Wallpaper Fragment (1850-1900) from Lansdowne Plantation, Natchez, MS
Treated at Winterthur Museum, Spring 2015
Supervisor: Joan Irving
Treatment Summary:
Humidification
Surface cleaning
mending tears
removal of old patch
reduction of pressure sensitive tape residues
loss compensation with toned paper inserts
overall lining of fragment
additional toning with dry media
hinge application
Humidification was necessary in order to safely unroll the fragment and begin treatment. Here is the fragment in an early stage of humidification, partially unrolled, in an enclosure with damp blotter and Gortex membrane.
Detail of old patch and degraded pressure sensitive tapes on verso.
Area after paper patch was removed with some adhesive residue remaining.
Used methyl cellulose poultice used to soften adhesive and remove old patch.
Fragments of paper patch after removal.
The patch fragments were mended and encapsulated for the client's archives. The person named was matched to a 1900 U.S. census.
Verso after mending tears and reducing tape residue.
Adding toned Japanese tissue paper inserts in large areas of loss at the bottom.
Toned inserts in place. These were added using wheat starch paste with a small overlap onto the verso.
Lining paper with wheat starch paste applied. A low raking light was useful to insure the paste was applied evenly. The lining paper will further support the multiple tears in this fragment and give the client the option to hang it. The lining paper is an extra thick sekishu from Hiromi Paper.
Lining a fragment of this size is at least a two person job. Here Winterthur paper conservator and University of Delaware professor, Joan Irving, is helping transport the pasted lining paper on a Mylar support to the wallpaper fragment.
We used traditional Japanese smoothing brushes to slowly set the pasted lining paper down onto the the verso of the wallpaper fragment. The fragment was gently humidified before lining.
Smoothing and pounding brushes were worked over the surface through the Mylar in order to insure good contact.
Smoothing and pounding brushes were worked over the surface through the Mylar in order to insure good contact.
Sandwiched between Hollytex tissue, we flipped the newly lined fragment over in order to check alignment from the recto.
Paper conservation can sometimes require acrobatics. It was important to keep the fragment taught and flat. Paper is very fragile when wet.
Here Joan Irving and I are checking the alignment of tears that were mended from the verso and making careful adjustments as needed before the lining past dries.
Placing the lined fragment on a set of heavy felts and blotter paper for extended drying.
Removing the Hollytex and Mylar interleaving and support.
Placing another layer of blotter paper and felts on top of the wallpaper fragment for a drying press.
Drying under weight to maintain planarity. The blotters in the stack were changed at regular intervals in the beginning of the drying process (about 2 weeks total).
Verso after lining and trimming edges of lining paper.