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Conservation DepartmentStaff Chart Summer 2005

Head of ConservationSandra Smith

PA & Dept SecretaryFiona Campbell

Science

Boris PretzelBrenda KeneghanValerie BlythLucia BurgioCatherine Simes

Furniture, Textiles & Frames (FTF)

FurnitureShayne RiversTim MillerNigel Bamforth

Gilded Furniture andFramesChristine PowellZoë Allen

TextilesLynda HillyerMarion KiteAlbertina CogramFrances HartogSusana Fajado-HunterElizabeth-Anne HaldaneLara FleckerMiriam DuffieldNatalia Zagorska-Thomas

Paper, Books &Paintings (PBP)

PaperMerryl HuxtableVictoria ButtonMichael WheelerSusan CatcherLisa Nash (RIBA)Eoin Kelly

PreservationConservatorsClair BattissonSimon FleuryChris Gingell

BooksJane RutherstonAnne Greig (RIBA)

PaintingsNicola Costaras

Sculpture, Metals,Ceramics & Glass(SMCG)

SculptureCharlotte HubbardVictor BorgesSofia Marques

MetalsDiana HeathJoanna WhalleySophy WillsDonna StevensKatia Viegas WesolowskaJon PrivettGates Turner

Ceramics & GlassVictoria OakleyFi JordanJuanita NavarroAmanda Barnes

Stained GlassSherrie EatmanAnn MarshDaniella PeltzKathrin Rahfoth

Administration & InformationSystems

Tim Carpenter Laura JigginsMichelle Murray

StudentsSurface StudiesCharis Theodorakopoulos, PhDMarie Vest, PhD

Historical/Technical StudyAllyson McDermott, MPhilTimea Tallian, MPhil

Modern JewelleryCordelia Rogerson, PhD

Computer VisualisationNicholas Frayling, PhD

20th Century MaterialsFotini Koussiaki, PhD (with Tate)

BooksKaren Vidler, MPhil

TextilesAlice Cole, MAHazel Arnott, MA(with Historic Royal Palaces)

SculptureAnna Kagiadaki, MA

Conservation ScienceKonstantinos Ntanos, MA(with British Museum)Naomi Luxford, MA(with English Heritage)Tsing-Young Dora Tang, MSci(with Imperial College)

FurnitureKatja Tovar, MABarbara Schertel, MA

History, Ethics & ManagementMaria Troupkou, MPhilHelen Evans, MPhil

Natural HistoryMelissa Gunter, MA(with Natural History Museum)

Ethnographic MaterialsHeidrun Gassner, MA(with Horniman Museum)

PaperClair Walton MA(with Theatre Museum)

Metalwork (with othermaterials)Louise Parris, MA

RCA/V&A ConservationWilliam Lindsay (RCA)Alison Richmond (V&A)Alison Bracker (RCA)Vincent Daniels (RCA)Joanna Baden (RCA)Harriet Standeven (V&A)

InternshipsFurnitureMiho KitagawaPaintingsLara WilsonPaperSanam Ali Khan

Editorial BoardSandra SmithHead of Department

Nigel BamforthSenior Furniture Conservator

Lucia BurgioObject Analysis Scientist

Charlotte HubbardHead Sculpture Conservator

Fi JordanSenior Ceramics Conservator

Graham Martin Head of Science

Michelle MurrayConservation Administrator

Mike WheelerSenior Paper Conservator

Designed by V&A Design

Photographs are credited individually

All enquiries to:-Conservation DepartmentVictoria and Albert MuseumLondon SW7 2RL, UKTelephone +44 (0)20 7942 2133Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 2092e-mail [email protected]

The V&A Conservation Journal is an informal publication and references in articles are discouraged. Readers may contact authors for further information via the e-mail address above

The V&A Conservation Journal is nowavailable online at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/journal/index.html

Contents V&A Conservation Journal No.50

1 EditorialSandra Smith, Head of Conservation

3 Rising Damp – a history of the Conservation DepartmentPauline Webber, Head of Paper, Books & Paintings Conservation

7 V&A Conservation on the World Wide Web: A secondment to the V&A Web TeamFiona Campbell, PA & Conservation Department Secretary

11 The Ethics Checklist – ten years onAlison Richmond, Senior Tutor RCA/V&A Conservation

15 Plastics preservation at the V&ABrenda Keneghan, Polymer Scientist

18 Working for DiaghilevLynda Hillyer, Head of Textiles Conservation

22 Pugin’s wallpapers from The GrangeSusan Catcher, Paper ConservatorLucia Burgio, Object Analysis Scientist

26 Prevention is better than the cureSandra Smith, Head of ConservationValerie Blyth, Preventive Conservator, Science Section

28 ResearchGraham Martin, Head of Science Section

30 The Castellani diademJoanna Whalley, Senior Metalwork Conservator

33 In pursuit of a clear answer: An Exhibition Road partnershipFi Jordan, Senior Ceramics ConservatorVictoria Oakley, Head Ceramics Conservator

35 Investigation of the room temperature corrosion of replica museum glassSarah Fearn, Research Associate, Department of Materials, Imperial College

38 Professional collaboration – the Prince of Wales Museum of Western IndiaMike Wheeler, Senior Paper Conservator

41 V&A/RIBA partnershipLisa Nash, RIBA, Special Collections ConservatorAnne Greig, RIBA, NMCT Project Conservator

43 Picture and mirror frames: Reflections on treatment past, present and futureChristine Powell, Senior Furniture & Frames ConservatorZoë Allen, Frames & Furniture Conservator

46 A simple solutionJane Rutherston, Head Book Conservator

48 Conservation of a tortoiseshell book coverKaren Vidler, Book Conservator

51 The hand that rocks the cradle: Conservation Administration, present and future Tim Carpenter, Information Systems Manager, Head of ConservationAdministrationLaura Jiggins, Conservation AdministratorMichelle Murray, Conservation Administrator

54 New Staff and Interns

56 Appendix 1: Victoria & Albert Museum Conservation Department Ethics Checklist

Staff ChartFront Cover image:Past issues of the V&A Conservation Journal

Graham Martin Albert Neher Pauline Webber Alan Derbyshire

Visiting ResearchersTitika Malkogeorgou

Key

Senior Management Team

2

Advances in the understanding of the impact ofchemicals on both the environment and the humanbody have led to the loss of some chemicals for use inconservation. Safer, perhaps less effective substitutesmust be found and traditional housekeepingtechniques reintroduced into the Museum (Smith &Blyth). Changes in staff roles reflect the shift inemphasis towards non-interventive collections care.Preventive conservators and a preservation conservatormaintain the core collections, whilst through betterstorage (Rutherston) and increased understanding ofpolymer science (Keneghan) more holistic approachesto preservation have evolved. The revised EthicsChecklist (Richmond) accepts that treatment of anobject must be considered within the wider conceptsof the needs of the whole collection.

Since 1991 the Department (and the Museum) hasbecome increasingly reliant on information technologyto record the condition and treatment of thecollections, to communicate and to plan (Carpenter,Jiggins & Murray). Conservators and scientists spendincreasing amounts of time at the computer terminaland the need for back-up, in the form of a highlyskilled administrative section, who are able to keepup with latest developments, train and establish newsystems is now essential for an effective functioningConservation Department.

Research and development remains a vital role forthe Department (Martin, Jordan & Oakley, Fearn).Advances in technology increasingly offer non-destructive ways to examine and research collections.The globalisation of research, changes in funding andthe need to make research relevant to a wideraudience is benefiting conservation. EU fundingprovides opportunities to share expertise, resourcesand knowledge and the Department has justsuccessfully secured two AHRB grants for PhDstudentships in partnership with Imperial Collegeand the University of Southampton. That suchfunding is now accessible to conservation, is aconsiderable breakthrough for cultural heritageresearch.

What has remained constant throughout the years is the skill and expertise of the staff. Theirunderstanding of the collections and intelligentquestioning of all aspects of their work enables the Museum to represent damaged objects in theiroriginal and beautiful form (Whalley, Vidler) and tounderstand original methods of manufacture(Catcher & Burgio). Through their enthusiasm andpersonal interest conservators can kindle or rekindleinterest in areas for the Museum’s collections whichperhaps have been overlooked in the past (Hillyer,Powell & Allen).

Whatever the next 50 editions of the Journal hold Iam sure that it will continue to reflect this expertiseas it is through this that the knowledge of thecollections, its accessibility and its longevity continuesto expand. Well done to everyone involved in the V&AConservation Journal whether that be author, editor,administrator and nowadays – webmaster.

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Conservation Journal No.50

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Welcome to the 50th edition of the V&A ConservationJournal. A time for celebration for reaching thegolden age. This bumper edition, which includesarticles from many of the individual studios, reflectschanges that have occurred in the Department sincethe first edition of the Journal was published. It is notintended as a retrospective, rather, it explores wherewe are now and considers some of the changes to befaced in the future.

Pauline Webber’s article reminds us that the V&AConservation Journal, which was first printed inOctober 1991, was established to improvecommunication within and beyond the Museum.This has certainly been very effective, the Journal isnow sent to over 800 different locations and is heldby conservation libraries throughout the world. TheJournal is frequently used by the Museum to reflectexcellence, attract sponsorship and to demonstrateour duty of care to the collections. Its impact hasbeen far more wide reaching than originallyanticipated.

Despite this success communication continues to be a concern, perhaps because, our audience haschanged. Now it is not sufficient to communicatewith the Museum, conservators and conservationscientists. There is an increasing public awareness of and interest in ‘conservation’, whether it beconcerning the environment through green issuesand sustainability, the increasing effects ofglobalisation, or culture and identity of both thetangible and intangible heritage. Media interest inantiques and collectibles expands public knowledgeof preservation, whilst global warming andbiodegradation increases consciousness of materialsand the way they interact with the environment.

Whilst the physical treatment of objects may remaina specialised and highly skilled activity, the concept ofobject/heritage conservation is no longer the exclusivepreserve of conservators and conservation scientists.

Object/heritage conservation has an opportunity tobecome more involved with these issues through theInstitute of Conservation. The Institute’s new ChiefExecutive, Alastair McCapra, comments that ‘there are reserves of energy in the membership as well as a strong desire to raise your game as a profession’and he aims to ‘transform that energy and desire into real, tangible progress’. This must involve moreopenness and inclusiveness. Having increasedcommunication so effectively with a printed copy of the Journal we are now taking the next (obvious)step of publishing it on the V&A website. This willmake it accessible to all, in the spirit of Freedom ofInformation, and allow the use of multi-media andaudiovisual to demonstrate the work of theDepartment more effectively (Campbell).

The Museum’s approach to display and access hasdeveloped during the last 17 years. No longer are thecollections the preserve of scholars, educators anddesigners but they are now intended to be relevantand accessible to the broadest audience. V&A visitornumbers exceeded two million for the first time in2002/3. To maintain and exceed this figure, visitorneeds and expectations must be accommodated and traditional approaches to display re-examined.Partnerships with other museums (e.g. SheffieldGalleries & Museum Trust) take the collections to a wider national audience and plans are in hand to create an international V&A collection. Earlyinvolvement of Conservation with the design anddevelopment of gallery spaces and storage areas canfacilitate this for the future (Wheeler). The V&A nowhouses the 600,000 RIBA drawings and the RIBAarchive, uniting them for the first time with the35,000 V&A (RIBA) drawings within one building.Nash & Greig reflect on the partnership from aconservator’s perspective.

EditorialSandra SmithHead of Conservation

One hundred and fifty years ago the V&A hadworkers called ‘repairers’. There are very fewphotographs documenting the work they did, but weknow that they were predominantly men and that in1856 the site thought most suitable for the repairerwas a dark, damp basement.

The work alternated between packing, mounting,framing, cleaning and repairing. Every medium and every type of work was attempted: cleaningtapestries, covering chairs, repairing labels, repairingmetal tankards, even repairing stained glasswindows. Activities did not always take place in theworkshop, but throughout the building and off site.Work such as ‘taking down tapestry in the RaphaelGallery, framing paintings in the North Court’,‘mounting miniatures in Reception’, ‘framing andmounting needlework in the North Court from 8amto 8pm’.

1In some catalogue entries it made

occasional reference to alterations performed by the‘Art Workshop’ but with very little reference to thematerials and techniques used.

The transition from Art Workshop ‘repairers’ toConservation did not happen until after the SecondWorld War. ‘Change was an inevitable part of theexplosive growth and development of conservationthroughout the world spurred on by need; generatedby headline catchers such as the “Florence floods”and “Venice in Peril”’.

2This transformation, which

began in 1960, was lead by Norman Brommelle3

andthen after his retirement in 1977, by Dr JonathanAshley-Smith,

4the second Keeper of Conservation.

Both keepers pressed for the expansion of theDepartment and a major increase in space and stafftook place around 1977.

Throughout its history, the Conservation Departmenthas been changing, developing, progressing, expandingand contracting. Specialist areas like miniatures,gilding, framing, tapestries and book conservationhave flourished independently and then have beenabsorbed into larger groups. As sections grew theypopulated any available pockets of space at SouthKensington. The sections were scattered widelyacross the site making it difficult to manage and thisalso hampered communication.

It seems appropriate that the 5oth edition of theConservation Journal is used to reflect on theDepartment and the Journal’s beginning and howthe Journal has helped to document the changes inthe Department, developments in the profession,fashions, trends and working practise inside andoutside the Museum.

The origin of the Journal came about at the firstever meeting of the whole Conservation Departmentin 1978. The main topic of that meeting wascommunication. At this time the Departmentconsisted of nine specialist sections working infifteen locations and with no central meeting point.It was thought that Conservation would benefit fromexchange of ideas and a greater sense of Departmentalidentity. The first Newsletters, made up of severaltyped sheets (the first electronic typewriter waspurchased in 1983), were photocopied and stapledtogether. These reported on recent conservation work,purchases of equipment and visits to other workshops.

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As the Newsletter developed, articles got longer andmore informative and were punctuated throughoutwith cartoons. There were cynical and witty articles,conservation crosswords and reports on happyevents. The Spring 1984 Newsletter was attacked fornot being serious enough and it had been given overto a bunch of ‘scurrilous cartoonists and flippantpretentious literati’.

5There was dissatisfaction from

staff who did not want to publish serious work in anin-house magazine, but it was no longer an in-housemagazine, the distribution had increased and it hadfound its way to Rome and been accepted into theIICROM Library.

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By 1985 came the first refurbishment andreorganisation of the Conservation Departmentcosting one million pounds. The newly refurbishedConservation Library served as focal point or meetingplace for the Department. The Newsletter gave wayto the Conservation Bulletin with news in brief andcalendars of forth coming events.

At the first Conservation Residential it was agreedthere was still room for improvement if it was toreach a wider audience. So the V&A Journal in itspresent style was one of the outcomes of themeeting. The Department had been accused ofinsularity and there was a need to build bridges andimprove communication with curatorial departmentsand senior managers in the Museum and to colleaguesand professionals outside the Museum.

The first issue of the V&A Conservation Journal waspublished in October 1991. It was designed by RichardDoust at the RCA

7and one of the driving forces

behind the change in appearance and content of theJournal at the time was the development of theRCA/V&A Conservation course in October 1989. TheJournal was a means by which students could publishongoing research, and it was also a publication whichwas intended to give a quarterly snapshot of the workof the Conservation Department at the V&A, writtenby interns, staff, contractors and guest writers.

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Rising Damp – a history of theConservation DepartmentPauline WebberHead of Paper, Books & Paintings Conservation

Figure 1. Early departmental photograph

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Figure 3. The Conservation Department in 1983

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Since Jonathan’s departure there have been manychanges to the Museum and the Department andthese events have been published in subsequentissues of the Conservation Journal. Issue 44 isintroduced by Sandra Smith, the new Head ofConservation, who started at the V&A in January2003. In Journal 46 the New Paintings Gallery isreported on and OCEAN

8is also in place and reported

to be working well. The Department once againchanges its shape to align itself with the changingMuseum and the structural chart on the back of theJournal was redesigned to reflect these changes andidentify the new senior management team. Thisreorganisation was carried out in November 2003.

It is interesting to return to the content of the earlierpublications documenting the Department and makecomparison with the more recent ones in terms of thechanging attitudes to conservation, the changeswithin the Department, how the needs of theMuseum are reflected in the articles and how theposition/status of the Department has evolved.

The Journal continues to be a cost affective way ofreaching thousands of people and a useful tool tochart the developments in the Department. To signalanother land mark in the history of the Departmentand the V&A and under the direction of Sandra Smith,the Conservation Journal is now available on the Web.

AcknowledgementsThanks to Jonathan Ashley-Smith who kindly allowedme to use extracts from his unpublished paper onthe history of the Conservation Department and toother contributors to the Conservation Journal.

References1. RPS VA126 60/3488,V&A Registry Archive

2. Ashley-Smith, J., Development of Conservation History,Chapter 1, The Practise and Science of Conservation at theV&A, p.1 (unpublished)

3. Norman Brommelle, 1915-1989, First Keeper ofConservation at the V&A from 1960-1977

4. Dr Jonathan Ashley-Smith, Keeper/Head of Conservation1977-2001

5. Murrel, J., No 20 Conservation Bulletin (1984)

6. Ashley-Smith, J., Editorial, V&A Conservation Journal No 1(October 1991) p.3-4

7. It was later designed by the V&A Printers and now by the V&A Design Section

8. OCEAN On-line Centred Environmental Analysis Network

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Issue 20, 1996 records another landmark in theConservation Department at the V&A. In 1992 AustinSmith: Lord were commissioned to prepare designsfor the conversion of the Royal College of Artbuilding. The aim of the project was to bring togetherall the Museum’s Conservation sections that werescattered around the South Kensington site andOsterley Park.

In December 1995 Conservation Administration,Paper, Books, Textiles, Sculpture and ScienceConservation moved to the RCA block. The largeflexible spaces enabled projects that could not havebeen entertained prior to the move to be undertaken.The amount of practical work increased with greaterefficiency. The new facilities have provided space totrain students, interns and placements drawn frominstitutions here and abroad. Numerous courses have taken place to provide on-going training forconservators from all over the world. In 2004,Administration moved and Paintings have sincejoined Books Conservation.

Issue 34 marks the beginning of a New Year and anew century ‘Out with the old in with the new’. Thetheme for this issue is ‘contemporary’, reminding usthat the V&A was founded as a contemporarymuseum. The wish to strengthen the relationshipwith the audience under pins the currentcontemporary initiative. This also presented theConservation Department and the Museum withnew ways of working in presenting/preparing objectsfor display, investigating forms of display which allowdesign to be experienced as well as looked at. By thetime this is published the next major contemporaryshow entitled ‘Touch me’ will be open, where theaudience is invited to touch, stroke and interact withobjects on display. Issue 39, Autumn 2002, of the V&AConservation Journal celebrates the completion ofthe British Galleries. It highlights the immense rangeof work and scientific activity undertaken in theDepartment over five years prior to its opening inNovember 2001. It also discusses the development ofthe CONCISE data-base and a new way of working forthe Department.

The British Galleries was the biggest project the V&Ahad embarked upon for fifty years and the largestproject the Conservation Department had everundertaken. Over the next four years and beyond, theMuseum will need a continued high level of deliveryfrom the Conservation Department for projectswithin the FuturePlan. CONCISE is being used asmanagement tool for projects such as theArchitecture Gallery, Medieval & RenaissanceGalleries, the Sculpture Techniques Gallery andExhibitions. It is being developed so that all workcarried out in the Conservation Department will be recorded on CONCISE.

The theme of Journal 41, Summer 2002, is ‘out reach’.The contributions in this Journal describe differentways the Department communicates and interactsoutside the Museum. The Sharing Museum Skillsprogramme funded by the Millennium Commission,funded two secondments to spend time in theConservation Department. Collaborative Projects such as the Japanese Lacquer Project with Japan,which has recently received funding from the GettyFoundation, work and advise on projects abroad such as the Satyajit Ray Archive in Calcutta and thepartnership project with the Prince of Wales Museumof Western India - described in this issue.

It would be impossible to write this article withoutincluding the greatest influence on the Departmentover the last 25 years. In his last editorial JonathanAshley-Smith introduces issue 41: ‘Reaching out’. After25 years, Jonathan Ashley-Smith, gave up his post asHead of Conservation to become a senior member ofthe Research Department of the V&A. He did this in order to write his second book for Elsevier ScienceSustainability and precaution in the conservation of cultural heritage to be published in 2005. Hecontinues to teach on the RCA/V&A course, in Europe and beyond and continues to communicateconservation to the widest possible audience.

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Figure 4. ‘The Department has a new hoover’, from the V&A Conservation Archive

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As well as progressing the microsite, I again putforward a proposal for the Conservation Departmentto have webpages within the main (new) V&Awebsite. If this were accepted, I would work only on those pages.

After discussion it was agreed I was to work on theConservation webpages with the aim of insertingthem into a newly re-designed V&A website, underthe top-level link: ‘Research & Conservation’ (Figure 2).Due to time constraints, I was initially asked only tocomplete the biographical information for the staffpages (‘People & Studios’). From the beginning Iwanted to build an entire site, as a partial site wouldhave little to offer when it came to publication. I nowhad only three months to complete the site.

I initially set up the site structure on a theme of twostrands, interventive and preventive conservation.These actually quite controversial distinctions wereused purely as a content guideline only. To ensureaccessibility, the often very detailed informationsupplied had to be handled as broadly as possible.The Conservation Department Website Working Group,after some debate, chose the following titles fornavigation of the site: People & Studios; Treatment &Care; Research; Training & Education; Advice & Access;Conservation Journal.

• The ‘People & Studios’ section (Figure 3) includeshistory of the Department and links to five pagesdescribing each of the Conservation DepartmentSections: Paper, Book & Paintings; Furniture, Textile& Frames; Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics & Glass;Science; Management & Administration. Each ofthese pages includes a brief description of thestudios. They also link to staff lists with specialismsand job titles. Staff names are clickable to individualpages, with photos and bibliographies.

• ‘Treatment & Care’ includes current projects.Houghton Hall is one such example, hopefully to have its own dedicated pages shortly. Work on objects in the Core Collection of the V&A isdescribed here, as well as equipment and informationon technique. This area could in the future provideinformation on couriering, surveying, conditionreporting, storage, a conservation records databaseand possibly even the conservation of Museum‘highlights’ from the past. Some of these processes arealready described under the ‘Behind the Scenes’ link.

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From 1 July 2003 to 31 January 2004 I was offered the chance to be a member of the V&A Web Team.My aim was to build the Conservation pages of thenew V&A website. Web Team secondees frequentlyconcentrated on creating microsites for specificprojects, however I had always been keen to furtherdevelop the Conservation presence on the website.

Helen Armstrong from Records & Collections Servicesand I were to be the last secondees, as the OnlineMuseum was already tendering for redesign of theentire V&A website and was setting up the newContent Management System (CMS), Rhythmyx, inpreparation for the migration of the content from the old website design to the new (Figure 1).In simplest terms a content inputting program,Rhythmyx has replaced the use of a previous CMS,called MediaSurface, in V&A website creation andmaintenance. It is intended to be gradually devolvedacross the Museum, eventually allowing representativesof departments to maintain their own areas of thenew V&A website.

We spent July 2003 doing the excellent Photoshopand DreamWeaver training that the secondmentoffers. The Photoshop training in particular wasinvaluable. A two day course covered all the basicsettings, photographic image processing andmanipulation, as well as processing for the web.These skills have also come in extremely useful post-secondment in assisting the conservators withimages for condition reports and articles. After eachcourse we had two days of ‘consolidation’ trainingwith the Web Team back at the V&A. As part of thisprocess, Helen and I put together an experimentalmicrosite - The Ark - and filled it with ceramicanimals from the collections. Aimed at a youngaudience, it even included an attempt at aninteractive quiz, courtesy of Helen. We were verypleased with the result.

Initially we worked on a recently completed micrositecalled ‘Behind the Scenes’. Originally designed andbuilt by two members of the Collections ServicesDivision (CSD), everyone was very keen to see the'Behind the Scenes' site continue as it is a beautifuland informative microsite. We were to add a behind-the-scenes story or activity of our choice.

In August 2003 the work began in earnest. I chosetwo recently conserved objects for my ‘Behind theScenes’ subjects: an Indo-Portuguese Chest and the Hitchcock Transformation Print. I would followthe conservation of each object in text and photos,showing the gradual changes made to each object.All information on the V&A website must be accessibleto as wide an audience as possible, so the moretechnical detail of the conservation process would behandled via a glossary and carefully selected links.

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V&A Conservation on the World Wide Web:A secondment to the V&A Web TeamFiona CampbellPA & Conservation Department Secretary

Figure 1. Rhythmyx: the new Content Management System for the V&A website

Figure 2. The top level link ‘Research & Conservation’,above the new Conservation front page

Figure 3. ‘People & Studios’ section of the Conservation webpages

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The new V&A website, complete with theConservation pages under a top-level link, ‘Research &Conservation’, was launched on 31 August 2004 at:http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/index.html

Issue 48 of the Conservation Journal was launchedonline in January 2005 (Figure 5). Ten of the mostrecent back copies are currently being processed.Issue 49 online should coincide with distribution ofits printed version and Issue 50 will be a specialcelebratory event online as well as in print. TheOnline Conservation Journal is found at:http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/journal/index.html

AcknowledgementsWith grateful acknowledgements to everyone on theWeb Team and Graham Martin, Head of Science, inparticular for sharing my enthusiasm for this projectso convincingly.

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• Conservation ‘Research’, including ConservationScience, is often at the cutting edge and projects are frequently conducted in partnership with otherorganisations, described here with links to furtherinformation. A conservation glossary is includedhere as a separate link.

• ‘Advice & Access’ includes commonly requesteddocuments such as the Ethics Checklist and theEnvironmental Policy. It also includes contactinformation and external links such as the everpopular Conservation Register, an external websiteproviding information on private practiceconservators. Treatment advice leaflets have beenproposed for the future. The tours and events listedare generalised, more precise information beingdependant on updating arrangements yet to bemade.

• ‘Training & Education’ provides ContinuousProfessional Development information forConservators, links to the RCA/V&A PostgraduateCourse and information for prospective interns.Currently these pages contain general explanationsand contact information, but in the future listings of internships actually available in the studios couldbe included here.

• The Conservation Journal has had its own area ofthe V&A website designed especially for it, post-secondment. I completed training on Rhythmyx - to be able to input the Journal and perhaps tocontribute to the updating of the Conservationwebpages - in September 2004.

Processes taken into consideration when building anywebsite include site maintenance. Currently three ofthe webpages will need updating. The emphasis wason trying to make the published information initiallyas ‘dateless’ as possible, with the notable exceptionsof current projects, ongoing research andforthcoming events. Procedures had to be put inplace for the updating and submission of newcontent, including the staff pages. A DepartmentalWebsite Editorial Board has been established tooversee the content of the site. I ‘signed over’ the sitefor inputting into Rhythmyx on 31 January 2004.

Once content has been approved by the editorialboard, it is input into the Rhythmyx database, usuallyby pasting it into specially designed page templates.Each page, image or other element is given metadata,i.e. keywords, to enable site searching. Rhythmyxprovides the structure for the pages within thewebsite (Figure 4). After a further review processinvolving both the Web Team and individuals inConservation via email, the new information iscleared for publication as part of the V&A website.Rhythmyx will accept a range of media so there areoptions for using videoclips and other moreinteractive elements, at a later date.

The Conservation Journal is one of the firstdepartment-led pieces of information to go online via Rhythmyx. As various web projects are completed,ideas for other sites are suggested: Houghton Hall,the Mazarin Chest, the Ethics Checklist etc. Anapplication for further Conservation-led webpageshas just been approved.

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Figure 4. Rhythmyx content explorer

Figure 5. The Conservation Journal Issue 48, online

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Ten years ago, we could never have predicted theresounding success of the “Ethics Checklist”. Draftedinitially for our own use, it was first introduced to theprofession by Jonathan Ashley-Smith at a conferenceat The British Museum in 1994. It has since been thesubject of a number of articles and appearedalongside other decision tools in a recent textbook.

1

Most gratifying of all has been the continuedpopularity of the Checklist, recommended and widelyused, within the profession and beyond, in the UKand internationally.

It was called the Ethics Checklist because it grew outof discussions about the principles upon which theconservation staff at the V&A were basing conservationpractice at that time and an expressed desire on thepart of individuals for guidelines on decision-making.After wide consultation a working group produced atool that provided a common set of criteria thatwould help conservators feel more confident abouttheir decisions. It was based on the assumption thatgood decision-making is the first step of ethicalpractice.

Why is the Checklist so popular? In the answer to thislies both the perceived strength and the weakness ofthe Checklist: it is “common sense” that should comenaturally to a professional conservator and aconvenient aide memoire that contains most of thethings a conservator should consider in a single listof questions. In addition, its potential as a teachingtool for staff and students was recognised from theoutset. Although never formally adopted as Museumpolicy, today it is a requirement specified in theMuseum-wide documentation system. It was alwaysintended that it would be re-assessed on a regularbasis, as things changed within the Museum, theconservation profession and in the larger world ofcultural heritage.

It troubled me that while the Checklist had stayedthe same, the context in which conservators weremaking decisions had changed. A preliminary surveyof V&A conservators revealed that the Checklist wasstill considered to be of practical value but could alsobe usefully updated. Respondents felt that it neededto reflect new developments. The emphasis on accessto collections in Museum funding agreements and

the emergence of a project culture were making newdemands on conservators. Part of these developmentswas an inclusiveness in decision-making, the need towork across teams and beyond the walls of theMuseum. These, in combination with changing staffdemographics and a greater reliance on contractors,were transforming the context and nature ofconservators’ work. At the same time, museum codesof ethics and decision tools, such as the BurraCharter,

2were being revised to reflect these

developments and to give increased prominence tothe consideration of cultural values and significance,the recognition of less tangible aspects, and respectfor diversity. The concepts of risk and sustainability,considered jargon in 1994, had become familiar toconservators. All of these were factors suggesting aneed for a review.

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The Ethics Checklist - ten years onAlison RichmondSenior Tutor RCA/V&A Conservation

There was also evidence that the Checklist was notused regularly and that newer members of theDepartment were not aware of its existence - no one could find it! We thought its structure could beimproved and the whole made more easily accessibleby creating an electronic version.

To find out if we could develop a decision-makingtool that improved on the current one, a researchgroup was set up in the Department. The outcomewas a revised Checklist that would be piloted in theDepartment to evaluate its effectiveness and thenlaunched on the Internet.

The purpose of the Checklist was redefined. Althoughoriginally intended to be applicable to all conservationactivities, we decided to acknowledge that in reality it deals with the relationship between conservatorand object or objects, and is most often used fortreatment decisions. Although it is not a policy itshould act as a filter, invoking the Department’sculture. It should be made available to the public andused to describe how conservators approach theirwork. It should not be used for training only; practiceshould compare favourably with what we teach (andpreach!). The name Ethics Checklist should be kept asit reflects its role as a decision tool within the ethicalframework of professional conservation practice.

The new Checklist is situated on the intranet,formally within a V&A procedures manual and issupported by other documents such as codes,guidelines, standards and legislation. Together these documents will provide an ethical and legalframework for the V&A conservator. The wording of the Checklist was altered, but in most cases onlyslightly. Using the Burra Charter as a model, acommentary on each question was incorporated toassist the user. The glossary was expanded to includenew words that may be unfamiliar. Words that weredismissed in 1994 as jargon, such as “stakeholder”and “risk”, are now well-understood and wereincorporated.

The pilot study gave an indication of whether the proposed changes were appropriate for theDepartment’s needs. While many respondentsechoed the old crie de coeur that it was “commonsense”, they admitted that it did aid decision-makingand was especially useful for projects presentingcomplex problems or requiring a lot of intervention.One respondent said, ‘Although I would usuallyconsider all of the things on the checklist anyway this would not necessarily be in such an orderedway’.

3Another reported, ‘The Checklist helped

consider each repair on its individual merits’. Itsusefulness in training was reiterated. Generallypeople found the Checklist clear and easy to use,but recommended some specific re-wording.

Figure 1. Mamluk Qur’an, Manuscript, c.1400, Egypt or Syria (7217-1869) The Checklist was used by two book conservators in the assessment of over-size folios and bifolia of a Mamluk Qur’an in order to discuss treatmentproposals, methods of repair and rebinding.Consideration was given to full conservation treatment of 19 leaves. Treatmentoptions were formulated with input from curatorial staff, in-house bookconservators and external expert conservators on paper conservation andrebinding. There is no evidence of the original binding structure.One conservator found that using the Checklist ensured that all actionsnecessary in making treatment decisions had been considered. This wasparticularly important for this object due to the need for extensive interventiveconservation treatment and possible change to its original structure andhousing. It also underpinned the need to have dialogue with others who mayinfluence the decision-making process.The other conservator found the Checklist assisted in sorting her thoughts intoa verbal or written form using standard key terminology which could be passedon to those involved in the conservation treatment decision-making process. Itis a useful tool for assisting the practising book conservator within the V&Awhen moving from repetitive simple repairs to more considered, detailed, fullconservation treatments.

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Figure 2. Male Profile (illustrious man), panel painting,16th century, School of Mantua (668-1904) The Checklist was used by a conservation intern for thetreatment of a 16th century Italian panel painting from aseries of similar panels which were originally arranged alongthe roof beams of a room in a castle at San Martino diGusnago/a. Several of the set are held by the V&A and willbe displayed in the new Medieval & Renaissance Galleries ina reconstruction of their original arrangement.The Checklist helped the conservator to clarify which wouldbe the most important aspects of the treatment and whatresults she should be aiming for, in particular, homogeneityacross the group of paintings.

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The wisdom of developing an online interactiveversion was considered. Current levels of computeraccess and configuration within the Departmentprevent conservators from working on computersnear objects. ‘With only one PC in the studio sharedbetween four conservators, it wouldn’t be used’.While the research group was enthusiastic aboutthe extra documents and commentary of the newChecklist, the single A4 sheet of the old Checklistwas preferred by some respondents. ‘The documentis very clear, but a shorter “quick-reference” versionshould accompany this version’. Appending thesingle-sheet Checklist as a front page seemed to be an acceptable compromise.

Just as in 1994, it was recognised that the context inwhich conservators carry out their decisions and dotheir work has an impact on those decisions andactions, so in 2004 the research group realised thatthe Checklist was of limited use in addressing theseissues. Under-resourced projects resulting in fewinterventive treatments being carried out in theDepartment were felt to have ramifications both forthe care of collections and for the maintenance anddevelopment of skills. One conservator put it this way,but it was a common feeling among respondents:‘This treatment is fairly standard and indicative ofapprox. 75% of all treatments undertaken.’ In answerto the question: Did the checklist help you in thedecision-making process? ‘In all honesty, no, in thiscase due to external factors such as lack of time totreat the object as I would have wished.’ Just as in1994, conservators were concerned about their lack of influence in ‘the continuum of decision-making’ -the decisions being made before the conservatorencounters the object and after it leaves his or hercare - leads to conservators feeling disempowered.‘Some aspects, such as preventive conservation in the

galleries, are difficult for individual conservators in a big museum to control … although it mightbe possible to consider preventive conservationmeasures ... and to make suggestions, whether or notthese are acted upon may be out of the individualconservator’s hands. It is therefore difficult to maketreatment decisions which are dependent on theimplementation of preventive conservation measures.’We recommended that consideration be given bymanagement to concerns voiced by conservators inthe current study.

During the process of this research, suggestions were made for possible future projects and muchconsideration was given to developing a trainingversion that would be visually interesting, availableon-line and interactive. By creating a non-linear,image-based diagram, we thought we couldencourage a different kind of interaction with thequestions. When first considering a diagrammaticlayout the questions appeared to fall naturally intogroups, but on reflection, any attempt to impose an order was proscriptive and went against thephilosophy of the Checklist. The interactive version is still in development and, in the meantime, theChecklist questions remain in the form of a list(please see Appendix 1 on page 56 to view the firstpage of the Ethics Checklist).

In the end, I have to admit, very few changes weremade to the Checklist. I like to think that this wasdue in part to its enduring value as a tool forconservation decision-making. The V&A ConservationDepartment “Ethics Checklist 2004” can be found at:http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/advice/policies/index.html

References1. Caple, C., Conservation Skills: Judgement, Method and

Decision Making. Routledge, (2000)

2. The Burra Charter for the conservation of places ofcultural significance, revised version, Australian ICOMOS(1999) www.icomos.org/australia/burra.html

3. Ethics Checklist Pilot Study Questionnaire – anonymousrespondents (October 2004)

Figure 3. The War of Troy, Tapestry, 1475-90, Tournai (T6:1887), detailThe Checklist was used by a conservation MA student to consider thetreatment for this tapestry. Although previously displayed in theMuseum, the tapestry has not been conserved since its acquisition.The process of conservation will involve a number of conservators andwill last approximately 18 months.The conservator found the Checklist to be a good starting point forconsidering the work to be undertaken, especially the decision aboutwhich previous repairs to remove. The Checklist helped theconservator consider each repair on its individual merits.

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are reasonably stable, it is really only the fivehighlighted ones (especially in older objects) thatneed to be identified in collections. The two mostdangerous materials with respect to the damagethey may cause other objects, are cellulose nitrateand cellulose acetate. These plastics are no longer ingeneral use and mostly their occurrence relates toreasonably specific time periods and the imitation ofnatural materials. It is therefore possible to approachtheir identification in other ways, e.g. by the style ofobjects or by their date etc., and also by keeping aneye on any suspect objects. Unfortunately newerobjects made from synthetic polymers can also causeproblems, as artists especially often use thesematerials for the novel effects that can be producedwithout paying due care to the manufacturersinstructions. Thus the resulting stability problems, incontrast to the historic objects, are often avoidable.

Although we do not have all the answers yet, we arenow pretty clear on what the problems are, and thenext stage in our strategy is to investigate the long-term effects of recommended conservationtreatments on selected degraded plastic objects.While we are approaching interventive treatmentscautiously, minimal cleaning is currently undertakenfor some objects, most recently on several pieces ofpop furniture from the 1960s and 70s (Figure 1).

Continuing with the preservation course, control ofthe environment is essential to help prevent or slowdown the degradation reactions of polymers.Therefore, the correct choice of storage conditions is vital for the preservation of plastics especially thefive most susceptible polymers. A current project inthis area is the assessment of the best storageenvironment for photographic negatives. TheMuseum has large photographic archives which

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Two previous articles on the subject of plasticsdegradation have appeared in the ConservationJournal since its inception. The first (issue 6, January1993) was written by Edward Then, the original post-holder of the newly-founded position of plasticsconservator, and Victoria Oakley, Head of theCeramics Conservation Studio where the position waslocated. The piece outlined the strategy that was tobe taken in tackling this recently recognised problem,beginning with a survey. In issue 21 (October 1996) a second article on the subject appeared under myname. The survey was almost complete and fivepolymers had been identified as those mostsusceptible to degradation. But by this time theproblem had been recognised as more scientific innature than previously thought, and the position wasnow located in the science laboratory. In 1998 the jobtitle was changed to polymer scientist in recognitionof the fact that the problem was chemical in natureand required a scientific background to understandwhat was happening before any approach totreatment could be even considered.

So what have been the main developments inplastics degradation and conservation at the V&Asince that last article? As we delved further into thechemistries of the various materials involved severalissues emerged. It became quite clear that plasticsbehaved differently and, therefore, must beapproached differently to the more traditionalmaterials. The main issues can be summarised asfollows: There are very many different types of plastic – not just one. Of these many types, the results of our survey have shown that five

1are particularly

susceptible to degradation and some actually causedamage to other materials while undergoingdegradation. Each of those five plastics has a specificchemical composition and each must be treated asan individual material. Secondly, plastic materialsgenerally degrade in a more dramatic fashion thanthe more traditional materials. This is because thedeterioration of plastics has a relatively longinduction period followed by acceleratingdegradation. In lay persons terms - what looks

in fine shape one day may be a pile of dust sixmonths later. Thirdly, what may appear a relativelyinnocent treatment, e.g. swabbing a surface withsolvent or adhering broken parts, may result in muchmore severe damage appearing at a later date. Finally,it must be accepted that the degradation of plasticsis due to irreversible chemical reactions. Although itcannot be reversed it can, given the right conditions,be slowed down.

Armed with this information a more holisticapproach to the problem has evolved and the focushas shifted slightly from conservation towardspreservation. Raising an awareness of the problemand education were the first steps taken in tacklingthe deterioration of plastic objects in museums. Tothis end, the results of the survey have been the topicof several departmental seminars, conferencepresentations and invited lectures, as well as formingpart of the annual lecture on the subject to studentson the RCA/V&A Conservation programme. They have also been published in the journal MuseumManagement and Curatorship, in the hope of reachingthe widest possible target audience, as it is curatorswho generally come across the objects in the firstinstance, especially in the smaller museums. At leastby being aware of the possibility that some plasticobjects in their collections may be degrading,museum professionals can keep their eyes (andnoses!) open for tell-tale signs and smells.

On the educational theme, plastic identificationworkshops for conservators and other interestedparties were planned. Before taking them into thestudios, however, trials of the published chemicalspot tests for identifying various plastics wereundertaken in the laboratory. These tests were foundto have serious drawbacks which make them unsuitablefor use by the conservator in the studio. As well asrequiring toxic chemicals, many of the results aresubjective. Most of the tests only appear to workwhen the identity of the material is already indicatedin some other way. Testing completely unknownsamples showed the results to be highly ambiguous.However, as in reality most historic plastic materials

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Plastics preservation at the V&ABrenda KeneghanPolymer Scientist

Figure 1. Modern plastic furniture from the V&A collection

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In December 2004, an exhibition opened at theGroninger Museum in The Netherlands calledWorking for Diaghilev (Groningen, 11 December2004 – 28 March 2005). It comprised 30 costumesfrom the Diaghilev Ballet and 230 paintings,drawings, set and costume designs. The StateTretyakov Gallery in Moscow lent over 100 works of art many of which were being displayed in theWest for the first time. Other lenders included theTheatre Museum Bakrushin, Moscow, the CentrePompidou in Paris, the Musée Picasso, Paris, theMusée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, the NationalGallery of Australia in Canberra and the Victoriaand Albert Museum (Theatre Museum).

Groninger is a surprising museum situated in theheart of a traditional Dutch town. It was built inthe 1980s with revenue from the discovery ofnatural gas in Northern Holland. The main buildingis an avant-garde structure designed by the Italianarchitect Alessandro Medina. Philippe Starck andthe architects known as Coop Himmelb(l)aucreated two adjoining areas of the museum.Medina has created distinct colour combinationswithin the exhibition space so that theinterconnecting rooms appear as a series ofcoloured cubes with contrasting floors, walls andceilings, an almost perfect setting for an exhibitionon Diaghilev. Facilities in the museum include avery large goods lift that opens directly intostorage areas on each floor and provides easyaccess for packing and unpacking loan objects. Themuseum has a permanent collection of ceramicsand costume, but its main activity is its programmeof exhibitions. In recent years it has initiatedimportant displays of Russian painting, notably IlyaRepin (2001) who became part of Diaghilev’s circlefor a brief period in the 1890s, and the beautifulexhibition Russian Landscapes which transferred tothe National Gallery, London in 2004.

The preliminary request for the loan of objects forWorking for Diaghilev coincided with the start of a comprehensive survey of the Diaghilev Balletcostume undertaken by Sarah Woodcock, Curator of Photography and Costume at the TheatreMuseum, and myself throughout 2004. The core of the collection was acquired for the Museum

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contain negatives with bases made from bothcellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate. The negativesare degrading rapidly and we are in the process ofevaluating the various packaging systems beforeplacing them in cold storage. As commercialpackaging systems are extremely expensive andoften contain non-essential elements, a knowledge of the different degradation chemistries involvedallows the most cost-effective system to be chosen.

The formation of the Contemporary Team and thededication of gallery space to the ‘Contemporary’has resulted in very successful exhibitions of non-traditional content. These have included Brand.New, Zoomorphic and Brilliant where plastics were in abundance. ‘Touch Me’ actually invites the publicto do just that to objects, many of them made fromsynthetic polymers. In response to the changingnature of the objects being accessioned and alsothese different types of exhibitions, curators nowregularly ask for information about synthetic plasticobjects before making decisions on their accession orinclusion in an exhibition. As we publish issue 50 ofthe Conservation Journal I can honestly say that the"plastics denial syndrome" which was particularlyprevalent in the various collections, and referred to in issue 21, has been eliminated completely.

As the subject of plastics degradation has becomemore widely publicised, interest continues to comefrom national and international radio, newspapersand art magazines. As more and more art objects are made from these relatively unstable materials,the problem is likely to increase. The ConservationDepartment at the V&A remains a leader in the field tackling this problem and is regularly contactedfor advice and assistance by a wide range oforganisations ranging from regional museums andother heritage bodies to auction houses.

References1. Keneghan, Brenda., ‘Plastics? – Not in my collection’, V&A

Conservation Journal No,21 (October 1996), pp.4-6

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Working for DiaghilevLynda HillyerHead Textile Conservator

Figure 1. Chaliapin’s costume from the Coronation scene,Boris Godunov (possibly dating from 1908) designed bythe painter Alexander Golovin (S.459-1979) (Photography by V&A Photographic Studio)

through the foresight of dance critic and historianRichard Buckle, an authority on Diaghilev, whencostumes first came onto the market at Sothebysin the late 1960s. In 1974 Buckle donated them to the newly-founded Theatre Museum. Thecollection, since added to by gift and purchase,now totals about 500 costumes and part costumesplus about 100 accessories. The purpose of thesurvey was to identify all priority exhibitioncostume and assess its conservation needs, toidentify materials and initiate the analysis of

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metal threads and early plastics used in theirconstruction and to assess storage needs inpreparation for the proposed re-storage of theTheatre Museum collection. The results of thesurvey will be entered onto a database that willprepare the ground for further loans andexhibitions of this important collection. Groninger’sinitial request for 30 costumes resulted in theselection of 15 costumes including one of TheatreMuseum’s most spectacular and important objects,the costume worn by the Russian bass FeodorChaliapin in the Coronation scene fromMussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov (Figure 1).

Diaghilev’s dream was to bring Russian culture to the West and create the Wagnerian ideal ofGesamtkunstwerken, a total work of art in whichdécor, costumes, music and expression were oneharmonious whole. He achieved this throughexhibitions and concerts but most lastinglythrough the ballet performances which began in1909 and, once he established his own company,lasted until his death in 1929. Between 1909 and1929, when the Western world was itselfexperiencing vast changes, Diaghilev’s visioncreated a revolution in the theatre and had farreaching influences on the visual arts and thefuture of dance. Ballet in Russia had becomemoribund and in the West a rather dubiousentertainment. Diaghilev’s death in 1929 becamethe catalyst for the beginnings of major balletcompanies in Europe and America including theBallet Rambert, The Royal Ballet and New York City Ballet.

In Russia, Diaghilev was part of the circle of artistscreating the influential publication The World ofArt, which included Alexandre Benois and LeonBakst. It was Benois who introduced thechoreographer Michel Fokine into the group andthus turned Diaghilev’s interest toward the ballet.At the end of the 19th century, scenery was createdby scene painters working in the prevailing style ofrealism. Diaghilev therefore turned to his friendswithin The World of Art to design Fokine’s ballets.The first Russian ballet season opened in theTheatre Châtélèt in Paris in 1909. The castsincluded the now legendary dancers VaslavNijinsky, Tamara Karsavina, Anna Pavlova and AdolfBolm. Fokine’s one act ballets revealed an exotic,seductive and thrilling world often perceived asshocking and revolutionary. Diaghilev’s designerscreated explosive colour combinations that hadnever been seen before. His choreographers creatednew ways of moving, sometimes primitive anderotic with prominence given to the male dancer.Above all the Diaghilev Ballet showed that dancecould express mood and emotion. Diaghilevintroduced the West to Russian music anddiscovered and promoted both Stravinsky andProkofiev. The success of the Diaghilev Ballet gaveartists like Picasso, Gontcharova, Derain and

Matisse the opportunity to realise their visions onthe massive scale demanded by the design ofbackdrops. Diaghilev’s genius lay not only in thebrilliance of his vision and his enormous gifts forseeking out and promoting talent but in his eye fordetail and organisation. In the years leading up tothe first ballet season in Paris, he had alreadyorganised 16 exhibitions of painting including amasterly exhibition of 4000 Russian portraitpainters in St Petersburg. Diaghilev supervisedevery detail of production, especially the lighting,in which he was an expert. He developed newchoreographers, designers, composers and dancers,found patrons and funding, oversaw theorganisation of the tours and the myriad routinetasks involved in running a touring company that,until the last few years of its life, had nopermanent base.

The survey of the costume revealed the reality ofday to day existence within the Company. There ismuch evidence of the stress on the costumes inperformance; there are remains of make-up andtheatrical repairs and some costumes still smell of sweat! The names of the dancers survive insidesome costumes with second and third casts writtenin Russian or English. Customs stamps plot thetours of the Company. But above all, the materialsand construction of the costume indicate thefluctuating fortunes of the Diaghilev Ballet whichsometimes bankrupted Diaghilev’s backers. Theembroidery used for the creation of the Coronationrobe for Chaliapin’s role in Boris Godunov is thework of a professional ecclesiastical workshop. Theoutstanding quality of the work is some indicationof its cost. In contrast, the materials used for theingenious Constructivist costumes from Chout(1921), designed by Mikhail Larionov, were madefrom curtain lining materials (Figure 2) as isMatisse’s design for the costume of a Mournerfrom Le Chant du Rossignol (1924) which is currentlypart of the Art Deco Exhibition tour.

The request for the loan of the costumes toGroninger was the largest loan that TextileConservation has ever undertaken. The work on theBoris Godunov costume alone took more than 1000hours. Initially, the costume was not consideredsuitable for loan because of the fragility of itssurface decoration. It could not be handled ormoved safely and for a number of years had beenstored in the Textile Conservation Studio. Thecostume is decorated with facsimile pearls knownas ‘pearls of the Orient’. These were made fromspheres of blown glass, coated on the inside with a mixture made from fish scales (often bleek orherring). The glass spheres were then filled with

Figure 2. The Buffoon’s wife from Chout (1921)designed by Mikhail Larionov (S.762-1980) (Photography by V&A Photographic Studio) Figure 3. Lady in Waiting (1921) designed by Léon Bakst

for the Sleeping Princess (S.776-1980) (Photography by V&A Photographic Studio)

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In April 2004, The Landmark Trust offered the Victoriaand Albert Museum a rare opportunity to take samplesof wallpapers from The Grange, in Ramsgate, Kent.This house was originally designed for and by A.W.N.Pugin incorporating one-off designs of floor tiles,stained glass and wallpaper, featuring his personalemblem, a bird. Some of the wallpapers werediscovered beneath later paneling, skirting and doorarchitraves and provide evidence of many colouredwaves including the inscription ‘en avant’ as well as a more geometric design found underneath a bellpull frame. The house will eventually be used forrecreational lettings and whilst being fully documented,certain fragments were considered as sacrificial sincethey would be lost during the building work. With the help of Merryl Huxtable, Senior Paper Conservatorat the V&A, we spent a very cold day removingfragments to be conserved by Paper Conservation.The pigments on some of the fragments were alsoinvestigated using a combination of complementaryscientific techniques, described below, with the aimof determining if toxic pigments were present andwhether a possible date for the wallpapers could besuggested (Figure 1).

Each wallpaper fragment had been adhered with astarch-based paste onto a cream, machine-madelining paper, which in turn had been adhered to a wallcovered with lime plaster embedded with horse hair.The blue ‘en avant’ design had been adhered to anexternal wall and consequently had suffered the mostdamage, having been weakened by water penetrationand by the addition of iron posts to secure the laterpaneling. The right section was mouldy, and alsoshowed signs of extensive flaking of the paint as wellas shattering of the paper substrate. Conversely, thegreen geometric wallpaper was so well adhered to aninternal wall that all day was required to release it.Some of the underlying plaster was also removed withit. The paint was flaking and gloss household paintwas found at the edges. Both fragments had surfacedirt, tears, missing areas and pigments that requiredfurther investigation (Figure 2).

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wax to give them some solidity.1The weight of the

costume when lying flat had crushed many of thebrittle glass spheres. The ground fabric of thecostume was made from a metal thread weft and a silk warp. The silk warp had disintegratedthroughout the costume causing the metal threadto lift. The stitching holding many of the green andred glass beadwork had deteriorated causing theloss of many beads and the potential loss of moredecoration.

Two conservators were employed to undertake thenecessary work. Anne Kwaspen worked solely onthe Boris Godunov costume, while Anja Bayerworked on the remaining 14 costumes. The loanenabled us to have a custom made mountdesigned for the Boris Godunov costume that willensure its future safe storage and display.

The world of Diaghilev still captures theimagination. During the course of the survey andthe conservation work for this loan, many visitorscame to see the costumes. A tour of V&A patronsto the studio resulted in requests for further visitsto see more material in storage. There was a visitfrom a large group of students involved in theFashion Awareness Direct Graduate FashionCompetition whose theme for 2004 was ‘From StPetersburg to Moscow’. The wardrobe at the RoyalOpera House came to see work in progress; SarahWoodcock advised The Royal Ballet on their revivalof Le Spectre de la Rose (1911) and two of thebrightest principals of The Royal Ballet, AlinaCojocaru and Johan Kobburg visited Blythe Houseto see, among other objects, Bakst’s extraordinarycostumes for the 1921 production of the SleepingPrincess (Figure 3).

There have been many exhibitions showingDiaghilev’s artistic legacy but nothing ascomprehensive as the memorable Diaghilevexhibition organised by Richard Buckle in 1954. Thesurvey of the costume and the conservation workcarried out for Groninger have made this importantcollection more accessible and have increased thepossibilities of a major exhibition within the V&A.

AcknowledgementsI am grateful to Sarah Woodcock for reading thistext and making helpful additions and adjustments

References1 Viegas Wesolowska K., An insight into the craftsman’s

techniques, V&A Conservation Journal 49, (Spring 2005),p.18

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Pugin’s wallpapers from The GrangeSusan Catcher, Paper Conservator

Lucia Burgio, Object Analysis Scientist

Figure 1. ‘En avant’ colour waves

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Because of the fragile and toxic nature of thepigments it was decided that the consolidation andlining would be carried out as a single operation. Thewallpaper was initially humidified using the capillarymatting/Gore-Tex™ method and then laid recto sideup onto a piece of melinex (mic 125) as a support.

2

Rayon paper was laid over the surface to face theobject and warm funori was brushed through with asoft brush.

3The temperature of the solution was kept

below 50°C as any higher would result in the loss ofadhesion. Polyethylene was then placed over the topto facilitate moving the object prior to and duringlining. The wallpaper was turned over, recto sidedown, and the polyethylene underneath stretchedonto the table. The removal of the existing cream,machine-made lining paper was carried out afterspraying with tap water and peeled off with the helpof a bamboo spatula. A lining of Japanese Sekishu

paper was applied immediately using wheat starchpaste. Borders were attached and the object wasplaced recto side up onto felts for drying. Thepolyethylene and rayon paper were carefully peeledback separately. After the initial drying period theborders were trimmed and the lined wallpaper re-humidified before being attached to the kari bariboard and left for at least two weeks to dry. Infillingwas carried out whilst the wallpaper was still on theboard using archival text toned with watercolour andCarbothello pastel pencils and adhered with wheatstarch paste. The use of pastel pencils allowed thematt chalky surface to be recreated. It was decidedthat areas of considerable loss would not be restored,as it was difficult to replicate the design, so acompatible colour was used (Figure 5). Storage priorto acquisition was provided by a deep covered mountto protect the chalky surface of the wallpaper.

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Initial cleaning was kept to a minimum with the use of a soft brush to remove particulate dirt and ashaped chemical sponge on the non-friable areas. Allthe wallpapers were printed with a distemper onto adistemper-coated, machine-made, cream paper.

1The

two printed surfaces were not well keyed togetherand the top design appeared to be lifting off. This was not helped by the change in humidityconditions from a damp environment at The Grange,to a relatively dry conservation studio at the V&A,which may have contributed to the breakdown ofthe proteinaceous medium of the distemper.Consolidation treatments included looking at theuse of methylcellulose, hydroxyl-ethyl-propyl-cellulose and funori. Funori, a consolidant made fromJapanese seaweed, was selected because of its goodpenetration, reversibility in water and mattappearance on drying. A 3% w/v funori solution wasmade using 6g of seaweed sheet previously rinsed toremove excess salts and soaked overnight in 200mlcold water. This was then simmered for twentyminutes, cooled and strained through polyestergauze. The pH of the resulting solution was 8.5.

The plaster was removed mechanically using ascalpel working between the lining and object.Health and safety was an issue as the plaster had a lime base, so eyes, skin and respiratory tract had tobe protected. Likewise the pigments gave cause forconcern as the wallpaper’s probable date, the late1840s, indicated that the greens could contain arsenicand the white could be lead-based.

Fragments of the wallpaper were investigated by acombination of complementary scientific techniques,i.e. energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis(EDXRF), polarized optical microscopy (PLM) andRaman microscopy (RM), in order to determine if thefragments contained arsenic or other heavy metalsand therefore constituted a health hazard; thewallpaper fragments were also analysed to identifyall the pigments present and assist in dating thewallpaper (Table 1).

EDXRF was chosen as it is a non-destructive, non-intrusive technique which reveals the elementalcomposition of the objects analysed by it, and it isparticularly suited for the detection of heavy metals.PLM, a technique used traditionally in the investigationof pigments and artists’ materials, was used toexamine the optical properties of the pigments on thewallpaper fragments. Raman microscopy has onlyrecently started to be used on a routine basis inmuseums and heritage institutions and is particularlysuited for the non-destructive, non-intrusive analysisof pigments and some dyes. One of its mainadvantages is that it provides a fast and unambiguousidentification of the materials analysed.

EDXRF analyses revealed that arsenic was present onthe green wallpaper fragment (Figure 3). Raman andoptical microscopy analysis of the same fragmentidentified synthetic ultramarine blue, chrome yellow,and the white pigments chalk and barite (Figure 4).A pale green pigment was probably the arsenic-containing Scheele’s green. The blue fragments werefound to contain synthetic azurite, syntheticultramarine blue, chalk, barite and vermilion.

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Conservation Journal No.50Table 1

Wallpaper

fragmentEDXRF* PLM RM

Blue

Copperpper

Calcium

Iron

Mercury

Arsenic

Ultramarine blue

Synthetic azurite

Vermilion

Chalk

Barite

Ultramarine blue

Azurite

Chalk

Barite

Green

Copperpper

ArseArsenicnic

Calcium

Iron

Titanium

Chromium

Ultramarine blue

Chrome yellow

Chalk

Barite

Iron(III) oxide

Scheele’s green

Ultramarine blue

Chrome yellow

Chalk

Barite

* major elements in bold font.

Figure 4. Raman spectra of pigments found on the Pugin wallpaper fragmentsFigure 3. EDXRF spectra of Pugin wallpaper fragments

Table 1. Results of the scientific analysis of the Pugin wallpaper fragments

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Political agendas, public accountability, FuturePlanand a review of collection’s storage are increasinglyaffecting the way the collections are displayed andthe Museum sites are used. The Gershen Reporthighlighted the need for institutions to become moreefficient;

1for the Museum, this involves looking at the

cost of running the site, using space most effectivelyfor display and storage of collections with minimaloverheads. Part of the Museum’s response to theneed to improve access to the collections is toincrease the number of loans and touringexhibitions. The Museum’s current environmentalparameters are narrow. In light of the real-timeinformation on gallery and storage conditions theseneed to be re-examined, to determine if they can berelaxed to aid loaning in the future.

The Museum is exploring ways to make the displaysmore attractive to a wider audience, to become moresocially inclusive; using multimedia displays,removing barriers, placing objects on open displayand improving the illumination of objects.Additionally, withdrawal of slow release Dichlorvosstrips, Vapona™, has increased the risk of insectattack to the Museum’s textile collections. An urgentreview of the Insect Pest Management (IPM) strategywas therefore needed.

2

Identifying realistic, workable and flexible standardsfor the object environment is a priority for theDepartment next year; ensuring that these standardscan be achieved efficiently and economically areequally significant. In 2004 working groups wereestablished to review existing and new policies, andcreate associated strategies to ensure that theMuseum has appropriate and pragmatic objectcentred policies for:

• temperature and humidity• light and UV• insect activity• dust and pollution• vibration and handling

The need to review storage in advance of theredevelopment of some on-site stores for theMedieval & Renaissance Galleries highlighted a needfor the creation of a new Preventive Conservationpost. This was initially created as a six-month pilotto establish and maintain preventive conservationstandards. Valerie Blyth is currently filling this post.The policies and strategies relating to dust, pollution,vibration and handling are still at an early stage ofdevelopment, whilst those for temperature andrelative humidity, light and insect pest managementare more developed.

Object centred environmental analysis network(OCEAN) has provided an excellent insight into theMuseum environment.

3Temperatures in summer and

relative humidity in winter are regularly outside theparameters recommended for loan. The extremely dry winter conditions, caused by the heating system,have highlighted a need to manage the use of thebuilding in order to make the environment morestable for the collections. By working with theProjects & Estates team, the overall Museumtemperature has been lowered. This not only benefitsthe collections, public and staff but also reducesrunning costs. By using real-time environmental data,the Department is now able to consider the optionsfor relaxing environmental parameters for thecollections to realistically achievable levels. Solutionsmay lie in centralising environmentally sensitivecollections and using local environmental controlmethods such as humidification/dehumidification.

Recent innovations with the use of Lightcheck, anearly warning system for preventive conservation, isproviding a more effective evaluation of the quantityof light received by a museum exhibit. Work is stillneeded to identify types of light sources, andinnovative types of display which will create anacceptable balance between access and longevity oflight sensitive material.

4We certainly want to provide

a useful and meaningful viewing of objects as apoorly lit object has very little worth. Light dose is apowerful tool that the improved technologies cannow support. Proximity sensors, light ramping orpush button devices may offer acceptable solutions.

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These unique wallpaper fragments will now becomea valuable addition to the V&A collection. Thepresence of poisonous heavy metals such as arsenic,mercury and chromium in a friable distemperdictated the method of treatment which was acombination of overall consolidation and lining inone operation using funori as the consolidant. Thisallowed minimal handling and disturbance of thesurface of the wallpapers. Any future handling of thePugin wallpaper should be undertaken with caution.The presence of synthetic ultramarine blue on bothwallpaper types, dates the wallpaper to sometimeafter 1828.

References1. Distemper, from the French détrempe. There is still some

confusion about this term, which in this case means apigment in a proteinaceous medium.

2. Singer, H., The Conservation of Parchment Objects usingGore-Tex Laminates, The Journal of the Institute of PaperConservation, 16 (1992)

3. Rayon paper comprises of 15% rayon and 85% chemicalwood pulp. Supplied by Mizakawa, Japan.

AcknowledgmentsThe authors are grateful to The Landmark Trust forproviding the V&A with the opportunity of samplingthe wallpapers and to Professor Robin J.H. Clark,University College London, for the use of hisRenishaw Raman spectrometer.

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Figure 5. Conserved fragments

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Prevention is better than the cureSandra Smith, Head of Conservation

Valerie Blyth, Preventive Conservator, Science Section

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Research is a small two-syllable word that has lots ofhidden (and sometimes emotional) depth. It is both a noun and a verb. Yes – I could give you dictionarydefinitions of both uses but that is not the purposeof this contribution. I could offer you my owndefinitions of both the noun and the verb usage: thiswould be arrogant of me to do so. One minor subjectI do not want to discuss are the pronunciation issues– I am personally happy with either the UK English orUS English pronunciations. I would much rather offera mixed sample of the type of research that isconducted within the Conservation Department inorder to illustrate the research that goes on.

Firstly, I would like to spend a short time consideringthe noun usage of the word research. Yes, I did lookup several dictionaries in preparation for writing. Themajority of them used a verb to describe the noun.For me, the practical use of the noun describes theoutput of the action of research. It is the presentationof the findings of the work. Such presentations maybe verbal such as a conference presentation, written(as a paper in a learned journal) or as a CD-ROM. Ofcourse there are many other outputs and theaudience largely determines these. If one wishes tocross the professional structures then it is oftenefficient to talk as this enables a dialogue to develop.Whereas, if the audience are ones professional peersthen publication in an appropriate learned journalcan be appropriate. Often, there are multipleaudiences and several or combined methods ofcommunication are employed. Within theConservation Department research output iscommunicated on many different levels; from localintra-Department symposia, through specific andtargeted meetings via professional sub groupsthrough to international conferences. What isinteresting to me to note is the general lack ofattention in presenting these research findings to the public. Most research output tends to be ‘behindthe scenes’ and with little public presentation. Therecently published Departmental Annual reportfocuses greatly on the output and it is gratifying tosee a continued presentation of the research outputto public audiences through such events as gallerytalks, school visits, public lectures etc. Should we (and other teams in conservation) do more? Shouldthese events be given a higher priority?

Now I would like to adjust the focus to the verbusage of the word research. In the V&A we arefortunate to have many areas in the organisationthat support research. This varies from the ResearchDepartment that provides output relating to thecollections, the Education Department that is verymuch involved with the delivery of the public output,the Collection Services Division that researchesimaging processes, data collection techniques andconservation related matters. The V&A undertakes agreat deal of research at a variety of differentdisciplines and levels.

An often-asked question that I hear is “How do I doresearch?”

My eyes roll upwards at such a question, I take a deepin take of air and then implode! We all ‘do’ research. Itis nothing magical or mystical. If you want to buy anew car or a new washing machine, very few of uspart with our hard earned cash on the first item wesee. We generally put some parameters to our needs(how many seats for the car or how fast does thespinner work in the washing machine?). So we aredefining and refining our needs and attempting tomatch those needs with the best on the market. I amsure that we are all very similar – in that the firstitem that meets our needs is far in excess of ourbudget (oh yes, that is another item that generallygets pre-defined – the budget). Then comes thecompromise or decision-making phase that goessomething like;

How much?It does not do everything I require!It is too expensive!It will not fit in the space or garage!The delivery time is too long!

These (and many other) factors are balanced upbefore making the purchase.

How do we determine that we need the item ofresearch? This can come from many different levelsand is determined by the complexity or scale of thetask. At the biggest end of the scale, look atorganisational strategic plans. All large heritageorganisations produce such plans – usually arequirement of the funding agencies. On a local level,

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Since the dichlorvos strips were removed from thedisplay cases and stores there have been two severeoutbreaks of carpet beetle. A review of the BugCommittee was carried out and membership wasincreased to include representatives from all Museumdepartments. Working groups were established tolook at the pest policy and effectiveness of thestategy, the system for data collection and analysis,and current storage projects including the relocationof the Theatre Museum archives. Insect pest riskzones have been categorised on the South Kensingtonsite which will determine the level of monitoring andpriorities for action. This project is a collaborationwith our IPM consultant, David Pinniger.

As the Museum is adopting a mixed media displaytype and many of the stores are by geographicalseparation rather than material, this presentschallenges with regard to the environment. TheStorage Project Group has been set up with a brief tocost solutions to the Museum’s storage requirementsidentifying short-term and long-term storage needs.The Preventive Conservator has advised on best andefficient practice for the many museum object movesrequired to facilitate the Medieval & RenaissanceGalleries and other FuturePlan developments.

Introducing object centred policies and strategies tothe Museum requires a team approach. All staff havea valuable role to play. Training is a key element to the success of the strategies that will ultimately beimplemented. It is envisaged that staff will have pestawareness training as part of their induction course.Refresher courses are being considered for staff at alllevels. Basic preventive conservation training isavailable as part of the Curatorial DevelopmentProgramme. OCEAN training is accessible to staff toenable them to use the system. Object centredpolicies relating to the environment are increasinglyimportant to the Museum to ensure a high standardof collection care. Ensuring that the workingdocuments that underpin the policies are flexible,workable, realistic and pragmatic will be as importantto their success as the training of Museum staff inorder to implement them.

References1. Gershen, P., Gershen Report. The Independent Review 0f

Public Sector Efficiency. Crown Copyright

2. Kingsley, H., Pinniger, D., Xavier-Rowe, A., & Winsor, P.,Integrated Pest Management for Collections, Proceedingsof 2001: A Space Odyssey, James & James (SciencePublishers) Ltd (2001)

3. Hancock, M., The OCEAN project at the V&A. V&AConservation Journal No 46, (2004)

4. Ashley-Smith, J., Derbyshire, A., & Pretzel, B., Thecontinuing development of a practical lighting policy forworks of art on paper and other object types at the V&A.ICOM-CC 13th Triennial meeting Rio de Janeiro James &James (Science Publishers) Ltd (2002)

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ResearchGraham MartinHead of Science Section

30

The Jewellery Gallery of the V&A is currentlyundergoing complete refurbishment. This work hascreated an invaluable opportunity for staff andexternal specialists to conduct in-depth study andanalysis of materials and techniques used in themanufacture of jewellery from Ancient Egypt to thepresent. It is hoped that the redisplay will incorporateup to four and a half thousand objects, including somewhich were previously not in a displayable condition.A gold, enamel and pearl diadem (640-1884) designedby Alessandro Castellani is one such example.

Alessandro’s father, Fortunato Pio, founded the firm of Castellani in Rome in 1814. Towards the late 1830sFortunato Pio began to study the ancient jewellerymaking techniques he had observed in Greek andRoman archaeological objects. The work produced wasextremely fine. This work was further developed by histwo sons, Alessandro and Augusto.

The design for the diadem, by Alessandro Castellani,is believed to have been closely based on the ‘Palo’diadem, an ancient Greek artefact believed to havebeen found at Cumae, Italy (now in the Louvre, Paris).There are only five known versions of this work, eachhaving variations in design.

1

The diadem was acquired by the Museum from a saleof Castellani’s effects in 1884. A photograph takenbefore 1903 (Figure 1) shows the diadem as completeand in good condition. However, after the picture wastaken, the condition of the diadem was dramaticallyaltered: the thin gold tube which forms thebase/frame had been straightened, there were two

complete fractures and two repaired fractures (withadhesive) along its length. Some of the decorativepanels were also crooked and had a number of theirtips and flowers crushed (Figure 2). There are noMuseum records of how or when the damageoccurred.

Richard Edgcumbe, Senior Curator in the MetalworkCollection, requested that the diadem be examinedwith a view to returning it as near as was possible tothe original state. Factors taken into account at thispoint were: the lack of structural stability (the variousbroken parts were free moving and were causingunavoidable damage through handling); in thecurrent condition, the diadem couldn’t convey to thevisitor a clear understanding of its function; although

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the Jewellery Gallery at the V&A is an excellentexample of strategic planning influencing theactions. The V&A is committed to the re-display andstudy of its collection of jewels. Inevitably, in writingcatalogues and other learned papers there is a needfor factual information. In deriving this factualinformation there are many other uses that the same(or very similar) information can be put to. There arethe requirements of the researcher in their own skillsets (gemmologist, metallurgist, analyst). So from asimple desire to re-display a gallery there are manyparts. Yes, these plans may be one sentence ‘wish’lists but they give an excellent view of organisationneeds and often the research needs fall directly fromthese. The skill is identifying those areas of researchthat help support or deliver the strategic plan.Alternatively, the needs may be determined by therequirement to improve a technique or process (suchas a new and less interventive conservation process) –this is a much more local requirement. In all but thesmallest of research areas there will be a need tosecure the resources to undertake the research.This requires negotiation skills along with skills ofpresentation.

To re-cap, you now have the basic premise for theresearch and you have secured the resources requiredto undertake it. Now is the time to do the work!However, the verb research now translates into thenoun research – the need to publish or tell othersabout the outcome.

The scale of research has little to do with process –this remains a constant. What is a valuable approachis to consider the quality of research. This has twoessential aspects that require assessment – technicalaudit and resource audit are the key tools forperformance. But this still leaves an assessment ofquality. I have not yet encountered a totally sturdyapproach for this. The Research Assessment Exercise(RAE) that takes place in academia is perhaps themost robust. The basis of these and all other ‘quality’assessments is some form of peer review. Sometimesthis can take years. There is no substitute in thisquality assessment for experience.

It does not matter if the research is cross-nationalborders or local one day a week – the processes andthe approach remain constant. Develop the premisefor the research, test it in theory, undertake thepractical work to test the variables, evaluate these(and this could go on for several cycles) and publishthe outcomes is the basis for all research. We can allundertake research.

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The Castellani diademJoanna WhalleySenior Metalwork Conservator

Figure 1. The diadem shortly after acquisition (neg. 25341)

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Once the diadem was structurally stable, it waspossible to clean it. This was done using IMS. Theenamels appeared to be chemically stable and sothey were also cleaned using IMS. There were finefractures to three small enamels where the goldpanels had been allowed to move freely before thetube was repaired, these were consolidated using aweak solution of Paraloid B72. The pearl beads werecleaned with deionised water (Figure 4). Finally, aclosely fitting mount was made in brass withPlastazote‚ to provide gentle and even support(Figure 5).

The diadem was recently included in the exhibitionCastellani and Italian Archaeological Jewellery atthe Bard Graduate Centre in New York, transferring to Somerset House, London, 5 May to 18 September2005.

The newly refurbished Jewellery Gallery will reopenat the beginning of 2008. The display will explore andpresent all aspects of jewellery making techniquesand materials through the V&A’s exceptionalcollections.

References1. Weber Soros, S., ‘Under the Great Canopies of Civilization:

Castellani Jewellery and Metalwork at InternationalExhibitions’, in Castellani and Italian ArchaeologicalJewelry, Yale University Press (2004)

2. Keneghan, B., Polymer Scientist, Science Department, V&A.The adhesive proved to be an epoxy resin mixed with asmall amount of an unknown material.

SuppliersPlastazote®, Polyformes Ltd, Cherry Court Way,Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire,LU7 8UH

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a very long time ago, the damage had been incurredwhile the diadem was in the care of the Museum,and as such it was felt we had a duty to return thediadem to the form in which it was acquired. It wasdecided that the benefits of restoring the diademoutweighed the risks.

An x-ray was taken to aid in the understanding of theconstruction and later repairs of the tube frame. Thebroken lengths of tube had been straightened, andwould need to be reshaped to a gentle curve. Puregold is consistently malleable and easily reshaped,however the gold from which the diadem is made isan alloy, and as such is susceptible to fracture iffurther tension is applied to areas which have been‘work hardened’ (manipulated/worked to a pointwhere the plasticity of the metal is severelydecreased). Another concern was the possibility thatthe tube may buckle if undue pressure was applied,though this risk can be reduced with the use of atemporary core material such as a wire or fine sand.

In this instance, a jeweller might consider removingthe panels, annealing the tube (heating to allow thecrystals in the metal to redevelop and so make thetube more flexible and less likely to fracture whenbeing reshaped), and soldering the damage alreadyincurred. This could not, of course, be considered inthis case. The process involves high temperatures and therefore there are a number of inherent risks,particularly with thin tubing. It would alsopermanently alter the crystal structure of the metalwhich might affect any subsequent research intoCastellani’s manufacturing techniques. A moreconservative approach was obviously required.

The early photograph of the original form wasstudied and a template of the base of this form was drawn. The diadem was placed over the templateand the separate parts were aligned as closely aspossible to the shape. The tube was then very slowlyand gently eased back into the curved form.

The old adhesive repairs to two of the fractures in the tube frame were checked: there was an excess ofwhat appeared to be epoxy resin around the joints.The excess was removed mechanically undermagnification and retained for FTIR analysis.

2The

repairs appeared to be stable and strong, and so were

left in place: the strong solvents necessary to removethis adhesive may not penetrate the join properly andcould possibly create long term problems if they werenot successful. Should the adhesive fail in the futurethen access to the interior will be afforded and theadhesive will be removed and replaced more safely.

The next step was to repair the two open fractures in the tube frame. The fractures had occurred in areaswhich are vulnerable to further damage from flexingin many directions. The choice of repair had to providea great degree of support in response. An internalarmature was made (from gold) which shouldprevent any movement around the join from affectingthe join itself (Figure 3). Ideally the adhesive selectedshould be easily reversible, and Paraloid B-48N(methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate copolymer)seemed most suitable. However, on application thejoin proved relatively air tight and the solvents in theadhesive couldn’t evaporate fully to allow it to setproperly. There were also general reservations aboutits relative strength. As a result, a 2-part epoxy resinwas used for the repair. The new and old repairs werepartially disguised using fine gold powder dustedonto a weak solution of Paraloid B72 (ethylmethacrylate/methyl acrylate copolymer) in tolueneand Industrial Methylated Spirit (IMS).

The distorted decorative panels were straightened,the gold here had not been work hardened and wasstill very soft. Where there were extreme distortionsto the applied leaves and petals, these were reshapedin the same way.

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Figure 5. The mount

Figure 3. Internal armature

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Figure 4. The diadem completed

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workable, practicable procedures. As the affiliationgrew over the years it is probably true to say that theteam conspired to think alike. The shared goal hasbeen the fundamental desire to find a practicalsolution to the problem whilst staying withinacceptable ethical boundaries.

The researcher’s role is pivotal in the team. Regularmeetings kept all participants informed of theirprogress and also became a forum for constructivecriticism and an exchange of ideas. The researcherwas encouraged to disseminate information injournals and conference papers and to develop linkswith other institutions and interested parties. Thishas contributed to a greater understanding of glassdeterioration amongst a wider community.

Each research project has built on the findings of theprevious studies, often generating more questionsthan answers, and emphasising the importance offurther investigations. There is, therefore, a clear needto continue the work that has been completed so far.This will require a further commitment of resourcesfrom interested parties. In the article that follows,

Sarah Fearn ends by highlighting a number of areasshe feels require further research. Most importantly,they emphasise the need to focus investigations onpractical proposals that will bring us closer to findingclear guidance on the optimum environmentalconditions and interventive treatments required inthe care of vulnerable glass objects.

References1. Oakley, V., Rogers, P., McPhail, D., Amaku, A., Vessel Glass

Deterioration in the Museum Environment: a QuantitativeStudy by Surface Analysis, V&A Conservation Journal No 3(1992)

2. Oakley, V., Vessel glass deterioration at the Victoria andAlbert Museum: surveying the collection, The Conservator,14 (1990), pp.30-36

3. Ryan, J., The Atmospheric Deterioration of Glass: Studies ofDecay Mechanisms and Conservation Techniques, PhDThesis, University of London (1996)

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As conservators, a significant part of our work isinvolved with problem-solving. In pursuit of solutionsto particularly complex problems, one approach is tobring together interested experts willing to sharetheir knowledge, ideas and resources. It is fortuitousif such individuals happen to be located nearby. For anumber of years conservators at the V&A have beencollaborating with scientists on the other side of aroad in South Kensington, in the Department ofMaterials at Imperial College (ICSTM), to investigatethe problem of glass deterioration and the care andconservation of the objects affected.

At the outset of the project in 1991, the team wereunder no illusion that finding a solution to theproblem would be easy. Nor could it be foreseen thatit would create such an enduring and productivepartnership. It is through the perseverance andcuriosity of its participants that at the end of the last phase of research in December 2004, thecollaboration had been running successfully forthirteen years.

An article in this Journal’s third issue1recalls the then

“recent survey of the condition of 6500 objects at theV&A” which found that approximately 10% displayedsome form of glass deterioration.

2Further surveys

followed alongside the beginnings of research atICSTM into the mechanisms of glass decay. Thecollaboration began modestly with a three monthfunded undergraduate project: Afi Amaku’squantitative chemical analysis of a 16th centuryVenetian glass. The supervisors, Dr Philip Rogers andDr David McPhail (ICSTM) and Victoria Oakley (V&A),were sufficiently inspired by the results to seekfunding for longer term post-graduate research.

Three studies have followed since 1992, each lastingthree years with different researchers bringing newmethods and insights. Jason Ryan’s PhD researchinvolved a systematic investigation of unstable glass,studying the ageing of replica samples in order tounderstand the complex processes that cause a glassobject to deteriorate. His thesis acknowledged theneed for the continued research and proposed anumber of ways forward.

3A second post-graduate

student, Simon Hogg, examined one of these areas –“an active conservation approach” usingmonofunctional organosilane compounds to provideprotection at the surface of the glass.

The most recent phase of the research, funded by theLeverhulme Trust, enabled Dr Sarah Fearn, ResearchAssociate, to take advantage of recent advances inanalytical instrumentation to study the corrosion ofglass samples at room temperatures. Consequentlythis approach gives a more accurate representation ofmuseum conditions. Her research is discussed in thefollowing article.

Over the years, the partnership has brought togethernot only scientists and conservators, but also curatorsand glassmakers. This has resulted in a balancedapproach to the project. The scientist brings ananalytical approach to complex scientific concepts,the curator provides a historical perspective and thecraftsman reveals an insight into why an object wasmade in a certain way. The conservator can be seen tohave a realistic approach to the treatment anddisplay requirements of museum objects. They arealso aware of the need to interpret results into

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In pursuit of a clear answer: An ExhibitionRoad partnership Fi Jordan, Senior Ceramics Conservator

Victoria Oakley, Head Ceramics Conservator

Figure 3. Circ.438-1964 after cleaning

Figure 1. Glass ewer with giltmetal base (1809-1855), 17thcentury, Venetian orNetherlandish, in advancedstate of decay (crizzled)

Figure 2. Vase by Tapio Wirkkala, Finland 1950-1969 (Circ.438-1964), with earlysigns of glass decay (cloudy appearance), during cleaning

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The relative humidities used in the simulationexperiments were 55%, 40%, 20% and 4% (dry silicagel). The samples were then left to age for knownperiods of time ranging from 1 day up to 45 days.After ageing, the samples were examined for thepresence of corrosion salts using a three dimensionaloptical microscope.

It was found that after only 24 hours, corrosion saltshad already formed on the surface of the glasssamples aged at the highest two relative humidities.As ageing time increased, it was observed that thesurface roughness and development of the corrosionsalts also increased for all relative humidities,including the glass stored in the dry silica gel (4%RH).Surprisingly, to the eye, most of the samplesappeared clear and would not be considered cloudyenough to require cleaning. If corrosion products arenot removed from the glass surface immediately,they will continue to develop further. Work currentlybeing carried out at Edinburgh University inconjunction with the National Museum of Scotland,has shown that the corrosion salts react with otheratmospheric species such as carbon dioxide and UV,to form formate salts.

3If these surface salts are not

removed they will leave behind permanent marks onan object’s surface once they are removed.

As well as measuring changes occurring on the glasssurface, compositional changes directly beneath theglass surface were also measured using a techniquecalled secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), thistechnique was also extensively used by Jason Ryan(see previous article). The sensitivity of this techniquemeans that very small concentration changes can bemeasured. It is therefore possible to monitor thesmall changes that occur during room temperaturedeterioration.

The SIMS analysis was carried out on all the agedreplica material with respect to the element sodium(Na), the alkali ion known to readily leach out of theglass during the corrosion process. Figure 1 shows anexample of the changing sodium concentration for aglass aged at 40%RH and ageing times of 2, 6, 12, 25and 45 days. The profiles show that directly below theglass surface, the sodium concentration is very muchlower than the concentration of sodium deeper in theglass. This region where the sodium has beenremoved is known as the depletion region.

As anticipated, at increased relative humidities, thedepletion depth of the sodium also increased.However, surprisingly, the depletion was alsooccurring at the two lowest relative humidities:20%RH and 4%RH (the dry silica gel). These resultsindicate that at any given RH, sodium is leachingfrom the glass. Although the rate at which thesodium is leaching from the glass is slower at thelower humidities, with the slowest leaching occurringin the dry silica gel, it still occurs resulting in theformation of damaging corrosion salts on the glasssurface.

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The problem of deteriorating glass remains a seriousissue for many collections around the world. It is nowwell known that the composition of a glass objectstrongly determines its properties. In many modernapplications, it is common to modify the compositionof the glass in order to improve its properties, forexample to resist heat. However, this is also true ofhistorical glass, where the glassmaker also manipulatedthe composition in order to create objects with thedesired aesthetic qualities, but in doing so,unwittingly affected other properties, such asdurability. The best example of this, and indeed oneof the most vulnerable groups of glasses, is cristallo.Here, in the endeavour to achieve a clear crystal-likeglass the raw materials were repeatedly refined.

1

Analysis of these glasses has shown that theresulting compositions are high in soda and/orpotash, accompanied with a very low lime content.This high alkali, low lime combination leads to a glasswhich readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere.

As the objects start to absorb moisture, the glassdeterioration will begin. The various stages of thiscorrosion process have been very well described byOakley

2and are only summarised here. As moisture is

absorbed from the atmosphere, essential elements,typically the alkalis sodium and/or potassium, areleached out of the glass and onto its surface. Theleached species then form corrosion salts on thesurface, leading to a dulling and loss of clarity. If thealkali is allowed to build up on the glass surface, itspH will continually increase until a point where it isso high that dissolution of the strong silica networkoccurs. In the most extreme case, the glass object willlose much of its mechanical strength and willeventually collapse.

In museums it is the responsibility of curators andconservators to care for these vulnerable objects andhopefully prevent their further decay. By usingpassive conservation, the usual approach is to displayand store the objects in an environment maintainedat stable temperature and relative humidity (RH)levels. A stable environment prevents theabsorption/desorption cycle that occurs due to daily

and seasonal changes in climatic conditions, andhopefully prevents either further moisture attack ormoisture loss with consequent cracking. However,uncertainties remain as to what can be considered a ‘safe’ environment for these vulnerable glasses.

Recent work has focussed on the room temperaturecorrosion of a replica of a 16th century Façon deVenise glass composition. The composition for thereplica glass was obtained from a de-accessionedpiece from the V&A’s collection (in weight percent:SiO2 72.72%, Na2O 17.95%, K2O 3.27%, CaO 2.17%, MgO0.74%, Al2O3 1.21%, Fe2O3 0.23%, and Mn2O3 0.37%).The replica, copying the original object as closely aspossible, was fabricated at the Royal College of Artand blown by Ian Hankey, now of Teign Valley Glass.The ‘skin’ formed on the glass due to the glassblowing process is an important feature of the replicamaterial. Normally this is polished away in order tocreate the flat samples required for any subsequentanalysis. To remove the need for polishing, large flatplates were produced.

To investigate the ageing of the replica glass undervarious environmental conditions, replica materialwas placed in chambers set to known relativehumidities, also in cold storage (~8C). As a largequantity of glass was made, it was not all used in one go. It was, therefore, stored in a chamber withflowing nitrogen at room temperature. This alsomeant that the long term effects of storing the glassunder flowing nitrogen could be examined. Previouslysimulated ageing has been carried out at elevatedtemperatures, but for these investigations the ageingwas carried out at room temperature. This was madepossible by the capabilities of the techniques thatwere subsequently employed to analyse the agedglass. This study, therefore, is one of the first that haslooked at the real-time ageing of a replica museumglass, which has been fabricated using traditionalmethods.

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Investigation of the room temperaturecorrosion of replica museum glass Sarah FearnResearch Associate, Department of Materials, Imperial College

Figure 1. The development of the sodium depletion at 40%RH and roomtemperature for increasing ageing times from 2 to 45 days

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The foundation stone of the Prince of Wales Museumof Western India (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj VastuSangrahalya) was laid in 1905. It is situated in thecentre of Mumbai in the district of Colaba known asthe Crescent Site. The architect of the building, GeorgeWittet, was selected after an open competition in1909. It is a very fine building in the Indo Saracenicstyle, which combines Hindu and Saracenicarchitectural forms, at times incorporating someelements of western architecture (Figure 1). Themuseum houses a superb collection of miniaturepaintings and manuscripts, oil paintings, sculpture,textiles, bronzes and decorative arts.

I made an initial visit to the Prince of Wales Museum(POWM) in 2002 at the request of the Director,Dr Kalpana Dessai who had approached Mark Jones,Director of the V&A. Part of my remit was to examine aselection of important Indian and Persian manuscriptsfrom the POWM collection and advise them concerningthe development of a conservation studio, which ishoused in the newly renovated Premchand wing of the museum. This also provides space for a temporaryexhibition gallery, a new maritime gallery and amodern lecture theatre.

Partly as a result of this first visit in 2002, the POWMand the V&A entered into an official partnership in2003 which acknowledged the important symbioticrelationship of the two institutions with a view tosharing both professional expertise and collections in the future. In 2003 Mr Sabyasachi Mukherjee (nowacting Director) spent three months as an intern atthe V&A in the Asian Department and in the PaperConservation Section. As well as improving hisknowledge of conservation, he attended lectures in theMuseum and shadowed several senior members of thecuratorial staff. During this time he worked in closeliaison with the Head of Collections, Debby Swallow,who helped to arrange suitable contacts and visits.

The costs of my second visit in January 2005 wereshared between the V&A and the Prince of WalesMuseum, assisted by a grant from the NehruFoundation. My remit was to follow up on some of the survey work I had carried out in December 2002and to carry out the conservation of two of the mostimportant manuscripts.

The Anwari-I-Suhayli manuscript (Figure 2), consideredto be dated around 1575 is an important and highlyattractive Mughal manuscript which is undoubtedlyone of the jewels in the crown of the POWM collections.It is thought to have been commissioned by Akbar togive thanks for the birth of his first son and was produced at Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra. Thismanuscript had been damaged by fire in the 19thcentury when it was in the collection of LordElphinstone at Poona. It was given to the POWM in 1973.The manuscript was repaired in the early 20th century

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The effects of altering other factors in theenvironment were also assessed on the replica glassto see if the leaching of the sodium could be reducedor stopped. Figure 2 shows the Na depletion profilesfor a glass sample that has been stored in flowingnitrogen for one year. Also shown is the Na depletionprofile of another sample that has been placed in acold storage for 40 days. Both of these profiles havebeen compared to the Na profile measured on thereplica glass the day it was made, and a glass samplethat has been aged at 20%RH for 40 days. The Nadepletion profiles from the four samples are quitedifferent. It appears that for the samples that havebeen placed into either a flowing nitrogen or coldenvironment, the leaching of the Na has beenconsiderably slowed. This is particularly true whencompared to the glass stored at 20%RH. It appearsthat by altering the environment to one that haseither a flowing atmosphere or a lower temperature,the leaching of the sodium from the glass can beslowed down.

The funded three-year project ended in December2004. The environmental test results came towardsthe end of the research and there are areas that stillrequire clarification and further research. Thedevelopment of a small test display case would allowthe long term effects of specific environments to bestudied, comparing, for example, the effects of anenvironment of flowing air with one of flowingnitrogen and considering different rates of air flow.Further tests on reducing temperatures are requiredto see if less dramatic temperature reduction,possibly only 5°C less than room temperature, mightproduce a useful reduction in the leaching of thesodium from the glass. It does appear that by alteringthe environment of a display case, the longevity ofvulnerable glass can be improved, and there is anidentified need for further research in this area.

References1. Neri, A., L’Arte Vittaria, O.Pulleyn, London (1662)

2. Oakley, V., Fighting the Inevitable: the continuing searchfor a solution to glass decay at the V&A, Glass TechnologyVol. 42, No. 3 (2001) pp.65-69

3. Robinet, L., Eremin, K., Cobo del Arco, B., and Gibson, L., ARaman Spectroscopic Study of Pollution Induced GlassDeterioration, J. Raman Spectroscopy, 35 (2004), p.662

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Figure 2. Sodium depletion occurring for replica glass stored in flowing nitrogen,in cold storage and a relative humidity of 20%

Professional Collaboration - the Prince ofWales Museum of Western IndiaMike WheelerSenior Paper Conservator

Figure 1. The façade of the Prince of Wales Museum built in theIndo-Saracenic style.

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used at the V&A for the display of some early Mughalmanuscripts with folios being attached into mountswith a hinge along the left-hand edge which allowsthe page to be turned in order to view images ortexts on the verso.

A one-day workshop on handling paper and textileswas attended by all POWM staff and a handful ofmuseum staff from institutions in Western India. Thisconsisted of a lecture followed by a series of practicaldemonstrations and a lively discussion of presenthandling techniques and storage methods used atthe POWM. A public lecture on ‘The Materials,Techniques and Conservation of Indian Paintings’was delivered on 17 January 2005 in the new lecturetheatre, attended by about 120 people includingrepresentatives from the national press.

In summary, the POWM is a very interesting and wellmanaged museum. The collections of works of art onpaper, textiles and sculpture are of a very high qualityand gradually the museum is being upgraded andimproved. The professional staff work extremely hardto ensure that the collection is well cared for andproperly displayed within the limited funds which areavailable to them. It is hoped in the future that thePOWM will provide both a temporary exhibitionspace of international standards, as well as aconservation studio for the treatment of a widevariety of materials including paper, paintings,textiles, metals and sculpture. It is the vision of thepresent director that the POWM will become aregional centre of excellence, and will providetraining and mentoring to staff of other smallermuseums throughout Western India. Previously, therewas no dedicated specialist conservation facility inMumbai which makes this new project especiallytimely.

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(possibly at Windsor Castle). During the restoration,many of the badly damaged folios were trimmed downand adhered to poor quality paper mounts which bothdamaged the paper of the original and obscured thetext on the verso, which could not previously be read or studied.

Conservation treatment carried out in January 2005included the removal of the backing papers to whichthe folios were adhered, consolidation of flakingpigments and inlaying the fragments into hand-made paper to allow them to be handled safely andmounted in such a way that the edges of the picturescould be clearly seen. About 12 fragments weretreated during the visit, but it should be possible forstaff at POWM to continue the work over the next 12months. In the meanwhile, all of the folios have beenphotographed and scholars continue to study thesequence of the paintings, which will now be assistedby the portions of text which have been revealed byconservation. Several staff members took part inpractical training sessions, worked under mysupervision carrying out the necessary treatmentsand were shown methods of mounting and displaywhich conform to present conservation standards.

The Gulshan-E-Ishq (Figure 3) is a Deccani manuscriptfrom Bidar dated 1711. This illustrated text in Persianhad been rebound several times and was in a verybad condition as a result of the degradation of copperpigments which had caused extensive damage to thepaper. This manuscript was so delicate that it wasimpossible to handle it, or even photograph thepages for study or reproduction. In conjunction withstaff at POWM it was decided to disassemble thebinding so that the pages could be repaired properlyand displayed as individual folios. This drastic stepwas taken because the present binding was activelycausing damage to the book, was preventing accessand was not contemporary with the originalmanuscript. A small selection of folios from thismanuscript were repaired with a combination oftoned Japanese paper and original hand-made paperwhich had been used as end leaves. The individualfolios were then re-mounted using conservationmounting board, imported from the UK. Themounting system chosen was very similar to that

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Figure 2. Anwari-I-Suhayli. Mughal manuscript, circa 1575. Fragments of thismanuscript were glued down onto a paper backing after having been damagedby fire. Removal of these backing papers during conservation will allow themanuscript to be reassembled in the correct order.

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Figure 3. Verso of a folio of Gulsan-E-ishq. Deccanimanuscript. Circa 1711. The dark brown areas indicatedamage by copper pigments used on the recto.

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form of a blueprint in 1842, poses many problems asdifferences in the manufacture of certain drawingsensure they cannot be safely stored together. Thevarying residual odours and chemical nature ofproduction means they can be harmful to otherdrawings and with time may cause irreversiblechanges to either the media or the papers structure.

The gallery collaboration between the V&A/RIBA is thefirst in the country to be dedicated solely to thepromotion of architecture. In the gallery’s permanentdisplay the paper based objects are presented withinCorian‚ drawers. The drawers allow the object to beviewed only when required by the visitor. The use ofthis system limits the amount of light exposure,allowing a longer rotation programme. The drawingsare placed under glass, float mounted using masumiusimono Japanese hinges fixed onto a Zerkall‚mouldmade calcium carbonate buffered paper. Thefloat mounted drawings are set on a 4mm thick layerof Plastazote‚ (a cross-linked polyethylene foam) whichacts as a buffer from the base of the drawer whilst alsoproviding a non-slip surface on which the drawingscan rest (Figure 2).

The Temporary Gallery has a changing programme of displays which totals three exhibitions per year.Objects are either displayed in window mounts or floatmounted using either magnetic tape or magnets foreasy attachment to the metal wall of the main displaycase. The magnets are supplied by Goudsmit Magnetic,this method of display first being applied in theNetherlands Architecture Institute. This type of displaywas chosen as it works well with all architectural

drawing medium, being highly flexible and adaptable.It allows both presentation and working drawings tobe sympathetically displayed close to the nature oftheir first intended use, highlighting the early stages of ideas and development to the final stages of design(Figure 3).

Working within the Paper, Books and PaintingsConservation Studio has allowed RIBA conservators theaccess to expertise, support and the use of facilitiesavailable throughout the Conservation Departments inthe V&A. The extensive size and the varied nature of theRIBA’s collection has made this opportunity invaluable.

Although the RIBA retains the ownership of its owncollection, the partnership of the V&A/RIBA will form acomprehensive resource for the study of architecture,uniting collections of the V&A’s 35,000 drawings,600,000 RIBA drawings and the RIBA Archive, for thefirst time, within the one building.

AcknowledgementsWe are grateful and would like to thank both PaulineWebber, Head of Paper, Books & Paintings Conservation,and Jane Rutherston, Head Book Conservator, for theirhelp, continual support and accepting us warmly intotheir studios.

SuppliersZerkall Mould Made Acid Free Paper 350gsm, JohnPurcell Paper, 15 Rumsey Road, London SW9 OTRe-mail [email protected]

Plastazote®, Polyformes Ltd, Cherry Court Way,Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

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The British Architectural Library was established in 1834 as the Library of the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects. This resource, which includes all aspects ofarchitecture, is the largest and most comprehensive inBritain and is used both for research and information.From November 2004 the RIBA Drawings, Archive andManuscripts Collection have relocated from 21 PortmanSquare and 66 Portland Place in London, to be re-housedat the V&A on Levels 3-5 of the Henry Cole Wing. TheArchitects Wright & Wright were appointed to designthe scheme, partly funded by an award from the HLF,to re-house the two RIBA collections within theexisting V&A Print Room space. Office space for theRIBA staff was also designed together with a new userfriendly space for both the V&A/RIBA study rooms,which includes a shared group teaching room (Figure 1).

The Drawings Collection is the principle Britishrepository for architectural drawings, consisting ofwork of the major British architects from the 15thcentury to the present. Amongst others, Sir ChristopherWren, Inigo Jones, J.B. Papworth, Pugin, Voysey, Scottand Waterhouse families and Lord Norman Foster.The 600,000 drawings also include important foreigngroups, including the majority of the surviving Palladiodrawings and drawings by Royal Gold Medallists thatinclude Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies vander Rohe.

The Manuscript and Archive collection, of over 750,000objects, includes papers by British architects from the17th century to the present. Document types includeletters, diaries, project correspondence and buildingaccounts.

The Photographic Collection has remained located atRIBA Headquarters, 66 Portland Place, housed in aclimate controlled store. The collection comprises over1.3 million images, in varied formats, of world widearchitecture dating from the 1850s, including completearchives of major British architectural photographers.In addition to paper based objects, the RIBA’s SpecialCollections also include many other objects associatedwith architecture. The range incorporates over 300models, drawing instruments, medals and officefurniture either designed or used by architects. All ofthe collections provide a rich resource used byhistorians and students as well as those engaged inthe conservation and restoration of historic buildings.

Two conservators are employed by RIBA, both locatedat the V&A within the Paper, Books and PaintingsSection. Since 2001, the RIBA full time conservator hasbeen responsible for the collection care andconservation programme for all three SpecialCollections. This includes the conservation of all RIBAobjects for the V&A/RIBA Architecture and TemporaryGallery and the preparation for all external loans.

The RIBA also has a National Manuscript ConservationTrust funded conservation post for the duration of ayear. The project relates to the Dove Brothers collection,a North London building firm based in Islington from1781 to 1993. The collection contains all building typesas the Dove Brothers worked with most of the majorarchitects of the late 19th to 20th century.

There are many problems, some unique, associatedwith the conservation and preservation of architecturaldrawings. For example, their scale makes them veryvulnerable to physical damage and the heavy use ofinferior quality or translucent papers can cause themto become extremely fragile and difficult to store. Theintroduction of differing processes, which may includemodern methods such as electronic formats, oftenneed re-formatting due to technology changes and thepossibility of obsolete formats. Architects’ use ofphotomechanical processes, first introduced in the

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V&A/RIBA partnershipLisa Nash, RIBA, Special Collections Conservator

Anne Greig, RIBA, NMCT Project Conservator

Figure 3.Temporary Gallery Display – Inside Out Exhibition. 02 March to 05 June 2005

Figure 1. RIBA Architecture Drawings Study Room

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Figure 2. Corian drawer. Drawing RIBA Ref. PA1263/2 (16) Design for the GlassRetention System, Willis Faber & Dumas Building by Foster Associates 1973.Pen and Transfer. Letratone. Lent by Foster Associates

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Once it is decided how the object should finallyappear and treatment has been agreed withcurators and signed off, the object is photographed.Risk assessments are carried out prior to treatmentcommencing to cover all processes such as manualhandling, materials and equipment. Treatment isthen carried out with every attempt to facilitateconcerns of reversibility and detectability. Alltreatment and findings, such as previous schemes,are documented using text and image. Materialsand techniques used for the conservation of gildingand other decorative finishes on frames arediscussed in further detail in previous articles.

1

In addition to treating the decorative surfacespreventive conservation treatments are also carriedout. A main function of picture frames is to protectthe paintings they surround. The addition of glazingand backboards acts as a buffer from pollution, dustand fluctuations in RH. UV inhibiting low reflectiveglass also provides protection from light damage.More vulnerable panel paintings are occasionallyfitted in a microclimate box, which is accommodatedinto the frame. These alterations and additions tothe frame often result in the painting standingproud at the back of the frame and the sides of thepaintings are exposed. In these cases the frame isbuilt up behind to accommodate the extra depth.All paintings in the recently opened PaintingsGalleries were re-glazed and build ups and backboards attached where required.

Paintings on display and going on loan from theV&A that are larger than one meter are generallyglazed with UV inhibiting low reflective laminatedglass.

2This protects both the painting during

transportation, object handlers and those cominginto close contact from risk, as it does not shatter if broken. Laminated glass has the disadvantage ofbeing heavy and for large frames, such as The Tree ofLife by Burne-Jones (Circ. 525-1953) on display in theInternational Arts and Crafts Exhibition, the mainjoints of the frame often have to be reinforced.

Where glazing has been added spacing strips arefitted to stop the painting coming in contact withglass. Black velvet ribbon is placed on these toprotect the front of the painting and any gaps atthe back are taped to prevent the ingress of dust.Old fittings such as rusting nails, which originallyheld the paintings in place, are replaced with brassmirror plates cushioned with plastazote‚ which isalso used to fill any gaps between the painting andthe rebate.

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The V&A has a large collection of European gildedpicture and mirror frames both on display and instorage. These date predominantly from the 18thand 19th centuries with a small number of earlierand later examples. The painting collection ismainly framed in 19th century British and someFrench composition frames, many of these can beseen on display in the new Paintings Galleries.Earlier elaborately carved and gilded 18th centuryBritish mirror and picture frames are on display inthe British Galleries. During the 19th and 20thcentury the V&A also acquired a collection ofRenaissance mirror and picture frames dating fromthe 15th century. Overall, the collection of mirror andpicture frames are made from a variety of materialsand techniques such as carved wood, papier-mâché,composition and leather. Decorative techniquesinclude tooled and raised gesso work, sgraffito, oiland water gilding and japanning.

This article will give a brief overview of some of thecurrent conservation treatments carried out onframes in the Conservation Department at the V&A.We will also consider past treatments and attitudesand look forward to their future care. As the ethics,materials and processes in the conservation ofmirror and picture frames are many and oftencomplex they cannot be considered in great detailhere. However our current approach to treatmentsis summarised below, illustrated with examplesfrom past and present exhibitions.

Existing documentation is examined prior todeciding treatment, consulting both collections andconservation files. There are few writtenconservation records regarding the treatment ofmirror and picture frames prior to 1980. Howeveroccasionally V&A treatment of frames was brieflyrecorded on hand written labels attached to thebacks of picture frames, on backboards or on theback of the paintings stretcher (Figure 1). The objectis examined closely to assess its condition andidentify the presence of any earlier schemes as theappearance of gilded objects is often changed overtime due to repair or change in tastes or fashions.

After examination different levels of treatment areproposed and discussed with curators. Minimaltreatments usually include stabilising the structureand surface decoration through consolidation, lightcleaning, such as removal of dust, and toning outany distracting losses. More complex treatmentsinclude compensation of losses, further cleaning,removing or improving past treatments andrevealing or re-creating earlier schemes.

A good example to illustrate how an object’sappearance can change is the Lock Table and Mirror,circa 1745 (W8-1960), on display in the BritishGalleries. The first scheme, probably the original,was water gilding applied all over. Later a seconddecorative scheme of gold and dark green wasapplied (Figure 2), probably in the early 19th centuryto update the appearance according to fashionabletrends of the time, with the green imitating bronze.Then in 1984, for the V&A Rococo exhibition, gildingconservator Malcom Green was asked to recreatethe original fully gilded appearance of the firstfinish. This was achieved by gilding over the greenelements.

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Picture and mirror frames: Reflections ontreatment past, present and futureChristine Powell, Senior Furniture & Frames Conservator

Zoë Allen, Frames & Furniture Conservator

Figure 2. Second decorative scheme of gold and dark green(Casa D’oro Issue 52, November 1967)

Figure 1. Hand-written label recording treatment found on the back of a 19th century frame

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A pattern book of the Leeds firm of Potters, Messrs.Hartley, Greens & Co. was requested for loan toSheffield Galleries & Museums Trust for theirexhibition The Biggest Draw, which opened inSeptember 2004. A V&A catalogue entry describesthe book (Museum No. E.576-1941) as containingdesigns and sketches of domestic pottery on loosesheets pasted into a used account book, and made up of a single section of 108 blue laid paper pagesstitched into a millboard cover. The front cover isinscribed in ink: Original Drawing Book No. 1. Thesketches date from 1778 to 1792.

It is standard practice within the Victoria and AlbertMuseum to ensure that books going out on loan orexhibition are protected adequately by a box madefrom archive-quality box board (affectionately knownas a ‘phase box’). Unfortunately some of the designsin the pattern book had been adhered or folded insuch a manner that they extend beyond the bookblock edges resulting in loss of protection from thecover boards. Placing such an object in a phase boxwould only result in crushing, with associateddamage, of the extending designs and sketches.

The solution was to design achemise (a loose cover for a bookwith pockets into which theboards are inserted)

1in order to

improve the protective function of the cover boards by extendingit at the fore-edge.

With limited time it was onlypossible to investigate materialsimmediately available to the BookConservation Studio. Propertiessuch as conservation grade,colour, suitability and flexibilitywere considered. The final choiceswere Aerolinen (an unbleachedlinen supplied by Samuel Lamont& Sons Ltd., Ballymena, NorthernIreland), a hand-made paper,museum board and domett (abrushed cotton used by textileconservators at the V&A). A

mixture of wheat starch paste and EVACON-R™ (a water soluble, non plasticised, pH 7.5 ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer emulsion, supplied byConservation by Design Ltd.) were used as theadhesive – unfortunately attempts to use only wheat starch paste proved unsuccessful.

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The main preventive conservation measure formirror frames is the protection of the originalmercury-tin amalgam mirror finish applied to theback of the glass from dust ingress and handling.The backs may have original protection in the formof paper sheets or wooden boards, however thepaper may have become torn and the boards split.Gaps in boards are covered with gummed linen tapeor for larger areas Tyvek®‚ sheet is used held withthe tape, avoiding any contact being made with themirror back. These methods slow dust ingress butallow air movement.

3Labels and where possible

original backing paper on both mirror and pictureframes are protected with melonex or removed andstored on file.

Over the years frames have been increasingly valuedas objects in there own right. We look forward tospending more time analysing and treating theframes within the collection for future projects.When planning for future display, objects aresurveyed to assess condition, treatment needs andthe best examples of type, before the final selectionis made. At present we are surveying renaissancepicture and mirror frames for possible display in theMediaeval & Renaissance Galleries. The collaborationof curatorial art historical research together withtechnical analysis from conservation and sciencehelps us to better understand and authenticate ourcollections.

The future of the mirror and picture frame dependson preventive conservation on a wider level. Currentand continuing improvements to storage anddisplay, environmental control, housekeeping andmaintenance and care of our core collection willensure the longevity of the mirror and framecollection.

References1. Mallinson, F., Allen. Z., & Powell, C., Gilded Objects

Treated for the British Galleries. V&A ConservationJournal 39, Autumn issue (2001), pp.10, 11Powell, C., Working with Gilded Furniture for the BritishGalleries Project at the V&A. Gilding: approaches totreatment. James and James (Science Publisher) Ltd,(2001), pp. 67-74

2. There is no law requiring this, however it is standardpractice as carried out by other conservation departmentssuch as the Tate. What does appear to be a legalrequirement however is that if any glass (larger than250mm) is on display below 1500mm then it is arequirement by Buildings Regulations 1991 to havelaminated glass.

3. Powell, C., Preventative Conservation of eighteenthcentury tin-amalgam mirrors in the V&A BritishGalleries. Gilding and Decorative Surfaces Section,UKIC Conservation News Issue 85 (July 2003), pp. 29-31

SuppliersPlastazote®, Polyformes Ltd, Cherry Court Way, StanbridgeRoad, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 8UH

Tyvek®, Preservation Equipment Ltd, Vinces Road, Diss,Norfolk, IP22 4HQ

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A simple solution?Jane RutherstonHead Book Conservator

Figure 1. The book in its chemise with the front cover off

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This 17th century tortoiseshell cover is part of afascinating collection of bookbindings from theNational Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum.The detached cover is small in size measuring 14 x 9 x 1.5cm and encloses and protects a 1658edition of Les Pseaumes de David by Clement Marot(L.1149.1969), a small printed volume containingsacred songs and poems. It is a highly decorated,pocket sized book used for worship (Figure 1).

The embossed cover design imitates a gilt, full-leather book in its design and furniture: a coverdesign of figurative centrepiece and floral bordersand book furniture of four silver gilt, engravedcorner pieces with two matching pin-style claspsand semi-circular hinges.

Tortoiseshell is a much admired decorative materialderived from certain species of marine turtle,especially the Hawksbill. It is a thermoplastic materialand withstands repeated softening by heating andwill harden again when cooled. This made it suitablefor decoration using heat embossed, block stampdesigns such as the floral design on the cover of Les Pseaumes de David.

Little is known about the use of tortoiseshell as abook binding material. Shenton’s survey ofapproximately 20 such bindings held in Englishcollections highlighted the only evidence for datingmost of these bindings: the printed text block,

1which

could have been inserted at a later date. The use oftortoiseshell as a book cover became popular in the17th and 18th century for religious texts, small bibles,prayer books, and gift books.

2There was a brief

renewed interest in tortoiseshell as novelty bindingsfor wealthy Victorian book buyers.

The cover has a well-documented history of previousrepair.

3Examination of the cover using transmitted

light revealed several excellent repairs to the spine.The detached lower corner had been previouslyreattached using gold beaters skin and a Poly(vinylacetate) adhesive (Mowilith50®). The two edges ofthe break no longer matched due to distortions ofthe cover and corner (Figure 2).

Before proceeding with conservation, the repair linebetween the cover and detached corner was cleanedwith acetone to remove the previous repair of goldbeaters skin and Mowilith adhesive (Figure 3). Todegrease the area, acetone was selected, as it doesnot damage the tortoiseshell or silver decorationwhen used sparingly.

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The inner flaps were made to extend almost to theback fold of the book, thus optimising the snugnessof fit and minimising movements of the chemise. Thestrips of museum board were cut to compensate forthe differing widths of the upper and lower coverboards in order to provide a flush fore-edge; theweight of board was chosen to obtain the correctdepth for the cover boards to fit into. Domettprovided a soft surface against the outer surface of the boards but was not used to line the inner flaps as it would have caused too much bulk.

The chemise fulfilled its two objectives of, firstly,providing extra width to the fore-edge in order toprotect the extended book block edges frombecoming crushed and secondly, it ensured flushboard edges, thereby minimising any movement ofthe book and chemise within its phase box.

AcknowledgmentsMy special thanks to Karen Vidler for her superbdiagram illustrating the various layers of the chemise.

References1. Roberts, M.T., and Etherington, D., Bookbinding and the

Conservation of Books, Library of Congress, Washington(1982)

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Handmade paper

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Sketch Book

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Figure 4. The chemise with the book inside

Figure 3. Diagram of the chemise (by Karen Vidler)

Conservation of a tortoiseshell book coverKaren Vidler Book Conservator

Figure 1. Front cover of Les Pseaumes de David, 1658 (L.1149.1969)

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Figure 2. Cover on light box (exterior view)

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repair line. Meanwhile, a thinner polyethylene barrier(Cling film) was placed between the cover/cornerpiece and the polyester paste to release the objectwhen the repair was completed. The cover and cornerfitted snugly into the contours of the mould andgood contact on the repair line was achieved. Using a sable 000 brush the Fynebond was painted alongboth break lines and slotted in place. The clamps andPlastazote padding were returned to the sameposition as before by referring to earlier digitalphotographic records taken during the mould makingprocess. The repair was allowed to cure for 48 hours,as determined by the curing time of a spot test of theadhesive placed on a new piece of tortoiseshell at thesame time as the repair.

After 48 hours the in-filling was completed using amore viscous mixture of Fynebond - achieved by 12hours refrigeration of the same mix used previously.The harder mixture allowed for accurate placementof the resin in the remaining open areas of the break-line without flashing beyond the repair. Flashingwould be difficult to remove without damage to thefine embossed decoration on the surface surroundingthe repair area. Four days later the repair area wasgiven a final polish with a fine, 8000 grit polishingMicromesh cloth and abrasive polishing pastes(Tripoli and Rottenstone) in de-ionised water. Thisgave the repaired area a more sympathetic finish.An additional off-gassing time of 5 days was allowedbefore the text block could be returned to the coverto allow for off-gassing of volatile compounds.

Using the Fynebond epoxy resin to reattach the lowercorner has proven successful (Figure 5). The flexiblenature of the adhesive allows some movement of thetortoiseshell and the repair. The transparent repairdoes not detract from the attractive pattern forwhich tortoiseshell was so prized. This tortoiseshellcover offered a chance to repair one of the moreunusual materials used for adorning a book. There areother interesting bindings in the National Art Librarythat incorporate the use of unusual coveringmaterials.

AcknowledgementsKen Watts and Roger Rose, Programme Tutors, WestDean College for invaluable advise on the repair oftortoiseshell objects, Jane Rutherston, Head BookConservator, V&A, for her encouragement.

References1. Shenton, H., The Use of Membranes in Conservation:

the Case Histories of a Tortoiseshell Bookbinding and theLady Clapham Doll’s Mask, in Conservation today: paperspresented at the UKIC 30th anniversary conference (1998),pp.76-80

2. Kuhn, H., Trone, A., Objects made from Tortoiseshell andHorn, in Conservation and restoration of works of art andantiquities, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann (1987), p.132

3. Shenton, p.78, ibid

4. Davison, S., Reversible fills for transparent and translucentmaterials, Journal of American Institute for Conservation,volume 37, Number 1 (1998), pp.35-47

SuppliersFynebond Epoxy Resin, Fyne Conservation Services,St. Catherine’s, Argyll, PA25 8BA, ScotlandTel/Fax: 44 (0) 141 357 4107

Micromesh, D.E.P Fabrications Ltd, Unit 33, Cam Centre,Wilbury Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 0TWTel: 01462 441 414 / Fax: 01462 442 110

Polishing Pastes, Alec Tiranti Ltd, 27 Warren Street,London W1T 5NB Tel: 020 7636 8565 / Fax: 020 7636 8565

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The current repair required the reattaching of thelower corner, which includes a silver clasp and silvercorner piece. To leave the corner loose within thedrop-back box housing would increase the chances of further damage, continued planar distortions andpossible loss. An investigation of current methods for reversible repair and transparent in-filling oftranslucent materials was conducted with a view to reattaching the lower corner.

4

Ken Watt, Head of Ceramics Conservation andRestoration at West Dean College, and his studentshave performed successful repairs to tortoiseshellobjects, using Fynebond epoxy resin developed byconservation scientist Norman Tennent. Fynebondhas high bond strength, some flexibility which allowsit to move with the material under fluctuatingenvironmental and physical conditions and gap fillingproperties. Due to the planar distortion, good contactalong the line of breakage was required. Roger Rose,Head of Early Stringed Musical Instruments at WestDean College, recommended a two-stage castingprocess that could be adapted to make a mould toexactly fit the contours of the cover and lower corner,ensuring accurate contact and bonding along therepair line.

A bespoke wooden jig was constructed to ensure thecover was fully supported during the moulding andrepair procedures. A polyester film barrier (Melinex)was placed between the tortoiseshell cover and jig.A polyester repair paste (Isopon P38) was used tomake the two-stage mould (Figure 4). Clamps withpolyethylene foam padding (Plastazote) were used toensure the object remained in position during thisprocedure, which resulted in a single mould. Care hadto be taken when allowing for the polyester paste toset. Due to the exothermic nature of the paste therewas concern it might result in further distortions tothe object. For this reason, it was only left in contactwith the object for the recommended drying time of3 minutes. The mould was then allowed to air dry for7 days before proceeding to the next stage of therepair.

The Fynebond adhesive comprises a two-part resin –a crystalline epoxy group and liquid hardener. For thisrepair, 1g of crystals were dissolved in a double boilerbefore adding 0.32g of the hardener. The resultingadhesive had the viscosity of a commercial fast-bondadhesive. This allowed good flow over the repairsurfaces while not oozing or flashing beyond the

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Figure 5. Reattached lower cover

(Pho

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aphy

by

Kare

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dler

)

(Pho

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by

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)

(Pho

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by

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)

Figure 3. Previous repair using goldbeaters skin

Figure 4. Making the two-stage mould

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Time-based activities: these activities have to becarried out at a specific time and can be planned inadvance. Tasks include organising lectures, attendingmeetings and finance audits and dealing withstudent or intern administration (33% of time).

Regular projects: these are tasks that take up asignificant amount of time, they are open-endedprojects in the sense that they will never be completed,but they require regular input to ensure relevance.Tasks include administering the Conservation Library,producing the Conservation Journal, updating theIntranet site and maintaining the Department’s Health& Safety database (25% of time).

Development: these are projects that have a specificremit and time-scale. Tasks include developing newlibrary and finance databases, a training needsanalysis on CONCISE and continued personaldevelopment (12% of time).

It became apparent that the balance of timeallocation needed to be addressed to ensure thatdevelopment became a more prominent activity inthe section. A lot of time spent on non time-basedactivities could be seen as non-profitable time andwe explored ways of modifying working patterns sothat this time is rationalised and spent ondevelopment. Simple measures were put in place,such as moving staff into the same office to improveinternal communications, having a group telephonepick-up system and having set times in the week todeal with tasks that can be planned such as auditing,ordering and dealing with external enquiries. Certaindays in the week or month were also set aside for theConservation Library, finance reconciling and Intranetdevelopment.

On first impression, it would appear that the rolesand responsibilities of the section have continuedalong the same lines for six years. However, a numberof both internal and external factors have made itessential that tasks and emphasis in Admin change.Probably the most significant factor that hasprompted this change has been the ever-increasingdependence of the Department on informationtechnology. The average conservator spends aroundtwice the time using PCs and digital media than theydid six years ago. Around 40% of a conservator’s timecan be accounted for as spent on activities such asdata entry and producing, storing and printing digitalimages. The benefits, with regards to the accessibilityof data, quality of condition reports and ability tocommunicate both internally and externally, are verynoticeable. However, servicing these needs withregards to IT support, maintenance and training hastaken a lot of time away from Admin’s traditional roleof dealing with paper-based tasks. Most conservatorstype their own letters and so the need for touchtypists has given way to requiring flexible IT literatestaff. There have also been changes to the basic toolsof the trade in Admin: Rolodex’s have given way toelectronic address databases, printed memos onceplaced on notice boards are now converted to pdffiles before being e-mailed and minutes of meetingsare now placed on the Intranet. New legislation suchas the management of hazardous substances andthe Freedom of Information Act has also put Adminin the forefront of ensuring that the Department isreactive and compliant.

In short, the need for specialists in the section hasgiven way to a requirement for proactive, IT literatemulti tasking and flexible staff. This has made the jobmore diverse and rewarding but also highlighted howimportant it is to plan and prioritise tasks.

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The Administration Section of the ConservationDepartment consists of three members of staff. Thesupport functions of the section are distributedevenly, but each member has a specialism: Timdevelops and manages the information systems inthe Department, Laura administers the Department’sfinance, maintenance and health and safetyprocedures and Michelle concentrates on thestudents, interns and the production of theConservation Journal. The section currently supports47 conservators and scientists, 19 students andanything up to 4 interns at any time.

In the six years that Tim Carpenter has been Head ofSection, the basic remit of the section has been thesame i.e. to support the activities of the ConservationDepartment, namely:

• practical conservation

• research and development

• education and training

• communication

• management

In this article we will illustrate:

• the core functions and responsibilities of thesection

• the changes in roles and responsibilities in responseto the ever-changing needs of the ConservationDepartment

• how the section is evolving in order to maintain aneffective level of service for the Department and theMuseum as a whole

There has been an increasing need within theDepartment to be able to plan and predict resourceneeds in both money and conservators’ time. Adminmaintain the conservation database CONCISE andhave created the Estimator (See “Planning andEstimating” V&A Conservation Journal No. 48, 2004).These systems have proved invaluable in ensuringthat the needs of the Museum are met and projectscan be delivered on time and within budget. Adminalso support the Department’s ad hoc IT needs, bypurchasing digital media and providing training andsupport in related applications. The Department’sInternet and Intranet systems also support internaland external communications. Admin support theactivities of the RCA/V&A Conservation Course andadminister the Department’s programme ofinternships. Duties include organising interviews andcolour vision testing, organising securityarrangements and work permits. However, themajority of the work is carried out once the studentor intern has started, ensuring that lectures areorganised, inductions are carried out and generaladministrative support is available.

Four categories were identified during a recentreview of the activities of the section that cover thevariety of the work carried out. They were:

Non time-based activities: these are tasks thatcannot be anticipated, except for the fact that weknow they might occur in the course of any workingday. These include telephone enquiries from thepublic, e-mails, questions about finance or budgetsand assistance with computer applications. It wascalculated from timesheets that 30% of our time wasspent on these tasks.

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The hand that rocks the cradle:Conservation Administration, present andfutureTim Carpenter, Information Systems Manager, Head of Conservation Administration

Laura Jiggins, Conservation Administrator

Michelle Murray, Conservation Administrator

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Catherine SimesAssistant Scientist

I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2002 with a first degree in Chemistry, that included a year in Europe studying at Universite Joseph Fourier inGrenoble. During this time I learnt how to ski andappreciate French red wine!

I then went to Durham University to take an MA in the Conservation of Historic Objects. This involved aone year internship at the National Museums ofScotland in Edinburgh, where I was based in ArtefactConservation. During this time I worked on a range of objects carrying out analysis and interventiveconservation, as well as undertaking environmentalmonitoring projects. My dissertation looked at theapplication of electrochemical techniques inaccelerated aging tests. On finishing my course I tookup post as Preventive Conservator at the NationalMuseums of Scotland, before joining the V&A.

I am interested in the application of scientifictechniques to collections, especially where this canimprove methods of preservation. I am looking forwardto working in the Science Section where amongstother things I will be involved in the OCEAN project.

Miriam DuffieldTextile Conservator

I completed an MA in Textile Conservation at theTextile Conservation Centre, Winchester, in 2004. Priorto my conservation studies, I worked as a freelancetheatrical costumier in Edinburgh. For over six years, Iworked with many different companies in Edinburghand Glasgow, producing and designing costume fortheatre, dance, and occasionally, opera. The job allowedme great freedom to experiment with textiles, and wasvery enjoyable. However, I really wanted to specialise,and as my job brought me into contact with manydeteriorated and neglected specimens of costume intheatrical costume stores, I realised that a goodopportunity lay in textile conservation. It seemed thatthe scope of the subject would absorb and satisfy myinterest in textiles for some considerable time, and Itherefore applied to study for an MA.

During my final year at the Textile Conservation Centre,I undertook dissertation research that employed lightmicroscopy, X-radiography and SEM to examine fibresand fabric from deteriorated garments that werethought to be ritually damaged. This subject allowedme to develop my analytical skills and investigate avery interesting area of social history. I am nowengaged in the conservation of textiles for the JameelGallery of Islamic Art, opening in the summer of 2006,and am very pleased to join the ConservationDepartment at the V&A.

New Staff

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Conservation Administration is unique in theMuseum, as it is the only section that existsspecifically to support the activities of a professionalbody of people within its department. It is importantthat members of the section can communicateeffectively and understand the needs andrequirements of the conservators. Core skills trainingfor Admin staff can be addressed by means oftapping into the excellent array of training coursesavailable in the Museum. Courses include training in the various applications used in the Museum andalso personal skills training, such as time management,minute taking and managing change.

So, what does the future hold for ConservationAdministration? Firstly, there has to be an acceptancethat there will never be enough time or resources tobe able to achieve everything that is desired.Secondly, that emphasis will continue to change as a response to internal and external requirements.Finally, staff turnover within the section is inevitable.These three factors not only mean that the sectionmust continue to move and improve, but they alsohighlight the importance of developing the sectionaround systems and procedures as well as the skillsof current staff. Having robust systems andprocedures also allows the section to expand andcontract according to the tasks assigned to it.

Developing transparent systems of administrationallows the rest of the Department an opportunity tosee how we operate, contribute to improvements andabove all empathise with the work of the section.The ideal situation would be that Admin are able toanticipate the needs of conservators and planaccordingly, the reality is building on a culture wherethe section can at least respond to needs as quicklyand effectively as possible.

It is difficult to pin down exactly what motivates theConservation Administration Section. But, althoughwe have little or no direct contact with objects andwe are not at the forefront of new research orawarded for our work as so many of our colleaguesare, everything that the Department does andtherefore achieves has an Admin contribution.Working in Admin gives us an invaluable insight intothe workings of one of the best conservationdepartments in any museum in the world so there islittle wonder that our predecessors have gone on tobigger and better things. As the saying goes, ‘Thehand that rocks the cradle...’

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Natalia Zagorska-ThomasTextile Conservator

I studied for my first degree at Central St. MartinsSchool of Art and Design, graduating with a BA(Hons)Fine Art degree in 1995. I spent the next seven yearsworking as an artist and supplementing my incomewith various part-time, arts related, administrative jobs. I also made theatre costumes for an internationaltheatre company based in Krakow and London, as well as jewellery and accessories for the catwalk.

Through my artwork I became aware of how much ofour material culture is made from textiles and I wasinterested in studying them in a wider sense. Thiseventually led me to study at the Textile ConservationCentre in Winchester, completing an MA TextileConservation course in 2004. My dissertation related toan upholstered 18th century saddle. I was interested inthe relationship between conservation and historicalresearch and in particular the level and nature ofinformation which a conservator is able to obtain inthe course of treating an unattributed, undated object.My research included non-destructive methods todetermine the structure of a 3D composite objectusing X-ray and CT Scanning techniques.

Since then I have worked on a short contract basis atthe Museum of London, and the Royal Academy,conserving and mounting costumes and flat textilesfor exhibition. I am delighted to be working at the V&Afor the next 12 months conserving Islamic textiles to bedisplayed in the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art.

Sanam Aly KhanPaper Conservation Intern

I started my career in the paper conservation field in2000 as trainee cum conservator in the conservationdepartment of the Rampur Rasa Library in northwestern India, where I am currently employed.

During my internship at the V&A I would like to learnmore about advanced paper conservation techniques,such as paint consolidation, float washing, inlaying, andfloat mounting. My aim is to learn conservation andpreservation techniques relevant to the Raza Library'scollection. I am hoping to enhance my knowledge ofpractical conservation treatments and will collectrelated literature regarding paper conservationtreatments and the most up to date equipment. Myexperience at the V&A will be augmented by visits toother conservators in London and south east England.

During this internship I will do my best to understandpractical techniques through first hand experience of treating objects. I would also like to further myunderstanding of paper technology. I would like to learnabout different conservation treatments, and how todiagnose problems related to paper based objects.

I feel that every item I have treated or conserved so farhas been a stepping-stone towards the goal I have setfor myself but to get to a summit, one needs to climbstep by step.

I am thankful to the Nehru Trust for awarding me avisiting fellowship in the UK.

New Intern

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A. Why is action needed?

B. Have I consulted records?

C. Have I consulted stakeholders, peers, otherspecialists?

D. Have I considered and weighted the factorscontributing to the identity and significance ofthe object(s)?

E. What are my options for action which willproduce an appropriate result with minimumintervention?

F. What effect will my action(s) have on theevidence of the factors contributing to theidentity and significance of the object(s)?

G. Do I have sufficient information and skill to assessand implement action(s)?

H. What are the benefits/risks of each course ofaction and how will I continue to assess thesethroughout the course of action?

I. Can the use or environment be adapted insteadof intervening on the object(s)?

J. Is my intended action(s) the best use of resourcesand is it sustainable?

K. Do established courses of action need to beadapted or new ones developed?

L. How will my action(s) affect subsequentaction(s)?

M. Have I taken into account the future use andlocation of the object(s), and have I maderecommendations accordingly?

N. Will my actions be fully documented to a knownand accepted standard?

O. Will the information resulting from my actions beaccessible?

P. How will I assess the success of the action(s), andhow will I get feedback from stakeholders andpeers?

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Appendix 1:Victoria & Albert Museum Conservation Department Ethics Checklist2nd Edition December 2004

This is the first page of the Ethics Checklist. For therest of the document please go tohttp://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/advice/policies/index.html

summer 2005 number 50 - victoria and albert museum€¦ · konstantinos ntanos, ma (with british...

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