Conservation in the news: the Fitzwilliam vases - … · Conservation in the news: the Fitzwilliam...

ICON NEWS • NOVEMBER 2005 • 1

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION • MAY 2006 • ISSUE 4

Conservation in the news: the Fitzwilliam vases

Also in the issue

The latest ACRs talk about getting accredited

The work-based learning scheme gets underway

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61606 ICONnewsMay06Cover 27/4/06 3:43 pm

ICON NEWS • MAY 2006 • 1

inside MAY 2006Issue 4

2NEWSNew sources of help andadvice; church matters

8PROFESSIONAL MATTERSLeadership training;grantsources and awards;an international ethnographicnetwork

12LETTERS

16INSTITUTE BRIEFINGThe HLF-funded placementscheme; conservation sciencenews

22MEET THE NEW ACRsReflecting on the accreditationexperience

27 IN THE NEWSDisaster and recovery at theFitzwilliam:the story so far

31REHOUSING INDIANPAINTINGS ON MICAImproving the storage for anunusual collection

34GROUP NEWSand Graduate Voice

38REVIEWS

46IN PRACTICE

55LISTINGS

60INTERVENTION

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Institute of Conservation3rd floorDownstream building1 London BridgeLondon SE1 9BG, UK

T +44(0)20 7785 3805F +44(0)20 77853806

[email protected]@icon.org.ukwww.icon.org.uk

Chief ExecutiveAlastair [email protected]

Conservation RegisterT +44(0)20 7785 [email protected]

ISSN 1749-8988

Icon NewsEditorLynette [email protected]

Listings editorMike [email protected]

Production designerMalcolm [email protected]

PrintersL&S Printing Company Limited01903 821005www.ls-printing.com

Design Rufus [email protected]

AdvertisingDP MediaT 0117 904 1283F 0117 904 [email protected]

Cover picture:Following the smashing ofthree porcelain vases atThe Fitzwilliam Museum, adisater plan was put intooperation. The covershows some of theplastazote lined trays ofsherds, as collected.Copyright of TheFitzwilliam Museum

Disclaimer:Whilst every effort is madeto ensure accuracy, theeditors and Icon Board ofTrustees can accept noresponsibility for thecontent expressed inIcon News; it is solely thatof individual contributors

Deadlines:for July 2006 issue

Editorial: Tuesday 29 May

Adverts: Thursday 15 June

There is a practical and down-to-earth theme runningthrough this issue; a sense of rolling-up-your-sleeves andgetting on with those unsensational but useful projectswhich need to be done but keep getting put off. Likegetting rid of that unsightly and damaging blu-tack onyour objects and sorting out the storage of those littleIndian paintings gradually deteriorating in their unsuitableboxes. And conservators being who they are, ingeniousapproaches to challenges are never far from hand – be ithome-made beanbags for bed domes or the moresophisticated versions borrowed from the world ofmedicine to support that ancient mummy.

And nothing could be more practical than getting theHeritage Lottery funded trainee scheme underway; kickingoff the management route to accreditation and, of course,actually getting down to the business of getting yourselfaccredited. So plenty to read here about the hands-onelement of our work, but all of it actually invaluableinvestment in the future, whether your own, the object’s orthe profession’s.

Finally, we couldn’t leave out the biggest conservationstory around at the moment, so here’s something to makeyou wince and think ‘there but for the grace of God’: afirst-hand account of the Fitzwilliam vases affair.

Lynette Gill, Editor

61606 IconNewsMay 27/4/06 4:14 pm Page 1

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around & aboutCollections Link A new advisory and support service for anyone who workswith collections is currently being piloted and is due to golive later in the summer. Collections Link is a partnership ofvarious national, professional organisations; it iscoordinated by MDA, the National Preservation Office andIcon itself, with funding from Renaissance in the Regions.Peter Winsor, currently with the Museums, Libraries andArchives Council (MLA), has been appointed ProjectDirector and takes up his new post at the beginning ofJune. Peter is an Icon member and served on Icon’s InterimBoard.

The aim of Collections Link is to provide a single, directpoint of access to standards, guidelines, direct advice andtraining resources across the areas of professional practicerepresented by the partner organisations. The service willcover both Collections Management issues, such asconservation, preservation, environment and emergencyplanning, along with more general management issuessuch as project management, fundraising andprocurement. It will welcome enquiries from all types oforganisation including local history societies, churches,company archives, even individuals with their owncollections. At the heart of the scheme is a telephoneadvisory service, which anyone with a collections-relatedquery can access using an 0845 (local rate) telephonenumber. Alongside the telephone helpline will be a online24-hour library of free factsheets, guidelines, articles andstandards. Look out for more news of this exciting newdevelopment over the next few months.

Free access to onlinereference sources Oxford University Press has signed a breakthrough dealwith public libraries across England. The agreement wasbrokered with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Councilas part of their Reference Online initiative. 142 publiclibrary authorities in England have joined together for thefirst time to share the cost of a 2-year national licence for arange of OUP’s online resources:

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(www.oxforddnb.com)

• Oxford English Dictionary Online (www.oed.com)

• Oxford Reference Online (www.oxfordreference.com)

• Grove Music Online (www.grovemusic.com)

• Grove Art Online (www.groveart.com)

Access will be available until 31 March 2008. Members ofsubscribing libraries will be able to access the resources

from any computer at any time – not just from within thelibrary! Indeed, anyone will be able to get full, free accessto the databases at home using their library card number.

These resources can in fact already be consulted by visitorsto Icon’s Chantry Library in Oxford, but this is great newsfor conservators wanting remote access from whereverthey are.

These resources will prove useful to members seeking toquickly check facts and definitions or as introductorystarting points to other areas of conservation. The ConciseOxford Dictionary of Art Terms is one of many referenceworks available as part of Oxford Reference Online, forinstance, and Grove Art Online has some usefulbibliographies for conservation subjects such as lighting orrelative humidity.

Check with your local public library for details.Catherine Scutt, Chantry Library

Library and archivespreservation Knowing the need: a report on the emerging picture ofpreservation need in libraries and archives in the UK is anew publication from the National Preservation Office,which presents the results of preservation assessmentscarried out in a large number of libraries and archives overthe past five years. A great deal of data has been collectedand analysed, providing a statistical basis for prioritisingpreservation activity both within institutions, andcollaboratively.

The headline findings show that:

• significant amounts of unique or nationally importantmaterial are at risk because of poor preservationpractice

• there is a lack of environmental monitoring and controlespecially in libraries

• 13% of material surveyed is actively deteriorating or willbe damaged if used

• 50% of material is stored in inadequate accommodation.

The report is being widely distributed in the hope thatindividual libraries and archives will be able to apply thegeneric findings to their own preservation planning anduse the report to raise awareness of the need to supportcollections for the benefit of current and future users. Thefindings are commended to strategic consortia, regionaland national organisations and the NPO will be workingwith representatives of key institutions and organisations todevelop strategies to meet the collection needs whichhave been identified.



The full text can be found on www.bl.uk/services/npo. Alimited number of paper copies is available and can berequested from [email protected]

Still a prize contenderDown from the long list of ten to the shortlist of four, the ss Great Britain is still in the running for the prestigiousGulbenkian prize. The winning project will be announcedon 25 May.

Inspired to save churchesOn 1 March English Heritage and the Heritage LotteryFund announced £17.5m in grants for repairs to 147 GradeI and II* listed churches and chapels across England. Since2002, £62 million has been awarded to more than 700historic places of worship through this joint scheme, whichis the largest single source of funds for repair works of thiskind.

But for every building helped, there are many more wherecongregations are struggling to meet the repair bills. Totackle this problem, English Heritage will be launching acampaign in May called Inspired! to quantify the scale ofthe problem and propose solutions, and to promote agreater recognition of the work done by volunteers tokeep these buildings alive. 41% of England’s grade 1 listedbuildings are churches and as part of Inspired!, EnglishHeritage is working on research to establish where theneed for outside support is most urgent so that practicalhelp can be directed to the many congregations who donot have the man-power or expertise to run a repairproject or even to apply for grants. It is hoped that havingaccurate figures and a clear picture of the problems willhelp to make a compelling case for greater public fundingof this area of the national heritage.

For more information on the ‘Inspired! Campaign’ visit theEnglish Heritage website www.english-heritage.org.uk/inspired

Paradise lost? Still on the subject of churches, to redress the neglect ofthe history of Catholic churches in England, EnglishHeritage and the Patrimony Committee of the BishopsConference of England and Wales have joined up with twoCatholic dioceses, Lancaster and Arundel & Brighton, in aproject to help guide them in decisions concerning historicbuildings in their care. It is hoped that the project willprovide a template for all Christian dioceses to follow.

The project began in 2004 and culminated in the

production of a detailed report for each diocese. Thesereports :

• provide an objective ‘snap-shot’ of the architecture andhistory of the churches in the two dioceses;

• clarify their relative merits for better decision-makingabout their future use;

• advise on the listed status of the buildings, recognisingthat Roman Catholic churches are often under-represented in the lists or inappropriately listed;

• provide a useful tool to help take a more strategicapproach to the management of the historic buildingstock; and

• unearth new historical information that will encouragegreater public interest in the architectural heritage ofthe Roman Catholic church in England, and therebyenable those responsible for churches to make a casefor a greater level of support (for example in the form ofgrant aid).

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said:“English Heritage, through the Inspired! campaign whichwill be launched this month, is committed to encouragingand supporting all denominations to adopt a morestrategic approach to the management of their historicplaces of worship. We hope that the principles behind thisproject with the Catholic Church will be adopted by allthose entrusted with the upkeep of these preciousbuildings.”

St. Walburge, Preston

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In parallel, A Glimpse of Heaven is a new book on thearchitecture of Catholic churches is to be published byEnglish Heritage in July.

For more information see the Inspired website notedabove or contact Anya Matthews [email protected] 020 7973 3372 or Maggie Doherty, CatholicCommunications Network, [email protected] 7901 4802.

War memorial grants English Heritage, in partnership with the WolfsonFoundation, has also announced nearly £100,000 in grantsfor war memorials across the country. This year’s batch ofawards is the largest in the history of the six year schemewhich is run by the War Memorials Trust and funds repairsto memorials all over England.

War memorials are such familiar elements of theenvironment that it is easy not to ‘see’ them as they quietlydecay from neglect and vandalism. Grants from thescheme can be used to fund specialist repairs or gotowards the re-carving and repainting of lettering to makesure that the names of those commemorated remainlegible. This year over 40 memorials will benefit fromgrants to fund projects such as stonework repair,stabilisation, cleaning and specialist metal conservation.

War memorials at risk can be brought to the Trust’sattention at http://www.warmemorials.org/

New cleaning courseComparative technologies and analysis in conservationcleaning is a new course from the City and Guilds LondonArt School. The course is intended as part of a careerdevelopment programme alongside existing employmenteither as a one year part-time certificate or a two year part-time graduate diploma. It will cover practical training in avariety of cleaning methods on a wide range of materialsand object types. The course will be run in conjunctionwith Imperial College London’s Material ScienceLaboratories. Further information is available from KiffyStainer-Hutchins, Head of Conservation, 44 (0) 20 77352306 or [email protected]

A cushion for conservation Made of cotton ticking, corset boned for a bit of structure,and bulked up with 160 cubic feet of polyester beans,Historic Royal Palace conservators have created whatmight very well be the biggest-known bean bag in theprofession. The notion was to put a mahogany panelledand silk lined 18thC tester dome – part of QueenCharlotte’s royal state bed – upside-down on a big cushion– or bean bag – fully supported and easy to reach toconserve the sumptuous embroidered silk interior. Thequestion was: how bean-filled should such a bean bag be?

Tester Dome ‘beanbag’- not enough beans!

The nexttest –perfect beandispersal!



Getting the right balance of sinking (no deeper than thedome’s brim) and support (full back and sides) was crucial.To determine this, HRP conservator, Helen Slade, being ofdome-like weight and height, was gently tossed into andretrieved from the bag as it was filled with beans –fourteen bags in total! At the point Helen becamecomfortable and stayed visible, we knew we had the rightbean ratio to bag size. Soon after, the dome underwentconservation treatment on its bean bag support, safely andsuccessfully, and Helen returned to working on variousconservation projects, in an upright position.

The work on this tester from Queen Charlotte’s royal statebed is part of the palaces’ long term project to conservethe entire collection of seven royal state beds housed atHampton Court and Kensington Places and owned by theRoyal Collection.

Kate Frame, Head of Conservation and Collection Care,Historic Royal Palaces

Errata:The picture on p 2 of Icon News 3 showing HSCB BuildingConservation Fellow Joy Bunclark should have had CrownCopyright attributed to it.

VAT scheme extended Not the main budget headline, but nonetheless welcomefor all that was the news that the Listed Places of WorshipScheme, which refunds VAT paid on repairs to churcheswhich are listed buildings and memorials, is to continue to2011. Previously it was to end in 2008. The Scheme is beingextended to include fees to architects and other buildingconsultants which are at present excluded. It will alsoinclude fixtures and fittings for listed places of worship,such as bells, pews, clocks and organs.

SLAVERY 2007‘What do you think about the Transatlantic Slave Trade?Use the database of objects to look at the historicalevidence.’ 2007 is the bicentennial of the abolition of theslave trade, and the opening words of the Freedomwebsite clearly place objects in collections at the centre ofthe picture. The website has been created byUnderstanding Slavery Initiative, a partnership of UKmuseums whose collections shed a unique light on ourunderstanding of slavery (http://www.nmm.ac.uk/freedom).

The 2007 anniversary gives conservators in museums,galleries and archives an excellent opportunity tocommunicate the value of their work to black and minorityethnic communities, to engage with them more widely inconservation volunteering, and to encourage young blackpeople to think of careers in conservation. Theconservation community needs to think about how to takeadvantage of this opportunity. There is a Slavery 2007discussion thread on the Icon web discussion forum andeveryone is invited to contribute suggestions, ideas andexamples of what they are doing so we can learn fromeach other and make best use of this historic occasion.

The bed’s tester dome comfortably cradled.


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professional mattersNEW LOOK FOR CONSERVATION REGISTERWEBSITE

Several changes have been made to the ConservationRegister website, www.conservationregister.com. A newsection has been added to accommodate a greater rangeof information on the ‘care and conservation’ of differenttypes of objects and materials. The information helpsindividual owners and custodians to recognise what theycan do to protect the items in their care and to spot thetypes of problems that are best referred to a conservator; italso illustrates the variety of advice and services thatconservators can provide in addition to remedialconservation. Alongside this, the content of the ‘Guidance’section has been revised to include information onconservation reports, accreditation, sources of advice forthose commissioning conservation on churches, choosingand working with a conservator and more generalinformation on why things deteriorate, storage, handlingand moving, and the mounting and framing of works of arton paper.

The menu system has also been updated. The newstructure is easier to navigate and the ‘login’ facility hasbeen moved to the search and members pages so thatmore people are encouraged to use the website whilstlosing none of the additional functionality available tobusinesses included in the Register. The new Icon websitehas also been good for the Conservation Register, with animpressive amount of traffic flowing between the two sitesin the first few months of its operation.

Caroline Saye

TRADE FAIRS AND CONFERENCES

Spring and autumn are the busiest times for trade fairs andconferences, and 2006 is no exception. March saw Iconexhibiting at the Natural Stone Show & Conference, andthe following week at The Original Print Fair at the RoyalAcademy. Although very different events, both provedvaluable opportunities to raise the profile of conservation,and that of Icon itself. I am very grateful to the members ofthe Stone & Wall Paintings Group, and the Camberwellstudents and members of the Book & Paper Group whohelped me ‘man the stands’ at these events. It is alwaysgood to have an extra pair of hands, and the eventsthemselves are an enjoyable opportunity to talk directly topeople who work with conservators, or to introducepeople to the work we do. By the time you read this, theScotland Group will have attended the Glasgow Art Fair inApril and we will have had a stand at Murex – the museumresources exhibition in Birmingham (26–27 April). Followingthat Icon will be at the AIM conference in Bristol (5 May)and the Museums & Heritage Show at Earls Court (10–11May). In the autumn we hope to attend some of the fairs

focussed at the antiques market. If you are interested inhelping out at these events, please get in touch with me [email protected] – it would be good to hear fromvolunteers from across the UK.

Caroline Saye

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ROUTE

11 July workshop for prospective candidatesOn 11 July there will be an accreditation workshop atLondon Bridge for Icon members interested in applying foraccreditation under the new conservation managementroute. The plan is to run a pilot for the new route inJanuary 2006 and we want to make sure that anycandidates applying for the pilot are prepared in goodtime to get their applications together. The purpose of thismeeting will be to explain to prospective candidates theprinciples of the PACR scheme and to set out in broadterms what the new route will involve. It will not bepossible to give specific detail at the July meeting aboutthe new route since it will still be under consultation at thisstage. For those who attend the July meeting and decidethey wish to proceed, there will be a second meeting inSeptember to review the specific requirements of the newroute which they will be required to meet. After thiscandidates will have to decide whether to formally registertheir intention to apply for the January 2006 pilot.

Meanwhile work is proceeding on the new accreditationroute. Sandra Smith ACR, Head of Conservation at theVictoria and Albert Museum, is chairing the working group.Others undertaking the work on this are Helen HughesACR, Head of Historic Interiors Research and Conservationat English Heritage; Chris Woods ACR, Head ofConservation & Collection Care at Oxford UniversityLibrary Services; and David Odgers ACR, of OdgersConservation. They are working together with Stan Lester,the expert who originally developed the PACR scheme,and representatives from the Institute of Historic BuildingsConservation, who are taking part with a view to potentiallybecoming a participating body in the PACR scheme. Thegroup met once in February and once in March. Followinga third meeting scheduled for May we expect to haveproposals at a stage where they can be put out toconsultation.

If you would like to attend the meeting on 11 July pleasecontact Susan Bradshaw on [email protected] 3 July.

LEADING ARCHIVES AND MUSEUMS

In August 2005 Icon was asked to nominate conservatorsto take up a place on a pilot programme in leadershipdevelopment. We had previously joined the steering group



for this initiative, run by MLA and intended to encouragepeople working in museums and archives to move intoleadership positions. Of the names we put forward, SallyAnn Yates of National Museums Liverpool was offered aplace.

The aim of the scheme is to encourage people to breakthrough ‘glass ceilings’ in their workplaces and to ensurethat management positions are filled with people bringinga diverse range of skills and perspectives to theirinstitutions’ work. This represents a good opportunity forconservators to prepare themselves for leadership roleswithin their institutions. The need for conservators to makethat kind of breakthrough was well demonstrated whenone of the other participants on Sally Ann’s courseremarked to her how surprised they were to find aconservator on a leadership programme!

Icon wants to encourage conservators in other institutionsto apply for this MLA-backed programme using theirtraining budgets. Hopefully Sally Ann’s experiences willencourage many others to follow in her footsteps.

Sally Ann Yates writes about the course:

For six days from November 2005 to January 2006, I wasfortunate to attend the pilot programme for LeadingArchives and Museums: Heads of Service, based at theUniversity of Warwick. It comprised three modules, spacedto provide time for preparation and reading.

The programme was provided by FPM, an independentleadership and management consultancy experienced inworking with managers of public services in all sectors.Eighteen candidates from local and central governmentfunded archives and museums services attended theprogramme. It was an exceptional opportunity to meetcolleagues and share knowledge through a wide section ofthe heritage industry.

The programme aims to develop capability through alearning cycle approach. This sees learning as a circularprocess of experience, reflection, developing ideas tomake sense of the experience and then experimentingwith these ideas. The programme’s greatest strength lies inlocating this learning within our working context, contentand process. Throughout, presentations and discussionswere interspaced by smaller group sessions where a wealthof management models and frameworks were discussedand applied. This made for a stimulating, variedprogramme which was both fascinating and rewarding.

The first module focussed on the challenges ofleadership, exploring leadership styles and howperformance is judged. Complexities of problems andapproaches to problem solving were presented, followed

by domain mapping, a revealing way of exploring yourpersonal working environment. The first day ended with atalk by Dr Alf Hatton, Deputy Director, Graduate School ofBusiness, Strathclyde University. He emphasised the needfor sound strategic thinking within the heritage sector intoday’s turbulent environment, and encouraged museumsand archives to work more closely together. He argued fordeveloping adaptive responses to deal with the manychanges which affect us all, naming amongst others, risingcosts, growth in museum numbers and changes in thenature of competition. The second day centred on thenature and sources of power and influence. Self-awarenessand feedback were discussed, with some useful models,such as Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence and PeterDrucker’s features of effective leaders.

Module two considered the wider museum environmentand how positioning with stakeholders can be improved.We first looked at the context of leadership, and excellentsessions on organisational culture reminded us of thestrong messages carried by values, symbols and rituals, alldefining ‘the way we do things around here’. A valuablesession then drew forth many insights on increasingdiversity, highlighting the proactive stance we must all taketo foster and sustain diversity in our workplaces.

Corporate governance relationships and expectations ledus into day two, taking up the thread of module one’spower and influence concepts in relation to this keystakeholder group. Strategic and tactical planningassociated with community, internal and partnerstakeholders then followed, usefully building on the earlierdomain mapping exercise. A final session focussed onnetworking domains and building relationships withstakeholders.

Module three encompassed ideas of organisationalpurpose and sharing experiences of change programmes.The concept of systems thinking was explored. Here,organisations are pictured as complex adaptive systems,mirroring the natural world in the ways which individualsand groups interact. The final day provided coaching skillsessions and a talk on basic principles of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), about logical thought processes,subjective experience and using new techniques to aidcommunication. A final discussion session was included inthe programme, but candidates felt that this might befurther extended and hope to schedule a final follow updiscussion day now that we have all had the chance toreflect, evaluate, apply learning and make sure that thecycle continues!

The programme was rich in information and opportunitiesfor group discussion ensured that sessions weremeaningful and fruitful for all present. I am grateful to havehad the opportunity to attend. I certainly hope that the


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pilot which I attended becomes established and widelyavailable. Its relevance to conservators working in privateand public sectors ranges from improved understanding ofbusiness environments to building customer relationships.The concepts relate to developing ability to establishwhere you and your organisation (large or small) are now,deciding future goals and identifying and selecting routesto get there.

These skills are useful to us all, whatever our context orcareer stage. As public sector managers are required to bemore innovative and business oriented, skills commonlyattributed to small company entrepreneurs appear to beincreasingly pertinent. There is much to learn from eachother, particularly within the sort of challenging learningenvironment which the programme provides.

For information about FPM programmes, contact FPM, 7 Jarrom Street, Leicester, LE2 7DGt 08702 406206 e [email protected] www.fpmonline.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

Ethnographic objects and collections Icon’s Ethnography Group has been approached by theICOM-CC Working Group on Ethnographic Collectionswhich is interested in developing a wider network ofinformation exchange and collaboration beyond their ownorganisation. The aim is to develop an international listservwhere conservators could post messages and initiatediscussion (see also ‘ethnomuseums’ site:http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/ethnomuseums.html).The article below introduces them and their activities andan article about Icon’s Ethnography Group will bepublished in the next ICOM-CC EthnographicConservation Newsletter. The Ethnography Group wouldlike to hear your comments and suggestions about thisproposal (see News from the Groups for Group contactdetails).

ICOM-CC Working Group on Ethnographic CollectionsThe Working Group on Ethnographic Collections, one of23 Working Groups of the International Council ofMuseums Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC),currently consists of an international network ofapproximately 120 conservators specializing inethnographic conservation. The Group’s objective is topromote the discussion and dissemination of informationon ethical and technical issues concerning theconservation of ethnographic objects and collections. Thechallenges in conserving ethnographic objects are multi-facetted: from a technical point of view, an object can bemade of a large variety of organic and/or inorganicmaterials, which often are found exclusively in their place

of origin; and most importantly, from an ethical point ofview, an object’s links to a history of use and to acommunity of origin impacts on conservation decisions.

The Working Group publishes the EthnographicConservation Newsletter in electronic format on an annualor semi-annual basis; issue no. 26 was recently published inDecember 2005. Members of the Ethno Working Groupalso communicate to each other using the ICOM-CC-Ethno listserv, which is an unmoderated discussion forumchaired by the Working Group Coordinator. The nextICOM-CC Triennial Meeting is planned to take place inDelhi, India, in September 2008, with a Call for Paperscoming out in 2007. In preparation for this Meeting, theGroup has set out the following Program:

The Ethnographic Working Group membership shallinvestigate, research and report on the following areas ofinterest:

A Ethnographic collections on exhibit1 Decision-making for long term needs and

maintenance

2 Interpretation and presentation of collections ondisplay.

B Collaborations1 Community involvement in conservation and

preservation decisions

2 Consultations and collaborations with cultural groupswho are stakeholders of ethnographic objects.

C Pesticides in collections1 History of pesticide use and identification

2 Deterioration of materials caused by pesticides

3 Mitigation and removal of residues

D Material science studies1 Identification of materials found in ethnographic

objects.

2 Deterioration of materials found in ethnographicobjects.

3 Treatment studies and case histories

E Cross-Disciplinary Projects1 Composite ethnographic objects

2 Modern materials in ethnographic objects

A major project currently underway is the PesticideDatabase Project, with the aim of developing a centralizeddatabase of pesticides used in the past in museumcollections. The Pesticide Database would offer a forumwhere pesticide related information is accumulated,organized and made available to museum andconservation professionals. Currently we are in the processof consulting the membership on these issues by means ofa questionnaire.



Membership in the ICOM-CC Ethnographic WorkingGroup is primarily for paid ICOM members or institutionalmembers, or for paid Friends of ICOM-CC; however,currently all interested in ethnographic conservation(conservators, curators, etc) are welcome as guestmembers for a trial period. Benefits of becoming a paidICOM-CC member include the ICOM-CC Newsletter andreduced rates to attend the ICOM-CC Triennial Meeting. If you are interested in joining, or wish to participate in thePesticide Database project, please contact the Coordinator(whose email address is given below). Information on theWorking Group can also be found on the ICOM-CCwebsite, at: http://icom-cc.icom.museum/WG/EthnographicCollections/

Carole DignardCoordinator, ICOM-CC Ethno Working Group, andObjects Conservator, Canadian Conservation Institute,Ottawa, [email protected]

AWARDS AVAILABLE

THE ANNA PLOWDEN AWARD FORRAISING THE PROFILE OF CONSERVATION

Have you recently completed a project on an objectavailable to the public that could benefit ‘conservation’ bysome added publicity? If so, the Anna Plowden Trust maybe able to help by giving you a grant towards the cost. Asconservators, we all need to take every opportunity tobring our largely-behind-the-scenes efforts to a wider

audience. The usual way is to site display boards adjacentto the finished work, but other possibilities are take-awayleaflets on the conservation or even a ‘trail’ in a museum ofobjects that have been conserved. Trails are very popularwith children, but the questionnaires cost money. To assist,the Trust will give up to £1000 towards the budget forsuitable projects.

The first recipient of one of these awards was KateColleran and the Jewish Museum in London. Here theconservation procedures carried out on a ‘megillah’ orscroll that tells the story of Esther and Mordecai have beenexplained on some display boards situated on themuseum walls adjacent to the case containing the scroll.Not only are these available to all visitors, but they areparticularly valuable as an education aid when parties ofschool children are being taken round.

Although this project was on a museum object, theawareness award is available for any conservation that isopen to the public, whether in public or private ownership.Thus places of worship or country houses, or even fieldmonuments in certain cases, are eligible. If you have beeninvolved in a suitable case please contact PenelopePlowden at 43 Lansdowne Gardens, London SW8 2EL formore information. The Trust has a web site atwww.annaplowdentrust.org.uk

THE KATHY CALLOW TRUST

Established ‘to provide awards with a long-term benefit forthe conservation of social history artefacts and evidence insmall museums’, this Trust was founded in 1994 from partof the residue of the estate of the late Kathy Callow, who

Katerina Powell (centre)explains her conservationprocedures to Penelope Plowden (left) andKate Colleran (right) using adisplay board financed by theTrust


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was Curator of the Priest’s House Museum in Wimbourne.The Trust makes awards to small museums for thepurposes of assisting with the costs of conservationprojects. Such projects might include an exhibition,improving stored collections or running workshops forpeople connected with museums.

The total sum available each year is approximately £300and aid is restricted to smaller galleries or museums withan annual gross revenue expenditure of less than £600,000.More information is available from Pamela Poynter, TheMuseums Association, 24 Calvin Street, London E1 6NW.She can be contacted by email([email protected]) or by telephone on020 7426 6913.

THE DAPHNE BULLARD TRUST

Established ‘to promote the conservation of dress andtextiles of all periods and their display’, this Trust was setup in 1973 on the initiative of the family of the late MrsDaphne Bullard, Keeper of Worcestershire CountyMuseum at Hartlebury Castle, to promote the work ofdress and costume conservation, display and publication.The Trust considers applications from students of, orpersons engaged in, the conservation and study of dressand textiles of any period and their display.

Grants of approximately £300 to £1,000 are available andpreference will be given to projects aimed at conservationor display of dress or textiles where there is a long-termmaterial benefit to a collection or project. Applications arereviewed as they are received – there is no cut-off date.Further information is available from Pamela Poynter, TheMuseums Association, 24 Calvin Street, London, E1 6NW,email ([email protected]) or telephone on020 7426 6914.

AWARDS MADE

EUROPA NOSTRA AWARD

One of the five top prizes in the annual European UnionPrize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards has beengiven to the National Trust for the Edward ChambréHardman Photographic Collection in Liverpool. The entirelifetime output – in excess of 142,000 images – of thisrenowned pictorial photographer are in the process ofbeing catalogued, digitised, conserved and madeaccessible to view in his former house and studio. Theyoffer a unique insight into Liverpool and its people during

the mid 20th century. The five top prizes each include amonetary award of B10,000 and will be presented to thewinners by H.M. Queen Sofía of Spain at a ceremony inMadrid in June.

QEST AWARD

Intaglio printer Rachael Bacon has just won a £10,000QEST Scholarship to fund a two year apprenticeship incopper and steel plate printing. Her studies will includeconservation printing – specialist techniques enabling safeprinting from historic plates. She will also learn how toconserve historic plates, ensuring that important prints willcontinue to be printed and made publicly accessiblethrough British museums.

CHURCHILL FELLOWSHIP

Lorraine Finch is currently sorting out the details of theWinston Churchill Travelling Fellowship, which wasawarded to her in February at the end of a lengthyselection process. Her plan is to travel to the United Statesfor four weeks to study the conservation and preservationof film, sound and photography. Although she willconcentrate on the photography aspect, she will also coverfilm and sound as they share the same base material.Lorraine is a Camberwell graduate and an ACR; she isSecretary of the Book and Paper Group and Chair of theFilm, Sound and Photography Group of the Society ofArchivists. She works freelance from Norfolk with archiveswith mixed collections of film, sound and photography.

One hundred Winston Churchill Memorial Trust TravellingFellowships are awarded annually for travel for betweenfour to eight weeks. The awards are made under severalcategories, which are rotated over a three-year period.One of the categories is Conservation of Archives,Manuscripts and Books. Lorraine comments: ’I wouldencourage anyone to apply. The Fellowships really do giveyou the ‘chance of a lifetime’ to acquire further knowledgeand experience in an area that you are interested in and tobenefit you, your community and the UK’



letters

ACCESS VERSUS CONSERVATION

Neil MacGregor seems inconsistent when he said that theuse and display of collections will be increasingly shapedby conservators and that collections need to be sharednationally and internationally (Icon News, January, p.10).Whatever the improved systems of transport, the primrosepath of constantly shuttling works around now eagerlypursued by curators is bound to conflict with the interestsof conservation and security.

Conservation concerns will be better heeded if works stayin one place and people travel to see them. Beyond thatgreater sharing could be promoted by more restitution oflooted works.

Dr Selby WhittinghamSecretary-General DONOR WATCH153 Cromwell Road, London SW5 OTQ

WHAT IS RESEARCH?

As a professional researcher, I read with great interest DrJoyce Townsend’s comments on ‘What is research?’ (IconNews, March), always keen for further insights into theresearch process. Dr Townsend promotes scientificresearch of a type that may be carried out in definedprojects of a collaborative or multi-disciplinary nature.However, her claim that ‘there is no such thing asunscientific research’ unfairly slights the validity of otherareas of research endeavour. For example, researchquestions that focus on human behaviour can rarely bringthe same level of verifiability and control to theinvestigation, or to the interpretation of the evidence, thatis customary in scientific research. Still less so in areas ofhistorical research, or artistic research. The latter area,indeed, partakes somewhat of the unfocussed character,lacking in end point, that Townsend particularly criticises.However, few working in art museums would dispute thevalue of the output of artists. Perhaps a research projectasking why artists use non-permanent materials would be avaluable undertaking for conservators, although it couldnot proceed wholly on scientific grounds.

The assumptions behind the idea that easy research topicsare dealt with ‘leaving ever harder and more complexones’ for future researchers sound more like a note offrustration than a well-analysed observation. Not only donew findings suggest that great complexity may begenerated from very simple rules, but it is dangerous topresume that the most simple questions have yet been

adequately answered. The reason that ‘ever moreconservation research is collaborative and multi-disciplinary’ may have as much to do with currentadministration of public funding as with any innateadvantage to work of this nature.

Townsend states that ‘Research always involvesdissemination of its outcome. Otherwise, what was thepoint?’ We can ignore here industrial research aimed atgenerating competitive advantage whose results are keptconfidential, as this is understood within the context of thearticle. The thrust is that dissemination is the final stage ofresearch that gives it lasting meaning. However thisdissemination process does not end with putting theresearch findings into publication, but rather with otherindividuals reading and reacting to them. I suggest thatwhen our colleagues spend an afternoon doing ‘a spot ofresearch’ they may in fact be carrying out the very valuablefunction of updating their awareness of the current level ofunderstanding in a subject by scanning for newlydisseminated research. If this activity is undervalued orundermined, then indeed what is the point of research?

Dr. P.A. Sykas, Research Associate, Faculty of Art and Design,Cavendish Building, Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester MI5 6BG

WHY WE NEED A PRIVATE PRACTICEGROUP

A letter from Frances Halahan and Jennifer Dinsmore inthe last edition of Icon News questioned the need for aPrivate Practice group to be formed. In response, I wouldlike to set out the three reasons why I believe a privatepractice group will be a valuable asset to Icon.

The majority of our members are in private practice, andthe continuing tendency in the public sector to downsizecore staff and outsource activities means that, over time,this majority is likely to grow larger. Establishing a groupfor independent conservators recognises the particularissues which they have to face. Some of these may welloverlap with public sector concerns but it is hard to seehow the profession as a whole will lose out if questionssuch as tendering for work, legal and contractual matters,and business management are addressed with particularinterest by a new group.

Many members in private practice are sole practitioners,and some of these have studios in fairly isolated places


14

outside cities and large towns. Whereas conservatorsworking for institutions or in large cities have support andcontact networks, it is much harder for small independentconservators to keep in touch with each other, share ideasand discuss problems. An Icon private practice group willhelp some fairly isolated people to improve their networkof contacts among their professional peers.

There are a number of highly specialised fields wherevirtually all the practising conservators are in the privatesector. Conservation is a high-risk profession from aknowledge management point of view. There are oftenfewer than half a dozen practitioners in a given specialistfield; a proportion of these few people are close toretirement, and because they are sole practitioners thereare no opportunities for them to train successors. Forminga private practice group will help us as a profession toidentify high-risk areas and ensure that we captureinvaluable conservation knowledge and experience fornew generations of practitioners.

As Frances and Jennifer point out, the divisions betweenthe private and public sectors are not necessarily clear-cut,but it is one thing to note the number of overlaps andquite another to say that these are a reason for preventinga new group from emerging.

We are in the process of forming an interim committee tobegin the work of the group, so if you wish to take anactive part in the formation of the group, please contactCharlotte Cowin on [email protected]

Alastair McCapraChief Executive, Icon

IPC 5th InternationalConferenceBook & Paper Group First Conference

26–29 July Edinburgh 2006Currently attracting a large international audience theconference is assured to provide a platform forimparting knowledge with a diverse programme ofillustrated papers from leading institutions andindividuals worldwide who will engage in what is new,with papers exploring paper deterioration and newmethods of repair, current research and updating ofprevious research in iron gall inks and pigments. Therewill also be a focus on international preservation policy,book studies, conservation of drawings, draft film,watercolours, transparent papers, pastels, pigments,identification of photographic processes, plastic inpaper, digitalisation, ephemera, aesthetics collaborationand ethics in conservation

With poster presentations including:Conservation studies of architectural plans, Large format cartoons,Fold test protocol for book jointsBurmese Kammavacas, The alum industry and much more

Ample topics to raise the roof in lively debate andprovide a forum for discussion and presenting anopportunity to meet with colleagues

Our venue The Edinburgh International ConferenceCentre offers arguably the finest conference facilitiesavailable. The trade exhibition will complement theconference over three days with conservationsuppliers and related bodies of interest to theprofession

This is not an event to overlook and booking is essentialto guarantee your place

For further details of the Conference Programme,accommodation and booking form

ICON www.icon.org.uk – then events – “IPC 5thInternational Conference: 2006”

IPC www.ipc.org.uk – then click on heading “noticeboard”

For the Trade Exhibitors Fair contact:Stephen Allen Tel: 01609 777585 Fax:01609 777078Email: [email protected]

All further enquiries:Conference SecretariatThe Institute of Conservation PO Box 143, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 9AT, UK

Tel:+44 (0) 1435 883659

Email:[email protected]


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institute briefingSEPTEMBER START FOR WORK-BASEDLEARNING

The first placements on Icon’s Heritage Lottery fundedwork-based learning scheme will start in September. Thekey to the scheme has been identifying suitable hostorganisations who can offer placements to trainees. Weneeded 60 hosts to run the core HLF-funded placements,and so far have secured 75 offers. But that is not the onlygood news. We have an excellent spread of hosts acrossthe countries of the UK, with a good balance betweenmajor national institutions, small museums and galleries,and a number of private studios. We also have a goodbalance between offers to take trainees on for six months,one year and two years. Placements have been offeredacross our target disciplines of archives, books, stone,ethnography, metals, stained glass, textiles, natural history,ceramics and environmental/preventive.

Almost half of the firm offers are for places for thisSeptember. Not all of these can be filled, since the HLFbursary scheme will only cover 15 one-year equivalentplaces. The first year of placements will be advertised inMay and applications invited across a range of entry pointsto the profession: conservation graduates, craftspeople,scientists and those with a more general heritagebackground or interest. More than half the hosts offeringplacements for September are prepared to considertrainees with no previous knowledge of conservation. If thecandidates applying do not match the needs of aprospective host, the placement does not have to goahead and we will have to try to get a better fit in the nextround.

Hosts for the first year of the scheme are:Mark Bambrough, Glasgow – Stained GlassEnglish Heritage, London – Preventive scienceOxford University Library – BooksIpswich Museum – Natural HistoryCanterbury Cathedral Workshops – StoneNicolas Boyes, Edinburgh – StoneEURA Conservation, Telford – MetalsAmgueddfa Cymru, Cardiff – CeramicsNational Museums Liverpool – CeramicsDevon Record Office, Exeter – ArchivesMarischal Museum, Aberdeen – EthnographicRoyal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter – EthnographicRoyal Armouries, Leeds – MetalsThe Victoria & Albert Museum – PreventiveWylie & Singer, Colchester – TextilesManchester, City Galleries – Collections CareBristol Museums & Art Gallery – Textiles

TRAINING MANAGER APPOINTED

Carol Brown has been appointed to the post of TrainingDevelopment Manager from 1 May. Carol’s three priorities(in rough order) will be (i) to run the workbased learningscheme for which Icon successfully bid for £1m from theHeritage Lottery Fund; (ii) to build additional workbasedtraining placements onto the HLF core scheme so that weexpand its scope to cover the broadest possible range ofspecialisms and include the greatest possible number ofopportunities; and (iii) to organise mid-career trainingevents for Icon members where there are identified areasof need. Prior to her appointment, Carol was onsecondment to Icon from Historic Scotland, where she wasformerly Conservation Bureau Manager and ran a verysuccessful fellows and interns programme for a number ofyears. Carol was originally seconded from Historic Scotlandto help prepare the bid for HLF money and our success insecuring the funds to run our scheme is largely due to herwork. Responding to news of her appointment, Carol said‘I’ve been developing internships and other work-basedtraining in my previous post, so I’m really looking forwardto expanding my sights to the wider UK. The HLF Bursariesscheme is just one of many new initiatives Icon hasplanned, so I am delighted to be joining Icon at thisexciting time!’

BOARD MINUTES

Minutes of the Icon Board meeting of 1 February are nowposted on the website. To read them, go towww.icon.org.uk, click ‘About us’ on the menu and clickagain on ‘Records of Meetings’.

THE VICE CHAIRS

As noted in Icon News 3, the Board of Trustees approvedthe appointment of Alison Richmond and Simon Cane asvice chairs. Alison is Senior Tutor on the Royal College ofArt/Victoria and Albert Museum ConservationPostgraduate Programme and Simon is Head ofCollections Care at the Birmingham Museum and ArtGallery. Their primary role will be to assist Anna Southalland provide for close liaison with the Chief Executive if sheis unavailable. The vice chairs will also help establish linkswith the groups, and each of them has taken onresponsibility for liaison with specific groups. The divisionof responsibilities is:

Alison Richmond:ArchaeologyCare of CollectionsEthnographyHistoric InteriorsConservation Science



ScotlandStone and Wall PaintingsTextiles

Simon Cane:Book and PaperCeramics and GlassFurniture and WoodGilding and Decorative SurfacesMetalsPaintingsPhotographic MaterialsStained Glass

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Two new people have joined the Board of Trustees by co-option for 2006. As members may recall from the bluebook on convergence, it was always intended that theBoard should draw in outsiders with high-level specialistskills to assist us in the development of our neworganisation. In January the Board undertook an audit ofits own skills and in several areas where the skills of theexisting Board members were weakest, it was feltappropriate to co-opt people with expertise to help Iconoperate as effectively as possible. In joining the Board,Lynne Thomas and AnnMarie Newbigin represent asignificant raising of the Board’s skill levels. Althoughneither Lynne nor AnnMarie has any background inconservation, neither is a stranger to us. Lynne was theproject manager for convergence who supported theInterim Board and AnnMarie assisted the Interim Boardwith recruitment. In their daytime jobs Lynne runs Thomas& Associates, a consultancy company and AnnMarie isHead of HR Projects for Barclays Wealth Management.Lynne will focus on assisting the Board in developing itsstrategic role for the organisation, and AnnMarie will haveimportant contributions to make on human resources andon diversity policy.

GROUP CHAIRS’ CONFERENCE

A first step in ensuring good communication between thegroups and the Board was taken on 29 March when thefirst Group chairs’ conference was held. This meetingbrought together all the chairs of groups and the IconBoard to review what the organisation is doing, exchangeideas on future priorities and consider whether thestrategic plan is being delivered as intended. As well asbeing the first time the group chairs have all assembledsince Icon was formed, it was only the second occasionthat the new Icon Board of Trustees has met. All groupswere represented at the meeting – in a few cases bysomeone other than their chair – and the intention is tohold a second meeting on similar lines in November.

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT

At the end of March Icon had 2961 members. Since 1 September 2005, a total of 273 new members have joinedand more continue to do so at a rate of between 25 and 30per month. In February the London Bridge office sentmembership materials to universities and colleges offeringconservation courses so that new student members can signup, and over the coming months there will be a phasedprogramme of contacting former members of IPC and UKICwhose membership had lapsed before Icon formed. If youwould like some membership flyers for colleagues, friendsor students, please contact Charlotte Cowin [email protected]

CONSERVATION SCIENCE CENTRE STAGE

Not for a long time, if ever, have conservation andconservation science been given such close attention by thehighest echelons of our parliamentary system. The inquiryinto Science and Heritage being held by the Science andTechnology Committee of the House of Lords is now in fullswing and conservation is at centre stage. Written evidencehas been sought and published, and the committee is nowin the process of interviewing witnesses at the regularTuesday morning meetings in Westminster.

A number of conservation scientists and conservators havebeen called to give evidence, including Professors PeterBrimblecombe, Norman Tennent and Mark Pollard. Otherwitnesses called so far have included civil servants from theDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport, senior officers oftwo major Research Councils, officers of the Society for theProtection of Ancient Buildings and the Institute of HistoricBuildings Conservation. During these intensive two-hoursessions, the Lords have put a range of perceptivequestions designed to explore the true state ofconservation science in the UK, the infrastructure and thefunding.The arguments and the evidence are too much tosummarise here, but can be followed in the un-correctedtranscripts made available on the web about a week later.They are well worth reading, not least for the entertainmentvalue of the ‘Yes Minister’ responses from the civil servantswhen questioned on the balance between access and thecollections.

Helen Shenton from the British Library and Nancy Bell fromThe National Archives will be providing evidence duringApril, as well as Sir Neil Cossons and John Fidler of EnglishHeritage and Chris Batt of the MLA. At 11.15 am on 16 Maythe profession will be represented by, among others, DavidSaunders from the British Museum, Jim Tate from theNational Museums of Scotland, Joyce Townsend from Tate,and Alastair McCapra and David Leigh from Icon. The finalsession on 23 May will hear the Culture Minister David


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more institute briefing

Lammy and Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science andInnovation. Thereafter we await a report which might helpgive conservation and conservation science a higherprofile, proper recognition, a coordinated strategy andbetter funding.

The hearings are usually broadcast live via the internet.These, the transcripts and the written evidence can all befound via the Parliamentary website: www.parliament.uk ,following the links to the House of Lords Select Committeeon Science and Technology.

David Leigh

CONSERVATION & SCIENCE AGAIN

More than twenty people attended the first meeting of thenewly formed Conservation Science group held at theInstitute of Archaeology on the evening of 3 April. Themeeting was organised with both social and serious aims.

The serious side was provided by two invited talks. DavidHowell (from the Bodleian Library, Oxford) explained ‘Howto have fun in a library’: actually he started by appealing toserious scientists with examples of aliphatic nucleophylicsubstitution chemistry, but quickly entered into the spirit ofthe evening by reviewing progress in conservation sciencein three areas in the past twenty years: light damage andexposure; wet cleaning tapestries; and measuring thephysical condition of textiles. David elegantly expoundedhow science has improved what we do – although notalways as much as it could. Some key conclusions were:that we need to translate research so that it is understoodand used by decision and policy formers; we shoulddevelop more sustainable conservation treatments giventhe pressures on limited conservation resources; and indoing this we should integrate better the outcome ofscientific investigations into conservation practice.

Joyce Townsend (Tate), chair of the Institute ofConservation Science (ICS) then spoke about ‘What ICShas planned’. The ICS was established as a professionalforum for conservation scientists and has had variousmeetings. The intent has been to repeat the format of theEdinburgh ‘Conservation Science 2002’ meeting in Italy in2007. This year a one-day meeting to the ICN inAmsterdam is planned for 22 May. The talk led todiscussion of the future relationship between Icon and theICS: the ICS will vote in June this year whether or not toamalgamate. While recognising that the Icon group willinclude a wider range of members than the ICS currentlyhas, the general feeling from ICS and Icon memberspresent was that having one robust group was the wayforward and would be most likely, for example, to be ableto address some of the points made by David.

Wine, beer and (rather too few) crisps sandwiched thetalks, with plenty of chat between scientists andconservators overlooking a London sunset from theInstitute’s penthouse staff room. Thanks to Clifford Price forthe venue and hospitality and to my wife for helping tocarry the drink from a not-so-near off licence and staying tohelp pour it out. A second (or really first equal) meeting ofthe Icon group will be held in Edinburgh at the NationalMuseums of Scotland on 25 April.

Jim Tate (Acting Chair)

EH CONSULTATION

Icon has been actively involved in working with EnglishHeritage on the development of a new set of ConservationPrinciples, Policies and Guidance. The Principles areintended primarily for use by English Heritage, in guidingboth the management of its own estate and its advice toothers. It is hoped, however, that they will also be used byall those concerned with managing the historicenvironment, such as conservation and planning officersand the councillors of local planning authorities. Icon hascommented on the first draft and attended a reviewmeeting at English Heritage where we particularly stressedthe importance of collections to the value of much of ourhistoric environment.

English Heritage will now review the comments it hasreceived and will publish more detailed policy andguidance documents later in the year. We encouragemembers to review these when they come out and toadvise us of any recommendations we can make so thatthe final product is a robust and workable set of guidelines

CONSERVATIONPRINCIPLESFOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT

F ri st Stage

Consu tl at oi n


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of maximum benefit to the conservation community. Wewill alert members when this next stage of consultationbegins. In the meantime it is possible to view the draftconservation principles at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Conservation_Principles(please note that the deadline for responses on this hasalready passed).

PRESERVE AS FOUND? ARCHITECTURALCONSERVATORS EDUCATION ANDTRAINING IN ENGLAND

There is a lack of guidance to colleges and other tuitionproviders to help prepare the next generation ofarchitectural conservators, according to a research reportpublished by English Heritage, in partnership with Icon.

Within the next 10–15 years, a large segment of thecurrent generation of active conservators will be retiring,raising concerns over whether there will be a sufficientnumber of suitably qualified and experienced conservatorsavailable to fill their place. While it seems clear thatsufficient numbers of conservators are being trained eachyear in England, the question remains as to whether thereare enough who can demonstrate the necessary skills,knowledge and relevant experience across the diversematerial disciplines associated with the particularrequirements of architectural conservation.

English Heritage, in partnership with Icon, commissionedthe Centre for Education and Industry (CEI) at theUniversity of Warwick to carry out the research whichcomprised in-depth qualitative interviews with traininginstitutions, employers, and employed and self-employedpractitioners. The report’s Action Plan calls for greatercollaboration and sector-wide involvement to better defineand map career paths, provide more detailed careersinformation and raise awareness of architecturalconservation within the wider built heritage sector.

A printed summary report will be circulated to Iconmembers of the specialist groups with the highestproportion of architectural conservators (stone and wallpaintings, stained glass, gilding and decorative surfaces,historic interiors and archaeology), policy-makers and otherpeers and partners with a professional interest in this field.This research is seen as a starting point and a one-daymeeting is being planned to discuss the findings andopportunities arising from this review. The research wasfunded by English Heritage and PDF versions of thesummary document and full report can be downloadedshortly at: www.icon.org.uk

FROM THE LIBRARY

The Chantry Library (see Icon News 2) recently received asecond very generous donation of books from Dr. Anthony(Tony) Smith. Many people will remember Tony from hisCamberwell days where he was Principal Lecturer inScience. More recently he has been the key link on theEuropean Leonardo sponsored project of trialling ‘Water inPaper: a conservation training compendium’, helping toset up and teach pilot courses based on this material. Hehas contributed the chapter Chemistry of Deacidificationto the compendium that will be published in 2007 byElsevier.

His material swells the library’s collection in many areas,such as paper science, printing, reprographics andparticularly in the area of the materials and techniquesused in art. We are very grateful to him. Here are just a fewexamples of these new additions to the library:

Conservation of traditional records, paper and alliedmaterials by Perti, R.K. (ed)

Paper: its history and conservation by Robert Hauser

The chemistry of paper by J.C. Roberts

Science for Conservators: bk. 1. An introduction tomaterials — bk. 2. Cleaning — bk.3. Adhesives andcoatings

The artist’s craft : a history of tools, techniques, andmaterials by James Ayres

The complete guide to painting and drawing: techniquesand materials by Colin Hayes

The practice of tempera painting: materials and methodsby Daniel V. Thompson, Jr.

Methods and materials of painting of the great schoolsand masters (2 vols) by Sir Charles Lock Eastlake

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Smith


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A history of engraving & etching from the 15th century tothe year 1914 by Arthur M. Hind

Etching and engraving: techniques and the modern trend– line engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, aquatint, etching,woodcutting – by John Buckland-Wright

Printmaking: history and process by Donald Saff and DeliSacilotto

Looking at prints: a guide to technical terms by PaulGoldman

We would also like to take this opportunity to extendthanks to other very kind recent donors. Lorraine Finchpresented the library with the two volume Preprints ofICOM Conference (The Hague, 12–16 Sept. 2005). MartinNotcutt, on behalf of his father-in-law J.N. Balston (authorof ‘The Elder James Whatman: England’s greatest papermaker’), gave us various pamphlets including Coleman’s‘The British Paper Industry 1495–1860’, three booklets onpaper-making by hand at Wookey Hole Mill and someBritish Paper and Board Makers Association TechnicalSection Proceedings. Professor Gerhard Banik leftsouvenirs of his visit with the Stuttgart School ofConservation in the form of papers on the conservationand restoration of leather bindings and ink deterioratedmaterials.

While we specialise in paper conservation, there is alsotechnical information on preservation, analyticaltechniques, materials research, disaster planning, pestmanagement, environmental conditions , plus works onspecific materials and techniques, such as textiles, picturesframes, pigments and dyes and many other subjects thatmay be of interest. Please feel free to come and use thisgrowing collection We also supply photocopies of articleswhich we can post to you.

We welcome all donations from members’ personalcollections of professional literature. Please contact thelibrarian who would be happy to hear from you.

Contact details Librarian Catherine Scutt

Email [email protected]

Telephone + 44 (0) 1865 251 303

Address The Chantry Library,Grove Cottage, St. Cross Road,Oxford, OX1 3TX,United Kingdom

Website http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/ipc-chantry/

DO YOU GET ICONNECT?

If you are receiving Icon’s electronic communicationIconnect and Iconnect Jobs, then we have your correctemail address. But we are still getting around 200 ‘bounce-backs’ after every mailing. This is fewer than reported inthe last issue of Icon News but still too many, as it meansthat around 200 people or organisations are not receivingthis important briefing. Iconnect is an integral part of thecommunications with members, complementing thoughnot replacing this printed magazine. As well as monthlymailings, bringing up-to-date news and reminders offorthcoming events, Iconnect Jobs provides updates onnew appointments.

Iconnect is easy to spot in your Inbox, and can be readilydeleted if there is nothing you want to read in it. So if youare not receiving it and would like to, then please let usknow your correct, current email address. The easiest wayis to send an email to Charlotte Cowin [email protected] or you can phone her on 020 7785 3807.

If we have your correct email address and you are still notreceiving Icon emailings, this might be for one of thefollowing reasons:

• they are being rejected as spam and you need to checkyour junk box and/or reconfigure your computer toaccept incoming mail from icon.org.uk

• you need to speak with your IT department about theproblem as it might be your institution which is rejectingthe Icon mailings

more institute briefing



peopleON THE MOVE

The Courtauld Institute ofArt has just announced theappointment of Dr AvivaBurnstock as the Head ofConservation andTechnology. Dr Burnstockjoined the teaching staff ofthe Department in 1992and, since October 2004,has been Acting Head ofConservation & Technology.But her association with the Courtauld goes back overtwenty years, since she took her Postgraduate Diploma inthe Conservation of Easel Paintings there in 1984. After ayear working in Australia she then returned to theCourtauld as a Technical Assistant and subsequentlyworked at the National Gallery for six years. During thislatter period she also worked on her PhD which she tookat the Courtauld in 1991.

The Courtauld’s collection of paintings includes many well-known treasures ranging from Cranach’s Adam and Eve toManet’s Bar at the Folies Bergère. Aviva Burnstock said: “Itis a great privilege to work with these wonderful paintingsthat have been part of my life for so many years and toplay my part in safeguarding their future”.

HELEN COX MOVES ON...

Icon members may have noticed that I have beenconspicuous by my absence from the conservation scenefor some time now – so, rather belatedly, I would like tooffer this note of explanation.

I have finally completed a rather protracted retirementfrom my former business as ‘Helen Cox, Environment &Conservation Consultant’, in order to pursue exciting newdirections. Realising my most cherished ambition, I amtaking a long sabbatical from paid work to immerse myselfin a range of research and creative projects.

In the ‘real world’, I’m establishing myself as a writer andspeaker on medieval history, specifically on the 15thcentury and the lives of the later Plantagenet kings. In theunreal world, I’m beavering away on a historical fantasynovel (a kind of feminist ‘Lord of the Rings’) which I hopeone day might get into print!

I’ve been greatly aided in all this by joining the Companyof Palm Sunday 1461, Towton Battlefield Society’s affiliatedre-enactment group. Working with COPS is like anongoing exercise in experimental archaeology, which as aformer archaeological conservator I find both moving andutterly fascinating. There really is no substitute for the

direct, hands-on experience; learning to shoot a longbow,pitch (and live in!) a 15th century campaign tent, and cookin a pipkin over a cast-iron fire range has enriched myunderstanding of the period, and its material culture,immeasurably.

Best of all, it means I can continue applying all the things Ilearned in my heritage career but in a different way: after aquarter-century of working with inanimate objects, throughhistorical re-enactment I’m now able to share andcommunicate my passions to a wider living audience. So Ido still crop up in the museum world now and again, albeitin very different guise

To close, I’d like to say a very big ‘thank you’ to all myfriends and colleagues in the conservation profession. Ihave found working with Britain’s fantastically rich anddiverse museums, galleries and collections a uniquelyrewarding privilege; and I’m glad to leave the sectorknowing that I’ve made some contribution towardspreserving this heritage for the future. And if any of youwould like to keep in touch, I’ll always be happy to hearfrom you!

Helen [email protected]. 01924 253454

For more information on Towton Battlefield Society orCOPS, check out our websites: www.Towton.org.ukwww.palmsunday1461.co.uk

Company of Palm Sunday 1461 in action at Huntingdon last year– Helen Cox is in the blue kirtle


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CAROLINE HARRISON (paper )From an early age I was interested in conservation as a career.My love of paper, creating it and working with it in art, gave methe impetus to begin studying paper conservation in1998 at theUniversity of Northumbria at Newcastle. After graduating Iundertook two internships, first at the paper conservationdepartment of Tate Britain and then in the Chinese paintingsdepartment at The Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution,Washington DC. Since then I have been working in a privatestudio based in Bristol with Sophia Fairclough.

After a period of five years in my present workplace, whichinvolved a great number of interesting and challenging projects,I felt I had reached a point where I wanted to attemptaccreditation. It is a rigorous and demanding process with whatI feel to be a high level of examination in order to achieveexcellence in the field. As a private conservator, all the projectsthat I documented for accreditation had been returned to theirrespective clients. Therefore I undertook to document each onein a detailed report as evidence for the assessors. This was anundertaking of many months’ work outside my studio hours.These reports have been subsequently of great help withpreparing for conference papers and also further research thathas been undertaken.

Obviously I am very pleased at having become accredited withthe level of recognition this now gives within the profession andbeyond, to clients and those in affiliated disciplines. Of greatestpleasure, accreditation has also given partial impetus to mybecoming a part of the business within the private studio inwhich I work.

email: [email protected]

FOLLOWING THEANNOUNCEMENT OF THERECENTLY ACCREDITEDMEMBERS IN THE MARCH ISSUE,ICON NEWS CAUGHT UP WITHSOME OF THEM TO FIND OUT ALITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM AND TOLEARN AT FIRST HAND ABOUTTHEIR EXPERIENCE OF GAININGACCREDITATIONWhat do we learn in the process? Well, it obviouslydoesn’t matter at what stage you go for it – younger orolder, sooner or later in your career – and motivationsalso vary. Most agree that the process, especially theform-filling, is daunting in prospect but rewarding inretrospect. Indeed, the very rigour of the accreditationscheme is seen as a re-assuring feature, because, in awider context, it earns recognition for the professionand, at the personal level, it is proof that theprofessional recognition for the individual really meanssomething. There is also warm acclaim for all the helpand support available to get through the process. As forthe consequences, yes, there may be some downsides,but these are outweighed by the benefits, bothintangible and practical.

So here they are in their own words. Rejoice with them intheir pleasure in their achievement and, who knows,perhaps one of these examples will inspire you to takethat step……

Meet the new ACRs


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JULIA NAGLE (paintings) I have been a freelance paintings conservator since 1992 andshare premises in Shoreditch, London. While running mypractice, from 1993 to 2003 I also worked as a contractconservator at The Hamilton Kerr Institute in Cambridge. In2003 I covered maternity leave at Tate Modern and nowregularly work freelance at Tate.

My decision to go for accreditation was largely financiallydriven. For ages I had neither the funds nor the time; there wasalways a piece of equipment I would rather buy (or even theodd holiday!); however, having 2,000,000 GBP professionalindemnity insurance to fund this year, the 10% saving on mypremiums became significant. I also wanted to join the re-vamped Conservation Register.

I freely admit competitive instincts played a part too aspaintings conservators became accredited all around me!

Although a lot of work, the accreditation process really helpedme focus on the direction I want my career to take, and toappreciate my achievements so far. The CPD section is excellentfor this and having it formalised encourages us freelancers toallow ourselves time to develop new skills.

I was very nervous before the studio visit but needn’t havebeen. My assessors put me at my ease and were totally fair intheir appraisal. I never would have believed it but the dayactually went very quickly!

email: [email protected] and website www.painting-restoration.co.uk

EMMA FRASER (books)I have been working at the Book and Paper Conservation Studioin Dundee for the past six years. By the time I was applying foraccreditation the rest of the conservators working in the studiohad been through the process already. I had seen how muchwork was involved, which had put me off slightly but theirexperiences were highly beneficial when I started the process.Although I had been working in conservation for the last eightyears, I had just finished supervising two interns in the Studioand had seen how they had grown under my tutelage and howmuch knowledge I was able to pass on and I felt confident that Iwas ready to apply for accreditation.

The most daunting aspect of the process for me was preparingthe form; having to select a few projects out of a large spectrumof work was hard but once this was done I felt I had broken theback of it and found it rewarding to look back over the work.Being in a private studio meant that I had to recall the objects Ichose for the assessment day, but our clients were verycooperative and the assessors appreciated being able to seethe books.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day itself and found it self affirmingand positive, everyone likes talking about themselves and I hada good rapport with my assessors. Maybe that was due to theTunnocks Tea Cakes provided at tea! Getting the finalconfirmation of the accreditation has given me the confidenceto represent my field through presentations and discussions thatI would not have got involved in previously.


Book & Paper Conservation StudioUniversity of Dundee LibrarySmall’s WyndDundee DD1 4HNwww.dundee.ac.uk/library/conservation


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SUZANNE KITTO (arms and armour)After graduating in Archaeological Conservation, I spent six yearsat the National Museums, Liverpool, as a metals conservator.Since 2001, I have been at the Royal Armouries, Leeds where Ihave been able to specialise in the conservation of arms andarmour. Recent areas of interest include Japanese materials andplastics.

I went for accreditation with the support of the Royal Armouriesto account for the experience in practice that I had gained sincegraduation. At first I had been rather sceptical about the wholething and waited a number of year to see whether I felt it wasworth the investment, especially as there would be no financialgain from achieving it and Icon membership would increase. Icame to realise however that there are certain people who seeconservators as glorified cleaners, others who say they have beenconservators when they have only tinkered with restoration and assuch I wanted to show that being a conservator is more than that,it is a profession with a high level of ethics and standards.

Initially I attended a PACR clinic which was invaluable forinformation on what sort of projects were suitable, how to fill inthe form and what to expect. I filled in the form pretty much overa weekend. The advantage of having waited so long to take theaccreditation was that I had done such a range of conservationwork that I could select the most suitable ones with relative easerather than having to complete a project in order to tick theboxes. I feel that accreditation is not a qualification to be workedat but a way of saying ‘yes, I work at this level and here are someexamples’.

The actual assessment day was nerve-racking and ratherexhausting. We went through each project and discussed variousaspects of conservation work. On reflection however it was mostenjoyable and extremely satisfying to indulge in your own work tothis level. It has made me reassess how I do certain things and Ithink refreshed my love for my work. I am glad I waited so longbecause the extra experiences I had gained increased myconfidence of work in practice, about compromises, and aboutnot being afraid to reflect and if necessary criticise past work.

Conservation Department Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds LS10 1LT Tel. 0044 (0) 113 220 1936/1807

JO WINSON (easel paintings)After studying History of Art in Glasgow, then training as apainting conservator at the Hamilton Kerr Institute followed byinternships abroad, I have been working freelance in London forsix years now – most recently combining part-time work at RMSShepherd Associates with independent projects carried out eitheron-site or in rented studio space. As it is over ten years sincecompleting my training, I felt that it was now or never as far asaccreditation was concerned. Happily, a year since first seriouslylooking into it, I finally took the plunge (given boot by workcolleagues might be another way of looking at it) and handed inmy application during the last round.

Having been previously very cynical about the accreditationprocess, I was really surprised by how much I have benefited from(and dare I say it, actually enjoyed!) it. The process of professionalself-examination can only be positive – both from the point ofview of the individual and the profession.

The longer you leave accreditation after training, the scarier itbecomes to voluntarily submit to being examined on everyaspect of your work and professional life. In this respect I wouldencourage others not to leave it so long as I did. If you are notlucky enough to work with someone who will act as a mentorthrough the process, then I thoroughly recommend activelyfinding one. The forms are not as daunting as they first appear,the examples on the internet are useful, and the assessors couldnot have been more encouraging. Icon really wants you tobecome accredited!

My previous cynicism was partly based on reports about the lackof thoroughness of the fast-track process. I also still feel that thecosts involved (in application fees, self-employed time, increasedmembership charges, indemnity costs required to be included onthe conservation register etc) are punishing to those willing to tryand raise the profession’s standards. They are out of balance withthe average income in the profession, especially given the largepercentage of women in the field, who only work part-time if theyhave a family. It is of great concern that there are fewer and fewerjobs with less and less remuneration or stability, for an increasingnumber of highly trained painting restorers. Despite beingenthusiastic about the formalization of the profession, it feelssomewhat like the profession is stabbing itself in the back. To endon a positive note – at least the accreditation process will makeyou more aware of your transferable skills!

e-mail: [email protected] 503 1739



REBECCA KENCH (paintings)I completed my training at the Hamilton Kerr Institute in 1999.Following that I spent one year as a paintings intern in the FineArts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), and one year as anintern at the National Museums Liverpool (NML). I am currentlyemployed as a Paintings Conservator at National MuseumsLiverpool where I have held the post for four years

A year ago I found myself considering accreditation. I wanted toapply for accreditation because I felt that if all conservatorswere encouraged to become accredited then it would hopefullyraise our status and help the profession to achieve betterrecognition. Whilst being accredited is not yet required if youwork in a museum environment, I could see a time when thisqualification might be desirable and now seemed like a goodtime to apply.

I attended a workshop to find out more about the process andvery nearly didn’t apply after the discussion about how oneroussome people had found filling out the form! The form was quitedaunting, but considering what to include took longer thanwriting the final application itself.

The accreditation day was an incredibly intense day, and I wasleft in no doubt that if the process was this stringent, becomingaccredited is quite an achievement!


JANE EAGAN (books and paper)I have been working in Oxford college library and archivecollections for the past thirteen years and in 2004 became HeadConservator of the Oxford Conservation Consortium. I wasinterested in accreditation from the start for its potential tobenefit the profession and raise the profile of conservators. Iknew that I would eventually apply and looked forward (withsome trepidation) to undergoing the process. Now that this hasbeen done, I look back on it with satisfaction and admiration forthose who have put together such a considered and wellorganised scheme. I was impressed by the assessors, board,and trainers who clearly put a great deal of thought and careinto their work. From the start of the process, I felt supportedand well informed and knew more or less what to expect, whichhelped when the assessment visit came round. Since then, I’vebeen pleasantly surprised by the interest shown by librarian andarchivist colleagues who were clearly impressed by the rigour ofthe process. I found it a very stimulating exercise andencourage others to apply. I feel that accreditation will help alsoin my work as editor of The Paper Conservator.

email: jane.eagan@magdalen,oxford.ac.uk


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HEATHER TETLEY (textiles/carpets)I have been in the conservation world for thirty years. Workingwith me at our Devon workshop, housed in a large industrial unit,are two other senior conservators, Liz Flintoff, ACR, and AnneAmos-Ford, plus a recent intern and several short-termconservators and trainees as the demand arises.

It all started with my becoming interested in oriental carpets,their symbolism and history. I then wanted to develop treatmentsto care for them, which lead me into conservation, a fascinationwith the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the problems ofconservation in historic house interiors. So due to the ratherunusual circumstances of the development of our carpetconservation business, I had no formal conservation training anddespite our scrupulous adherence to the ethics of conservationand the depth of research and development in a very narrowspecialism (albeit for very large objects!) I always felt under-qualified.

I had not considered applying for accreditation until friendlyconservators pointed out that, without it, I would soon be takenoff the Conservation Register and unable to work for some of mymain clients. Carpets being a pretty small niche, this wouldpresent difficulties for my clients as well as for me.

After I had unravelled how the scheme worked with the help ofSusan Bradshaw and the PACR workshops, it was a veryinteresting self-assessment process. I had a lot of help andencouragement from my sponsors and mentor as well as othermembers of the workshop, and I thoroughly enjoyed myassessment visit. We undertook this, with the kind help andpermission of the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. I found theassessors’ interaction very informative and useful.

I am now extending my learning into tapestries, where we areundertaking commissions, since both Liz and Anne have thisspecialisation. We are especially interested in the new workshopexperience scheme and hope that we can offer a good place fortraining in carpets and tapestries.

email: [email protected] 01364 649 020The Tetley Workshop,11 Brent Mill Business ParkSouth Brent, Devon TQ10 9YT

SHARON OLDALE (archives) I have been a conservator for six years, and have been in mycurrent post at the Cheshire and Chester Archives for five years.My enthusiasm for my specialism stems from my love andappreciation of different paper types and book structures.

Once I felt I had gained enough experience to warrant anapplication, applying for accreditation seemed a natural nextstep. I had a huge amount of respect for the process and forthose conservators who were already accredited, and ultimatelyI too wanted to be recognized and appreciated as aprofessional in my field.

I found the process of accreditation to be a very positiveexperience, even despite being five months pregnant by thetime of my assessment! I recall wondering if I would be able, inmy sleepy pregnant state, to represent myself effectively on theday. But I found that my assessors were sensitive to my‘condition’, and the work I had put into my application provideda strong foundation for the day’s proceedings. The nature of theaccreditation process forces self examination, and this gave mea positive affirmation of how I had developed as a conservator.My application took a lot of work and effort, but I didn’t feel asthough I was alone and struggling. I received so much guidanceand encouragement, and happily made new acquaintances as aresult.



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Most people are by now familiar with the story of theunfortunate incident at The Fitzwilliam Museum inCambridge when, on January 25, a visitor collided with threelarge Chinese porcelain vases, part of a matching set of five.The three had been displayed on the recessed windowsill ofa grand staircase, without incident, for over forty years.

In relation to object recovery, the museum’s disaster planswung into immediate operation. While museum first aidersattended to the visitor, other staff sealed off the area toprevent more fragments being crushed underfoot (whiteporcelain is very difficult to see on pale stone stairs) andconservators were called to assess the damage. The extent ofthe smash was unprecedented: the pieces were all jumbledtogether and spread across the landing and three adjacentflights of stairs to the floor below. Luckily the museum had agood digital camera, and photos were taken and processedimmediately, allowing us to track where pieces had fallen andconduct a systematic recovery. The pieces were placed in 25

In the News….the Fitzwilliam smashedporcelain vases

IN WHAT WILL SURELYBECOME A CLASSIC CASESTUDY IN DISASTER ANDRECOVERY, JO DILLON,APPLIED ARTSCONSERVATOR AT THEFITZWILLIAM MUSEUM,TAKES US THROUGH THESTORY SO FAR.

Photographs copyright of The Fitzwilliam Museum

The landing (mainsmash site)overlaid with theimprovised grid,as used fordisaster recovery


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key person to deal with the press. For the first two weeks,the phones never stopped and our press officer processedseveral hundred enquiries from the press and public,including a TV film crew from Holland. The office is stillreceiving emails about the incident three months later.

From the very beginning, there was intense media interestin the conservation process coupled with public incredulity,best expressed by a snorting John Humphrys on Radio 4,that any reassembly would be possible, let alone redisplay.In March, the museum arranged a press conference toannounce the appointment of Penny Bendall, anexperienced ceramic conservator, after she had completedinitial sorting and partial reassembly of the first vases.Fortunately the vases do not appear to have sprung, so,despite the many hundreds of sherds, all mixed together,the reassembly is essentially a straightforward conservationprocess. The high profile of the smash and public disbeliefin the possibility of successful restoration is a superbopportunity to showcase conservation. Fortuitously,Mission Impossible?, a Fitzwilliam exhibition outliningconservation issues and dilemmas (1 July – 24 Sept 2006)was already planned; the first restored vase and sherdsfrom another will now take centre stage.

large padded trays, carefully labelled and cross-referencedwith the location from which they were retrieved. Staffspent two and a half days on their hands and kneescollecting fragments and sweeping the stairs. Wediscovered that stone stairs are very hard on the knees:foam kneelers should be an essential in every museumdisaster cache!

The story rapidly went global after the press published aphoto taken by another visitor with his mobile phone,showing the man still sitting amidst the devastation. Thepicture captured the public imagination and within daysthe museum was dealing with an unprecedented flow ofpress queries from all over the world. The story went out inlocal, national and international newspapers, radio and TV;and has stayed there, sporadically, for months. Themuseum came in for criticism and praise alike from pressand public. The man responsible has since been arrestedon suspicion of criminal damage connected to theincident.

International press interest in the incident led to messagesof support and offers of practical help from conservators allover the world, including one made through the BritishEmbassy in China. Adhesive company reps rang wanting toknow which epoxy the conservator would be using. Theincident highlighted the absolute imperative of having a

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Vases before they were broken Close-up of the devastation

Museum staff collecting the pieces Penny Bendall sorting the pieces



The access v. conservation dichotomy in a nutshellThe vast majority of the Museum’s correspondents haveexpressed their appreciation of the Museum’s distinctivehouse style and the way objects are made as accessible aspossible. Duncan Robinson, Director of The FitzwilliamMuseum, said ‘Whilst the method of displaying objects isalways under review, it is important not to over-react andmake the Museum’s collections less accessible to thevisiting public’

The vases are Chinese, Qing Dynasty, reign of Kangxi(1662–1722) and date from the late 17th or early 18thcentury. They are from a set of five which entered thecollections in 1948 and had been displayed for decadeson the staircase window sill where they were enjoyed by300,000 visitors a year.

Painted in enamels in the famille verte palette withtraces of gilding, the vases are decorated with peoniesand other flowering plants, phoenixes, pheasants,butterflies and insects. Two vases are of ‘yan yan’ shape(height 71 and 72.5 cm) and one is a heavy baluster jarwith cover (height 80 cm). The two smaller flankingvases had been secured to blocks which, in turn, weresecurely fixed to the window sill. The larger central jar –which weighed about 100 lbs and could not be liftedsingle-handed by a curator – was displayed on aplastazote non-slip mat.

Penny Bendall, of Bendall Ceramic Conservation basedin Suffolk, trained at West Dean College and holds aRoyal Warrant. For the past 18 years she has worked onmajor oriental ceramic collections around the world.She commented ‘This is a fantastic opportunity todemonstrate how ceramic conservation techniqueshave improved in recent years due to the introductionof modern materials’.

Penny Bendal working on the initial reassembly


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The Iconographic Collection in The Wellcome Libraryholds Henry Solomon Wellcome’s collection of over onehundred thousand prints, drawings, watercolours,photographs, paintings and textiles.

In 2002 the Wellcome Trust’s conservators and curatorsfrom the Iconographic Collection and external contractorsbegan working on the re-housing and preservation of thiscollection, in preparation for its migration to a new store in2006. This immense task was approached initially with asurvey to highlight areas of the collection in need ofconservation and the level of work necessary.

The Iconographic Collection contains over fifteen hundredIndian paintings on mica which are mainly un-cataloguedand have been stored for many years in old Kodak photopaper boxes. (Fig 1) The paintings had been separatedinto folders within the boxes grouped by subject matter,with each folder containing anything from one to onehundred paintings.

Mica is a ‘transparent mineral composed of complexmixtures of potassium silicates’1 used as a painting substratein India during the British Colonial period. At the time, itwas seen as a cheap and easily accessible material and isstill occasionally used in Indian art today. The paintings areusually gouache applied to the recto and, occasionally, toboth the recto and verso for a more three-dimensionaleffect. They are generally described as ‘CompanyPaintings’, produced during the early seventeenth toeighteenth century and painted in India by Indian artists,yet are in a style formed to suit the tastes of a Westerntourist. During the British Colonial period in India many ofthese paintings were produced: they document the Indianpeople, trades and animals. However, production dwindledwith the invention and success of the camera.

The Wellcome collection of paintings on mica consists ofalbums, mounted sheets and loose individual paintings.The albums are fragile and difficult to view without causingdamage to both the mica and the painting. However,

although acidic and fragmentary, the albums and theirmounts contained valuable information relating to thehistorical content of the mica and therefore had to bepreserved. The loose paintings were badly damaged as aresult of constant contact between each piece of mica: thethin layers tend to delaminate especially along the edgesand in the corners causing disruption and losses to thepaint layers.

The minority of the collection, which were catalogued,were stored in individual M-Tissue folders and could beordered by library readers to be viewed in the SpecialCollections reading room at any time; this caused concern

Rehousing IndianPaintings on MicaNicola Fleming, Assistant Iconographic Curator and Conservator at The Wellcome Trust, describes a project to re-house a large collection ofthese interesting and historically important paintings in The WellcomeLibrary Collection

1 Mike Wheeler., Conservation of Indian Mica Paintings, ‘ConservationJournal’, Victoria and Albert Museum (Summer 2000), pp.8-11.

Fig 1


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as the folders were flimsy and the mica was so delicate thatdamage could easily occur as a result of handling.

The project began with a complete survey of the paintingson mica, which allowed us to see how many there were inthe collection, their size and whether they were mountedor loose. With this information we began to researchpossible housing solutions. Many paintings were sufferingfrom paint loss and were in need of consolidation, howevertime and budget would not allow for remedial work onindividual items. Therefore, it was decided that it wasessential to develop a new housing solution, which wouldprevent any further damage. We were cautious ofencapsulation as it would mean the mica would be indirect contact with polyester, which was likely to causefurther damage to the friable paint layer if each paintingwas not consolidated before re-housing.

Mike Wheeler, conservator from the V&A, discussed howthey approached the housing of their collection ofpaintings on mica by storing single sheets in mounts afterfirst encapsulating in polyester and then placing them into‘Solander’ boxes, with the aim of allowing easy and safeaccess, particularly for exhibition. However, this solution

was not viable for our collection, as the cost of mountingfifteen hundred paintings and the expansion of storagenecessary was beyond our resources. We were concernedthat each individual painting should be accessible whilstcausing minimal disruption to the other paintings. The ideaof storing each piece in plan-chest drawers inlaid intoPlastazote® was considered, however this still seemed tocause difficulties with access. The idea of individual boxeswas considered to be the best solution but they wouldneed to be cost effective and easily accessible.

We researched the availability of an acid free clear plasticstorage system which would house the material intoindividual packages. After searching the internet, we found‘Acid Free Photo Safe Boxes’ produced by an Americancompany which specialised in clear plastic. The boxes cameflat packed, thus need to be folded and assembled. Theyare very similar to those used for display and packaging.Samples of the boxes were ordered to check for clarity andrigidity of the plastic. Experiments were carried out toascertain the best way in which the paintings could be fixedin place within the box. A sheet of polyester was cut to theexact size of each box, the mica was placed on top and twodiagonal corners were marked out using a scalpel to pierce

Fig 2 Fig 3

Fig 4 Fig 5



the polyester. (Fig 2) Small slits were then cut in thepolyester in a similar manner to photo-corners and the micawas then inserted (Fig 3) With the mica secured onto thepolyester it was carefully slipped into the clear plastic box.(Fig 4) When the box was closed the painting could beviewed from both recto and verso without causing anydamage or movement to the mica. (Fig 5)

The boxes were rigid enough to allow them to be stackedon top of each other (maximum of three to four) within alarger A2 dye cut archival board box from Conservation byDesign. (Fig 6) The expansion rate was thought to be onlyfour times the current housing space, which wasacceptable to both the curator and conservators. Each boxwas given a catalogue number written on a clear sticker (toallow for future changes) with an archival permanentmarker pen and placed in a uniformed area.

The Acid Free Photo Safe boxes are available in four sizes;the smallest being 35⁄8" x 51⁄8" x 5⁄8" and the largest 81⁄8" x101⁄8" x 5⁄8". The largest size is larger than any of the sheetsof mica in the collection. Whilst the above re-housingsolution was suitable for the single items, the mountedpaintings on mica were treated in a different manner.These were placed into folded sheets of Heritage paper,then placed into easily accessible catalogued bundleswhich were finally placed into an A2 archival dye cut boxand stored alongside the rest of the mica.

The project took approximately ten working days full-timefor one conservator. It proved to be successful in its aim tosafely re-house and store a challenging part of ourIconographic Collection. And in the process it has enabledthe previously inaccessible material to be handled andeasily accessed without causing further damage.

For anyone interested in learning more about the subject:

BibliographyMike Wheeler., Conservation of Indian Mica Paintings,‘Conservation Journal’, V&A Museum (Summer 2000). Mike Wheeler, Pauline Webber, Anna Hillcoat-Imanishi,and Clair Battisson., ‘Indian Paintings on Paper, Textile,Mica: Conservation, Storage, and Display’, The BroadSpectrum, Archetype, 2002. Harriet K. Stratis and BrittSalvesen, pp 222–228.Archer, M. Company Paintings. Indian Paintings of theBritish Period. V&A Museum, 1992, pp 193–201.

Websiteshttp://www.chennaionline.com/artscene/history/companyschool.asphttp://www.radcliffe.edu/fellowships/profiles/visweswaran/gallery/g-text1.htmlhttp://www.tanjore.net/tanjorepainting.html

SuppliesThe Acid-Free Photo Safe Boxes came from:Impact Images http:www.clearbags.comPhone: 916-933-4700All other materials (Archival Dye Cut boxes, anti-staticgrade polyester, Heritage Woodfree paper and Manillaboard) came from: Conservation By DesignPhone: 01234 853555 info@conservation-by-design,co,uk

Fig. 6


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news from the groups

BOOK AND PAPER GROUP

The first annual meeting of the B&PG on 30 March was aresounding success with over 60 members attending. Apack of information, including the Icon strategic plan and anew Book and Paper Group Action Plan 2006–08 (soon tobe available on the website), was made available to allattendees. The new committee members: Lorraine Finch(secretary), Penny Jenkins, Christine McNair (treasurer),Tony Bish, Liz Bowerman and Jim Bloxam were welcomedon board, and thanks expressed to two outgoingmembers: Caroline Scharfenburg and Catherine Atkinson.We are grateful to Ann-Marie Miller who will be staying onfor an additional six months and to Kate Colleran who iscontinuing to support the work of the Chantry Library.

The committee reported on its activities, describing thenew role of sub-editor* (for B&PG items to go into Iconnews), forthcoming events, the website, graduate liaisonand the sponsored membership scheme. As part of thelibrary report Kate was able to announce a furtherendowment from the Chantry estate of a substantialamount to further the work of the Library. This wasfollowed by a lively and good humoured discussion on arange of matters including the development of the Chantrylibrary, HLF funding for conservation internships and thevalue of having Icon to speak with a unified voice onconservation issues.

The committee was gratified by the level ofencouragement from members attending the meeting andwe look forward to continuing our ambitious programmeof activities with your support and assistance. The meetingwas followed by two talks, described in the Review section,which were received with interest and a noisy and cheerfulcrowd finished the evening with the usual refreshmentsand chat.

ConferenceThe B&PG’s International conference in Edinburghpromises to be an occasion not to be missed. Papers byleading speakers from around the world cover a widevariety of conservation practices ranging from up-to-dateinformation on the treatment of iron-gall ink, modernprints, pastels, manuscripts, transparent papers, draftingfilm and watercolours, the identification of photographicprocesses, plastics and paper deterioration. An impressiveposter display will include information on zeolites, foldtesting for book joints, pith paper, architectural plans,starch paste, leather deterioration and Chinese ink.

The conference will also look at the impact of preservationon the work of conservators in both the private and publicsectors, contribute to the dissemination of current practiceand provide an important forum for discussion and

meeting colleagues. This is the first major event to beorganised by the B&PG and we are sure that it will besupported by a large attendance from practising book andpaper conservators.

Helen Lindsay, Chair

CARE OF COLLECTIONS GROUP

Are objects bad for your health? What lurks in your storeroom? Do you know what to do with an unexplodedbomb? The Care of Collections Group is planning a twoday conference on hazardous materials in collections from21– 22 November 2006. It will highlight issues of risk,solutions to storage, transport, display and disposal. Thedays will be split into focusing on organic and inorganicmaterials.

The venue will be Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery,with additional site visits to see examples of dealing withhazardous materials. If you are interested in attending orwould like to submit a paper, please contact me [email protected] or tel: 07977 939 141

Emma Roodhouse, on behalf of the Committee

ETHNOGRAPHIC GROUP

Notes from the Chair on behalf of the CommitteeThe Ethnography Group meeting which was held inLondon on the 28 March 2006 focused on two main issues:the restructuring of the Committee and following up onthe editing and publication of the material from pastEthnography Seminars. At the meeting, the committee wasjoined by three new members. We would like to thankRenata Peters, Amy Crossman and Charles Stable forgenerously volunteering their time and expertise to theEthnography Group Committee.

Renata will be the editor for the ethnography contributionto Icon News. Amy takes over the role of Treasurer in theGroup and Charles will be our website editor. Details oftheir careers and interests in the field of ethnographicconservation can be found on the website. With theirappointment we believe that the committee nowencompasses within its ranks a wide range of expertise andexperience which we hope will enable us to communicateeffectively with members of the Group and widen thescope of what the Group is able to achieve for membersthrough seminars and workshops. However, for themoment the committee will continue to focus on theforthcoming publication of papers from past seminars andin the development of our website.

*Note: Jim Bloxam is the sub-editor. He can becontacted on [email protected]


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We can now confirm that the papers presented at theseminar ‘Ethnographic Painted Surfaces’ will be publishedthis year by Archetype Books. The post-prints of theseminars ‘Caught in a Compromising Situation’ and‘Challenging the Boundaries of Ethnography’ are due tobe published in 2007. However, we have not received allthe papers related to these seminars. We would begrateful if authors could send a copy of their contributionto our Secretary Róisín Miles. The precarious situation andchanges occurring within the Committee in the last monthshave led to some problems of organisation and schedulingregarding this matter. We apologise for this inconvenience.It has been suggested that a ‘copy date’ and ‘guidelines’be provided for authors, we believe that this would beuseful and will organise this for our next seminar. Wewould also like to thank Margot Wright for her tremendouswork. She has edited the papers from no less than fourseminars and has agreed to continue!

Melangell Penrhys Jones has stepped down as thenewsletter editor but remains as an ordinary committeemember. We look forward to continuing to work with herand we thank her for her dedication and commitment tothe Group and her dynamism in fostering partnerships atnational and international levels.

While we have defined our individual roles within theCommittee and filled the central positions, we are stillseeking further support from members with an interest andenthusiasm for ethnography. Also, we would encourageanyone involved in ethnography, in any capacity to join usand share their experience through the Icon News.

Committee MembersChair Anne-Marie Deisser

([email protected]),

Secretary Róisín Miles([email protected]),

Newsletter Editor Renata Peters ([email protected]),

Treasurer Amy Crossman([email protected]),

Website Editor Charles Stable ([email protected])

Ordinary Members Anne Laila Kvitvang([email protected])

Anna Hodson([email protected])

Melangell Penrhys [email protected])

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS GROUP

Dear Icon members and Photographic MaterialsGroup members,In what promises to be an exiting year ahead of us withIcon firmly established as the lead body and voice for theconservation profession we hope that you will havecommitted yourselves to its vision and activities and willhave renewed or are renewing your membership for April.We would ask everyone to consider joining us and indicatetheir interest in the Photographic Materials Group; thepreservation of our unique photographic heritage affectsus all.

The last few years have been a time of great transition forthe Group. As its Chair, I have been directly involved fromthe outset through NCCR, the Vanguard Groups and theInterim Board of Icon in seeing that Icon becomes a realitywhilst seeking to maintain a high standard of Groupmeetings for its members. Icon now has a fully electedcommittee and is already beginning to make a differenceand impact the conservation and heritage communities.

The committee and I have always made it clear that for thesake of continuity we would continue in office to see theGroup’s commitment to Icon through, and then we wouldstand down. Now that the Group’s finances have beentransferred to and integrated within Icon, and with thedevelopment of the Group’s web site in progress, it is timefor the Group to elect a new Chair and Committee, whichwill take the Group on and continue to establish anddevelop the discipline of Photographic Conservation withinthe wider cultural heritage field. We have a uniqueopportunity within Icon to make a difference.

In response to this, the committee is seeking nominationsfor six committee officers. Please submit names ofnominees by post or email, together with the names of theproposer and seconder to PhMG Chairman Ian Moor,[email protected] or Icon PhMG, 233 StansteadRoad, London SE23 1HU. Nominations will close on 24May 2006 and the results will be announced on the group’sweb site http://www.icon.org.uk and by email and post tomembers. Closing date for voting will be 24 June 2006.

The results of the election will be announced at theGroup’s next one day meeting on 21 July at the Iconoffices. In addition to a full programme of papers, to becirculated in due course, the current Committee will standdown at the end of the meeting and the newly electedCommittee will take up the reins.

We look forward to receiving your nominations and seeingyou at what promises to be an interesting and worthwhilemeeting.

Ian L. Moor, Chair


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more news from the groups

SCOTLAND GROUP

The Committee met again in mid-March and the eventsprogramme for the coming year was high on the agenda.With the annual Dr. Harold Plenderleith Memorial Lecture,social and professional gatherings and the proposed Icon2006 AGM in Edinburgh to plan, there was plenty to focusthe Committee’s attention. The arrangements for theGroup’s participation in the Authenticity and Conservationconference and the Glasgow Art Fair were also finalised. Inaddition, the formal organisation of the Committee wasdiscussed at length, including the individual responsibilitiesof those serving on the Committee, the administrator postand the ballot procedure for the election of Committeemembers in the Autumn.

The political role for the Icon Scotland Group was alsodeveloped at this meeting and a working group formed toproduce a response to the recent Cultural Review. Thepossibility of an official launch to raise Icon’s profile withinthe political community was also raised.

A mailing list for all Icon members interested in receivinginformation about Scotland Group activities has now beenestablished. If you haven’t received recent emails, and youwould like to join this list, please contact the Icon office

Ruth Honeybone ([email protected]) is theScotland Group contact for contributions to Icon News.

GRADUATE VOICEHeather Marshall writes: This section of the magazine isdedicated to conservation graduates and students, theirreviews, articles, opinions and news. We aim to provide aninformal means of communication for newly qualifiedconservators, those still at college and those where noformal training exists with future employers and otherestablished conservators.

We would like to hear from you if you would like tobecome involved or make a contribution. We would like tomake sure that there is a network from all disciplines, soplease get in touch!

All kinds of contributions are welcome including reviews ofexcursions, conferences and classes, educational tools,books, websites and other resources. Please send them to:Heather Marshall at [email protected] . Heather ison the graduate liaison sub-committee and worksalongside Graduate Liaison representative Ann-MarieMiller who is on the Book and Paper Group executivecommittee, Caroline Harrison and Erica Kotze who are alsoon the sub-committee to provide graduate support. If youwould like to join then please contact us on the detailsabove.

GRADUATE CONCERNS ……LET US HAVEYOUR VIEWS

Fran Clarke writes: I would like to add to what JulianeGregg (Icon News 3, ‘Graduate Voice’) wrote with regardsto seeking employment in the profession.

I also graduated last summer from the University ofLincoln. The tutors had been very upfront about thecompetition for work in the industry and had prepared usas much as possible, with classes dedicated to perfectinginterview technique and covering a range of possible linesof questioning. My approach to finding work has beenlargely based on this knowledge, and thankfully, I havebeen in almost continual employment since graduation,completing various short term contracts as a conservator ina free-lance capacity. These contracts have largely involvedundertaking condition surveys for local county councilmuseum services, but I have also managed to secure sometemporary paid conservation work.

My experience of job seeking leads me to believe that youjust have to be a little cleverer than sitting around waitingfor jobs to be advertised. Towards the end of my degree, Iwrote to each local council within close proximity of familymembers (who would willingly provide a comfortable bedand one hot meal a day), including both my CV and a copyof my portfolio on disc. I achieved three paid contracts as aresult of this direct mailing. In the short periods betweencontracts I volunteered as a conservator at a local museumwith a leaning towards my preferred specialism, in order toget valuable hands-on experience, This gave rewards onvarious levels: the people there offered immeasurablesupport whilst I continued my job search, it helped bolstermy CV, and was also viewed favourably by prospectiveemployers, as evidence of my enthusiasm and willingnessto progress. I have since secured my first full time positionand am due to commence my post as conservator for theNational Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield.

Short term work is, unfortunately, becoming harder forfresh graduates to secure, since many organisations, suchas the Churches Commission, have agreed to givecontracts only to accredited conservators. I have lost outon paid work which one county council would have happilyemployed me to undertake. But the regional MLA wouldnot give the project funding, as it is now their criterion thatthe conservator be accredited. Since short term contractsare the only way for many of us to make a start in theprofession, this is something that needs to be urgentlyaddressed by Icon. If these policies are adopted by agreater number of organisations, it will be almostimpossible for some new conservators ever to get thenecessary experience to apply for accreditation. AlthoughI’m sure that Icon hopes that the majority of freshgraduates will eventually go on to become accredited, thecurrent agenda is barring the way, and making it more



difficult than ever to progress in the profession.

Survey work is, however, not subject to the same criterion.Since many museums are now in the process of attainingaccredited status, there is a considerable amount of suchwork available, so if you are currently job-hunting, it isworth finding out if your local council has had surveys of itsmuseum collections completed. If you have mailed themyour CV and have got your name fixed in the mind of thecollections manager, you are far more likely to be called, ifand when work of this nature materialises.

Finally, if you can afford to volunteer as a conservator, it is ahuge advantage. It will allow you to continue to gainprofessional experience, but more importantly still, it willopen the doors to a network of regional conservators whowill be more than happy to offer their support and advice.

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATIONGRADUATION SHOWS 2006

University of Lincoln Final year BA students are currently preparing for theirgraduation exhibition to be held in the chapel of ChadVarah House, off Steep Hill, in Lincoln. Previous students,professionals, other conservation-restoration students, thegeneral public and the plain curious are all welcome toattend on Saturday 13 May 10.00am – 5.00pm, Monday 15May 9.30am – 5.00pm or Tuesday 16 May 9.30 – 5.00pm.

The exhibition will showcase the undergraduates’ work andalso highlight the role played by conservators and restorersin the preservation of our heritage. In order to reach awider audience the students aim to produce a catalogueproviding information about themselves and the work theyhave carried out during their three years of study.

For further information [email protected]

Camberwell College of ArtsThe shows will be held at Camberwell College of Arts,Wilson Road, London SE5 8LU and will be open on thefollowing dates.

BA Conservation: Tuesday 27 June to Saturday July 1 (9am – 8pm except Saturday, which is 11am – 4pm).

BA students are taught conservation in the area of organicmaterials: paper artefacts, textiles and three dimensionalmaterial culture artefacts. Projects in this year’s showinclude an architect’s model, a Maori textile and acollection of French 19th century maps

MA Conservation. Wednesday 12 July – Saturday 15 July(9am – 8pm, except Saturday, which is 11am – 4pm).

MA students specialise in the conservation of paperartefacts including books and art on paper. Projects in this

year’s show include 18th century watercolours, early 20thcentury photographs, historic wallpaper fragments and 17thand 18th century books.

For further information about the shows and courses atCamberwell College of Arts contact the enquiries desk on0207-514-6302 or e-mail: [email protected]

West Dean CollegeShows for the Conservation and Restoration MA andDiploma courses will be in July 2006, details in the nextnewsletter.

24th Annual Gerry Hedley Student Symposium The 24th Annual Gerry Hedley Student Symposium, thisyear hosted by Northumbria University, is to be held onFriday 9 June 2006 in Newcastle.

Students from the three British painting conservationprograms, Northumbria University, Courtauld Institute of Artand the Hamilton Kerr Institute, will present papers to theircolleagues, tutors and the wider conservation community.Covering the work carried out by the students in their finalyear research project, these papers will focus on currenttheoretical and practical conservation issues, art historicalresearch, scientific investigation and analysis in relation toeasel paintings. The conference will also include some talkson paper conservation by students of NorthumbriaUniversity.

The registration fee is £15 for students and £20 for non-students and the registration deadline is 26 May. For furtherinformation contact 0191 227 3250 or email: [email protected]

THE BEER MEETINGS

The next Beer Meeting will be on Tuesday 23 May at TheGeorge, Borough High Street. The George is a beautiful,rambling old pub with an enormous outside area. It liesbetween White Heart Yard and Talbot Yard and betweenLondon Bridge and Borough stations, London Bridge beingslightly closer. As ever I will be there from 5.30pm. Thefollowing link will take you to a map of where the pub is.The small yards that I’ve mentioned do not come up on themap (they do in an A-Z) but if you get to where the arrow isyou should be able to see the pub.http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?Postcode2Map?code=se1?nh

Hoping for the sun, Imogen. [email protected]

If you would like us to publish details of futureConservation and Restoration Graduation showsplease contact Heather Marshall [email protected]


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reviewsBOOKS

RADIOGRAPHY OFCULTURAL MATERIALJanet Lang & Andrew Middleton, eds.Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann 2005;2nd edition paperbackISBN: 0750663472 208 pages £34.99

This is the second edition of the bookoriginally published in 1997. That hardbackedition more than satisfied the needs ofmost conservators and radiographersinvolved with archaeological, historical andfine art materials, and this new edition willdelight yet more readers. Although apaperback, it is packed with beautifullypresented and printed radiographic images.

The authors have struck a good balancebetween providing the informationnecessary to understand radiography andsupplying references to detailed texts ontheory and technique. The developingimportance of digital imaging for the studyand presentation of cultural material isreflected in the expanded text coveringboth the capture and manipulation of hardcopies of X-ray images and the direct digitalcapture of X-rays. In the two backgroundchapters, the authors discuss theimportance of considered planning andissues including file formats, imagemanipulation and enhancement, archive andstorage, and dissemination and publication.There are chapters written by ten specialistauthors on metals, ceramics, paper,paintings, archaeo-human and animalremains, applications in conservation, and inrestoration, pastiche and fakes. Throughoutare examples of examinations employing arange of techniques from conventionalradiography to stereo, xeroradiography, andcomputed tomography using different typesof radiations (although X-rays predominate)and formats to record the image (on film,

paper, screen and digitally).

So what is new? Chapters have beenbrought up to date with recent referencesand further examples or case studies, someby additional specialists. There is a newsection on animal remains and there are anumber of highlighted boxes providingsuccinct sources of information on healthand safety, new radiographic facilities, andrunning a radiographic facility.

The quality of many of the images is betterthan those in the first edition. Images seemto be sharper and the contrast has beenimproved and this is assisted by the whiterand slightly glossy paper. Some are furtherenhanced by inserts of details, and inothers, the area of the picture or itsorientation has been improved. A smallproportion of the images are the productsof techniques that are not commonlyavailable (eg digital and computertomography), or no longer available (egxeroradiography). The latter havesometimes provided the best imagesavailable to demonstrate examples given inthe text, in particular for glass, ceramics, andhuman remains. Nevertheless, there aresome images that are reproduced darkerand less sharp in this edition. A few of theblack and white images would havebenefited from being larger in order toreveal the detail and convey the informationintended. However, as everyone who hasattempted to publish X-radiographs willknow, they are always extremely difficult toproduce in print. Seldom, in any case, doesone exposure or image yield all theevidence that the radiographer might wish.

There are 180 black and white imagesincluding line drawings and photographs ofwhich 133 are radiographs, some beingmultiple images showing differentexposures or digital enhancements. Thereare also 25 high-quality colour pictures.Many figures have been redrawn orenhanced – a great improvement on thosepreviously scanned. The printing font ismore pleasant to read and the layout ofcaptions is easier to follow where pageshave multiple images.

If you already have the first edition of thisbook, is it worth acquiring the new edition?The background chapters, and in particularthe information on digital imaging, warrantspurchasing the new edition, and theupdated bibliographies and applicationsmake this an invaluable reference book. Thisis essential reading for anyone with aninterest in the examination of culturalproperty.

Vanessa Fell and Karla GrahamArchaeological Conservators, EnglishHeritage

The publishers offer Icon members a 20%discount. For details of how to obtain it seethe Icon website

TAPESTRY CONSERVATIONPRINCIPLES AND PRACTICEFrances Lennard and Maria Hayward, eds.Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann 2005ISBN: 07506 61844280 pages £ 49.99

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that aperson in possession of a copy of thisvolume must be in want of a life. However,having now read it from cover to cover Ibelieve that for those of us who work withtapestries in either a conservation orcuratorial capacity this is a valuable andlong overdue reference book. Clearlyorganized into six parts (Context,Documentation and analysis of materials,Cleaning, Treatment options, Maintenanceand display, Current research projects), wellillustrated and with a quite useful ‘tapestrytimeline’ at the outset, this manual is, for themost part, surprisingly readable.

Each part of the book is subdivided intochapters written by different contributors,and whilst occasionally one gets a slightimpression that one or two contributorswere working to a different brief, on thewhole the content is thorough, concise andcomplete. The chapters range from thehighly specific and technical (e.g. CordeliaRogerson and Paul Garside‘s chapter onmetal thread analysis and Boris Pretzel‘s onenvironmental issues) to the much morewide ranging and general approachemployed by Frances Lennard in herchapter in the ‘Context’ part of the book.The relevance of one or two chaptersseemed a little obscure and the section ondocumentation and analysis I felt wouldhave benefited from a couple morecontributions as it is a little narrow (e.g.something on the dye analysis which I


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ICON NEWS • MARCH 2006 • 39

believe is currently undertaken quitecommonly on tapestries would have beeninteresting). I also have to admit to beingslightly baffled by Sheila Landi’s chapter ‘Adescription and evaluation of a conservationsystem for tapestries’ in the ‘TreatmentOptions’ part of the book. Unlike the otherchapters in the book I personally found it tohave a rather nebulous quality and wasperplexed by the claims she was makingwhich seemed to me to be abstruse. Itwould have been illuminating perhaps tohave one or two diagrams to help explainthe methods she was endeavouring todescribe, and a bit more detail on why thesemethods are so much less time-consumingthan others more commonly in use.

The strength of the publication in my mindis the comprehensive way in which it pullstogether and presents the current methodsof remedial tapestry conservation employednot just in the UK but in the rest of Europeand in the United States. Contributions fromthe Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum inBoston, the Metropolitan Museum in NewYork, as well as a wealth of Europeancontributions from France, Poland, Bavaria,Italy and others combine to provide anexcellent overview of both the philosophybehind the approach and the techniquesand methods used internationally. There areexcellent and very useful inclusions onplanning and conservation programmes,case histories, a wide variety of displaysystems, and much else and it is invaluableto have all of this information condensedand organized into this one bible.

Because of the variety of content that thisbook encompasses I would anticipate that itwill be of interest, and I would recommendit, to members of other sections of Icon aswell as textiles, such as Historic Interiors,Care of Collections and Furniture. Severalchapters give fascinating, if tangential,historical information bordering on theromantic which could make it an interestingread for historians in a far wider contextthan the narrow one addressed in thesepages, and yes, there is even a sprinkling ofhumour. But I won’t spoil it for you – read itfor yourself!

Emma Telford, Freelance Conservator,with apologies to Jane Austen

The publishers offer Icon members a 20%discount. For details of how to obtain it seethe Icon website

JOHN FOWLER THEINVENTION OF THECOUNTRY-HOUSE STYLEHelen Hughes, ed.Donhead Publishing 2005ISBN:187339459496 pages £30

Ian Gow, Curator, National Trust Scotland,has written a stimulating essay in responseto his reading of this book. It can be foundin full on the website (www.icon.org.uk). Theparagraphs below are extracted from it.

Conference Papers, so often published froma sense of duty, like Festschrifts, tend to theworthy but dull so these sparkling paperscome as an agreeable surprise and must beamongst the most amusing Post-Conference papers ever published. Onesimply longs to have been at the twoConferences of which these are thedistillation, for the fun of observing thedelegates as they realised that their hero,whom they had come to celebrate, in paperafter paper, was shown, at least in the paint-department, to have been rather lessauthoritatively in touch with the world ofMarie Antoinette than he thought and thereis a sense that by the end of theConferences the discarded body of poorJohn Fowler was left with almost as manystab wounds as David Rizzio, the favourite ofanother Romantic Queen……..

The fun of these papers depends, like aFeydeau farce, on a general acceptance ofFowler’s standing as the authority andconduit of 18th century authenticity and, if athird conference could be contemplated,the growth of this idea seems worth teazlingout. In 1976 I joined the Department of theEnvironment and found myself as aResearch Assistant engaged in trying tohelp the decision making about suchimportant historic interiors as Audley Endand Osborne. John Fowler and JohnCornforth’s English Decoration in the 18thCentury, had only just been published in1974 but I think I was puzzled by the Trust’s

interior decorating and very much morecomfortable with the ‘Authenticity BeforeTaste’ camp in the Department of Furnitureand Woodwork of the Victoria and AlbertMuseum. In his review of Cornforth andFowler in the Times Literary Supplement,17 January 1975, Peter Thornton, Keeper ofthat Department thundered:

‘If, in spending so much money as we do asa nation on the preservation of our greathouses, we are sincerely trying to preservepart of our cultural heritage and not merelyproviding subjects for Christmas calendars,we must present these houses coherently tothe public so that it can learn to appreciateand understand what their true place was inour history’.

And he went on to oppose the genuinearticle of ‘authenticity before taste’ toCornforth and Fowler’s” loosely artisticrendering” which is exactly what this pair ofConferences some thirty years later is nowexposing……..

One is reminded of another similar and veryamusing work of debunking with a focus oninterior decorators, though veiled in thepolitesse of Washington diplomacy, inJames A Abbott’s Designing Camelot: TheKennedy White House restoration, 1998.Although Mrs Kennedy was not exactly inthe end doing quite what she started out todo, she had made an outstandingcontribution to the thinking about howofficial residences might be managed. Herpopular book must be one of the firstattempts to publish historic photographs insequence of the same room to showchanging taste and perhaps she and Boudinwere responsible for one of the first seriousattempts to recreate a Victorian interior.

Similarly although paint may not have beenthe strongest card in their pack, it isimpossible not to admire and be rather inawe of the outstanding contribution thatJohn Fowler and Nancy Lancaster made toour understanding of the British countryhouse. They had the curiosity to take uptheir three-penny pieces, they quite often,as in the White Drawing Room at Ditchleychose to leave well alone, and all the timethey drew people into the cause. That wehave the rather petty luxury of debatingwhat colour the walls of many countryhouses should be is in part a product of thepioneering efforts of Ronald and Nancy, thetwo Johns and Jim who inspired a desire tosave them at a time when so many moremight have been demolished.

Icon members are eligible for a 10%discount on this book from three monthsfrom the date of this review when they orderby telephone from Donhead, citing theirIcon membership number. Telephone: 01747828422


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CLEANING TECHNIQUES INCONSERVATION PRACTICE Published simultaneously as a special Issueof the Journal of Architectural ConservationK C Normandin, ed.Donhead Publishing 2005ISBN: 1873394748134 pages £25

The scope of this volume is wide, rangingfrom the cleaning techniques used forcomparatively fragile surfaces, such asdecorative stonework and sculpture, towaterjetting of relatively robust metalsurfaces and surface treatment of concrete.

The first paper, ‘An Overview of CurrentPractice and Techniques’ by Slaton andNormandin, raises the interesting andimportant issues of when to clean and why.It begins with the premise that althoughcleaning is sometimes necessary in therepair and maintenance of historic fabric orto remove damaging deposits, it is oftencarried out primarily for aesthetic reasons orto reveal concealed detail, criteria which arenot necessarily justifiable in terms ofconservation. Discussion of national andinternational guidelines follows, withconsideration of acceptable levels ofcleanliness and of desirable patina versusundesirable and damaging soiling deposits.

Grossi and Brimblecombe further explorethis theme in an account of their survey ofthe public perception of the blackening ofthe eleventh century White Tower at theTower of London. In summary, most visitorsaccepted the soiled or darkened conditionof surfaces as an integral part of the ageand history of the monument. There is somediscussion of the way the name influencedperceptions, but there is no mention of theimportant matter of the original finish of theexternal masonry, which might have hadsome bearing on the way visitors respondedto survey questions. The external elevationsare mainly of Kentish rag, generally a greento grey coloured stone. The name- theWhite Tower- suggests that the building was

originally painted and recent study hasrevealed that Anglo-Norman buildings weregenerally painted, both internally andexternally (see, for example, E Fernie, TheArchitecture of Norman England, 2002).

‘Analysis and Cleaning of the Concrete ofthe Sydney Opera House’ by Akhurst,Macdonald and Waters sets outinvestigation, analysis and treatment ofexposed ‘architectural’ concrete surfaces.The use of calcium bicarbonate to lightenand even out the stained surfaces is a novelapproach and one that accords with policiesset out in the Conservation Plan and thearchitect’s design principles. ‘St John theDivine: Techniques to Assess Fire Soil’(Kavenagh and Gembinski) focuses on theinvestigation and characterisation of soilingdeposits, essential for the substantiation ofan insurance claim for costs of cleaning theinterior, rather than on the cleaning, whichemployed the Arte Mundit liquid latexpoultice.

The account of cleaning the interior of StPaul’s Cathedral by Stancliffe, De Witte andDe Witte is of considerable interest. It setsout the steps leading to selection of theArte Mundit poultice, including earlyinvestigation of surfaces and past surfacecoatings and cleaning trials. The practicaladvantages of this method for internal workare clear: minimal use of water, efficiencyand speed of work, and what might bedescribed as the ‘self limiting’ nature of thesystem (once the film is dry the EDTA is nolonger active). Cleaning has considerablyenhanced the appearance of the Portlandstone, restoring the visual unity of theinterior and the quality of light, a greatachievement for this recently developedcleaning product. However, the statementthat the ‘only technique to clean interiors onlarge scale and at a reasonable price untilrecently consisted of EDTA packs’ needssome qualification. First it must bepresumed that this refers to interiors oflimestone; EDTA based products willgenerally be ineffective for other types ofnon-calcareous substrate, such as terracottaor sandstone. The most effective system willdepend on a number of factors, includingthe nature of soiling; EDTA based productsare not necessarily always appropriate for allconditions, even for limestone. Othermethods (ranging from water and steam toWishab sponges) have been used to cleanlimestone interiors successfully and atreasonable cost.

Martin Cooper’s account of laser cleaning isa very good summary of its current use. Ofparticular interest is his account of how lasercleaning is moving slowly from theconservation studio to buildings and of theremaining challenges in developing thetechnique so that it can be used at a rate

(surface area per unit of time) comparablewith other building cleaning methods. Thereis useful discussion of other technical issuesin the application of laser cleaning tobuildings, including the susceptibility ofequipment to dusty and dirty sites and toextremes of temperature. It will beinteresting to see whether the techniquedevelops along the lines the authoranticipates, with a combination of highpowered lasers and robotic technology, toincrease the rate of cleaning substantially.

Sembrat et al on waterjetting techniques forcleaning historic metal surfaces will be ofinterest to conservators of industrial andother very large metal artefacts. This paperfocuses on the equipment and cleaningparameters, such as pressures, nozzles andworking distance (between the object andthe nozzle). Two case studies, of a section ofthe Titanic and treatment of the Saturn VRocket, illustrate the application of thetechnique and its effective removal ofsurface coatings, corrosion products andsalt.

There is certainly a need for ongoing reviewof cleaning techniques and evaluation of theeffects of historic building cleaning in theUK context. Cleaning can dramatically alterthe appearance and nature of buildingsurfaces, as well as the way re-soiling occursafter cleaning. There is considerable scopefor further investigation of phenomena suchas ‘gun-shading’, the mottled effect thatoften results from abrasive cleaning (wet ordry), and ‘brown staining’, the dark, typicallygingery brown stains that often appear afterprolonged water cleaning of pale colouredlimestone.

Catherine WoolfittDirector, Ingram Consultancy

Icon members are eligible for a 10%discount on this book from three monthsfrom the date of this review when they orderby telephone from Donhead, citing theirIcon membership number. Telephone: 01747 828422


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MEETINGS

SIMPLE PROTECTIVEFOLDER AND BOXCONSTRUCTION

Paul Cook at The October Gallery, 31 January 2006

In this very practical talk, Paul Cookdescribed a number of simple storagesolutions which are made by hand at theNational Maritime Museum to protect itemsafter conservation or for exhibition loan.Although a wide range of commercialproducts is now available, there arefrequently occasions when a one-offcontainer or enclosure is required to housean unusual-sized object or to solve aparticular packaging problem. Recognisingthat many conservators do not have accessto expensive mount cutting and specialisedbox-making equipment, Paul demonstratedsome of the basic procedures, constructionmethods and little craft tricks he has devisedfor making simple made-to-measurecontainers in his studio. Four types ofenclosure were explained during theevening including a simple four-flap folder,book box, corrugated plan box and coreroll, and a number of variations.

Paul began by showing us a selection of histools. These included a metal creasing toolmade from a polished kebab skewer with asmooth rounded end which he prefers touse instead of a bone folder. All measuringis done using dividers or by marking off onstrips of paper as this tends to be moreaccurate for repeated measurements than aruler.

The first type of enclosure described was asimple flat four-flap folder made of onepiece of archival manilla. The item ismeasured with a strip of paper in severalplaces along its height and width as it maynot be exactly square. An extra margin of 4-5mm larger than the object is allowed forthe overall dimensions of the folder and themanilla card is creased over soft mountboard using the rounded creasing tool. Thefour flaps are undercut at a slightly taperedangle, with a tongue cut from half the widthof the right-hand flap and a correspondingslot on the left hand flap to make theclosure. All corners are gently rounded forclearance. The grain direction of the cardshould be parallel to the flap creaseswherever possible, particularly for heavier-weight card or board. Another version of thefour-flap enclosure was also described usingtwo separate flaps attached under a centralcross-piece with EVA. (This option is lesswasteful of materials and when making

multiples to the same dimensions is moreefficient if creasing templates are made firstto avoid repeated measuring).

The construction of a simple folding bookbox (or phase box) with side walls wasshown next. Archival folding boxboard isnormally used, either being cut from asingle sheet or as two long cross-pieces withthe creases parallel with the grain directionbeing adhered together in the centre withEVA. The depth of the book edges aremeasured with dividers in several placestaking into account any wedge shape, andthe walls of the box are creased accordingly.The box incorporates small square flaps or‘ears’ at the corners of the cross, or appliedbook cross corners, which are creased and

turned in to keep out dust when the box isclosed. All the corners are reinforced withstrips of book cloth on the outside foradded strength and two tape ties or buttonrivets and strings are attached to one of theflaps to secure the box.

At the National Maritime Museumcorrugated plan boxes to store rolledmaterial such as charts, plans, flags andbanners are constructed out of blue archivalsingle or double-wall corrugated board. Thedouble board is cut half the way throughand creased with a bone folder so that thetwo angles fold up well. The base tray of thebox is made from one long piece of boardand creased into three equal parts for theside walls and base, leaving the central

Fold against a straight edge Four flap folder

Folding book boxes

Box base and lid with spacers Globe box with foam padding

Book boxes

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Creasing the fold


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panel long enough to crease up and formthe walls for the ends. Corners are adheredwith EVA and reinforced with strips of cardor book cloth, and the long walls of the boxare held rigid with a couple of temporaryslotted spacers whilst the adhesive is drying.The lid is made in exactly the same way tofit snugly over the base but with cut-outfinger holes near the ends of the side wallsto help lift the lid off smoothly.

Making a core roll was also demonstrated.This needs to be slightly larger than thediameter of a cardboard tube former and ismade from a sheet of archival manilla or thinmount board. The circumference of the coreis marked off on the manilla together withan allowance for a small increase, and theclosing edge cut on the bevel for a neatfinish. The sheet of manilla is dampened outand EVA applied in short sections with awide brush and then rolled up over thecardboard tube in stages until the wholesheet is completed. The roll should bemade oversize and the ends trimmed laterfor an exact fit. Seating pieces are usuallyincorporated in the corrugated box to holdthe roll in place and for this Paul fashionedtwo ‘U’-shaped pieces from a block ofPlastazote foam, using the sharpened edgeof a tin-can as an efficient, if somewhatlethal, circular cutter! Holes for a centraldowel can also be recessed into the endwalls of the box if required.

To round off his presentation, Pauldescribed a number of ingenious solutionsfor making more complex containers suchas padded boxes for unusual-shapedobjects like clocks and globes. When itemsare sent on exhibition loan, each stage ofthe unpacking and repacking process isphotographed to aid the receiver and theset of photographs included with full writteninstructions in the top of the transit container.

Apart from the excellent Library of Congresspublication* little new information hasappeared on this subject in recent years, soPaul’s lecture was particularly timely and wasmuch appreciated by the large audiencepacked into the hall.

After the meeting we enjoyed a receptiongenerously sponsored by Rob Shepherd ofShepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe andZaehnsdorf.

Clare Prince, ACR

*The most comprehensive manual on thesubject is: Boxes for the Protection of RareBooks: Their Design and Construction,compiled by Margaret R Brown(Washington: Library of Congress, 1982)

CONSERVATION – WHOCARES?The provocative title of a recent conferenceheld earlier this year aimed to encourage apolitical and controversial debate on thesubject and implies a state of despondencyand anxiety in the field. To stimulate a moreopen debate the proceedings were heldunder the Chatham House Rules:

When a meeting, or part thereof, is heldunder the Chatham House Rule, participantsare free to use the information received, butneither the identity nor the affiliation of thespeaker(s), nor that of any other participant,may be revealed; nor may it be mentionedthat the information was received at ameeting of the Institute.

An impressive line-up of speakers includedsignificant players in building conservation,many with direct access to Government andactively involved in developing policy. ‘Theytold it like it is’. We are all aware that for thelast six years English Heritage (EH) has beenengaged in a frank exchange of ideas withthe Government about the need for reformin the management of our built culturalheritage. Power of Place written by EH atthe behest of the Government in 2000 was amajor stepping stone in the early stages ofthe process which outlined the benefits of aconservation approach. Discussioncontinues. It is agreed that the existinglegislation is unwieldy and offers noprotection to certain aspects of the builtenvironment due to its complexity andrather piecemeal nature – and in some areasits sheer lack of comprehensibility. Thecurrent aim is to produce coherentlegislation in which the whole culturalenvironment – landscape, buildings,contents – hangs together. Improvementshave certainly been made in the protectionof the marine environment and ecclesiasticalexceptions. New policies look to developpartnerships between legislators andowners/developers. The opening up of thelisting and scheduling process is a majorpart of the reform and there is less secrecyabout what often seemed a high-handedand furtive process. Owners are nownotified of the intention to list theirbuildings and, although this does invite therisk of ‘overnight demolition’, this isoutweighed by benefits of owner co-operation.

But there are underlying conflicts. Doconservation aims synchronise with theagenda of a ‘modern’ government? After all,conservation can be perceived as elitist, andworking against the freedom of theindividual and democracy – it is hardly avote winner. How highly does thisGovernment rank conservation – does iteven feature in the Labour Manifesto? Wenow await the White Paper to see the extent

of Government commitment toconservation….. but with the 2012 Olympicson the horizon.

It was argued that heritage protectiondepends on local delivery to build on thestrength of the existing system. But therelationship between central and localgovernment is poor. Locally, support forconservation varies and conservation is nota priority – many local authorities do notemploy a conservation officer. Policy isdependent on the elected officers. Whilstthe monitoring of archaeological sites isgood due to the robustness of PPG16,buildings do not enjoy the same level ofprotection. The competence of practisingarchitects to work in old buildings (our majorbuilding stock) with no conservation trainingand the problem of then accrediting‘conservation’ architects was the subject oflengthy debate. We are facing an ‘agebulge’ with many experienced conservatorsabout to retire.

The role of national amenity groups(bottom-up support) was considered. Theseare often dismissed as collections ofeccentrics but are they ordinary people withan independent voice? Cases were citedwhere various groups have fought and woncases more effectively than official bodies.These articulate and passionate groups havea vital role, especially banded togetherwithin Heritage Link, in applying pressure toboth central and local government todemonstrate that conservation is not elitistbut of great concern to the electorate. Thiswas a ray of hope at the end of an otherwisedespondent day and something Iconmembers should note – we should ensurethat we use our independent status to lobbyfor conservation and make it an issue whichGovernment is forced to address.

TWO TALKS AT THE BOOKAND PAPER GROUPANNUAL MEETING 30 March 2006, Art Workers Guild‘Conservation Research at The NationalArchives and British Library: an update’Nancy Bell, The National Archives, andBarry Knight, British LibraryThe establishment of conservation researchposts at the National Archives and BritishLibrary in 2003 have resulted in an upsurgeof research activity in the UK over the lastfew years. The influential 2004 Mellonfunded meeting, co-ordinated by the BLand attended by representatives from majorinstitutions from the UK, Ireland, NorthAmerica and Europe which debated thethemes and priorities for conservationresearch, also contributed to a revitalisedinterest in conservation research. The reportresulting from that meeting ‘Future Life of



Collections’ outlines a strategy for appliedconservation research for UK libraries andarchives.

This co-ordinated approach has ensuredthat current work complements existingprojects in the USA and Europe, building onstrengths and developing research projectsthat are formulated close to the needs ofpractising conservators.

Both speakers stressed the need forconservation scientists to have a role intranslating technical information so that theoutcomes are understandable and useful toa non scientific audience. Both the BL andTNA have initiated projects that willconsider issues relating to practicalconservation including: looking at where thewater goes to in parchment duringhumidification, conservation materialstesting, comparing identical books stored indifferent settings and an analysis of thevolatile compounds given off when booksdegrade. We look forward to hearing thenext stage in the implementation of theseprojects and deliberating their results in thefuture.

‘Towards an assessment system forbookbinding leather deterioration: withan emphasis on red rot deterioration in19th century leathers’Karen Vidler, PhD student, Institute ofArchaeology, UCLKaren began her talk by welcoming theopportunity to introduce her work to a wideraudience. The assessment system she isdeveloping aims to identify and categorisethe stages of leather decay and assist inwidening the range of conservationtreatments for this type of material. Theresearch project revolves around four keythemes.

1 What is acid decay, the primary stages ofdeterioration and how are theydistinguished from other types of decay?

2 How can acid deterioration be describedand measured?

3 Can an assessment scheme, consisting ofsample datasheets available via theinternet and simple bench tests, beapplied?

4 How suitable are current conservationtreatments, what are they and how welldo they stabilise the decay?

The project will include a visual survey ofcollections, and testing of historic samples.Anyone interested in taking part in thesurvey or assisting with group trials shouldcontact: [email protected].

COURSES

SAFEGUARDING HISTORICCOLLECTIONS Two recent participants on two of thesecourses, which form part of a programme ofshort courses offered by UCL Centre forSustainable Heritage and English Heritage,write of their experiences both on thecourse and applying the lessons learned tothe workplace.

Last January I approached Audley EndHouse in Essex feeling slightly nervous –would this course (ConservationHousekeeping, 24–26 January 2006:‘Handling collections in an historic setting’)be above my capabilities, would I enjoy itand would I really learn things to help me atwork? We started off with the theory of whatcauses deterioration of objects in the firstplace and the different approaches toconservation. A brief introduction to theaims of the practical sessions and we wereoff, the course was very ‘hands-on’ –practice-based learning they called it – withtalks from experts followed by practicalexperience in caring for a range ofcollection items. We started off being showndifferent types of cloths, brushes, glovesand vacuum cleaners. At this point welearned a valuable lesson – each person willhave their own preferences and theimportant factor is the end result.

Having been split into two teams for the firststage we then swapped and foundourselves identifying types of materials and

the way they could deteriorate. We endedthe day with explanations on how objectsget damaged and methods which could beused to improve if not fully restore them.

Day two: this was to be full-on practicalsessions with us all getting involved, tiredand fairly dirty but with a good deal of funand enjoyment thrown in as well. During theday we rotated in teams of six to handlefurniture, textiles, pictures, carpets, booksand metalwork – with carpets, heavy anddirty, being the most difficult. Withinminutes we were off moving furniture,learning both the correct way of handlingthe furniture and the levels of trust andcommunication within the teams required ifwe were to get it right. The most importantlesson learned was not to be afraid of sayingif we weren’t comfortable with either theweight of the object or the method beingused.

My personal favourite was the section onbooks; all those years of looking at librariesin historic houses and now I finally managedto take one off the shelf! Not only that but Iwas shown the correct way of doing so, howto look after the book and how to clean it atthe same time.

Day three was time to put it all into practiceon our own. We divided into three teamsand were each given a room to prepare ahousekeeping schedule which would followtime and staff constraints as well as keep theroom and objects in a good state. Ourfolders, full of all the theory behind ourpractical sessions were much used; wediscussed all aspects and then reduced thescope of our ambition after the looks of

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horror on staff faces at the amount weseemed to think they were capable ofdoing! The final presentations went well andwe all felt we had earned our guided tour ofthe building to round off the three days.

I came away not only with a feeling ofachievement but of confidence which I amnow able to apply at work. All in all a greatthree days, well worth those nervousfeelings at the beginning.

Clair Corbey, Front of House Warder,Historic Royal Palaces

As part of a small team caring for extremelydiverse collections, I have often wished thatI had more specialist knowledge of oneclass of object or another, but in practice it’smore realistic to acknowledge that at best,one can only hope to end up as a well-informed ‘generalist’. Over the past year Ihave attended two courses (Integrated PestManagement course, May 2005: ‘Controllinghidden insect pests’ and ConservationHousekeeping course, 24-26 January 2006:‘Handling collections in an historic setting’)which have helped me to feel much moreadequately informed and more able toprioritise and co-ordinate the myriad oftasks that we all know we should be doing,but which often slip behind.

During both courses, I found myselffeverishly plotting my actions on my returnto work, and prominent in both cases wasthe creation of a documentation systembased on floor plans of the relevantbuildings. In my case having attended twocourses, it has been possible to incorporateboth (pest management and housekeeping),so I now keep an eye on what should behappening where, and whether or not it hasbeen done. I found that both coursesprompted me to think about the buildingswe care for in a different way – observingthat certain pests may mean that there’s adamp problem, or that most dust isdeposited by the feet of visitors, or that theenvironment outside can be as important aswhat’s happening inside.

It has been helpful to obtain a snapshot ofthe techniques and views which currentlyform best practice – it can be a bit of ashock to learn that you’re no longer usingwhat is deemed to be the best choice offurniture wax, and that it’s not necessarilybeneficial to use it as often as you think.Once you know, at least you can spend thetime saved doing something more pressing.I have also made good use of techniquesfor checking whether cleaning is necessary,along with the tips for reducing the suctionof a vacuum cleaner for use on fragileobjects.

Both courses have been of great help in myrecent preparations for projects with

volunteers in the store. Again, it is in theplanning and organisation of tasks, not justin their execution – where the informationlearned has proved most useful. Inparticular, I have used detailed floor plansand careful documentation – which isessential for us as we work with differentgroups, and keeping track of exactly whathas been done, where, and by whom iscritical. I have been able to createguidelines for the cleaning of certain typesof objects and materials, where previously Iwould have felt unable to do so without firstseeking specialist advice. In particular, it’s arelief to feel relatively confident that anyinstructions I give are in line with currentconservation best practice.

Leonie Sedman, Assistant Curator(Heritage), Art & Heritage Collections, TheUniversity of Liverpool

Contact Ms Skye Dillon, Short Course Co-ordinator, for information about theseUCL/EH courses. [email protected] or0207 679 5903

CONFERENCES

METALS IN PAPER THEMATICNETWORK. 2ND IRON GALLINK MEETINGNewcastle upon Tyne 24–27 January 2006Two participants in this conference give theirdifferent perspectives on the event

The University of Northumbria was the hostfor the final Iron Gall Ink Meeting of the EUfunded Metals In Paper (MIP) thematicnetwork. Set up in 2003 and comprising 21members in Europe, the network has beencollaborating on research into thedegradation, preservation and conservationof objects affected by metal tannin inkcorrosion.

The conference was opened by JohnHavermans of TNO who has been thecoordinator of MIP and joint organiser ofthe conference – with Jean Brown, seniorlecturer at the University of NorthumbriaConservation of Fine Art course. Johnoutlined some of the projects that havebeen made possible by EU funding for MIP.Details of these projects were given duringthe conference by Jana Kolar and MatijaStrlic from the University Library of Sloveniaand the University of Ljubljana. The Papylumproject has looked into developing aninstrument to assess the mechanical andchemical degradation of paper in situ,based on chemiluminescence. This hasgreat potential for surveying largecollections and it was particularly interestingto see that the results showed the importantrole RH plays in the rate of paperdegradation. The detailed results are duefor publication imminently(http://papylum.uni-lj.si). A further project:SurveNIR, due to finish in 2007, aims toproduce a near-infrared spectroscopicinstrument to use for condition assessmentin collection surveys(http://www.science4heritage.org/survenir/).The InkCor project has focused onproducing a prototype non-aqueousantioxidant treatment for corroding inks.Results will be published this year(http://www.science4heritage.org/InkCor/).Another project to be completed in 2007 isPaperTreat which aims to evaluate theadvantages of mass deacidificationtreatments against stabilisation in coldstorage conditions.(www.science4heritage.org/PaperTreat).

The treatment of iron gall ink with calciumphytate solution was developed in the early1990s by Hans Neevel at ICN. Thisconference was an opportunity to see howthis treatment was viewed by practising



conservators. The treatment has drawbacksfor conservators of drawings – it is anaqueous treatment with the risk of colourchanges in inks – but there were severallectures detailing treatments and researchusing phytate in archive conservationstudios. A lecture from a group of scientistsand conservators from The Netherlandsassessed some of their less successfultreatments using calcium phytate with theaim of optimising the treatment procedure.It was clear from this – and the results ofother case studies during the conference-that the practical workshops run by HansNeevel and Birgit Reissland over the last tenyears have honed a strict treatment protocolwhich, if adhered to, ensures the best resultsfor the treatment of archival documents.

A very balanced view of the future of irongall ink conservation was given by HansNeevel early in the conference. The changein research focus, from single objecttreatments using phytate to a move towardscondition assessment of whole collectionsand environmental control, became moreapparent as the conference progressed andis a positive step. Highlights whichconfirmed this included papers on analysingvolatile compounds using GC/MS-SPME(gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-solid phase microextraction) from scientistsat the University of Ljubljana; the role ofmacro and micro environments in archivesand libraries from researchers in the SlovakRepublic and details of the Sepia 70Hyperspectral Imager for identifying inksand monitoring colour changes in paper,developed in The Netherlands (www.art-innovation.nl).

Of the lecturers who focused on mediaexamination, one of the highlights was BirgitReissland’s discovery of the variety ofblotting sand used on ink and its potentialas a source for historical information.Another was the investigation into crystalformations on iron gall ink by Deborah LaCamera from the Museum of Fine Arts,Boston.

On the last day, delegates had theopportunity to take part in workshops thatdemonstrated how to obtain false colourinfrared images with a digital camera andanother that gave an overview of analyticaltechniques for inks on paper from HansNeevel, including the use of the recently-developed test paper for copper (II) ions.

The conference offered a wealth ofinformation around this single issue of irongall ink corrosion with complementaryresearch into paper degradation and mediaidentification that has relevance outside thesubject. It was encouraging to see both thevalue of collaboration between scientistsand conservators (many papers had multiple

authors from different disciplines andinstitutions) and how much the research wasaimed at practical application. This istestament to the success of the MIP networkand hopefully further applications forfunding will be successful, allowing researchto continue.

Caroline Barry, Conservation,Documentation & Science DepartmentBritish Museum

A common ink used for centuries in manycountries, iron gall ink is made bycombining gallo-tannic acid (usually derivedfrom oak galls), ferrous sulphate and gumarabic. It may also contain other additivessuch as sugar or copper. Historic recipesoften contained an excess of ferrous (II)sulphate, which accelerates the degradationof paper. Badly corroded documents canhave holes ‘burnt’ through the paper wherethe ink has been applied and the paperitself can become brittle and fragile. The‘problem’ of iron gall ink is particularlyrelevant to the care of both bound volumesand flat works in archives or galleries, wherethe treatment of these records are morelikely than in libraries.

The conference itself was very full. Many ofthe speakers approached the topic from aconservation science perspective, lookinginto the physical and chemical causes of irongall ink and substrate degradation as well asnew analysis methods such as false colourinfrared imaging and the use of non-bleeding copper test strips. Of particularinterest were the presentations detailing therecent EU funded co-operative research.One such project, InkCor, focused on thedevelopment of non-aqueous antioxidant

treatments for iron gall ink – which wouldallow for local application, use with watersensitive inks and for the treatment ofbound books. As part of the project,prototype polar (Andoxol) and non-polar(Lidoxam) solutions were developed basedon halides and pseudo-halides orderivatives of piperidyl. Early resultsindicated a 10-fold improvement in life spanover non-treated materials. An upcomingpublication will detail the results of this

project (Iron Gall Inks: On theManufacture, Characterisation,Degradation and Stabilisation,

edited by J. Kolar and M. Strlic,National and University Library: Slovenia,

2006).

Not many case studies were presented atthe conference, although there were a fewexceptions, including the conservationapproach to letters by Hans ChristianAndersen and the optimization of a phytatetreatment procedure for18th centuryAmerican manuscripts in Philadelphia. Itwould have been useful to hear morepresentations which applied the scientificresearch discussed at the conference andtalked about current techniques being usedby conservators at the bench.

There were occasions when technical termswere mis-translated into English, whichmade some of the presentations moredifficult to understand. As well, a fewpresentations seemed to bear littlerelevance to the topic at hand, as theyexplored separate issues such as massdeacidification, micro-environments and thecreation of European descriptive standardswithout mentioning iron gall ink. Some ofthese were interesting, but they seemed outof place without any connecting thread tothe main theme of the conference.

Generally, the presentations sought to bringtogether the most current research into theproblem of transitional metals in paper. Thisgoal was achieved although thepresentations tended to be geared moretowards the conservation scientist. Overall,the research seemed to suggest that thebest results, which include a delay in inkcorrosion and the deposit of an alkalinereserve were achieved with a combinedcalcium phytate/calcium bicarbonatetreatment. On the last half day of theconference, participants either went to ahands-on workshop in order to learn twomethods of false colour infrared imagingand the use of non-bleeding strips/in-situanalysis or visited local tourist attractions.

Christine McNair, London MetropolitanArchives


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MEDICAL VACUUM CUSHIONS~ PROVIDING TOTAL SUPPORT FOR LARGEOBJECTS

by Julie Dawson, Senior Assistant Keeper (Conservation)Department of Antiquities, Fitzwilliam Museum,University of Cambridge

In October 2004 the Egyptian galleries of the FitzwilliamMuseum closed for complete refurbishment. They will re-open in late May this year. During disassembly of thegalleries, the safe removal of a Roman Period red-shroudmummy from its display case presented a particularchallenge. The wrapped body is covered by a paintedshroud with a wooden panel portrait inserted into thewrappings over the face. For forty years the mummy hadstood, leaning back against the wall of the case. In the newdisplay the body will be supported in a lying position.There is considerable cracking of the paint on the shroudand splitting of the linen but, despite teetering with his fullweight on his shoulders and toes for so long, comparisonwith photographs taken at excavation in 1903 do notreveal significant slumping or other alteration in the

external condition of the mummy. Even so, there wasconcern that placing this dense, but soft and internallycomplex package in a different orientation after so manyyears standing in the display case, might alter the internalstresses causing additional fracture of the structure andflaking of the paint. A method was sought to create anexact profile of the back of the mummy whilst stillstanding, so that full support would be offered as the bodywas removed from the case and laid down.

Small vacuum cushions (of the type sold by photographicsuppliers) have sometimes been used by conservators tosupport objects undergoing treatment. ‘Man-sized’versions of such cushions, capable of much finerconformity to a shape and able to hold a vacuum for muchlonger periods, are available from suppliers of medicalequipment. They are used to immobilize patients duringtreatments such as radiotherapy. Made from a smooth,nylon-reinforced urethane skin, the cushions are partiallyfilled with tiny polystyrene beads. At one corner is a valveto which a vacuum pump can be attached. An electricpump would normally be used with patients, but for slowevacuation around a fragile object a hand pump offers

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better control. As the air is pumped out the cushion canbe gently manipulated to ensure that the contours of theobject are given full support. In the case of the mummy,the cushion was first laid flat then semi-deflated so that itwas rigid enough to be placed behind the upright body(Fig 1), but still soft enough to be moulded easily to itsshape as further air was evacuated, without exertingpressure on the structure (Fig 2). Once the cushion washard, the package of body and cushion was tippedbackwards and laid down (Figs 3 and 4). The vacuum holdsfor several weeks and can easily be topped up with thehand pump, so in this instance the shaped cushion hasbeen used to support the mummy temporarily in storageprior to conservation and during a trip to the local hospitalto be CT scanned.

Cushions are made in a variety of geometric and ‘body-part’ shapes and sizes. In this project we have foundinnumerable uses for them in the protection andmanipulation of objects during transport and conservationtreatment. Illustrated here (Fig 5) is part of a friable,delaminating coffin lid made of low-fired pottery, that washeld together by a mass of deteriorating old joins and wastoo fragile to be moved. After securing the front surface, acushion was laid and shaped over the front and sides. Thusencased, the lid could be safely turned over without anydisruption to the structure and orientation of the pieces, sothat support work could be carried out from the back.

Vac-LokTM cushions are made in the USA by Med-Tec andare available in the UK from Oncology Systems Ltd(www.osl.uk.com).

A STICKY PROBLEM RESOLVED~ THE REMOVAL OF BLU-TACK AND OTHERPUTTY ADHESIVES FROM OBJECTS AT THEPETRIE MUSEUM OF EGYPTIANARCHAEOLOGY

by Steven Miller and Susanna Pancaldo, freelance ObjectConservators specialising in archaeological materials

IntroductionWe have just completed an exercise to remove all the Blu-Tack and other putty adhesives which had been adheredto objects on display at the Petrie Museum of EgyptianArchaeology, University College London, many years ago.The project has been made possible by an ALM LondonSupport Grant for Collections Care and was carried outpart-time over a four-month period by two objectsconservators (working on contract) and five studentvolunteers from the Institute of Archaeology’s MA course inPrinciples of Conservation.

We were pleased to discover that, despite the age of theputty adhesives, they were readily soluble in petroleumsolvents and could be easily removed from all of the objectsto which they were adhered, although stains remained onsome objects. These stains proved more difficult and timeconsuming to remove, but also yielded in the end.

BackgroundBlu-Tack is a light blue, synthetic adhesive putty,composed of hydrocarbon polymers, mineral oil, mineralfillers and pigment. This and other, unidentified, yellowand pink putty adhesives were applied to the surfaces of

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archaeological objects at the Petrie Museum in the past,either to attach labels to objects, or to attach objects toglass mounts (Fig 1). It is unclear when the adhesives wereapplied to all of these objects, although in many cases itmay have been during refurbishment of the museum’sgalleries in the late 1980s.

Labels attached to objects obscured proper viewing (Fig2), and, more worryingly, the adhesive and labels causeddamage over time to object surfaces. The mineral oil inBlu-Tack can stain porous materials, and the strength ofthe adhesive combined with the weight of the labelsthreatened to pull off surface material, particularly on low-fire Egyptian ceramics, many of which have fragile slip-painted layers and/or are already vulnerable due to solublesalt damage. In addition, the objects adhered to glassmounts with putty adhesives were in danger of falling offthe mounts. All of the objects were particularly at riskduring handling.

To address these concerns, a survey of displayed objectswas undertaken in July 2005 to determine how manyobjects had putty adhesive attached, what materials theobjects were made from, and what types of damagescould be seen. The survey indicated that 351 objects wereaffected. In instances where the adhesive had come off,objects had suffered surface loss and staining. In themajority of cases, adhesives were still adhered to theobjects like bubble gum and could not be simply removedmechanically without risking further damage.

The project The scale of the problem revealed by the survey meantthat funds would be needed to hire a conservator toundertake the project, as the Petrie Museum does not

have a staff conservator. The ALM grant enabled theMuseum to hire two conservators to work part-time toremove the putty adhesives and treat the objects asnecessary to stabilise their surfaces. Work began in earlyDecember 2005 and, with the assistance of the fiveconservation student volunteers, was completed in theequivalent of 35 full working days. Further objects withadhesive were discovered during the project, and in theend, 430 objects were treated: 217 ceramic, 89 glass/faience, 105 stone, 6 shell, 2 bone and 11 modern plaster.

Fortunately, all of the putty adhesives dissolved readily ineither petroleum spirit or white spirit (Fig 3); the pink puttyadhesive also dissolved readily in acetone. Card labels werefirst released from the adhesives using cotton wool swabsto wet the card surface with solvent. The lump of adhesivewas then reduced in layers by first softening the surfacewith solvent and then removing the dissolved adhesive witha scalpel. This process was repeated until a thin layer ofputty remained on the surface. This final layer was thenremoved with fresh solvent-saturated cotton swabs.

Objects attached to glass mounts were similarly removedby slicing through the adhesive with a scalpel and thenremoving remaining adhesive with solvent-saturatedcotton swabs.

These methods proved effective and safe for removing theadhesives and labels from all object materials treated.However, after the removal, 94 ceramic and 7 stone objectshad remaining stains. These fell into two categories: dark,saturated spots and light, bluish-white residues.

Dark stains We suspected that the dark stains, which remained on 15

Fig 2 Object obscured by label

Fig 5 Paper pulp in situ

Fig 3 Removing adhesive with swab

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ceramic and 1 stone object, resulted from mineral oil in theadhesives, as these stains were generally found to conformto the points of contact of the adhesive with the surface ofthe object (Fig 4). Swabbing was ineffective in removingthe stain, but we thought that if the petroleum solventscould be left in position long enough, they could dissolvethe oil, and an absorbent material used to wick the oilaway.

For the absorbent material, we tested cotton wool, paperpulp (made from 100% cotton blotting paper) andLaponite RD (a synthetic inorganic clay) on ceramicobjects. In all cases, the surfaces of the object in the areaof the stain were well wetted with solvent before theabsorbent material was applied. Cotton wool and paperpulp were applied directly to the stains. Laponite wasapplied directly to a stain on two well-preserved ceramicsurface, but otherwise placed over a barrier layer made ofeither non-woven polyester sheet, lens tissue, filter paperor Japanese tissue. This was to ensure that the Laponitecould be easily removed from the ceramic objects’ poroussurfaces. The absorbent materials and barrier layers weresaturated with solvent, applied to the stains, and thencovered with polyethylene sheeting (clingfilm) to slowevaporation of the solvent (Fig 5). After about 5–7 hours,the polyethylene sheeting was loosened and the solvent-soaked absorbent left to evaporate overnight. White spiritwas used for poulticing because it evaporated more slowlythan petroleum spirit.

Treatment with Laponite over a barrier layer was ineffectivein removing the stains. This was at least in part because asthe gel dried, it contracted, pulling the barrier layer andgel away from the stained surface. Where Laponite was

applied directly to an object’s surface, it did not fullyremove the stain and was difficult to remove from theceramic’s pores.

We found, however, that both paper pulp and cotton werehighly effective at removing the dark stains. Paper pulpwas especially useful for keeping the solvent in contactwith the stained surfaces for long periods of time, and themajority of the dark stains were treated with this materialas absorbent.

White stains White stains (Fig 6) remained on 79 ceramic and 6 stoneobjects after the adhesive was removed. As the stainslooked very similar from one object to the next, we ruledout the possibility that the residues were soluble salts orother materials leached from the objects themselves.Attempts to remove the stains with solvents andabsorbents, as for the dark stains, proved ineffective. Infact, in some cases, this seemed to make the stain moredistinct, suggesting the residues were particulate remainsfrom the putty adhesive (i.e. fillers and/or pigments). Wedecided to try to reduce the white stains mechanically. Asoft brush generally reduced the stains, but we found thata “smoke sponge” (a vulcanised rubber cleaning productwith minute traces of soap) removed the stains moreeffectively. Groomstick (a malleable, natural rubbercleaning product) was also used sparingly to remove themost stubborn stains. These methods proved to be safeand effective for removing or reducing all of the whitestains found on stone and ceramic objects.

ConclusionsHappily, despite the age of the Blu-Tack and other puttyadhesives found on objects in the Petrie Museum, theadhesives had remained readily soluble in petroleumsolvents and were easily removed with solvent-saturatedcotton wool swabs. Removal of the stains proved moredifficult and time consuming, but was also accomplished inthe end. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to replacethe losses to object surfaces that had previously occurredwhen labels with adhesive putties had fallen off objects ontheir own, but the removal of all of the remaining puttyadhesives has made sure that similar losses will notcontinue to occur. Our hope, in writing about this project,is that others will be discouraged from using puttyadhesives on museum objects in the future, andencouraged to remove existing putty adhesives from anyvulnerable objects.

Fig 4 Dark stain

Fig 6 White stain


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COMPARING SOLOPHENYL DYES WITHCIBACRON DYES FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OFCOLOUR-MATCHED SUPPORT FABRICS

By Graeme Smith, Lingfield Notre Dame School, Surrey,Sia Marshall, RCA/V&A Conservation and Kathryn Hallett,Conservation and Collections Care, Historic Royal Palaces

Introduction At the Conservation and Collections Care (CCC) section ofHistoric Royal Palaces (HRP), conservators use syntheticdyes to produce colour-matched support fabrics. Thisallows future conservators to easily determine what ishistoric and what is conservation work (through a simpledye analysis). It is also easier to reproduce colours withsynthetic dyes than with natural dyes. The dyes shouldhave as many of the following properties as possible:

• Wash-fastness • Light-fastness • Safe to use with usual health and safety provisions • Easy and accurate colour matching • Unaffected by slight temperature changes • Long shelf life and easy storage • Unreactive once used • Reproducibility of colour • Even dyeing • Quick and easy dyeing process • Inexpensive

Two families of synthetic dyes produced by Ciba-Geigy forcellulosic fabrics, Solophenyl and Cibacron, were evaluatedfor use on linen support fabrics. While the team currentlyuses Solophenyl dyes, a switch to Cibacron dyes is beingconsidered.

Why change dye?The primary problem identified in the use of Solophenyldyes is the relatively low wash-fastness. Solophenyl dyesare direct dyes that take effect by dye molecules fitting inthe gaps between the flax fibres and bonding to the fibresthrough hydrogen bonds and polar bonds. Whilehydrogen bonds are strong intermolecular forces, they arestill much weaker than the covalent bonds that reactivedyes (such as Cibacron) can form. Therefore Solophenyl-dyed fabrics have less water resistance, meaning that theycould run onto the historic fabric in case of a flood orduring wet-cleaning (Farnsworth, 1995; Von Lerber, 1996;Oger, 1996).

Properties to testThe fact that Cibacron is a reactive dye should make itmore wash-fast than Solophenyl. Wash-fastness tests areperformed on any dyed material at HRP before it can besafely attached to a historic textile. These can involvetesting the fabric in both deionised and tap water, and inacid, alkali and detergent solutions. The light-fastness ofthe two dyes was also compared, as this is an importantfactor for any textile that is on display. If the dyed materialsfaded noticeably, the supporting layer would need to bereplaced, increasing handling of the historic textile andwork for the conservators.

This project focused on two yellow dyes, SolophenylYellow ARLE and Cibacron Yellow FN-2R.

Health and safety Dye solutions are made from powders which arepotentially respiratory irritants. Cibacron dye solutions arealso reported to produce small amounts of hydrogenfluorides; however references suggest that these shoulddissolve in the dye bath and therefore not be hazardous.Cibacron dyes can degrade at temperatures over 40°C inany state. It was also recommended that once opened,even the dye powder should be refrigerated, in addition tothe stock solution. This is standard procedure at HRP, as isthe use of proper respiratory protection.

Development of the dyeing procedure1% solutions of the two dyes were made up, then dilutedto lower concentrations. The colour of each concentrationwas tested using a Unicam Helios � spectrophotometer. Byscanning the whole spectrum for the dyes it was possibleto compare the transmission spectrum for differentdilutions of the same dye. The results for the two differentdyes could be compared and an appropriate wavelengthselected for comparison. 420 nanometres was the chosenwavelength because there was a large gap between thedifferent lines at this point on all spectra and thepercentage error could therefore be minimised.

The change in transmission at 420nm of a dye bathsolution extract could be monitored relative to the lengthof the dye cycle. Graph 1 shows the result for a 0.5%Solophenyl solution. The transmission of light at 420nmincreases with time, indicating the decrease of dyeconcentration in the dye bath liquor as the dye is taken upby the fabric.

The colour of the fabric obtained from different dyes wascompared using the % reflectance measured with a



Minolta CM-508i spectrophotometer. This techniquedetermined scientifically how close the colour of a dyedfabric was to a ‘target’ and aided in the design of theSolophenyl dye recipe.

While the Solophenyl method has long been in use at HRP,Cibacron had not been used before. Therefore, the recipewas selected from a previous source (Von Lerber, 1995). Inaddition, the effect of one of the suggested additives,sodium carbonate (soda ash or soda), was also evaluated.This is used as a fixing agent to help the dye becomemore wash-fast.

To investigate the shelf-life of the dye solutions onceprepared, two parallel dye cycles took place, one using a6-day old dye solution and the other an identical, freshlymade one. There was very little difference between the

resulting reflectance spectra of fabrics dyed with the twosolutions.

It was noted that the intensity of the samples dyed withCibacron could be partly explained by the use of thesodium carbonate. When sodium carbonate was excludedfrom the dye recipe, the resulting fabric had a dull colour.To test this, half the fabric was extracted before the sodiumcarbonate was added. In two parallel Cibacron dye cycles,one of 1% and one of 0.5% concentration, it was foundthat the reflectance spectrum for the sample dyed with 1%Cibacron with no sodium carbonate was exactly the sameas that for 0.5% Cibacron with sodium carbonate. The useof sodium carbonate in effect doubles the dyeconcentration result. However, the lack of a fixing agentshould reduce the wash-fastness.

Wash-Fastness TestsTo test wash-fastness, tests were set up involving samplesof 0.5% Solophenyl and 0.5% Cibacron, both with andwithout sodium carbonate. The dyed sample wassandwiched between blotting paper. Cotton wool soakedin deionised water was placed on top. The sample wasthen sealed inside a plastic bag, weighted and leftovernight. The next day, the samples could be removedfrom the plastic bag and given another night to drywithout the cotton wool. For dyes with low wash-fastness,the blotting paper would be stained with the colour thathad leaked out. The more intense the staining was, the lesswash-fast the dye.

Figure 1 shows a sample of Solophenyl-dyed fabric. Thereis obvious staining of the paper underneath the fabric, butalmost no staining in other areas.

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Graph 3 Light fastness tests results

Graph 2 The effect on the dyed fabric of adding sodiumcarbonate to Cibacron solutions

Fig 1


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Figure 2 shows fabric dyed with Cibacron without sodiumcarbonate. Although the staining is less intense, it hasspread out onto the blotting paper. Figure 3 shows aCibacron-dyed sample where sodium carbonate has beenadded. There is almost no visible staining below or aroundthe fabric.

Light-fastnessTo test light-fastness, a Xenotest 150S was used toartificially light-age samples of fabric. This works by shininga bright xenon arc lamp onto the fabrics as they rotatearound it. The humidity inside the chamber can also becontrolled.

Three different dyed samples were tested: 0.5%Solophenyl, 0.5% Cibacron without sodium carbonate and0.5% Cibacron with sodium carbonate. Each test wasreplicated with another piece of fabric. Results weregained by taking an average colour measurement usingthe Minolta CM508i spectrophotometer, over threepositions on the fabric. Templates were used to ensure thesame place was always measured. Readings were takenover a variety of times and ∆E76 values were calculatedfrom the CIE L*a*b* values.

Graph 3 shows that, while the Cibacron samples with nosodium carbonate have faded most, the Cibacron-dyedsamples that have been treated with sodium carbonateoutlasted the Solophenyl-dyed samples.

ConclusionBased on the tests with the two yellow dyes, it can beconcluded that Cibacron appears to show greater wash-fastness than Solophenyl when used with sodiumcarbonate. There is also no significant difference in safetyprocedures. Assuming recipes are correctly followed, thereshould be no difference in evenness and the single-colourdyes were easy to reproduce. More tests are needed onlight fastness, as these tests were not conclusive.Replicability is another factor that could change withtrichromy dyeing. Initial trichromy dyeing with Cibacron didproduce ‘dullish, historic-looking’ colours. This wasencouraging, given conservators’ concerns that the brightdye colours could make colour-matching historic objectsproblematic.

AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank Denise Balmer at SurreySATRO, Stuart Broadfield at Ciba-Geigy and Patricia Ewer,Mika Takami, Chloe Hesketh, and Marie Curry at HRP fortheir invaluable advice and encouragement.

The main author of this experimental work was GraemeSmith, who was supported by the Nuffield Foundation forhis work experience placement at Historic Royal Palaces.For the 2005 season Graeme’s project was independentlyjudged to be the best from across Surrey. Historic RoyalPalaces is proud to participate in this annual bursaryscheme for gifted A-Level pupils, with an aim ofencouraging careers in the scientific and applied scienceprofessions. The Conservation and Collections Care teamis proactive in providing opportunities for learning,discovery and training through established internships andwork experience placements.

For further information contact [email protected]

ReferencesFarnsworth, Janet. 1995. Light-fastness and stability of reactive dyes (e.g:Cibacron) versus direct dyes (e.g: Solophenyl) and the implications for dyeingsupport fabrics for textile conservation, Newsletter of the ICOM Committee forConservation: Textiles Working Group 2, pp5–6.

Lerber, Karin Von, 1995 Pers. Comm.

Lerber, Karin Von. 1996. Cibacron F (reactive dye) versus Solophenyl (directdye) for dyeing support fabrics for textile conservation, Newsletter of theICOM Committee for Conservation: Textiles Working Group 1, pp3–5.

Oger, Brigitte. 1996. Fastness to Light and Washing of Direct Dyes forCellulosic Textiles, Studies in Conservation 41, pp129–135.

Fig 2

Fig 3



THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE SEPARATIONOF NIGHT AND DAY BY GUIDO RENI IN THELIBRARY AT KINGSTON LACY

by Christine Sitwell, Paintings Conservation Adviser,National Trust

Over the past year, the National Trust has undertaken amajor conservation and reinstatement project. The large17th century transferred fresco painting by Guido Reni ofthe Separation of Night and Day has been in storage since1981 and in 1999 the Trust decided to undertake thenecessary conservation treatment and agree on itsreinstatement on the Library ceiling. It took over five yearsto raise the funds and decide on the presentation of theLibrary. Whilst the conservation treatment presentedenormous challenges, its actual presentation proved to bejust as problematic.

Although William John Bankes purchased the painting in1840 for Kingston Lacy, there was scant evidence in thearchives as to its intended location within the house. Onereference indicated that it might have hung in the DiningRoom and a subsequent note referred to its having beenremoved from storage in the attic by Walter Ralph Bankesin the late 19th century and hung on the Library ceiling. A1904 Country Life photograph shows it on the Libraryceiling. Sadly, the magnificent carved frame and the twotoned painted decorative scheme visible in the black and

white photograph had disappeared.

After extensive discussions about the presentation, it wasdecided to recreate the 1904 scheme. The large frame andadjacent side frames with their hanging light bulbs wererecreated using the 1904 photograph. The colour for theframe was based on paint samples from the cornice. Thetwo toned scheme proved impossible to recreate as paintanalysis revealed that only three schemes survived – the1981 scheme introduced by the Trust, an earlier grey greenscheme which was painted in 1960 when the room wasredecorated and the painting conserved in situ and anearlier blue distemper scheme (only on a few samples). Noevidence could be found for a two tone scheme. The bluedistemper scheme was initially believed to be a schemewhich predated the introduction of the painting but bychance a slide taken of the ceiling during the in situconservation treatment in 1960 showed a painted cloudedsky with a painted ochre banding around the frames.Whilst an interesting find, it could not be verified as the1904 scheme as no trace of the ochre colour could befound. In addition, another black and white photographdating from about 1950 failed to show the clouded ceilingbut continued to show the two toned scheme. However,the Trust decided to use a light ochre and pale blue colourscheme (without the clouds) as it was felt that it might havebeen based on a pre-existing scheme, albeit one withoutthe clouds. The colours also balanced the predominantcolours of the painting.

The wall colour proved to be less challenging despiteWalter Ralph Bankes’ cryptic note that he wanted thecolour to match the red of the French Zouaves uniform.Fortunately, paint analysis identified the red layer and theremoval of subsequent layers of paint enabledspectrophotometric readings to be taken. Based on thesereadings, a red paint was prepared by Patrick Baty.

The final presentation of the Library may not be a truerepresentation of the 1904 scheme but it does reflect theextensive research undertaken to provide both the archivaland scientific information to provide an historical settingfor the room and the painting. The objective was torespect the integrity of the conserved fresco whilst beingsympathetic to its eventual appearance within the contextof an historic country house and its furnishings.

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FOR USE AND STUDY: A COLLABORATIVEPROJECT TO CONSERVE PERUVIAN KHIPU

by Renata Peters, Lecturer in Conservation, Institute ofArchaeology, UCL.

Throughout 2005 I co-ordinated the conservation work andconsultation sessions of a multidisciplinary project carriedout in San Cristobal de Rapaz in Peru. Rapaz is a highlandAndean peasant community of approximately 900members and home to one of only two known collectionsof khipu that are still in use and kept in their originallocation, a historic building called the Kaha Wayi.

Khipu are rare and sacred cultural objects made from cordsof cotton and wool. Previously known to scholars primarilyas archaeological examples, their function is not yetcompletely understood but they were apparently used forbureaucratic recording and communication in the IncaEmpire. Traditionally, the khipu in Rapaz are cared for bythe Balternos, local authorities in charge of communally-controlled fields. The Khipu in Rapaz have a significant rolein the life of the community and are used in a range ofsacred rituals through the year. The most important ofthem is the Raywan Entrego, a ceremony that takes placeon the second night of January, when the Balternos bringofferings and invoke the mountains.

Concerned about the poor physical condition of theirkhipu, the community of Rapaz approved an agreementallowing scientific investigation of their collection byanthropologists and archaeologists in exchange for in situconservation and re-housing. The collection of khipu hasbeen previously studied only superficially, so this studyrepresented a unique opportunity for scholars working tounderstand the Inca, colonial, and contemporary history ofnative Andeans. The khipu had been deteriorating formany years and the conservation issues encounteredwould be complex enough even if the khipu were notsacred objects that require a very especial protocol. Thesechallenges were tackled by a team of professionals fromseveral disciplines in close collaboration with thecommunity, who as owners contributed to theunderstanding of the material and its use, and exercisedfull participation in the decision-making processes. Theentire complex (consisting of the khipu, two buildings and

the surrounding area) underwent study and conservationwork. The biggest challenge has been to devise a way toconserve these objects and buildings without disturbingtheir function in the community as tangible elements ofself-knowledge and cultural continuity.

The details on how these collaborative processeshappened and a discussion on the responses devised bythe team will be presented at the AIC’s 34th AnnualMeeting June 16–19, 2006 in Providence, Rhode Island,USA. A paper is also being prepared for publication, soyou will hear more details on this very exciting projectsoon.

Project participants:Renata Peters – Head Conservator – Institute ofArchaeology, University College London.

Rosa Choque Gonzáles and Rosalía Choque Gonzáles –Conservators – Centro Mallqui – Peru.

Frank Salomon – Ethnographic Director – University ofWisconsin – Madison, USA.

Víctor Falcón Huayta – Archaeological Director – NationalMuseum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History, Lima,Peru.

Carrie Brezine – Specialist on textile structures andcomputation – Harvard University, USA.

Gino de las Casas – Architect – Instituto Nacional deCultura, Peru.

Sponsors: Centro Mallqui; Comisión Fulbright del Perú; ComunidadCampesina de San Cristóbal de Rapaz

Fundación Telefónica del Peru; Instituto Nacional deCultura, Peru; National Science Foundation, USA; Wenner-Gren Foundation, USA; Comisión Fulbright-Hayes delPeru.

Websites: http://www.khipurapaz.org/ingles.htm

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/project/other-staff-projects/peters-khipus/index.htm

To contact the author: [email protected]

Don Victor Gallardo, vice-president of the Balternos, in the KahaWayi after conservation

The Balternos during a ceremony in the Kaha Wayi



listings

Venue: Earls Court.The Museums & Heritage Show is a long establishedfavourite amongst industry professionals. Year after yearthe Show continues to go from strength to strength,attracting more and more key players within the industryeach year. Further enhancing the show’s presence are theAwards for Excellence, which look to reward peoplewithin the Museums & Heritage industry and highlightthose who have made exceptional contributions.

Venue: Hampton Court Palace.A morning of talks and practical demonstrations whichwill look at the latest developments in dust monitoringequipment (both high and low tech).This event follows on from the ‘Dust to Dust’ Seminar butwould be of interest to people with all levels ofknowledge. Cost: £15Numbers are limited so to register your interest and bookyour place please contact Zoe Roberts at Conservationand Collection Care, Historic Royal Palaces, HamptonCourt Palace, Apartment 59, East Molesey, Surrey. KT8 9AU or email [email protected]

See Icon News 1 for further details

Venue: Tate Modern, Bankside, London.Call for Papers and Posters.Speakers are invited to submit proposals that address theconservation concerns and challenges of modern paintmedia. See: www.icon.org.uk for more details

16–19 May, London

The Getty Conservation Institute, The NationalGallery of Art, Washington D.C., and TateSymposium – Modern PaintsUncovered

15–19 May, Toronto

CAC 32nd Annual Conference and Workshop

Workshop: Risk Management forCultural Institutions and Collections

15 May, London.

Dust Study Morning

ICON CARE OF COLLECTIONS GROUP

10–11 May, London.

Museums and Heritage Show

The Big Day Out will be a visit to the tea clipper CuttySark which has been awarded a large HLF grant for theconservation of the ship, interpretation and thedevelopment of a sustainable heritage and commercialattraction. This will be a chance for a ‘hard hat tour’ ofthe ship and to view some of the trial works for thepractical conservation of the ship.The second half of the day will be taken up with a visit tothe Canary Wharf Art Collection which includes fine artand outdoor bronzes some of which are part of waterfeatures in the complex. Lucy Branch will take the groupthrough the problems apparent and solutions.Lunch will not be provided but there are plenty of pubs,restaurants and cafes in the vicinity. Travel to CanaryWharf from the Cutty Sark will be via the Docklands LightRailway – a short and scenic trip (pay own fares).A de-briefing session will take place after the visit to theCanary Wharf Art Collection – venue to be confirmed onthe day.Costs: £5 Metals Group members, £10 non-member ofMetals GroupContact George Monger, email:[email protected] or Lucy Branch,email: [email protected]

The meeting will be held at Sylvia Sumira's house in SW8.Members will describe their favourite tools and bringthem along if size permits! Judith Gowland will alsodemonstrate the IPCG's Google Group web pages. 6pm– 9pm.Contact Sylvia on 020 7735 6232 if you would like toattend.For more information about the group please contactLaila Hackforth-Jones, tel: 020 8883 8809, or email:[email protected]

Venue: Kew Palace, Kew Gardens.A special visit to the newly restored and re-presentedRoyal Palace at Kew. Timings and details to beconfirmed.Contact Adrian Smith on email (preferred):[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> ortel: 01753 868286 ext 2705.

19 May, London

Visit to Kew

ICON FURNITURE AND WOOD GROUP

17 May, London

Independent Paper Conservators' Group

Evening meeting – Tools

17 May, London

Big Day Out – Cutty Art

ICON METALS GROUP

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.icon.org.ukFOR FULL DETAILS OF ALL EVENTS.


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South Shropshire and Herefordshire, a series ofdiscussion workshops on issues around churchyardmanagement and a chance for people to network andshare experience. Cost: charitable and voluntaryorganisations £75, others £125For further enquiries or to register, contact Caring forGod’s Acre, 6 West Street, Leominster, Herefordshire HR68ES. tel: 01568 611154, email: [email protected], see:www.icon.org.uk for more details

Venue: The National Archives, Kew, LondonAn afternoon of presentations to highlight recentdevelopments in the work of the Collection CareDepartment, The National Archives. M. Aleppo – Meeting the preservation challenges of a21st century archive A. Bülow – Preservation at The National Archives K. Hirst – Collection conservation at The NationalArchives A. Tuffnell – A much valued resource: supportingvolunteers J. Abbott – Case study: Board of Trade ceramics samplebook, also Text and Textile – an unusual case study N. Bell – Conservation research at The National Archives K. Ntanos – Materials testing programme and MaterialsDatabase: a progress reportPlaces are also available for a tour of the reading rooms,repositories and the Collection Care Department, startingat 12.30. Please specify whether or not you wish to jointhe tour when you register. Cost: free, 1.30 – 5.00pmAdvance registration is essential for security reasons. Toregister, please contact Loretta Pamment, Collection CareDepartment, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, TW94DU, tel: 020 8392 5218, or email:[email protected]

Venue: The Winchester Campus of the University ofSouthampton. Focus on the interrelationship between archival andbibliographic research and the study of extant objects.The full programme and other details will be posted onwww.soton.ac.uk/~contex.The cost is £100. To reserve a place on the conferenceplease contact The Conference Secretariat, TextileConservation Centre, University of Southampton, ParkAvenue, Winchester, Hants SO23 8DL. email:[email protected]

11-13 July, Winchester

AHRC Research Centre for Textile Conservation andTextile Studies

3rd Annual Conference: Textiles andText: Re-establishing the linksbetween archival and object-basedresearch

7 June, London

The National Archives

Showcase Day

Venue: Birkbeck College, 43 Gordon Square.Curators and project researchers will present examples ofproductive collaborations that have inspired newexhibitions and displays, conservation projects and re-evaluations of collections. The seminar will also includean introduction to the work of NIRP and its contexts, ademonstration of the project’s database, andrefreshments. Cost: free, 2–5 pm.To reserve a place and for further details [email protected].

Venue: Corpus Christi College, Cambridge CB2 1RHFundamental to any successful conservation or re-presentation project is a full understanding of thesignificance of the subject to be treated. This conferencewill focus on the interpretation of evidence relating tohistoric interiors. Through case studies and discussion,papers will present the various archaeological, analyticaland archival resources available to unravel the history anddevelopment of interiors. Techniques for the in situassessment and recording of physical evidence, therecognition of important archive sources and theselection of relevant analytical research will be illustrated.Papers will also demonstrate how the informationgathered from broad based research may be used as abasis for understanding current condition and how it maythen be taken forward as an aid to conservation andaccurate reconstruction programmes. Encouraging team-working and good communication between specialistdisciplines is a key aim of the Historic Interiors Group.Therefore it is hoped that the conference will be ofinterest to a broad range of professionals activelyinvolved with historic interiors.For further details please contact Mette de Hamel, EventsOrganiser, email: [email protected] or tel: 020 7622 1620.

Churchyards often contain a diversity of historic featuressuch as churchyard crosses, lychgates and memorials aswell as grassland plants and old trees. The conferencewill offer a series of interactive lectures covering aspectsof churchyard interest such as flora and fauna,archaeology, family history, tourism, lifelong learning andchurchyard management. Speakers include Dr DavidBellamy.There will be site visits to conservation churchyards in

23-24 May, Ludlow

Caring for God’s Acre

Cherishing Churchyards

20 May, Cambridge

Conference: ‘Searching for hiddentreasures’: Interpreting the evidenceof historic interiors

ICON HISTORIC INTERIORS GROUP

19 May, London

National Inventory Research Project

Seminar: ‘Researchers and Curators’


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Venue: Icon Offices, 3rd Floor, Downstream Building, 1London Bridge.A day of papers on the conservation and preservation ofphotographic materials. The day will also include theintroduction of the new committee.Further details and booking information will be posted onthe Icon website shortly and mailed to photographicmaterials group members separately.

A celebration of 30 years of achievement in conservationwith a programme that will include 36 illustrated talksfrom speakers in leading institutions and private practiceworldwide. The conference is attracting a largeinternational audience and booking is essential toguarantee a place.Booking forms and full details on the conference, venueand recommended hotels can be found on the ICONwebsite. All further enquiries to The Institute of PaperConservation, Conference secretariat, PO Box 143,Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 9AT. Tel: +44 (0) 1435 883659or email: [email protected]

A special guided tour through the Guizhou and YunnanProvinces of China, focusing on the traditional handpapermaking of those areas.For further details visit www.icon.org.uk or contact DonnaKoretsky, Research Institute of Paper, Carriage HousePaper, 79 Guernsey Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222-3111,USA. Tel: 001 718 599-7857 or email: [email protected]

See: www.icon.org.uk for more details

Venue: Sage CentreAiming to bring together a wide range of experience andexpertise to expand the vocabulary on the broad subject

5–7 September, Newcastle upon Tyne

Northumbria University and AIC

Printed on Paper: The Techniques, History andConservation of Printed Media

28 August – 1 September, Munich

IIC international CongressThe Object in Context: Crossing ConservationBoundaries

16 August – 2 September, China.

The Research Institute of Paper History andCarriage House Paper

Expedition to China – A Papermaker’s Tour of China

26-29 July, Edinburgh

IPC 5th International Conference

ICON BOOK AND PAPER GROUP

21 July, London

One Day Conference

ICON PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS GROUP of printed ink on paper – imagery and text, historic andmodern. More detailed information can be found by following thelinks from the events listings at www.icon.org.uk

Venue: Northumbria University.See issue 1Contact Jean E. Brown Senior Lecturer Conservation, BurtHall, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18ST. Tel: 0191 227 3331, fax: 0191 227 3250, email:[email protected]

Annual event dedicated to promoting every aspect ofprofessional excellence in heritage professions “by powerof example”. At each annual conference a list ofnoteworthy cases from about twenty countries ispresented to attending professionals. Visit the eventslistings at www.icon.org.uk for more information.

Venue: Hotel Bretagne, Saint Omer.Including visits to Maison du Papier, a paper museum,and Cascades Blendecques Mill, one of Europe's largestmanufacturers of corrugated board and white liner.Speakers will include:Peter Bower – Real or Fake, the investigation of papersused for a series of cartoons after The Last Supper byLeonardo da Vinci.Louis Michell Gohell – history and renovation of an oldpapermill in Normandy.Nigel Vellam – stampers and hand papermaking inFrance.Ian Hendry – papermaking in the 1950s.Jos de Gelas – the history of Belgian stamps.Other discussions, including conservation, will also beorganised and the food promises to be rewarding.For further details please contact Ian Hendry on tel:01665 577988, or email: [email protected]

There are a few places left for the trip to India.For details, or to reserve a place, contact Janie Lightfoot,Textile Conservation Restoration Studio, 21 Park Parade,London NW10 4JG. Tel: 0208 963 1532, Fax: 0208 9631623, email: [email protected] .

November

Study Trip to India

ICON TEXTILE GROUP

27–29 September, France

British Association of Paper Historians

Annual Conference

21–23 September, Dubrovnik

European Heritage Association

The Best in Heritage

11–13 September, Newcastle upon Tyne

3rd Triennial Conservation Conference atNorthumbria UniversityThe Alum Meeting


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DATES AND DEADLINES

Applications are invited for this prestigious award for thebest conservation/restoration of an object or of a projectin ceramic, glass or a related material, which has to havebeen completed within four years prior to each awardyear. This is inclusive of research regarding materials/toolsused in conservation. The scale of the project is not adeciding factor. Students and individuals or collaborating conservator-restorers who are working in the public or independentsectors in the UK or abroad are eligible to apply.Applicants must be paid up members of the Ceramicsand Glass Group of Icon (in part formerly UKIC). For an application form and the full description ofconditions please contact either Ros Hodges, Chair ofThe Ceramics & Glass Group of Icon, or the current NigelWilliams Prize co-ordinator, Brett James, [email protected] or tel: 01273 243744

.

Deadline: 1 June

Nigel Williams Prize 2006

ICON CERAMICS AND GLASS GROUP

Venue: Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institute (WKI),Braunschweig.The conference is to set the state-of-the-art in the field ofpollutants in museums and archives, especially researchon pollutants, their sources and their effects both oncollections and on human health. Other topics areinteracting forms of indoor air pollution, deteriorationmechanisms, the development of assessment methods,control strategies as well as national and internationalregulations. Cost: Before 31 July – Euro 150, after 31 – Euro 200.Call for PapersDeadlines: Titles – 15 June. Abstracts – 31 July.Visit the events listings at www.icon.org.uk for moreinformation, or contact: Alexandra Schieweck, email:[email protected]

The aim of this meeting is to explore new techniques andmaterials in Ceramics and Glass Conservation and towiden the knowledge base within the profession.Call for Papers:We are seeking speakers from the museum sector, privatepractice, college students, graduates or conservationscientists who will give conservation lectures and also usethe extensive facilities at West Dean College to set uppractical demonstrations. We are especially interested innew ways of using existing materials and the experiencesof conservators using experimental substances. Please email [email protected] if you feel that youwould be interested in participating at this meeting.

23-25 March 2007, Sussex

Spring Meeting: The Use andManipulation of Materials

ICON CERAMICS AND GLASS GROUP

15–17 November, Germany

7th Indoor Air Quality 2006 Meeting(IAQ2006)


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TRAINING

3-5 May, Brodsworth Hall, Yorkshire – Integrated PestManagement30 August-1 September, Kenwood House, London – Lightand Humidity27 September, UCL, London – You’ve Monitored theEnvironment, Now What?7-9 November, Walmer Castle, Kent – Surviving a Disaster23-25 January 2007, Audley End House, Essex –Conservation HousekeepingFor further details tel: 020 7679 5903 or email:[email protected]

9–12 May: The Conservation of Hinterglasmalerei(PC5607). Cost: £31520–23 June: The Conservation of Wax Objects (PC5608).Cost: £31518–21 July: The Conservation of Plastics (PC5609).Cost: £315For further information, please contact Liz Campbell atWest Dean College, Tel: 01243 818219 or e-mail:[email protected]

16 May – Conference Room, Icon office, LondonHalf day event. To provide participants with a basicunderstanding of CPD and practical help with personaldevelopment plans. Cost: FreeFor information on any of these events please contactSusan Bradshaw, PACR Training Officer on email:[email protected] or tel/fax 01626 824510.To reserve a place please complete the PACR event formavailable on www.pacr.org.uk or contact Diane Copleyon tel. 0207 785 3805

Classes are held in a restoration studio in the old artisandistrict in the centre of Florence, Italy, or at the Villa of

Florence ArtGilding and Decorative PaintingCourses

May

Introduction to CPD

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION FORCONSERVATOR-RESTORERS (PACR) EVENTS

May – July

West Dean College – ConservationShort Courses

10% DISCOUNT TO ICON MEMBERS

UCL and English Heritage

Short Course Programme

Maiano overlooking Florence.Spring 20066–13 May: Six day Intro gilding plus intro decorativepainting combination course at the Villa of Maiano, B1490 (full days includingaccommodation) 15–19 May: Five Day intro gilding, B550 (am in Florence)15–19 May: Five day advanced gilding with real gold leaf,B650 (pm in Florence)Autumn 200623–29 September: Six day Intro gilding plus introdecorative painting combination course at the Villa ofMaiano, B1490 (full days including accommodation)For more information see www.florenceart.net/courses ortel: +390 557 879 097 See: www.icon.org.uk for moredetails

Montefiascone is a medieval walled city situated on ahuge lake, about half way between Rome and Siena.Each summer, conservators, librarians, archivists, arthistorians and others interested in the history and thestructure of the book, meet to participate in classes,which are held within the city walls. There are four week-long courses with different themes:31 July–4 August: Re-creating the medieval Palette.7–11 August: Medieval Limp Vellum Book Structures: A North European Style.14–17 August: Archival and Account Book Bindings:History, structure, materials and decoration.21–25 August: Syriac Bookbinding.Cost: £345 per week. Tuition is in English.For further information please contact Cheryl Porter at:[email protected] or 7 Venice Lodge, 55 Maida Vale,London W9 1SD, England.

Places are available for 6 participants to attend a seminarpresented by Hildegard Homburger. (German languageversion to be held 21-21 September). Cost: 270,00 EUR,230,00 EUR for members of IADA.Contact: Hildegard Homburger, Krefelder Str.17, 10555Berlin, Germany. Tel/Fax: +49-30-3912503, email:[email protected]

28-29 September, Berlin

IADA

Conservation of Transparent Paper

Summer School Programme 2006

Montefiascone Project


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Heroes and villainsThe last few years have seen conservation hit the media inmany forms, to the point where it could challenge homeand garden makeovers as the must-have theme for earlyevening viewing. We may not much care for titles likeRestored to Glory, but all these programmes, evenDemolition, have something to teach us and to say on ourbehalf. So far the focus has been on buildings, but therecent Tales from the Palaces has come close to a fairrepresentation of the work of people who care forcollections. Concurrently, the conservation profession is attempting toestablish itself in a world in which the very concept ofprofessionalism generates suspicion in many quarters. Wemust avoid creating a cosy and exclusive middle-class club,dedicated to maintaining high incomes (yes, I know that’s ajoke) and a fiercely enforced pecking order, hiding behinda smokescreen of impenetrable jargon. Ask yourself, is thathow you see lawyers, medics, media presenters? Howabout architects, exhibition designers, engineers? How dothey see us?

Daggers drawn?We already know quite a bit about how we are seen withinthe cultural and heritage world, thanks to Mark Jones (IconNews 2). We may not recognise ourselves here, and mayfeel that Mark showed an insensitivity to colleagues asmeaningful as what he actually said. We should still listen,because justified or not, views like these are notuncommon in our world. Before we start taking it all toopersonally, let’s ask ourselves what do we think about thecurators, archivists, marketing specialists, art historians,transport companies, exhibition organisers, managers anddirectors that we work with every day? It’s probably mutual.And they don’t form a solid phalanx dedicated to frog-marching us back to our basement benches. Far from it,they are all jockeying with one another for power, moneyand professional status and the wobblier that status is theharder they have to work to defend it.

Dog eats dog?Things get even more uncomfortable when we start oneach other. Joyce Townsend has already berated us forsloppy so-called research (Icon News 3) but there are othergrounds for mutual suspicion. How does the public sectorsee the private sector and vice versa? Do museumconservators spend their time trashing the nation’streasures or are they too scared to do anything exceptrefuse loan requests, (unless courier jaunts are appealing),and look forward to an inflated pension at an early age?Does everybody in the private sector have to compromiseto keep the dealers happy? Are paintings conservatorsactually restorers who tart things up with no regard for

interventionAs others see usCathy Proudlove, Collections Care Consultant and Conservation Manager for Norfolk Museums & Archaelogy Service

ethics? Do transport collections do likewise? These ideasmay never be expressed but are there in the backs ofminds.The most potentially contentious area is that of trainingand standards. We all like to think that we deliver qualityand value for money, but there are still those who feel thatsome among us are not quite up to the mark, maybebecause they did not do the right course, or any course atall. Meanwhile, out there are thousands of people who findour work fascinating and are longing to get involved.PACR and the Conservation Register have gone a long wayboth to regularise our profession and make it inclusive. Weare off to a flying start, and I fervently hope that what feelsto me like honeymoon euphoria does not dissipate intofactional infighting.

Dogs in the mangerMark Jones reminds us of our image as the ‘object police’,the access-blockers, which we have tried so hard to refutein recent years. Colleagues may in fact prefer to keep us inthat role so they can shrug their shoulders and say ‘sorryfolks, Conservation would never allow that object to behandled, go on loan or whatever’. Then we can be labelledthe villains of the access scenario, while in fact both partiesare deeply motivated to protect the object in question. It’sall part of the game, but we should seek solidarity withthose who still care about collections.Sometimes resentment seems to be driven by envy,because we can get close to wonderful objects, see themproperly and play with them, but it seems we won’t allowothers to do the same. Again, there may be some truth inthis and, while it may also be the case that our colleaguesare reluctant to acknowledge that conservation work holdsthe key to access at many levels, some soul-searching maybe in order.Conservation work does not have the direct links to life,death and liberty that give power to other professions. Tolose some of the things society cherishes, or their truemeaning, would be genuinely tragic for humanity. But weshould be humble enough to acknowledge that mostconservation work does not entail a threat of this nature.What conservation knowledge and activity can provide is afast track to intellectual access for many people who willnever challenge our role as decision makers and qualitycontrollers. Now that our work is officially fascinating, glamorous andsexy (Neil MacGregor reported in Icon News 2) ourprofession will have many more opportunities to takeadvantage of burgeoning public interest for the benefit ofthe heritage. So let’s lighten up, call a truce with ourcolleagues and make the word inclusive really meansomething.


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