Conservation Treatmentof the

Conne RiverMi’kmaq Prayer Book

David HaningtonBook & Paper ConservatorWorks on Paper Laboratory

CCI‘s mission is to support the heritage community in preserving Canada's heritage collections for access by current and future generations. This

mission is accomplished through conservation research and development, expert services and knowledge dissemination.

L'ICC a pour mission d'appuyer la communauté du patrimoine culturel

dans ses activités de préservation des collections patrimoniales du Canada afin d'en assurer l'accès aux générations présentes et futures.

Cette mission s'accomplit par le biais de la recherche et du développement en conservation ainsi que par l'offre de services d'expertise et de la

diffusion des connaissances.http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/

Conne River

Mi’kmaq Prayer Book

Conne River

Newfoundland

The manuscript is an early Newfoundland Mi’kmaq prayer book containing hymns, prayers and other religious texts in use in divine worship according to Roman Catholic observance.

Examination

Front cover Text block

No man or woman living at conne knows how old this book is

Pencil inscription on the front coverAdded in 1959

Text Block

Text block is sewnonto fourvellum thongs

Text Block

Water stains

Tears

Drawings & Annotations

Decorative Designs

Watermark Design

Crown & Shield

1807

Handmade Paper

Observations under

transmitted light.

Computer enhancement on

the right.

Text Block

Papermaker’s Name

J. JELLYMAN

1807

located in

Salisbury,

Dowton, Wiltshire

England

Detached Pages

Helen SylliboyMi’kmaq Educator

who worked in the

Language Development

with the

Eskasoni School Board

Cape Breton Nova Scotia

assisted with determining the

correct order of the pages

MI’KMAQ HIEROGLYPHIC PRAYERS

“who created heaven and earth”

A = and

Hieroglyphic Text

Examining the Detached Leaves

The Significance of the Prayerbook

• Helen Silliboy felt a very powerful spiritual element of the book

• She suggested it might be more appropriate, and more respectful of the object, to leave it untouched

To Treat or NOT to Treat• As a result of her

comments, treatment options were reconsidered, and a ‘no treatment’ option was included in the proposal.

• It was clear that a meeting with the owners should be arranged in Newfoundland to discuss the options

Martin HowleyHumanities Librarian

QE II LibraryMemorial University of Newfoundland

Meeting in Saint John’s Newfoundland

Gerald PenneySignal Hill, St. John’s

Conne River Mi’kmaq Band

Conne River

Newfoundland

St. John’s

Conne RiverBay D’Espoir

Newfoundland

Government Building

Meeting with the Band Council Members

Meeting with the Band Council Members

• The condition of the Mi’kmaq prayer book and the difficulties associated with the treatment were presented, along with the advantages and disadvantages for treating or not treating it.

• After a lengthy discussion, it was the decision of the Band Council Members that the prayer book should be fully treated.

Photography

1

5

Analysis of Ink Samples

The inks were analyzed by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

Analytical Research Laboratory

Analysis of Leather Cover

Leica Polarized Light Microscope

Caribou

Calf

DeerSheepCover

Original Leather Cover Sheepskin Sample

Paper Treatments• Dismantling• Dusting• Surface Cleaning• Lamination Removal• pH Readings• Washing • Leafcasting

Dismantling the Text Block

Dusting the Pages

Surface Cleaning

Lamination & Tape Removal

Suction Table

before after

Measuring the pH

Washing

Leaf-casting

Spanish Vinyector leaf-caster

Leaf-casting• Paper fibres• Disintegrating• Beating• Freeness measurements• Drying pulp• Controls • Calculations• Casting• Pressing

Combination of paper fibres

Measuring the pulp

Hollander beater

Disintegrating the pulp

Measuring the thickness

Calculating the missing area

Pouring the measured amount of pulp into the chamber

Lifting the folio into the leaf-caster on its Reemay® support

Pressing the newly cast sheet in the hydraulic press

Newly cast folio

Microfilming

National Archives of Canada

Microfilming

Staff filming and processing film

Front cover Back cover

Binding

Sewing the Text Block

Headbands

Spineheadband 2 layers of Japanese paper

kettle stitch

sections

Alum-tawed goatskin thongs

Goatskin Parchment for the Cover

Unhairing Fleshing

Stretching – Drying & Finishing

Handmade Parchment & Vellum

Paper Pattern for the Cover

Lacing in the Thongs

Non Adhesive Binding

Yapp Edge

Endpaper

Headbands

Peg MaterialsCaribou bone

Peg attachment

Front Cover Back Cover

Protective Enclosures

Solander box Solander box open

Portfolio containing the original sewing materials

A second solander box was constructed to house the original cover and portfolio above

Completed prayer book displayed on a caribou leather support and Plexiglas® stand

Acknowledgments

Conne River Band Council Members

Sherry Guild Conservator, Works on Paper Section, CCI

Juliet Graham Volunteer Paper Conservator

Gerald Penney Archeologist & Band Negotiator

Martin Howley Humanities Librarian, Memorial University

Helen Sylliboy Mi’kmaq Educator

Acknowledgments

Robert Barclay Conservator, Objects laboratory CCI

Carl Bigras Photographer, Analytical Research Laboratory, CCI

Elizabeth Moffatt Scientist, Analytical Research Laboratory, CCI

Marie-Claude Corbeil Scientist, Analytical Research Laboratory, CCI

Gregory Young Scientist, Conservation Materials Processes Research, CCI

Season Tse Scientist, Conservation Materials Processes Research, CCI

Micheline Sarrazin Microfilm Technician, National Archives of Canada

Michèle Beachamp Microfilm Technician, National Archives of Canada

Francine D’Amour Microfilm Technician, National Archives of Canada

Rick Cavisin Vellum & Parchment Manufacturer