with rusty nails and metal brackets.
Kopp’s portrait seen inside its original frame before treatmentThe verso of the original frame before treatment
Unfortunately, just about everything outside of the photograph itself is in poor condition. The entire matting system is extremely acidic and brittle with pieces of the brown paper window flaking off around the edges. There is also evidence that it has suffered water damage in the past.
The portrait’s matting system is extremely acidic and brittle; areas where bits have flaked off can be seen. Evidence of water damage can also be seen in the lower right corner.
The Original Frame
Although the wooden frame the portrait was housed in for years is original and part of the object’s history, it is far from archival. With its varnished finish, rough wooden edges, and surface grime, it was likely doing more harm than good as far as the long-term preservation of Kopp’s portrait; it could not remain in this frame. The frame is, however, every bit as storied as the actual photograph.
Conditions such as those presented by this frame are a good example of why we often replace original items inside frames with surrogate images. This way, any potential damage or degradation caused by poor storage conditions will happen to a reproduction image opposed to the actual object.
The Surrogates
For this treatment, it was determined that two surrogates would be printed to be displayed in the Oesper Collection: one to take the place of Kopp’s original portrait inside the frame which could then be re-hung on the wall of the library, and the other to be added to a display in the museum section.
One of the surrogates of Kopp’s portrait on display in the museum section of the Oesper Collections alongside Kopp’s four-volume series Geschichte der Chemi (1843-1847), courtesy of Mark Chalmers.The other surrogate back in its original frame re-hung on the wall of the Oesper Collections library, Courtesy of Mark Chalmers.
Jessica Ebert, Assistant Conservator at the Preservation Lab, and our go-to personnel for digital imaging, gently digitally retouched the image of Kopp, after consultation with the curator.
The scanned image before digital retouching.The scanned image after digital retouching; notice the absence of the spot to the right of his head.
Storage Considerations
As with earlier framed items we have received from The Oesper Collections, it was decided a matting system was appropriate for safe storage of the unframed portrait and its included parts. However, the brittleness of the items and some uncertainty about how the photograph would react to environmental factors presented some unique challenges.
Although the mounting technique of placing them inside a polyester L-sleeve and mounting this with photo corners/strips would be easy and fast, there was some concern that humidity could enter the sleeve and cause damage to the photograph’s emulsion layer. Also, items mounted this way often need to flex and bend to a degree that these fragile materials likely could not afford.
The Paper Cradle with Z-folds
After considering these factors, Assistant Conservator Jessica Ebert suggested a paper cradle with z-folds. This mounting technique utilizes archival paper that is partially cut diagonally at each corner. Each edge of the paper is then folded over itself twice in opposite directions, creating a pocket for the edges of an object to rest gently inside.
A small model of a paper cradle after the cuts and folds have been made.
Profile view of the pocket created when making the above folds; image from 2010 Art Conservator Tech Notes by Jennifer McGlinchy.
Once the cuts and folds have been made and the object is safely inside the cradle, the paper tabs extending off the corners of the cradle can then be mounted to a back mat using archival tape.
Once cuts and folds are made, the cradle features two tabs at each corner; these are used to mount the cradle using archival tape.
The Package
We wanted to store both the photograph and its original brown paper window mat together inside of the paper cradle, but the acidity of the brown paper was still a concern. We determined that several protective layers should be included to prevent any acid migration from the brown paper to the photograph. All the layers inside of the paper cradle, affectionately referred to as “the package”, are as follows, starting from the bottom up:
A piece of mat board to provide rigidity to the package.
This will prevent any potential bending of the extremely brittle materials which could easily lead to damage. It was cut to be slightly larger than the rest of the package, allowing for small micro movements of the brown paper window mat, hopefully preventing its brittle edges from becoming damaged inside the creases of the cradle.
The photograph itself.
The photograph and its original back mat were mounted to the unbuffered mat board piece described in the previous layer using edge strips.
A piece of unbuffered interleaving paper with an oval-shaped window, allowing the portrait to still be viewed.
This layer was added because the polyester sheeting mentioned in the next layer has a sharp edge around its window. The interleaving paper protects the emulsion layer of the photograph from scratches and other abrasions.
A piece of polyester sheeting, also with an oval-shaped window, allowing the portrait to still be viewed.
This layer adds a bit of rigidity to the original brown paper window mat. This will further help prevent the acidic brown paper from bending and breaking.
The original brown paper window mat
The individual layers of the “package” to be stored inside the paper cradle.
The Sink Mat
Now that the portrait/package was safely inside its paper cradle, I could begin working on the matting system. As is typically the case with any item with a significant amount of thickness, I planned on building a sink mat. However, when constructing this sink mat, I had to allocate space around the perimeter of the object when attaching the mat board spacers so that the paper cradle’s tabs had space to be taped down; this contrasts with a typical sink mat in which the spacers are typically placed around the entire perimeter.
Although the perimeter is still built up around the object with mat board (indicated with the red arrows), space had to be allocated to allow the tabs of the paper cradle to be attached using archival tape (indicated with the blue arrows).
Cutting Ovals
For the new window of the matting system, Assistant Conservator Catarina Figueirinhas suggested that cutting the window in the shape of an oval would be appropriate as the original brown paper window mat had an oval window, and the photograph itself was oval-shaped. After a bit of research, we discovered a moderately-priced (around $65 on Amazon) adjustable mat board cutter that could cut ovals at a beveled angle: The Model 201 Oval & Circle Mat Cutter from Logan.
The Logan Model 201 in action; one hand holds the base steady while the other guides the arm with an attached blade around the center point.
After watching a very helpful YouTube video I felt ready to give the Logan Cutter a try. I found it easy to use after a little practice and was satisfied with the results.
The Completed Matting System
Once the sink mat spacers were added, the paper cradle was taped down, and the oval window mat was attached, the matting system was complete.
Kopp’s portrait inside its matting system with an oval window.The inside of the matting system; Kopp’s portrait can be seen inside its mounted paper cradle.
As Kopp’s actual portrait inside its new matting system is not going to be displayed any time soon, I also constructed a tuxedo box for long-term storage. This will help further protect it, especially from any light damage.
Final Thoughts
The display surrogates, however, can currently be viewed and contemplated by anyone who tours the Oesper Collection. Sometimes I like to think about how the work that we do at the Preservation Lab is becoming part of the items we treat’s history. Just as this portrait has crossed an ocean, passed through the hands of Thomas Norton, Ralph Oesper and multiple UC Chemistry department heads, hung on that cold wall of the chemistry library in 521 Rieveschl Hall for countless aspiring chemists to contemplate, and finally ended up under the stewardship of current UC librarian Mark Chalmers, it was briefly in my possession. As stewards of cultural heritage, we can only hope that the time these objects spend in our care can extend these histories indefinitely.
Historical References Provided by Mark Chalmers:
Cincinnati Chemists: Assorted Papers on the History of the Cincinnati Chemical Community by William B. Jensen
Robert Bunsen’s Sweet Tooth: Bunseniana in the Oesper Collections by William B. Jensen
Image and Other Supplemental References:
2010 Art Conservator Tech Notes by Jennifer McGlinchy
