2025 Poster Session

The Poster Session will take place in the exhibit hall and will be open when the exhibit hall is open. On Friday at 3:30 pm, all poster authors will be standing by their posters for our question and answer session. Block off time in your meeting schedule to view these posters.

The Presentation discusses a special case of an archaeological glass object from the early Islamic era that was extracted from the excavations of the American Research Center in Fustat, Egypt, in 1966.

The glass dish appears to be made up of two layers of glass, but this is not true. However, this appearance required studying the reason, and we find that the glass object has glass corrosion and that part of the glass layer has fallen off and is missing, which makes the shape of the object appear to be made up of two layers of glass.

When we see the shape of the glass corrosion on the object, we find that it is consistent, except for some places on the object that appear black as spots. This necessitated a study to identify the reason for the difference in the shape and color of these places. SEM with EDX were used to identify this reason and to study the components of the glass dish. A USB Digital Microscope was also used to examine the surface of the glass dish, including the glass corrosion, as well as the places of the fallen parts on the dish, which confirms the presence of fallen parts of a layer of glass.

When the glass dish was discovered in the excavations of the American Research Center in the late twentieth century, it was found to be broken to many parts and there is a missing part, so it was previously restored. However, recently, parts of the creature were found to be separated from the previous conservation, and there was a space between its assembled parts. UV photography was used to identify previous conservations, as well as a sample was taken from the material of the previous assembly and analyzed using ATR analysis, and it was identified. The previous assembly was disassembled and reassembled the object, the previous yellowed consolidation material was cleaned and removed, a consolidation material was applied to the corrosion glass parts of the object, and Paraloid was used for the consolidation, and the glass plate was preserved in a storage box that was specially made for it from acid-free cardboard.

The glass of the dish is transparent and has decorations, and therefore these decorations do not appear clearly except at specific lighting angles. These decorations were identified specifically and drawn using Adobe Illustrator, and the shape of the decorations for the missing part was also imagined.

It is worth noting that this archaeological glass dish was participated in one of the temporary museum exhibitions after it was studied and restored.

The stone antiquities represent the largest percentage of the total antiquities found in Egypt which are represented by tombs , temples , pyramids , statues, and others and the inscriptions writings and mural paintings they carry of great  importance  therefore it is necessary to study them well in terms of knowing the type of stones , their nature , the wall pictures found in them and their components studying the factors and manifestations of damage affecting them , and the best modern  methods  that can be used in their restoration in order to achieve the best results to preserve this important and rare world heritage . in this research we will discuss the latest of these methods, which is the use ofnanotechnology in restoration which is one of the latest  technologies used recently in various fields and then in restoration due to its extreme accuracy and because it is safer . we will discuss its application and show its results on some very important and distinctive wall painting that were found in the tomb ( KV20 ) of Hatshepsut and the tomb ( KV38 ) of Tuhuthmosis II . they date back to the early era of the 18th dynasty which represents the first and primary source for the book ( Amy-Dawat ) which is theoldest royal book regardingthe other world .

Keywords: nanotechnology  ,consolidation, Amy dawat ,mural paintings

The Straits Settlement (S. S) Police Band music scores collection was donated to the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) by the Republic of Singapore Police Force Band in 2016. It was a historically significant collection whose roots go back to the first local regimental band in Singapore (1925-1940s) during the British colonial office period, before it was renamed the Singapore Police Force Band, and continues to be known today. These 215 scores of western compositions were arranged for band music as the scores excluded string instruments. They were published across the 18th to 20th century, with the majority in the 1900s. The single and multiple-folio scores were printed primarily with carbon black ink on wove paper and ink-stamped with ‘S. S Police Band’, alongside with other handwritten media such as graphite pencil, coloured pencil, ballpoint pen, technical pen, and iron gall ink. Some of these markings revealed the multiple users over time.  

The project started with a condition survey in 2018 involving four conservators from NAS’ Archives Conservation Lab (ACL). They set out to propose the conservation treatments, housing storage solutions and time required to conserve the entire collection. The overall survey report revealed that the collection was mainly in poor condition with Condition Rating (CR) range between two to five based on ACL CR’s scale of one (very good) to five (unacceptable conditions). Apart from tears and losses, the degradation of pressure-sensitive tape and adhesive labels applied by the user in the past rendered some items vulnerable to potential chemical deterioration. The comprehensive survey report and database enabled ACL to begin the challenging project by first selecting three scores assessed as CR4 and CR5 for conservation treatments, ‘Paraphrase– ‘Loroley’ by Nesvadba, ‘Plymouth Hoe–A Nautical Overture by John Ansell and, ‘Kissing Time’ by Ivan Caryll, in 2022. With treatment and technical complexities, the team worked together to discuss the treatment options to balance viability and preservation needs.

The Singapore Police Force Band project catalysed an opportunity for the conservators to deep dive into adhesive tape resulting from treatment experience, by embarking on an in-house tape removal training programme for the team to learn and conserve the rest of the scores. It further developed into a collaborative effort with NAS’ Sound and Moving Image Laboratory (SMIL), which handles audiovisual archives, in creating tape samples. The methodology used a climatic chamber to carry out accelerated aging of the different tape varieties to simulate their conditions found on the scores with complex tape issues. This approach helped to create realistic sample case studies for the team to practise and learn from. The project explores different considerations when embarking on challenging conservation treatments, from decision-making to formulating practical, sound and applicable conservation treatment proposals. It will also highlight the importance of building capacity for the conservators through immersive training, widening our knowledge by researching into the rich heritage of Singapore, and the invaluable process of collaboration with colleagues.

This presentation will explore the collaborative effort between the Smithsonian Institution (SI) and the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) in preparing the Folk-Legacy Records Collection for digitization. Folk-Legacy Records was a folk recording label founded in 1961 by Sandy and Caroline Paton and Lee Haggerty. Active for nearly 50 years, the label released over 140 albums of traditional music. Their archive spans 205 cubic feet and consists of a wide range of materials, including research notes, business records, film and photographs, and recordings on open-reel tapes, cassettes, and CDs. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings received the collection in 2019. Prior to its acquisition, it had been stored primarily in the Patons' home recording studio in Northwest Connecticut, where it was subject to a wide variety of environmental conditions. Faced with contamination from pests, mold, and debris, the project required a two-pronged approach: collaboration between SI and NEDCC, and interdepartmental teamwork at NEDCC, involving audio and imaging specialists.

We’ll discuss the initial condition assessment, NEDCC’s proposal process, and the development of a remediation plan. The dialogue between NEDCC and SI throughout the project was essential to tailoring the preservation strategy to SI's needs and the needs of the collection materials. Work at NEDCC was performed primarily by two departments: the Audio Department oversaw the remediation of the open-reel tapes and cassettes, while the Imaging Department dealt with the papers, photos and film, and electronic media. Along with returning the collection in a state where it could be safely integrated into the Smithsonian Institution, NEDCC delivered a folder-level inventory detailing the contents of each container. 

This presentation will reflect on both the strategies used to remediate the collection, and the strategies that NEDCC used to ensure a final product that consistently reflected the wide variety of materials within the collection.  Finally, we’ll reflect on the lessons learned from this vendor partnership and offer strategies for institutions seeking to engage with specialized vendors for large-scale archival preservation, particularly for non-emergency disaster recovery services.

Conservators at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) recently came across a mysterious treatment material referred to as “Flecto” while they were re-treating a number of enameled jewelry and decorative arts objects in the collection. This material was used at the VMFA most frequently as a tinted fill material on damaged enamelwork. A search of the conservation literature returned almost no references to Flecto, which is the name of a company that produced paints, wood finishes, and floor coating systems until they were purchased in 1998 by Rust-oleum. Fortunately, a photocopy of an original product label was present in one of the object folders, revealing the full product name to be “Flecto Seamless Clear Plastic,” an acrylic resin in xylene. As a substantial amount of decanted “Flecto” remains in the lab’s chemical storage, additional analysis and accelerated aging tests were carried out to more fully characterize the material and its aging properties and to determine the potential long-term effects on the objects treated. A survey was also sent out to the conservation community in order to gauge how frequently and in what contexts this product has been used in the conservation field. We hope the results of this study will prove useful to other conservators and museum professionals who come across this historic conservation material.

When the prayer book of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots was delivered for conservation a question was raised if the binding of the prayer book can be restored to open it more easily, so that the sewing wouldn’t cause distortion of the vellum and misplaced pages could return to the proper location. I wanted to apply as many non-invasive tests as possible before physically touching the precious book itself and for this reason I decided to focus on computed tomography (CT) imaging.

My project benefits from collaboration of art conservation and nuclear physics similarly to patient-hospital relations through a harmless evaluation of the condition. Application of CT in bookbinding restoration is still very rare or non-existent and this project is pioneering. The goal was to develop CT imaging as a standard tool to diagnose and solve bookbinding restoration problems.

Most of the historical books have lost their original covers over the years or were rebound multiple times. CT imaging can offer real visible answers as to the original book structure instead of guessing them by the time and place of the book origin, never compromising the safety, allowing to verify and justify planned restoration procedures.

First CT scans were performed on a medical scanner at the hospital. Depending on the scan viewing program, different structures of the bookbinding were revealed but I needed a better resolution like the one of micro CT to distinguish the sewing thread course.

Micro CT scans were performed at the university, scanning the book spine took significantly longer but yielded great results.

The scan, although at first puzzling, exposed the true condition of the book after its 18 century rebinding - the pages’ spines were gone and needed a complete reconstruction to allow easy opening of the manuscript. Marks discovered on the book spine were interesting suggestions of the probable original 16 century binding. Also, they enabled me to precisely estimate the amount cut off from the edges of the prayer book.

CT has proved immensely useful as a pre-renovation book binding analyzing tool. Both methods - medical CT and micro CT have revealed various binding structures invisible to the naked eye. Medical CT scans are faster to perform, and can uncover different complex layers depending on which viewing filter is applied. Designed to show human organs in detail, they treat the book as such allowing it to peel off every layer, and show every tissue.

When searching for the specific and minuscule detail, micro CT proved much more accurate though. In the bookbinding it meant I could observe the sewing thread course, even if it was hidden deep in the spine or covered with a thick layer of glue or lining. Understanding the makings of a binding without touching or compromising the valuable object is a priceless opportunity. Developing micro CT scans as fully operational bookbinding diagnostic tools will be an immense asset in the conservation process.

In the field of art conservation, understanding of an artist's chosen materials and their creative  application is fundamental. This holds true for photograph conservation, where a profound grasp of the historic evolution and chemistry of photographic processes is crucial for discerning and identifying each technique. However, deeper learning is achieved through hands-on engagement in the darkroom. Delving into the intricacies of photographic processes not only unveils the technology, tools, and chemistry underpinning their production  but also serves as an invaluable experiential learning tool. Darkroom practice enables observation and critical thinking  about a photograph’s evolution from its initial creation to potential display, and how these factors influence its long-term preservation. It also facilitates an understanding of the differences between genuine deterioration and intentional alterations made by a photographer. Creating photographs in the darkroom can combine research into the history and chemistry of photography with research into photographers, studios, and businesses utilizing these techniques today. The sensitivities of different emulsions can also be experimented with and observed. The addition of toners or other chemical baths in the darkroom can be understood by seeing the change in color of a print and its stability over time. This immersive exploration equips conservators with a dynamic perspective that informs their decision-making in the outreach, preservation, and treatment of photographic materials.  When creating albumen prints for example, the paper curls at all stages of production from the first application of the egg-salt mixture to the final wash bath. This demonstrates the inherent qualities of these prints and though we may consider curling damaging and work to keep the print flat, it is also an unavoidable part of the making process. While striving to maintain flatness, historically, albumen prints would be mounted to a paper board. This mounting process, though keeping the print from curling, could potentially introduce cracking in the emulsion over time. The tendency of the print to curl and potential cycles of curling and flattening demonstrate its sensitivity to moisture and the need for a stable environment and safe housing for long term preservation. Additionally, through making albumen prints, the similarities to the salted paper print process are clearly identifiable. The recipes for chemical baths and steps in the darkroom are nearly equivalent. It is understandable why their identification might be challenging. Finally, the darkroom also serves as a platform for outreach, where sharing the art and science of photography through workshops and social media can enhance public understanding and appreciation of art conservation. This is increasingly important in an era when images are so easily captured, duplicated, and distributed.




Images to be included on the poster:

•    Creating albumen prints: fresh untoned print, fresh gold toned print, historic aged print

•    Creating additive color screen plates: results from experiment, diagram of the layers

•    Creating tintypes: the “negative” pre-fixer, final positive product

•    Creating gelatin DOP: contaminated fixer resulting in pink print

•    Outreach: social media- QR code to share, creating salted paper prints and leading workshops at SUNY Buffalo and WUDPAC photo block

Objects stuck to their glazing (or other materials) is not an uncommon problem in conservation. However, much of the literature regarding adherence to glazing focuses on photographs stuck to glass, and there is little to be found highlighting other circumstances. Thus, when tasked with separating thick oil-based printing ink from acrylic glazing, experimentation with novel removal techniques was required.

Untitled (1983) by David Engel, in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is an abstract etching and linocut on heavy wove paper. The linocut component consisted of several thick and textured layers of oil-based printing ink. Untitled had been float mounted with wide margins onto a backing board and framed without a window mat or spacers to hold the acrylic glazing away from the media, resulting in parts of the topmost red ink layer becoming adhered to the acrylic. Raking light photography emphasized the areas of the ink that were stuck.

A mechanical method was deemed the safest avenue for removal, due to the possibility of microcracks forming in the acrylic when exposed to solvents and since the margins surrounding the print made the media inaccessible for testing. As removing the print in pristine condition was highly unlikely, the primary goal of treatment was to remove the print with the least amount of media loss possible.               

To try different removal techniques and determine how best to release Untitled, I created linocut mockups and used acrylic glazing to recreate the conditions of Untitled as closely as possible. I tested several mechanical methods of separating my mockup prints from their acrylic, including (careful!) brute force as a control, humidification, and temperature modification. All the mockups were removed with a microspatula, using a gentle twisting motion near the stuck ink. The results of these approaches can be illustrated through images and micrographs.  

My testing showed that freezing the entire mockup was the most successful method. Using a chest freezer, I froze Untitled and removed it from the acrylic slowly, over the course of several days. The largest adhered areas were less responsive to my microspatula technique, so after testing a few more frozen mockups, I found a mat cutting blade very effective for separating the remainder of the ink from the acrylic while Untitled was still frozen. These techniques resulted in a freed print in very good condition; the few areas of loss that occurred during the removal process were easily reattached or filled and inpainted. After treatment, there was virtually no visual evidence that the print had been adhered to its glazing.

Though the materials and condition of an individual object affect the feasibility of freezing, these experimental results provide a new technique to consider for the separation of hydrophobic media stuck to acrylic glazing.

With the exception of risks related to physical forces and moisture-induced deterioration and crizzling, glass is generally considered to be among the least sensitive materials in the museum environment. Collections care resources used by conservators and cultural heritage caretakers categorize glass as insensitive to light, and current lighting recommendations for the display of beadwork are made with regard not to the beads themselves, but to the typically organic backing materials to which they are affixed.

In 2024, the Alaska State Museum (ASM) initiated a collaborative effort between beaders, culture bearers, and ASM staff with the goals of expanding access to the beadwork held at ASM; developing culturally appropriate conservation protocols for the preservation of beadwork originating with the Alaska Native communities represented in the ASM collection; and ultimately producing a collaboratively curated ASM exhibition of beadwork. In the preliminary stages of launching this collaboration, J. Kae Good Bear, a beader and museum professional, mentioned to ASM conservator Ellen Carrlee that she had observed beadwork with apparent color loss in museum collections. That some beads are vulnerable to color fading has since been verified anecdotally by other beaders and through examination of beadwork in the ASM collection, but this phenomenon has not yet been fully characterized or brought to the attention of the conservation profession. Loss of color in beadwork is concerning for several reasons: foremost, it disturbs the highly intentional and significant color choices of the beader; it also challenges conservators’ understanding that with the exception of the discoloring solarization of some glasses that can occur after prolonged exposure to high-intensity UV radiation, glass beads do not experience color change.

This poster describes preliminary research related to glass bead color loss. Many glass beads—especially modern beads, but some historic varieties as well—are colored with coatings or paints to reduce manufacturing costs and to achieve hues that cannot be easily produced with glass chemistry alone. This investigation identified three modes of color damage to which beadwork in museum collections may be susceptible: (1) fugitive dyes and colorants in coatings and paint media can fade with exposure to light, leaving behind a white, grey, or colorless binder; (2) some coatings and paints can be easily abraded or scratched, exposing colorless or colored glass; and (3) some bead colorants are soluble in common solvents including acetone, ethanol, and water. The latter form of color loss is particularly concerning, as water and ethanol (mixed or in isolation) are the two solvents that are currently recommended and most commonly used by conservators for cleaning glass beads. Clearly, further investigation is warranted.

This poster aims to amplify and corroborate the insights of beaders, among whom the notion of bead color loss is already relatively common knowledge; to highlight the criticality of collaboration between conservators and allied professionals, artists, and culture bearers; and to invite members of this field to be in touch and share in the larger ongoing ASM efforts to develop improved guidelines for the stewardship of beadwork.

Museums serve as essential institutions for preserving and displaying human history and civilization, with strict control of temperature and humidity traditionally seen as a cornerstone of collection care. However, as global discussions around climate change and energy conservation intensify, museums are increasingly recognizing their responsibility to contribute to environmental sustainability while continuing to safeguard their valuable collections. CHIMEI Museum, situated in the subtropical climate of Taiwan, has long adhered to a 24-hour air conditioning system to maintain optimal environmental conditions for its collections, resulting in substantial energy consumption. The air conditioning system alone accounts for 40% to 60% of the museum's overall energy use.

    Responding to the mounting pressure to reduce energy costs and carbon footprints, CHIMEI Museum has embarked on a significant journey to optimize its energy usage without compromising its collections. This endeavor, which began in 2014 when the museum relocated to its current site, is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the museum's collections manager, conservator, and air conditioning engineer. Together, they initiated a series of energy-saving measures, including raising the temperature set point from 22±2°C to 23±1°C in 2015 and further to 23±2°C in 2018. This gradual shift marked the first step toward balancing energy efficiency with conservation needs.

    In 2021, CHIMEI Museum took its energy-saving efforts to the next level with an innovative strategy. The museum adopted an intermittent operation mode during non-operational hours (19:00–07:00), where fourteen air handling units were successively set to operate at reduced frequencies (from 43Hz to 30Hz) and follow a cycle of 45 minutes off, followed by two hours on. By 2023, this forward-thinking approach resulted in approximately 3.5% energy savings in one year. Throughout these adjustments, conservators closely monitored critical works of art, ensuring that no adverse effects on the artworks were observed.

    Monthly meetings between the museum's collections manager, conservator, and air conditioning engineer have been essential in fine-tuning the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System. During these meetings, temperature and humidity data from the galleries were meticulously reviewed, and adjustments were made to ensure that environmental conditions remained within acceptable parameters for the collection's preservation. 

Throughout this period, conservator continuously monitored a 12th-century Catalonian wall painting near the exhibition entrance and a 1924 oil painting on canvas by Moïse Kisling in a distant gallery to ensure no harmful changes occurred, the original cracks have not significantly expanded. Given the success of these initiatives, CHIMEI Museum plans to expand these energy-saving practices to other galleries in the near future. This initiative represents a sustainable model for museums worldwide, balancing the dual priorities of environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation.

In 2023, the Barbara Goldsmith Conservation & Preservation Department at New York University Libraries acquired the Crime-lite® AUTO (Crime-lite) and Crime-lite® 42S (42S) to fill a need for efficient and repeatable non-visible light image capture by non-imaging specialists. The Crime-Lite and 42S were developed by Foster + Freeman Ltd. for crime scene investigation.

In this study, we explored the Crime-lite’s capability to create multi-band images (MBI) typically used in the cultural heritage field This exploration allowed us to determine optimal filter and illumination source combinations corresponding to those used with a modified DSLR to create a seven-image MBI set using the Crime-lite: Visible Light (VIS), Ultraviolet-Induced Visible Fluorescence (UVA), Reflected Ultraviolet (RUVA), Reflected Infrared(RIR), Visible-Induced Luminescence (VIL), False Color UV (FCUV), and False Color IR (FCIR).

When operated with internal and external illumination sources we found the Crime-lite produced comparable MBI sets to the modified DSLR. Additionally, we easily captured visible-induced infrared luminescence (VIL) images to detect Egyptian blue using the internal illumination and filters of the Crime-lite; an imaging type we could not capture with the modified DSLR and illumination sources we had available for the study. The largest difference we observed between MBI sets captured by the Crime-Lite and modified DSLR was when we compared images across cameras, however, both cameras produced usable reference images. Images captured with the Crime-lite have associated metadata recording illumination, filter, and camera settings which is a benefit to the user when documenting their imaging parameters.

Key advantages of the Crime-lite are its efficiency, portability, ease of use, high image quality, and repeatable parameters for image capture. The user-friendly interface and the integrated controls for both illumination and filter changes allow for the capture of common MBIs used in the cultural heritage field with minimal training for the user. This makes the Crime-lite a pragmatic alternative to the typical modified DSLR MBI capture workflow and a welcome addition to our documentation tools.

Frederick Carder (1863-1963) was a noted glass designer who cofounded Steuben Glass Works in Corning, New York, with Thomas G. Hawkes in 1903. In this period Carder also developed a golden, iridescent glass he named Aurene, inspired by the appearance of weathered Ancient Roman glass where the glass surface was modified over hundreds of years due to water exposure in a burial environment. This paper will discuss the complex historic manufacturing process of Aurene and the preliminary findings of a study to investigate the surface and body of the glass. 

Prior to cofounding Steuben, Carder previously worked with John Northbridge and as a designer at Stevens & Williams, where he helped reintroduce colored glass to the firm. It is likely that Carder began to explore concepts related to the glass that he would later name Aurene during his time at Stevens & Williams. Carder developed a method for creating an iridescent effect in a leaded soda lime silicate glass and submitted a patent for the gold iridescent glass Aurene on September 6, 1904. In 1905 Carder, through Steuben, debuted a line of blue Aurene decorative glass objects. Although other glass designers were creating iridescent glass at the same time, Frederick Carder’s process had only minimal overlap with the processes used by these other designers. 

The process for creating an Aurene object is complex and contains several steps. Frederick Carder was known to be significantly secretive about his glass compositions and processing, but he also made significant notes and recorded observations in his personal notebooks. Carder’s Aurene glass for production was a soda lime silicate glass with added oxides of silver and nickel. This base glass was melted, and the object was then blown under reducing conditions, creating an exterior layer of reduced metal oxides. Next, the object was sprayed with tin chloride and heated in an oxidizing flame to produce the iridescent effect. All of these steps were done fully by hand, so the evenness of the metal oxide layer, the deposition of the tin salts, and the evenness of the exposure to the oxidizing flame were all the product of the skill of the glassblower creating the object.  

This complex, multistep process creates a glass that has compositional differences across the bulk and surface. While Carder’s Aurene glass has been written about numerous times from an art historical perspective, scientific investigations of the glasses are difficult to find. Samples of gold Aurene glass were investigated though spectroscopic techniques, including x-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Through these studies the authors were able to begin to form a picture of the structure and composition of the Aurene glass, with a strong focus on the differences between surface and body. Finally, future work will be discussed, including recreating some of Carder’s Aurene compositions and techniques with a particular focus on furnace conditions.

Pursuing environmental sustainability has been a continuous consensus in the museum sector since the 21st century. In line with this, our museum has sought to apply bio-based materials developed by academia in conservation work. In this case, the collaborating unit is the College of Agriculture at National Chiayi University in Taiwan, which has utilized the TEMPO method to produce cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from pineapple leaves and bamboo stems. These plants, commonly used in East Asian papermaking, offer high compatibility with paper and are characterized by their rapid growth, wide distribution, and low cost in Taiwan's subtropical climate. If developed under conditions that prevent raw material depletion and reduce the carbon footprint, they could have significant potential for growth. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these CNFs in reinforcing paper structures during university students' internships at the museum and assesses their stability for conservation purposes.

To standardize the testing process, this study used an airbrush to evenly apply a 1% CNF solution onto filter paper and deteriorated paper, followed by a two-phase testing procedure. The first phase involved testing different numbers of spray applications (1-3 times) to assess the impact of the number of applications on paper properties. In the second phase, the most effective number of spray applications from the first phase (3 times) was used to compare the reinforcement effects of the in-house CNFs with a commercially available product, evaluating their competitiveness and potential for substitution. The completed spray samples underwent analysis of physical, chemical, optical, and structural properties, including color difference, whiteness, glossiness, pH, folding endurance, tensile strength, basis weight, contact angle, FTIR, and SEM. Additionally, the durability of the in-house CNFs was evaluated after aging.

The current test results indicate that the in-house CNFs effectively penetrate the paper structure and strengthen its physical properties. The optical properties show minimal changes in paper color, which aligns with the needs of paper conservation. However, compared to a commercially available, well-developed CNF product, there is still room for improvement. A 1% concentration of in-house CNFs achieves effects similar to those of a commercially available product with just a 0.06% concentration due to differences in refinement and manufacturing methods.

Throughout the research process, we observed the feasibility of academia-industry-government collaboration. With industry cooperation, the university could obtain agricultural waste (pineapple leaves) and bamboo from local farmers near the campus at no cost. In the educational process, students from the College of Agriculture were able to engage directly with the plants through harvesting, gaining a closer understanding of plant characteristics and exploring applications for CNF development in their coursework. The museum's involvement has created practical demand, allowing the teaching materials and products from the course to be put into practice and refined. Looking forward, we hope that further testing and improvement by both the university and the museum—key aspects of our research—will enable these potentially valuable waste resources to be effectively reused under environmentally friendly conditions to develop higher-value applications while encouraging future collaboration and development in the field.

This joint talk will present findings from a collection of 28 fragmentary funerary shrouds and two cartonnage pieces from Thebes, Egypt. These artifacts, known as the Soter shrouds, date to the 2nd century A.D. and represent a significant example of Roman Egyptian funerary practices. This study employed modified smartphone multispectral imaging techniques to explore the pigment compositions and artistic techniques utilized in these textiles, revealing previously unseen details and offering a deeper understanding of their production and cultural context.

Multispectral Imaging (MSI) is a powerful analytical tool used in cultural heritage conservation, although traditional setups are often prohibitively expensive and inaccessible to smaller institutions and conservators. To address this issue, Sean Billups developed a modified smartphone MSI system, which provides a cost-effective, portable alternative. This cutting-edge technology retains the capabilities of traditional MSI techniques while making advanced imaging more accessible.

At the heart of this research lies a collaboration between two MSc students at Cardiff University: Rachel Coderre and Sean Billups. Due to the lack of traditional MSI equipment available to them, Billups' unique modified smartphone system was adapted and expanded upon, enabling Coderre to apply these techniques to the Soter shrouds. This collaborative approach bridged expertise in imaging technology and conservation research while pushing the boundaries of MSI imaging.

The imaging results provided new information regarding the materials and manufacture of the Soter shrouds. The presence of organic pigments like madder lake was confirmed, and the distribution of Egyptian blue, a pigment known for its distinctive luminescence, was mapped. Partial luminescence revealed evidence suggesting potential over painting and pigment mixing, a technique previously identified in Roman Egyptian art. These findings point to the scope of pigment mixtures and suggest a diagnostic framework that could link Soter-related artifacts across museum collections worldwide. 

The range of imaging methods revealed subtle similarities in patterning and pigment application across various shroud fragments, suggesting a potential connection in production methods and the possible involvement of multiple workshops. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the artistic practices and potential trade networks associated with Roman Egyptian funerary textiles.

Our project highlights the potential for innovative and accessible technologies to drive advancements in cultural heritage research. By expanding the use of MSI into under-explored areas, we aim to make previously inaccessible analytical tools more widely available. This breakthrough presents an attractive option for institutions and private practices seeking to maximize impact with limited resources. Beyond advancing our understanding of Roman Egyptian funerary textiles, this work paves the way for future research, utilizing affordable, innovative techniques that push the boundaries of traditional research methods.

La Brea Tar Pits in California is the world’s richest Late Pleistocene (55 kya - 10 kya) fossil locality and an International Geoheritage Site. Renowned for its abundance of specimens and excellent preservation resulting from asphaltic taphonomic conditions, the Rancho La Brea (RLB) collection has a substantial representation of biological material. Only 14 fossiliferous asphaltic deposits are known globally, making preparation of such paleontological specimens highly specialized. RLB’s Fossil Lab is the only facility in the world skilled in large-scale preparation and conservation of asphaltic fossils.

Asphaltic fossil preparation is a chemical technique, requiring degreasing solvents to remove matrix of hardened asphaltic sediment. Current preparation protocol at RLB uses manual application of small volumes of solvent, Novec 73DE, in targeted areas of adherent matrix, softening the asphalt and loosening sediment for gentle separation from specimens. Manual osteological specimen preparation is routine, but preparation of arthropod and botanical specimens requires further study.

Lacking archived preparation records at RLB, there is no available data regarding past methods for arthropods or botanical materials. In a preliminary trial, manual preparation of arthropods with Novec 73DE demanded a highly controlled application of solvent to prevent over-saturating matrix surrounding the specimen, and disassociation of articulated elements. The mechanical effort required to remove stubborn matrix could lead to damage.

The fragility of these materials and complications arising from solvent preparation suggested investigation of a contactless preparation method. While the use of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd-YAG) lasers is becoming increasingly common in conservation fields, its application for the removal of surface asphaltic matrix from fossil arthropods and botanical material is novel.

The pre-preparation condition of selected specimens (Quercus n=3; Juniperus n=1; arthropod n=4) was documented photographically with a Canon EOS 5, and CT scanning with a Bruker Skyscan 1273. Manual Novec 73DE preparation was performed to

Plaster, as a material, has been used for centuries in diverse practices, from casting multiples to creating sculptural forms. This project focuses on plaster prints—works that are singular in their uniquely carved and painted surfaces and multiple in their inextricable relationship to printing matrices. Historically, plaster prints were used to proof or create impressions without the need for a press. Atelier 17, an innovative printmaking studio that was active in Paris and New York in the mid-twentieth century, significantly expanded upon the plaster printing technique. Artists such as Stanley William Hayter, John Ferren, and Anne Ryan worked in this medium, carving and painting their prints after the initial impressions to produce unique works of art. Hayter, who was the founder of Atelier 17, and his contemporaries emphasized that they were not inventing new techniques but rather building on existing ones in a collaborative and experimental environment. Plaster prints have largely fallen into obscurity today, complicating their connoisseurship and preservation.  Using reconstruction as our primary method, our project aims to highlight the materials and techniques originally used in the creation of these prints, which can support our understanding of and care for the extant oeuvre of plaster prints created at and around Atelier 17.  Our work benefitted from collaboration with art historians, artists, and paper and objects conservators.  Bringing insights from these various fields of expertise, we hope to revive interest in this technique, making it accessible to a new generation of artists while underscoring the important contributions of the Atelier 17 printmakers.

Ongoing developments in bio-based materials can potentially provide innovative alternatives as the field of conservation seeks sustainable options. In 2023 the journal Nature published research by chemists at Purdue University who, inspired by biomimicry, developed biomass derived adhesives, notably a material they called soy-mal-tan after its subcomponents of epoxidized soybean oil, malic acid, and tannic acid. They reported high strengths comparable to epoxies and an estimated net negative carbon footprint. However those authors also presented some factors which could limit its applicability within conservation such as relatively high temperatures for curing (180° C) and an inherent dark amber color. Others have noted concern that the tannic acid component may be prone to oxidation and that specific applications would require testing.

In spite of the potential limitations this adhesive sounds promising for novel applications within metals conservation where such high temperature can often be acceptable to the substrates, the color may be inconsequential, and the tannic acid component already has found use (e.g. the treatment of iron surfaces). This poster will present the results from experimental reproduction of the adhesive, investigation of reversibility and aging characteristics, and the empirical testing of several applications to the conservation of metals.

As 3D printed artworks gain value in collections, the use of 3D techniques for contemporary art conservation remains limited. The variety of materials and techniques allows conservators to tailor their approach, yet outsourcing processes like photogrammetry and 3D printing often limits a conservator’s direct involvement. This raises questions: Is it practical enough to incorporate these techniques into institutional or private practices? How can 3D technologies address contemporary conservation challenges like plastic degradation? This research uses a contemporary art case study with broken plastic flowers to examine a hands-on approach with 3D techniques, highlighting the opportunities and challenges, and providing insights for beginners. The author, with little experience in 3D technologies, used photogrammetry and 3D modelling software to digitally reconstruct the flower. Then, 3D printed samples of 8 materials, including extruded plastics, powder bed plastics, and cured resins, were examined to determine the most suitable option for the treatment. Standard resin had the best result, with high-detail resin and vapour-polished nylon following. The extruded plastics were determined to be too smooth and lose too much detail after post-processing. It was concluded that photogrammetry and 3D modelling should be done in-house while 3D printing can be outsourced. References and a comprehensive visual workflow accompany the research, illustrating the entire process from photogrammetry scans to the final 3D-printed product.

The occurrence of resonance can make the activator of the resonance effect have a multiplier effect on the message to be conveyed to the publics. In Taiwan's textile conservation and research field, the International Embroidery Research and Center of Tainan University of Technology (IERC, TUT) has well known for preserving and repairing embroidery crafts and temple antiquities. The Embroidery Center found that the disappearance of embroidery skills and the decline of embroidery business in recent years have led to the difficulty of inheritance. Since 2017, IERC began to have the concept of "University has obligations to serve our society", and promoted the practice plan as called "Embroidery Skills Inheritance and Memory Extension". Until now, seven consecutive years served local communities and remote villages to promote embroidery aesthetic activities, and opened traditional embroidery craft talent cultivation courses. At the beginning of 2024, IERC cooperated with the National Science and Technology Museum to aim K4-K9 students to learn embroidery and tailoring skills, and scheduled to host a learning sharing and achievement presentation by the end of project.

IERC, TUT and Collections and Research Division, NSTM were established in 2002 and 2003 respectively, both of which offer exhibition hall visits. Therefore, building learning atmosphere from the two departments was considered as the main cooperation plan. The goal was expected to provide participants with an exciting and innovative experience through the tailoring and embroidery experience, and cultivate their interest in a career as an embroidery tailor. In addition, the participants heard the story of preserving traditional craft fabrics that their stereotyped impression of traditional embroidery skills were be changed. Apparently, creating a daily design with life aesthetics has become an unforgettable life experience. 

This paper examined the ripple effect as a qualitative research theory, and analyzed that organizational cooperation had a substantial effect on external links, thereby expanding the preservation value of traditional textile skills. The research finding explained that there were two main reasons for the ripple effect. Firstly, to provide students with an exciting and innovative experience. Secondly, initial stage of establishment was reached to form a unique service system for Taiwan's embroidery clothing cultural assets.

Exodus and Dance is an 80-foot concrete bas-relief sculptural frieze consisting of 16 individual panels designed and executed by artist Richmond Barthe in 1939.  The sculpture was originally designed for an amphitheater to be constructed in the Harlem River Houses, the first of two housing projects in New York City funded by the Federal government to provide quality housing for working-class African Americans.  Unfortunately, the amphitheater was never constructed, and the sculpture was not installed.  

Exodus and Dance was later installed in the Kingsborough Houses in Brooklyn in 1941. Barthe was disappointed and ultimately abandoned this piece, as it was created to inspire African Americans, and Kingsborough Houses were not specifically built for African Americans. Fortunately, the sculpture has become a meaningful site for residents and has gained importance as being a significant piece by Barthe, considered to be the most significant sculptor of African-American modernism in the first half of the 20th Century.

Mounted to a free-standing brick wall, the frieze and wall had fallen into a state of disrepair. In 2018, its deteriorated condition and safety concerns of the area drew the attention of local historians, art organizations, historical centers, and local politicians.

Understanding the importance of the piece, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) assembled a team of outside restoration architects and conservators with their in-house designers to design the restoration scope of work. Ronnette Riley Architects, with conservation firms Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc. (JBC) and EverGreene Architectural Arts (EverGreene), worked through both the design and construction phases of the project allowing the needed continuity to address the intricate technical aspects of the project.

Communication with and input from all stakeholders and interested parties was vital to the success of the project. Several community presentations were held which allowed the views of the local Kingsborough Housing community to be voiced. Stakeholders included Kingsborough Houses Resident Association President, development operations staff, NYCHA, Weeksville Heritage Center, Fulton Art Fair, The Mellon Foundation, and NYC Public Design Commission.

The treatments were carried out through a continued collaborative effort among the conservation teams, masons, and structural engineers. The unusual conservation challenges of this project will be discussed including the safe removal of the panels; stabilization without altering the physical properties and visual design; and integrating the artists’ manufacturing methods with the new support system, to not cause undue stress on the large, thin relief panels.

This presentation will highlight the multi-faceted collaboration of owners, caretakers, users, stakeholders, architects, contractors, and conservators to conserve and restore this culturally significant artwork. It will also focus on the innovative two-conservator approach employed during the conservation process where JBC lead the design efforts and EverGreene peer-reviewed and offered support as well as implemented the removal, treatment, and reinstallation procedures.

The project offers a unique, cooperative approach between city and community stakeholders and preservation professionals, allowing an opportunity for new stories to be told by the community, offering a renewed understanding of the artist, and emphasizing the impact of artworks in public spaces.

India’s rich history begins from the ancient civilisations to being the most diverse democracy in the world. Topographically, linguistically and culturally every region in India has its own uniqueness.  Considering the scale and variety of tangible and intangible art forms in the country, their preservation has to be a combined effort and not limited to only conservation professionals. While professions in the heritage sector are steadily gaining popularity, the need of hour is to spread awareness and develop an inclination towards conservation in everyone. The conservation team at The City Palace Museum, Udaipur is taking initiatives to realise these objectives which will be highlighted through a poster.

The team has been actively taking efforts to engage various groups of people through in house activities and outreach programmes. Museum attendants, security personnel and guides as equal stakeholders were involved in training programmes to take care of the collection, safeguard it in emergencies and help in better implementation of museum rules. School and college students have also been invited to understand how various heritage departments work together for smooth functioning of a cultural institution. This programme was designed in a way so as to add heritage professions such as conservation to their list of future career options. 

Outreach programmes are another realm of interest for the museum. It has been collaborating with other institutions in the country in order to popularize the Mewar collection beyond regional boundaries. Recently a major collection of maps and prints was conserved for an exhibition at another palace museum. As a part of this, the conservation team organized a talk and practical demonstration on conservation practices for a mixed audience of students, artists and heritage professionals. The intention was to understand their perspective and learn from their work experiences while imparting conservation suitable ways for protecting their personal possessions. 

The positive response gained through these initiatives motivates the team to continue investing in them. The team hopes that the changes being attempted at the micro level will have a domino effect and usher in a conservation mindset through the country.

A hanging scroll displaying a 1935 painting of a horse by the Chinese artist Xu Beihong was gifted to the Yale University Art Gallery in 1940. The painting is in what is likely its original mounting, set against a deep purple silk brocade. However, at some point the left lower turned horn roller knob became detached from the scroll and disassociated with the object. For its upcoming display at the Gallery, several replacement options were considered. Both knobs could be removed and new knobs acquired. This option was limited by the fact that the extant knob is adhered to the wooden dowel, making safe removal difficult. A new, similar knob could be acquired that matched as close as possible. A third option was pursued - to imitate the extant knob using 3D imaging and printing technology. Photogrammetry was chosen as the 3D imaging technique. The high gloss surface of the knob presented a challenge but using cross polarized light led to a successful scan. The empty dowel on the left side of the scroll was also 3D imaged in order to create a negative space in the final model and create a snug fit for the replacement knob. The two scans were refined and combined using open source 3D modeling software. The resulting model was 3D printed at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) Digitization lab. A Formlabs Form 2 stereolithography (SLA) printer, which uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin layer by layer into hard plastic, was used to print the model in black photopolymer resin. The print is sandable and paintable. The print was faux finished using acrylic paints and gloss medium. The knob was then pressure fit onto the scroll, resulting in a visually satisfying integration for display.

This project investigates the retreatablility of mild steel in a marine environment with a selection of conservation and proprietary adhesives after a corrosion inhibitor, Ship-2-Shore (S2S), has been applied. S2S is an oily, calcium sulfonate-based “dewatering fluid” that penetrates vulnerable areas and displaces moisture. Corroding steel will often delaminate and detach requiring consolidation methods that are compatible with this barrier-like corrosion inhibitor.

The locus of this exposed steel is a 60’ x 60’ portion of the Slurry Wall. This reinforced concrete architectural feature is an archaeological remnant of the original retaining wall responsible for holding back the Hudson River during excavation of the original World Trade Center site. It now remains preserved in situ as the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s largest artifact. In the aftermath of 9/11, steel cables (tiebacks) were installed to stabilize and temporarily anchor the wall into bedrock during the site recovery. Though the Slurry Wall no longer performs a structural function, the tiebacks and their steel caps remain visible on the surface, continuously exposed to brackish water infiltration that was a feature of the wall since its inception.

Displaying a former structural element in a dynamic environment brings some conservation challenges. Reinforced concrete has an expected use life, and water ingress    poses a continuing risk to the tiebacks. A five-year investigation of the structural integrity of the wall and conservation triage identified the corrosion and delamination of the tiebacks as a significant concern. After research into a variety of corrosion inhibitors that would function in this unique environment, half of the exposed tiebacks were treated with S2S. Although appearing to have mitigated the corrosion, S2S does not secure delaminating fragments. The proposed plan is to re-adhere lifting pieces before they detach. However, whether the S2S will interfere with curing and adhesive properties needs to be determined before implementation of any treatment plan. When one emergency is over, how do you plan for the next? Small-scale testing may help form the answer   for ongoing care.

A DeFelsko PosiTest® AT Pull-off Adhesion Tester was used to quantify and compare the efficacy of 12 adhesives applied to both S2S-coated and uncoated steel plates in humid and ambient environmental conditions in laboratory setup. Graphs of the tensile strength data and detail images of the failed test joins reveal a marked and surprising difference in the performance of the various adhesives. Alkyd-compatible acrylic resins (Paraloid B-67, Plexigum PQ-611) in nonpolar solvents adhered best to the oily S2S surface without displacing the coating and allowing the formation of rust. A narrowed field of adhesives will determine the effects of additional parameters on relative tensile bond strength: adhesive concentrations, solvents selection, pre-corroded surface topographies, and cure time of the coating before adhesive application.

These tests inform an ideal treatment protocol for corroded steel that is consistently exposed to moisture and wet-dry cycles by balancing corrosion protection with surface integrity.   Simulating maintenance treatments expected in future years builds a better understanding of how the metal, coating, and adhesive interact and prepares for next necessary interventions.

This session delves into the interdisciplinary process involved in preserving edible art, with a focus on a chocolate sculpture that faced an infestation issue. It provides a detailed case study that illustrates the challenges encountered when dealing with organic materials, especially those that are not only valued for their artistic merit but are also perishable due to their composition. The preservation of such materials demands innovative and careful approaches, balancing the need to retain their aesthetic and cultural value while addressing their vulnerability to pests and environmental factors.

The poster has an overview of the project’s scope, goals, and key objectives. Participants are introduced to the chocolate sculpture, its significance, and the nature of the infestation that posed a serious threat to its integrity. This background sets the stage for the more technical and scientific discussions that follow, making it accessible even to those who may not have extensive experience in conservation science. A key part of the introduction is the emphasis on the interdisciplinary collaboration required to address the issue, involving experts from conservation science, art restoration, food safety, and engineering.

Following the introduction, the scientific principles behind anoxia disinfestation, a method used to treat the infestation, are presented in detail. Anoxia disinfestation is a non-chemical process that eliminates pests by depriving them of oxygen, making it an ideal solution for treating organic materials like chocolate. The session explains the underlying biological principles that make this method effective, and presents data on its application in similar contexts involving organic art. The scientific rationale is further supported by evidence from past successful treatments of organic sculptures, ensuring that the audience gains a clear understanding of the method’s validity.

The technical setup and implementation of the anoxia disinfestation process are also explored. This part of the session provides an in-depth look at the equipment and technology required to create an oxygen-free environment around the sculpture, detailing the steps taken to carefully enclose the artwork without causing damage. It discusses the specific challenges faced during the process, such as maintaining a consistent environment, managing temperature and humidity, and ensuring that the treatment is thorough without compromising the integrity of the chocolate. Practical solutions to these challenges are offered, giving participants a realistic view of the logistical hurdles involved in such treatments.

One of the most critical sections of the session focuses on the ethical considerations involved in preserving edible art. While conservation ethics are well established in traditional art forms, preserving objects intended for consumption raises unique questions. Should edible art be preserved indefinitely, or does its nature as food imply a more temporary existence? These considerations are explored in the context of the chocolate sculpture, and participants are encouraged to engage with these questions in a broader discussion of conservation ethics. Additionally, the session explores the potential future applications of these techniques, looking at how anoxia disinfestation could be used in similar contexts for other organic art forms.

This poster looks at silicone rubber as a tool for silver polishing and tarnish removal. Silicone rubbers mixed with calcium carbonate as ‘polishing erasers’ have possible applications on artworks with mixed media components or fragile sections that pose challenges to traditional polishing methods. Three types of silicone rubber were sourced from Smooth-On to test efficacy and control on tarnished silver surfaces. The three rubbers under review are Sorta-Clear 12, Mold Star 30, and Equinox 40. All three silicone rubbers are platinum-cure and can be easily mixed by volume with a 1A:1B ratio. Each rubber was chosen for its specific Shore A hardness (ASTM D-2240). Sorta-Clear 12 is 12A, Mold Star 30 is 30A, and Equinox 40 is 40A, with the higher number denoting a harder rubber. Each rubber was cast into bricks with different amounts of lab-grade calcium carbonate mixed into the rubber during its pot life. A variety of cast and cut shapes of the cured rubbers, application lubricants, and clearing solutions were tested. This poster will review the process of mixing the rubbers, the addition of calcium carbonate, and the evaluation of each mixture’s ability to safely remove tarnish. Implementations of this tool will be discussed, as well as possible advantages and disadvantages.

The National Park Service graphic stories are a series of one-page “graphic-novel” style educational guides on proper landscape care and maintenance around historically sensitive areas. The guides are used to teach seasonal and temporary workers at parks across the nation who are just learning about these principles for the first time. While other mediums can incorporate visual tools, the graphic stories are an all-encompassing package deal by incorporating illustration and narrative concurrently. As a result, workers can seamlessly learn about and visualize tools and safety precautions they need to apply in the field. The side by side relationship between text and visual within each individual “comic panel” delivers an efficient and comprehensive understanding of skills in one go that can not be replicated in other mediums. This tool is a fresh, new way to look at education and has made training more digestible and engaging. While simple visual guides have been utilized by the field, educating others on technical skills through mediums such as comics and graphic novels is very new. These stories are an effective tool to educate the new generation of conservators, preservationists and technicians by interweaving narrative and the visual.

The project is a result of collaboration between two National Park Service entities and a freelance historian and illustrator (me). The Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training conceptualized the stories and authored the narratives. I worked closely with these teams to illustrate and lay out the stories in a clear and dynamic manner. I was brought on as the illustrator due to my dual practitioner knowledge, being both an illustrator and historic preservation professional. Illustrated digitally, each story incorporates a cohesive color palette and brush stroke style for uniformity within the series. Exploring topics such as “Pruning Trees”, “Tool Maintenance”, "Mowing” and “Hazardous Tree Response,” I conducted copious research and reference material collection to ensure all the subjects I was illustrating were as accurate as possible as the guides are technical, first and foremost.

The initial phase of the project resulted in ten stories surrounding landscape care and maintenance around historically sensitive areas. More stories are in the works to continue this topic in addition to historic masonry and cemetery care and maintenance. As the National Park Service’s training programs utilize the stories on the ground and in the field, it is a prime example of how we can use comics/graphic mediums to educate when the subject matter is so inherently visual.

This investigation was spurred by the discovery of hazy films on the surface of paintings within the collection of an anonymous collecting institution. The Midwest Art Conservation Center, a non-profit regional organization, was notified and asked to consult on potential causes and risks. First, assumptions were made connecting the appearance of this haze to the presence of wax within either or both the synthetic varnishes on the paintings’ surfaces or in the lining adhesives. Further communication with collections care staff revealed the additional presence of a similar film on acrylic vitrines in nearby locations to the paintings. Inquiries with the museum’s facility team indicated a history of usage of corrosion inhibiting additives to the HVAC system in the building. Specifically, amine-based additives like diethylaminoethanol (DEAE), were found in air testing at the institution and are commonly used within many facilities. Preliminary research cited usage and concerns within collection spaces as early as 1985.

This project will further research the historical and current usage of neutralizing amines within facility steam humidification systems. Additionally, analytical testing will be conducted on the accumulated film deposits to more accurately characterize their composition. Going forward, the broader aim for this project is to foster and initiate open discussion regarding airborne additives within collection spaces and collaboration with collections professionals at other institutions.

One of the foremost artists working in Rome of his time, Carlo Maratti (1625-1713) and his Late Baroque classicism typified the tastes of the nobility and papacy. To help feed the demands for his art, which included Grand Tourists, Maratti managed a vibrant workshop where he trained three generations of successful painters. Within this studio practice, Maratti oversaw the production of studio variations of his most well-received compositions – one of which is The Virgin Reading. This poster explores the alterations and technical discoveries found during the conservation treatment of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame’s The Virgin Reading by Carlo Maratti (studio), occasioned by the reinstallation of the collection in their new building. Using infrared imaging, x-radiography, and cross sectional analysis of paint samples conservators at the Midwest Art Conservation Center in Minneapolis revealed significant compositional changes made to the Raclin Murphy’s version, including the elimination of an entire figure. These discoveries may help to contextualize the painting within the many other variations of the composition and serve to illustrate the web of relationships among reproductions that emerge from an active workshop such as Maratti’s. The research and conservation treatment of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art’s The Blessed Virgin Reading demonstrates how art historians and conservators can collaboratively provide a more holistic understanding of the provenance and manufacture of artworks.

In the late 18th century, Elias Prunner painted on a small canvas made of webs harvested from the Puster Valley of the Alps in what is now Austria. Gemalde auf Spinnengewebe or “Painting on cobweb” developed into a type of local folk art of predominantly ecclesiastical imagery; made to hang in windows while light shone through them. Social awareness of this style of painting doesn’t appear to have gone beyond the geographical limits of the Tyrol region until the mid-19th century when local art dealers found they could be sold as souvenirs to foreign travelers and employed multiple artists. The style changed from ecclesiastical themes to vignettes of local traditions and portraits of famous people. Since these paintings were made only for a short amount of time and by a small grouping of artists from a particular region, there are very few examples of them remaining, some estimates suggest ~100 or less.

A highlight of these paintings is in their materiality: that of the insect webbing that makes up the canvas, but as we discovered, not that of an arachnid.

The canvases were stretched and placed into a thick paper surround and then 'safely' packaged in either cloth-bound or paper-cover portfolios typically depicting a spider on a web just in case you forgot about the uniqueness of the object. Their material nature is inherently delicate and with the impacts of time, mechanical stress, and fluctuations in temperature and humidity, those that do remain are susceptible to future damage. Very few conservators have studied the material nature of these paintings, let alone treated them, and due to their rarity and fragility, it is necessary to inform the conservation community of their existence to avoid their potential passive extinction.

Northwestern University Libraries houses 5 of these paintings in various conditions, two having been treated in the 1980s. With sparse literature on the material nature of these objects, cross-disciplinary and international collaboration were necessary. Initial observations of these objects were compared to those in Manuela Wiesend’s 2012 thesis, which she generously supplied. Additionally, they were examined using Foster+Freeman’s VSC80 for reflected and transmitted light imaging, as well as stereo-microscopy to determine the layers and components of the painting. To further explore the materiality of the cobweb, polarized light microscopy was used to examine the fiber morphology, take measurements, and compare to reference samples of other insect-sourced fibers from the slide collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. From the analyses, it was clear that the webbing from the canvas has features that are distinctly different from other insect-sourced fibers such as arachnid silk and the far more common silkworm silk from wild or cultivated species.

Visuals on the poster will showcase the characteristics and features of these unique ‘cobweb’ objects: motifs on the original housings, subject matter, macro appearance, and patterns of damage. Images captured from the various analyses including imaging and fiber microscopy, and a brief overview of treatment techniques drawn from paper conservation will also be highlighted.

Effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a crucial element of preventive conservation, safeguarding collections from damage caused or signaled by pests. However, raising awareness and prompting action within an institution can be challenging, especially among staff not directly involved in pest monitoring. This challenge is compounded by the complex, data-heavy nature of IPM programs, which often require specialized knowledge to analyze and interpret.

At the University of Arizona (UofA) Libraries Special Collections, a small preservation team of four oversees a building-wide IPM program to monitor pest populations and mitigate their risk to the collection. Following a recent update to our program, we saw an opportunity to implement creative communication methods to enhance staff engagement and familiarity with the program—one such method was our in-house 'Bug Bulletin'. So far, this approach has proven effective in increasing overall awareness and participation in the IPM program.

The 'Bug Bulletin' is a quarterly internal report designed to demystify IPM, inform staff about current pest activity, and equip them with knowledge to support pest-prevention efforts. Limited to four pages, it combines practical updates on pest occurrences with engaging content, including short pest profiles, fun facts about common pests, recognition of highly engaged staff, and best practice recommendations. Special attention was given to creating visually appealing layouts and using clear, non-technical language to ensure accessibility across all departments—whether administrative, facilities, or curatorial.

The bulletin's impact has been twofold: it elevated IPM as a shared institutional responsibility and enhanced staff members' ability to recognize early signs of pest infestations. By incorporating visuals and humor, the 'Bug Bulletin' has transformed how staff approach this otherwise unappealing subject matter, making it more engaging. Informal feedback from colleagues suggests that the bulletin has inspired closer observation and a greater adherence to pest-prevention practices.

Beyond increasing engagement, the success of the 'Bug Bulletin' has sparked discussions about adapting other internal communication strategies, encouraging a more interdisciplinary and integrated approach to preventive conservation. This project has highlighted the value of innovative, staff-wide communication strategies at the UofA Libraries Special Collections in strengthening preventive efforts and building institutional resilience against pests. In the end, IPM and other preservation strategies greatly benefit from institution-wide support, understanding, and engagement.

Since 2019, Glenstone Museum, in Potomac, Maryland, has been actively involved in Summer RISE, an annual summer program organized by Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Department of Partnerships. Summer RISE, which stands for “Reimagining an Innovative Student Experience,” offers rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to gain real work experience through placements with participating companies and institutions throughout the region. Over the course of four weeks in July, students work for 50 or more hours in their placement and are paid for their work at the conclusion of the program.

Glenstone’s Conservation Department has been a key supporter of this program since the beginning of Glenstone’s involvement. With help from Glenstone’s Community Engagement Department, which organizes the program on the internal institutional level, Conservation has taken at least one high school student each year. Conservation plans a variety of activities with the students in order to provide a well-rounded introduction to the field. This often includes an introductory presentation on the field of conservation, hands-on washing of outdoor sculpture, practice doing condition assessments, carrying out simple mock-treatments, and color-matching activities. Glenstone’s students, which are placed by RISE coordinators based on their stated interests, often have an interest in art but may not have heard of conservation before. By the end of July, students leave with a basic understanding of conservation and are better informed on museum careers in general as they begin to plan for college and life after high school. In one successful example, a former alumna of the program even reached out for guidance on pre-program conservation internships and education pathways after her interest in conservation was sparked at Glenstone.

Supporting the program has not come without occasional difficulties, however, and in the spirit of continuous improvement, certain aspects have been modified over the years. For example, as a small team of busy conservators, it has proven complicated to organize the oversight needed for multiple high school students throughout the summer. Conservation now collaborates with its fellow departments by sharing a slightly larger group of three or more students among the entire Collections Division. In doing so, we have been able to more evenly distribute the internal responsibilities. Although the students spend less time with Conservation, we are now able to take a larger group and broaden their experiences to include adjacent activities in Registration, Curatorial, Library, and Archives. Other challenges, such as varying degrees of student interest and scheduling conflicts are dealt with in stride and are an anticipated part of the program. In all, Summer RISE has proven to be a great success at Glenstone and has strengthened our relationship with community partners such as MCPS. Through this mode of outreach, we are able to share the field of conservation with eager students, spark interest where there may have been none before, and allow for them to experience first-hand the possibilities of working in the museum field.

In June 2024, several dozen 20th century Hopi objects made the unlikely journey from Wesleyan University, Connecticut to Moenkopi, Arizona for a week-long visit. It was unlikely because it was not an exhibit, loan, or repatriation request– rather, it was a “re-imagined” collections research visit, coordinated in collaboration with Patty Talahongva, a Hopi woman who had recently discovered that her great-great grandmother’s pottery was in Wesleyan’s collections. 

Talahongva’s request challenged Wesleyan to reconfigure the temporal and spatial conventions of museum collections access. Rather than requiring members of the community to come to the repository, the repository went to Hopi. Rather than work out the logistics for 2-3 years (as would be typical for a traveling exhibit), the planning and execution of this event took place in less than 12 months - one reason for the urgency was the age of the descendants of the artists, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s. For three days, Hopi community members, direct descendants of the objects’ creators, and members of the general public were able to engage directly and meaningfully with works of pottery, basketry, katsina dolls, and textiles. During our event grandparents were able to share this experience with their grandchildren and even some great grandchildren. While unorthodox from a museum perspective, Talahongva’s vision aligned with the Wesleyan Library’s desire to embody more inclusive models for access, to think more expansively about modes of “preservation,” and to consider the importance of contemporary cultural connections in care regimes. 

By centering contemporary Hopi families and Hopi lands in the request for collections access, the Tuma Angwu Owya (“Let’s Go Home for a Visit”) project lays the groundwork for more inclusive, responsive, and culturally informed models of stewardship and collections care. This presentation will provide context for the original collection, the factors motivating Talahongva’s initial request, and the triumphs and challenges of planning such an innovative and unconventional event, from the perspective of both community partners and collections staff. We will also discuss the ripple effects of the project on the repository and the Hopi community over a year later and thoughts on the viability of this model for other museums.

Abstract:  AIC 2025

Better Together: A Case Study Demonstrating the Benefits of Collaborative Curation

Universities encompass various communities. When members of these communities combine efforts, they can achieve extraordinary results.

This presentation offers a case study showing anticipated as well as unforeseen benefits made possible by collaborative curation. Focusing on the Libros/Arte exhibit held at the University of Albany Museum during the fall of 2023, it considers how the cooperative conceptualization, organization, selection, and the realization of the exhibit maximized opportunities for outreach programming as well as for overall exhibit attendance.

The above process, conducted over two and a half years, involved an interdisciplinary team of eight university members. Bi-weekly meetings provided opportunities for learning about other fields, sharing information, and developing new skills. These meetings also encouraged participants to hone professional communication skills, and ultimately fostered a sense of trust among group members.

Conservators bring knowledge and understanding of various fields—cultural history, materials science, studio art—to their work and to all professional interactions. They are uniquely positioned to approach challenges from varied vantage points to obtain a solution. Working with other university experts in many fields, their efforts can help produce extraordinary results in terms of outreach potential and museum exhibit attendance. While these undertakings also offer all participants rich opportunities for learning and growth, the value of including conservators in these collaborations is a highlight of this presentation.

This study relies on procedural records and museum attendance data to establish the significance of collaboration on museum exhibit and related-event attendance. It also considers reflections from exhibit curation collaborator interviews regarding the value of their experiences.

The investigation shows that the number of outreach events scheduled for this particular exhibition, as well as the overall attendance numbers for Libros/Arte , exceed those of university museum exhibits held over the past three years. In addition, all members of the curation team expressed appreciation for the experience of working together, with ‘opportunity for learning’ being the most frequently cited benefit. The library conservator, in particular, with a broad base of knowledge, found great benefit in this experience.

In conclusion, the decision by the University at Albany Art Museum to engage in the collaborative curation of the Libros/Arte exhibit resulted in the development of a microcosm of an ideal university community: a place for conversation, collaboration, and growth.

 

Ann C. Kearney                                                                                                                                           Coordinator of Preservation Services                                                                                                         University Libraries                                                                                                                                     University at Albany—SUNY                                                                                                           akearney@albany.edu

The Penn Museum’s Coxe Wing opened in 1926 to display and house the breadth of the museum’s ancient Egyptian collection. Nearly 100 years later, the Coxe Wing is undergoing the largest renovation project ever undertaken by the Museum. When the renovation is complete, the new Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries will span 14,000 square feet of gallery space and will feature thousands of artifacts spanning all of ancient Egyptian history. Beginning in 2018, the Museum partnered with a team of designers, architects, and engineers to plan and design updates to these galleries, followed by a phased deinstallation of the exhibitions from 2018 through 2023. The monumental stone architectural elements were subsequently moved to a dedicated offsite workspace at the Conservation Laboratory Annex, where work on these materials continues. Decisions about structural support are made through intensive collaboration between conservators, engineers, and mount-makers. Decisions about the aesthetics of surface treatments are the result of conversations between conservators, curators, and the exhibitions department as well as outside designers and fabricators. 

The Conservation Department is responsible for the evaluation and treatment of all objects selected for display, including the monumental architectural components of a New Kingdom pharaonic palace and painted stone blocks from an Old Kingdom funerary chapel. While the most critical work relates to the structural stabilization of the pieces, the aesthetic compensation is integral to the interpretation and overall visitor comprehension and experience. At this scale (e.g. 30-foot-high columns and 13-foot-tall doorways), the six feet – six inches rule becomes somewhat irrelevant.  

Many of the monumental pieces have large missing sections. Some of these monumental pieces were included in the original 1926 installation and many have a history of extensive restoration. Much of the restoration work from the 1920s requires painstaking and slow deconstruction to reverse. As part of the new design, conservation, and engineering process, decisions are being made for loss compensation that must be stable enough to last another 100 years, but the conservation team is also emphasizing the importance of building in the flexibility to allow for potential future modifications or changes to the aesthetic compensation. Inevitably, the solutions are a balance of curatorial wishes, conservation ethics, and engineering requirements.  

The conservation team has faced challenges in achieving consistency in the approach and appearance of large fills across a variety of monumental stone elements. This poster will present the approaches being taken and the rationale behind these decisions.

Custom-made acrylic book cradles can be expensive to produce, time-consuming to make or procure, and difficult to recycle. At the University of Hong Kong Libraries (HKUL), as we were developing a series of exhibitions of traditional Chinese thread-bound books, we wanted to find a material and method that would be affordable, reusable and easy to produce inhouse. The majority of Chinese rare books found in library collections today have textblocks made of paper with either a paper or textile cover that is stab bound along one edge, resulting in a rigid spine but a flexible and lightweight textblock. In researching material that would be able to support the drape of the textblock while holding the spine in place, we focused our attention on a combination of rolled foam and polyester sheets. Rolled pieces of Volara foam attached to a base became our preferred type of support. It can accommodate fascicles of different thicknesses and heights and can be displayed flat or at various angles. While this material accommodates a significant number of traditional books, some require a slightly different approach. To supplement the foam supports, we also fabricated a series of matboard supports that are similar to book supports created for Western codices, but with modifications that address the specific requirements of Chinese thread-bound books. These methods can be altered in a myriad of ways to safely and elegantly showcase these delicate books with a support system that can be reused both for exhibition display and as supports in a library reading room. At HKUL and the Weissman Preservation Center (Harvard Library) the fabrication of book supports for Chinese and other Asian books continues to evolve.

Velox Transparent Water Color Stamps, manufactured by Eastman Kodak Co. in Rochester, N.Y., were marketed primarily to professional and amateur photographers and artists for hand-coloring black-and-white photographs. First appearing around 1914, Velox packets contained 12 perforated dye sheets, each separated by paper cover pages that briefly described their intended use. The descriptions were often poetic, with phrases like "A soft, beautiful yellow for use in flower work, sky tints, etc." The 12 colors in a typical Velox packet included Light Yellow, Deep Yellow, Flesh Tint, Brilliant Red, Scarlet, Warm Brown, Foliage Green, Deep Green, Light Blue, Dark Blue, Violet, and Stone Gray. These dyes allowed photographers to hand-tint their images, enhancing aesthetic appeal and offering a more personalized, artistic touch. The practice became popular in an era when color photography was still experimental, and products like Velox provided a simple, accessible solution for adding color to black-and-white prints. This research sought to identify the chemical compositions of the dyes found in an undated Velox Transparent Watercolor Stamps brochure from the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) photographic study collection. Accurately identifying these dyes can guide conservation efforts, particularly in preserving photographs employing hand-coloring. Several techniques were used to analyze the dyes: Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), and Thin Layer Chromatography-SERS (TLC-SERS). Initially, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy provided preliminary spectra for each dye. While many of the dyes exhibited fluorescence under Raman, FTIR analysis yielded some promising results, helping to suggest which aniline dyes were present based on specific spectral peaks. SERS was applied using silver nanoparticles to overcome fluorescence and amplify the weaker Raman signals. This method offered higher sensitivity by quenching fluorescence, allowing vibrational modes to be more clearly detected. Because Raman, FTIR, and SERS are not separation techniques, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was used to isolate individual dye components and determine if any mixtures were present. TLC-SERS proved especially useful when, for example, the two yellow colors were analyzed. While both Light Yellow and Deep Yellow appeared to contain Acid Yellow 23 according to Raman and FTIR, TLC-SERS analysis revealed that Deep Yellow was a mixture of Acid Yellow 23 and Acid Orange 7. The results of this study have potential implications for art historical and conservation research. By identifying the specific dyes used in Velox products, conservators can better understand the materials involved in hand-colored photographs. This research allows for more informed decisions in preserving photographs containing similar aniline dyes.

The conservation and digitization assessment of The Huntington’s Mexican Primeros Libros collection revealed that 15 out of 54 early Novo-Hispanic publications bear marcas de fuego—epigraphic or figurative marks burned into the edges of books with a hot iron tool. These irreversible branding marks, believed to have originated in the mid-sixteenth century in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, were used to assert ownership and prevent theft. Marcas de fuego provide crucial insight into the provenance and ownership history of viceregal Novo-Hispanic collections, offering a glimpse into the fate of conventual and private libraries following their dissolution and nationalization in the nineteenth century.
The conservator collaborated with the Catálogo Colectivo de Marcas de Fuego (CCMF), a digital platform dedicated to cataloging fire-branded printed works, to reconstruct fragmented viceregal collections worldwide. Following CCMF guidelines, Verónica employed a Nikon D810 with normal and raking illumination to photograph the firebrands, processing the images in Adobe Lightroom. She captured title pages, provenance notes (such as friar names and convent locations), and measured the firebrands in millimeters to aid identification. Data was compared with the CCMF database, revealing the provenance of the books, including the city, religious order, institution, and, in some cases, original owners.
The survey found that the Franciscan Order once owned 10 out of the 15 fire-branded volumes. The most common placement of firebrands was on the head edge (7 books), with fewer marks on the tail (3 books) and both the head and tail (2 books). One book featured marks on all three edges, while only one book bore a firebrand on the title page. Of the 15 fire-branded books, 10 could be traced to specific cities and convents. Several marks were unidentifiable due to factors such as charred firebrands (2 books), an incomplete firebrand (1 book), and faint marks obscured by gilding or trimming (1 book). This last finding suggests that firebrands were sometimes partially removed during rebinding, edge gilding, or trimming in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, resulting in the physical loss of provenance information.
Research from The Huntington’s acquisition records, supported by curatorial consultations, confirmed that these volumes were acquired between 1911 and 1926, with existing binding alterations, indicating that they were rebound prior to acquisition. These findings demonstrate that firebrands are essential for understanding the migration of early Novo-Hispanic printed works into local and international collections. This project serves as a model for U.S. cultural heritage institutions to engage with initiatives like CCMF, emphasizing bilingual scholarship and the distinctive material characteristics of Latin American collections. The research underscores the importance of international partnerships and the role of conservators in the examination of global heritage, advocating for comprehensive studies and equitable preservation practices to reconstruct fragmented cultural histories.

In 2020 the Art Institute of Chicago’s Applied Arts of Europe and Arts of Asia departments jointly acquired a rare porcelain vase with two European figures on it, made in China in the second half of the 18th century, during the reign of emperor Qianlong. Originally thought to be intended for export to Europe, curatorial research found that it was produced for the Chinese imperial market, and that a matching mirrored version exists at the Museu Medeiros e Almeida in Portugal. The vase is constructed with a hole in the bottom, so it is not functional. When purchased, it had a variety of old deteriorating restorations as well as unfilled losses. Both figures’ hats were heavily restored, with the extent of original material below the lumpy restoration unclear. A face, hair, and fingers also had fills. Most notably, only one of the figures’ four original feet remained. Two other feet were noticeable, deteriorating replicas, and the fourth was missing completely.

When treatment was undertaken, interesting details of the past restoration techniques and original techniques of manufacture were revealed. The restoration materials included unusual red low fire ceramic fills attached using threaded rods, paper left behind to contain plaster during the past restoration, and a black resinous material that was confirmed by analysis to be shellac-based. Old misaligned joins were disassembled, which revealed manufacture details on the inside of the head of one figure that would never have been visible except during treatment. The hats were formed separately and applied to the heads – a bead of slip is visible at the join.

The fills on the face were discovered to have been covering firing flaws, which were left unfilled at the end of this treatment as they are original manufacture features. For the losses in the hats, fingers, hair, and single right foot, existing matching elements were used to base the fills on without significant inference. However, since each figure was on one knee, the left and right feet differed significantly in position, and there was no extant left foot on which to base the restorations of the two left feet. Photographs sent by the Museu Medeiros e Almeida of the matching vase in Portugal were referenced, but it was unclear if those feet were also restored. Measurements based on photos of one potentially original matching foot resulted in a foot length significantly longer than the one existing right foot on the Chicago vase. After discussing with the curators and making mockups of multiple foot sizes, the decision was made to base the foot on the single extant right foot on the vase. If it is confirmed eventually that the replica feet are shorter than the original left feet, this can be corrected. The vase is slated to go on view in a major reinstallation of the Art Institute’s Applied Arts of Europe galleries in 2025.

One of the unique aspects of the undergraduate Art Conservation Department at the University of Delaware is its tradition of teaching students to appreciate original manufacturing techniques through hands-on studio courses. While many of our existing courses emphasize drawing skills, I wanted to create a space where students could learn about the history of textiles through direct engagement with intricate techniques. Last spring, I developed a textile-making course that focuses deeply on the process of making. This became a collaborative endeavor, enriched by the diverse expertise of my undergraduate students.

Much of my knowledge in textile crafts is self-taught, starting when my grandmother taught me to knit at the age of ten. However, I quickly realized that creating this course would benefit greatly from the input of some of my students who had their own extensive backgrounds in textile arts. Anne Clark brought her years of experience as a professional weaver in New Mexico; Sabrina Hettinger had over a decade of costuming experience for theater; and Hailey Kremenek recently worked on an exhibition focused on the conservation of fashion designer Ann Lowe’s gowns at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. Though they were all registered for the class, I also invited them to collaborate as teaching assistants, allowing them to lead class sessions and share insights that only someone with their background could offer. Collaborating with students in this direct manner is rare, especially in the development of a course, and it created a unique opportunity for peer-to-peer learning within an undergraduate setting.

The course involves weekly projects on different techniques, from felting to weaving to embroidery, with interspersed work days. Their final project consisted of a textile portfolio and a historical recreation project made using the techniques learned in class or based on a students' interests. Hailey taught herself how to make bobbin lace, another student recreated Kermit the Frog in felt, someone embroidered a moon rabbit in silk, and Sabrina created a panel of jewel beetling embroidery with gold work.

Their involvement did not just impact the course's first iteration; it has shaped its future. As I prepared to teach the course again this fall, I sought their input once again on what worked and what could be improved. Their contributions and enthusiasm have been fundamental to the course's development and success.

This paper aims to explore the power of collaboration within academia, particularly how working closely with students can lead to a richer, more dynamic learning experience. By drawing on the expertise of these undergraduate collaborators, we created a course that goes beyond education, rooting itself in historical craft techniques and the lived experiences of those involved. This experience reinforces the theme of this conference: that the skills and stories each person brings are invaluable, and that our field is made stronger through collaboration and the inclusion of diverse voices.

In the field of conservation and collections care, effective storage solutions are crucial for preserving artifacts while ensuring ease of access and handling. This poster presents a prototype of a storage box designed and constructed with the goal of addressing key challenges in artifact preservation. The design creates a solution for museums that is potentially mass producible in-house, utilizing conservation-approved materials to ensure long-term protection. The boxes are designed to accommodate artifacts around the size of a softball and address as many of the “agents of deterioration” as possible. Key features include: 

A viewing window to minimize unnecessary handling. Standardized labeling to minimize potential custodial neglect.

Gasketed seal and provisions for silica gel to create a relative humidity buffering effect and keep dust and insects out. 

Coroplast material that can protect against water spills.

A tray that is held secure within the box structure that can be equipped with a custom Ethafoam nest to address physical forces.

This approach aims to balance practicality with rigorous collection care standards, offering a robust solution for museum storage needs.

Book cradles are an important tool for handling and interacting with books. Whether it be for display, reading, imaging, or restoration, a book cradle is at the center of the book’s safety and stability for various interactions. There have been many iterations of the book cradle, from bespoke to manufactured, however there is a need for book cradles that meet goals of efficiency and sustainability.

Book cradles are crafted and modified to fit the book they are currently serving, whether that is by stacking multiple foam wedges, a custom acrylic stand, or rearranging pillows in order to support the proper places on a book. There is a need in reading rooms to balance efficiency, cost, and space. For cultural heritage institutions aiming for sustainability, single-use cradles may not be helping to reach that goal. For institutions who have limited space, keeping various sized wedges, where some of them may spend more time in storage rather than being used, can be challenging. Additionally, there may be situations where multiple patrons require a particular size of book support, but there may be a limited number of them available. Born from interviews with archivists, librarians, curators, conservators, and related professionals, the design of an updated book cradle is proposed. Furthermore this project displays the fruit of collaboration among designers, conservators, archivists, and other museum professionals to create purpose-built solutions for cultural heritage.   

 The designer and author, Louis Drum, gathered common “pain points” from interviews, determining the challenges that many professionals faced with book cradles, some of which included inefficiency of swapping wedges, or not finding quite the right angle of support. Within these interviews spine support was also emphasized, and how some current options may not be  appropriately achieving it. 

With these challenges in mind, a concept was modeled for an adjustable cradle using Fusion360 that can be moved and changed without needing to remove the book from the cradle, and can eliminate the need for custom single-use cradles. 

Currently the materials proposed to make this cradle are the following: the internal structure of the cradle will be made of a sturdy acrylic; the surfaces will be covered with a thin layer of foam; and all of it will be wrapped in a conservation-grade fabric. 

For the functionality, the opening angle of the cradle is currently able to be adjusted from 60° to 120°, and the plates can extend to fully support books with a wingspan up to 27 inches. The middle of the cradle leaves room for different-sized spine inserts, or allows for the use of book pillows. The cradle can be folded in half and stored in a custom carrying case that can also store spine inserts, book snakes, and any other accessory necessary for handling books. 

There are currently more improvements to the model being worked on such as vertical angle adjustment and a wider angle allowance. With this in mind, the proposed cradle intends to enhance the experience interacting with a book while also being efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective.

In 2022, the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) received an unusual object for treatment from the special collections library at Middlebury College. The book was a 19th century partial Quranic manuscript bound in lacquered boards. While this type of binding is not uncommon, what made it remarkable was that the manuscript was written on a substrate of incredibly fragile sandalwood veneer.  Nearly every leaf was cracked or fully broken and the sewing was no longer intact. Historic repairs and added wove paper borders had caused additional damage as adhesive strain had pulled on the veneer over time. The leaves were sewn on textile tapes and the tightback leather spine did not allow for safe opening or handling.  On top of all of this, the media was extremely soluble. In bringing the book to NEDCC, the client’s hope was to allow for continued, though limited, use, maintaining as much of the original structure and function of the volume as possible.  

The first and most obvious challenge that we faced was how to repair the sandalwood leaves.  Given the solubility of the media and the cracks running directly through text, traditional mending with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste was not an option. Instead we decided to employ a fine fiber stitch technique, originally developed by conservators at the British Library to repair a copper-corroded Mercator Atlas. Though no copper-based pigments were present in our manuscript, the benefits of a low-moisture repair for our purposes were obvious.  

In this technique, Japanese paper is blended into pulp which is dried in thin strips.  Individual kozo fibers are then dipped in a very dry wheat starch paste and placed across the tear as a bridge, providing a strong and flexible mend. The result is a nearly invisible repair. Under magnification, these mends resemble stitching, which gives the technique its name. 

After the veneer repairs were complete, the second, equally formidable challenge was rebinding the manuscript.  Once the text block was resewn, it was determined that any adhesive applied to the spine would cause more stress and continued breakage.  With help from colleagues at other institutions, a non-adhesive spine lining and rebacking technique was developed that promoted gentle movement and prevented further breakages.  

Every step of this project required collaboration with colleagues in and outside of NEDCC.  There were failures, setbacks, and other frustrations that could not have been overcome without a host of conservators and scholars coming to my aid. In this presentation, I will discuss the new approaches in methodology that I developed as the treatment progressed, but I will also reflect on the collaborative efforts that lead to its successful outcomes.

Conservation display parameters are devised to minimize damage to cultural heritage  while simultaneously maximizing their viewability. The Field Museum performs microfade testing (MFT), sharing this information with collaborators to help them determine if an item is suitable for display. This poster presentation will review the Field Museum’s methodology and guidelines for best practices using MFT. It will highlight the outcomes of sharing test results with Native collaborators for various belongings currently on exhibit in the Field Museum’s Native Truths Hall. When working with Native American belongings and deciding on an appropriate length of time an item can safely be exposed to light, this analysis can become the basis for a collaborative discussion during outreach and communication. 




When MFT is done in consultation with Tribal Representatives, it creates a space for shared stewardship. MFT results can help demonstrate the long-term stability of an item or flag potential light sensitivity. Explanations on how conservation and collections care specialists normally limit damage to an item, i.e. either decreasing the intensity of light exposure or shortening the exposure time, creates transparency in the work so that Native collaborators can make determinations that they believe are best for their belongings.




The purpose of using MFT when consulting and collaborating with communities is in the interest of giving Tribes and Native individuals more decision-making over their belongings in museum collections and allows the conservator to practice ethical stewardship. MFT presents conservation with another aspect of decision-making that can be shared and lead to an open discourse on how best conservators can work with underserved communities to care for their cultural heritage. It is important that conservation broadens outreach and collaboration by truly allowing Indigenous peoples to have authority over their cultural belongings.

Gas discharge lamps or “neon” objects are a significant part of modern visual culture. Since the 1920s, stemming from signage and advertising, they initially populated urban landscapes to make their way into the art world shortly thereafter. Made by hand, neon units’ production requires highly skilled artisans, and their lifetime is typically limited to several decades, meaning their replacement is integral to the conservation of artworks containing them. Though this technology is present in art collections worldwide, literature regarding its conservation and care remains scarce.  

The color and brightness of neon shifts gradually over time. The exact rate of this aging depends on many factors, including the length and diameter of tubes, the kind of gas they contain, and whether the tubes are continuously or occasionally activated. This propensity to change over time, combined with the fact that neon units require color-matched replacement when they break or reach their end of life, makes color and brightness measurement a valuable tool for documentation. The noble gases used in neon lamps have full outer electron shells, which make them chemically inert and create a distinctive colored light when ionized by the high voltage that passes through them when activated. However, ionization of the gas takes a period of time to reach a consistent color and brightness; these two values initially shift to varying degrees when a neon unit is turned on. To reliably document these qualities, one first needs to know the point when that variance diminishes.  

The goal of this study is to better understand how long a neon unit should remain on to minimize variations in color and irradiance of the two most common gas combinations used in neon production: neon (Ne) and the argon with mercury (Ar-Hg). We look at the warmup times for four units with two gas and phosphor variations in commonly used tubes (10mm, lead free, colorless glass): an uncoated tube with Ne, an uncoated tube with Ar-Hg, a phosphor-coated tube with Ne, and a phosphor-coated tube with Ar-Hg. Clusters of measurements were taken at regular time intervals with the Gigahertz-Optik MSC15 Spectrometer. We compared trends in averages and standard deviations for irradiance and colorimetry values, as well as spectral power distributions to establish whether variance reliably decreases over time to a value that is below what is perceptible to the human eye, or the just noticeable difference (JND).

This poster summarizes our findings for these test units, as well as historic neon objects, and proposes recommendations for assessing the warmup time of neon artworks. The study is a continuation of a research project on the care of neon-based artworks undertaken at the Getty Conservation Institute, whose initial outcomes were presented during the 51st AIC annual meeting.

John James Audubon, a prolific naturalist and artist known for his seminal work The Birds of America, had only a few of his oil paintings survive to today. While 435 meticulously rendered hand-colored aquatints of Birds of America (1827–1838) are well known, his work in oil is considered quite rare.

Audubon’s Pacific Loons, an oil painting dating from ca. 1834, was acquired by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in 2007, along with the hand-colored aquatint. The aquatint features three birds, an adult male, a female, and a young bird in winter plumage, while the oil painting only depicts two birds. The location of the two loons in the painting mirrors that of the print. The discrepancy between the oil painting and the aquatint suggests there may be some additional information in the original oil painting. During a recent on-site collaboration, we used a recently developed RevealScan™-M multi-range infrared reflectance device (Middleton Spectral Vision, Middleton WI) to probe the painting.

The combination of the measured images shows three additional birds, both reminiscent of, yet clearly distinct from the bird that appears in the aquatint. The larger hidden bird has a very similar pose to the third loon in the print, yet it is located in a different spot and has an egg in its beak. The two smaller hidden birds are located roughly where the one in the aquatint is, but are much smaller, possibly even juveniles, as is the bird in the final rendition of the print. Even more interesting and possibly even more rare of a finding was a clear message underneath the painted reeds. After combining the near infrared (in the 1000-1700 nm range) and VNIR (400-1000 nm) bands, the contrast between the fine handwritten text and the visible outside oil painted layer was enhanced to make the words more legible. The note, presumably in Audubon’s handwriting, appears to be a note to the printmaker, possibly Robert Havell, indicating what additions to make to the printed rendition. The hidden birds and text tell a fascinating story about Audubon’s dynamic artistic process and collaboration with printmakers.

ABSTRACT: Abstract for the American Institute of Conservation of Historic Works Annual Meeting May 2025

Title: Dinosaurs Live On: The Story of a West Indian Microfilm Collection

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona stands as one of the oldest academic institutions in the English-Speaking Caribbean. Situated on 252 acres of land, the Mona Campus boasts a rich cultural and historical legacy and this manifests in the diverse resources held in the UWI Mona Library’s collection. 

The UWI Mona library was established in 1948 at Mona as a part of the new University College of the West Indies. The library was moved in 1952 to the current site it occupies and is a very integral part of the campus. There are four other libraries which are the Science and Engineering, Medical, Law and the Western Jamaica campus branch libraries. The UWI Mona library is the main library on the campus

The UWI Mona Library houses a diverse collection, featuring books, photographs, maps, pamphlets, journals and microforms. Within the over 6000 microfilm/microfiche collections at Mona, is the opportunity to explore unique facets in the history of growth and development of Jamaica and the Caribbean from the 17th century to the mid to late 20th century.

Microforms are typically a durable preservation format and able to last up to a century under optimum conditions. Unfortunately, the Mona Library’s collection has suffered from inadequate environmental conditions and is exasperated by limited financial resources. This has led to the onset of vinegar syndrome and mold exposure over the past decade.

In response, the library has undertaken collaborative initiatives with internal and external departments to preserve these valuable records. Efforts include partnering with the Estate Management Department to repair existing or acquire new air conditioning equipment and grant applications such as UNESCO's Memory of the World initiative to Safeguard Documentary Heritage at Risk. This grant aims to preserve and make accessible collections at risk due to diminishing or non-existent financing by providing equipment such as smart dehumidifiers and data loggers, which will help stabilize storage conditions. Additionally, the Library’s Preservation Department launched a campaign to create protective enclosures to slow the deterioration of these records. This paper seeks to highlight the invaluable heritage held within this historic collection and efforts underway to ensure its preservation and continued access.

Over 20 years since in-situ preservation was established as the first option for managing underwater cultural heritage (UCH) in the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection for the Underwater Cultural Heritage. The principal has found its success in the recent openings of artificial reefs, marine protected areas and archaeological parks across the world. Previous publications have provided comprehensive reviews of managing the UCH by large-scale projects through reburial, excavation or the establishment of the aforementioned designated spaces. However, the detailed description of conservation materials used in preventive or interventive treatment is often neglected in reviews, hindering the exchange of technical knowledge and the development of potential new UCH conservation materials. This research, for the first time, presents a holistic review and catalog of conservation materials involved in the treatment of underwater cultural heritage. Aligning with the authors’ expertise, a material science perspective is taken to carefully evaluate their applicability and effectiveness and enlighten further material development. First, exhaustive literature research is performed using Google Scholar and OpenAlex, considering the search engines' inclusivity. As a specialized field of study, literature regarding underwater cultural heritage is not necessarily published in SCI journals (for which Web of Science search engine is often used) but is more commonly seen in conference proceedings or organizational guidelines. Bibliometric data are analyzed to represent trends in conservation materials seen in preserving underwater cultural heritage and a breakdown of demographics in their development. Three types of substrates are focused on in the research: woods, metals and stones, which raise the most concerns during the interviews and represent a significant proportion of UCH. The conservation materials researched fall into three categories based on their function: protective coverings, consolidation agents and chemical degradation inhibitors, such as corrosion inhibitors. For each of these materials, their selection and application are documented and evaluated based on effectiveness, underwater applicability, environmental impact and cost/accessibility. Climate change is posing significant threats to our UCH, through, for example, a rising sea level, ocean acidification and extreme weather events. Contrarily, UCH preservation projects are often operating under a tight budget. This project presents a first attempt to resolve the dilemma by knowledge-sharing, expanding the practitioners’ toolbox with material science-proven options.

The photographic archive of Saad Zaghloul Pasha represents a vital component of Egypts cultural and historical heritage. This paper explores the collaborative methods employed in the preservation and documentation of this 19th-century albumen archive, housed at the Saad Zaghloul Museum in Cairo. The focus is on the integration of digitalization efforts, conservation techniques, and the joint efforts of conservators, digital technologists, and historians to address the challenges posed by the deterioration of these fragile photographic materials. The study underscores the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in ensuring the preservation of these important artifacts and their accessibility to future generations.

Conservation science and theory are not universally understood or known in the general public. However, reframing and explaining our profession to a general audience and to budding construction professionals is integral to the public’s buy-in to the value of conservation and historic preservation. Through a ten-week apprenticeship program at Green-Wood Cemetery, I teach students with little to no background in conservation or construction, an introduction to stone conservation and the basic principles of conservation theory as it pertains to preservation masonry projects.  

This program began at Green-Wood in 2018 as a program site of the Bridge to Craft Careers Program founded and supported by The World Monuments Fund in 2015. With their help I have created a curriculum that unpacks the conservation and preservation world and primes students to be advocates for historic fabric no matter what field they end up finding employment.

Through our work together the students and my restoration crew at Green-Wood fully restore a historic masonry mausoleum. We talk through and implement specific treatments on the monument such as project documentation, historic mortar removal, mortar matching and installation, masonry patching, and non-destructive cleaning.

This presentation will describe the steps I take to train new apprentices in stone conservation as well as highlight the mausoleum restorations we have successfully completed over the years. There will be an emphasis on community engagement and the types of recruitment methods I use to create excitement around the conservation field and how to speak to young adults about conservation and restoration within the context of today’s job market.

By opening up conservation careers to individuals not just with higher education backgrounds the whole field stands to become more open and inclusive about sharing the mission of preservation with new professionals that are just as passionate if not more about our shared heritage. Conservation is not just for those of us with access to graduate degrees- many hands make light work.

This study examines the provenance, iconography, stylistic characteristics, and scientific analysis of a group of Chinese mural fragments, focusing particularly on a mural housed at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Between 1951 and 1956, Ruxton Love Jr. donated 12 similar murals to 10 different museums across the United States. Although these murals lacked any documented background or provenance information at the time of donation, Love believed them to be from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

The research includes an analysis of the iconography and artistic style of all 12 murals, revealing shared characteristics that suggest the same group of artists created them. These murals depict Daoist deities such as Houtu Shengmu, celestial musicians, and other divine figures, consistent with the artistic and religious traditions of Ming Dynasty China. Stylistic elements, such as rounded, chubby-faced figures, further support the connection to Ming-era murals from Shanxi and Henan provinces. Additionally, the raised plaster ornamentation found on several of these murals is characteristic of temple murals from this period.

However, scientific analysis was only conducted on the Wadsworth Atheneum mural (1951.230), utilizing X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to examine its pigments. While traditional pigments like barium sulfate and carbon black were identified, the presence of modern pigments such as chrome yellow suggests that these murals were more likely created during the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) rather than the Ming Dynasty as initially believed. This finding challenges the initial assumptions regarding the murals' origins and suggests they were produced using traditional techniques but with more modern materials.

Microscopic examination of the murals' structural composition revealed the use of the Chinese secco fresco method, involving the application of pigments to a dry clay plaster reinforced with plant fibers. This method, distinct from the European wet fresco technique, underscores the unique material practices of Chinese mural artists.

In conclusion, while the murals in the Love Collection exhibit strong stylistic connections to Ming Dynasty works, the presence of modern pigments points to their creation during the late Qing Dynasty. This study demonstrates the importance of combining iconographic, stylistic, and scientific analyses in accurately determining the date and authenticity of cultural heritage objects.

By integrating these various approaches, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the Love Collection and its historical and cultural significance, offering new insights into the broader context of Chinese art. Future research will further explore these murals and related works to clarify their origins and influence.