Treatment Report

Microsoft Word Version

Item: 06-65

Date: September 4, 2006

Conservators: Amy Baker, Elizabeth Bittner, Brenna Campbell, Fletcher Durant, Anna Friedman, Tonia Grafakos, Melissa Straw, Lauren Telepak  

Instructor: Karen Pavelka

Custodian: Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Curator: Stephanie Malmros

Description: Spanish colonial and Mexican Provincial records of Texas

Author: various 

Date of Production: 1797

Place of Production: Nacogdoches, Texas

Treatment Objective

To improve the legibility and chemical stability of the document.

Description

Overall dimensions

34 x 22.7 cm (13 5/16” x 8 1/8”)

Seventy-two leaves of iron gall ink manuscript, thirty-three of which are silked on the recto and verso.

Media: Iron gall ink was applied by numerous scribes in varying densities throughout the leaves.  The application of ink ranges from very thin and light to quite heavy.  Based on the varying appearance of the ink throughout the group of documents it is also possible that multiple batches or even multiple recipes of ink were used.

Primary Support:  Hand-made paper with visible laid and chain lines.  The primary supports vary from sheet to sheet but are typically thin to medium weight and cream colored.  The quality of the paper varies significantly, with some sheets showing highly uneven pulp distribution and numerous flaws such as thin areas and papermaker’s tears, while others (typically those bearing a watermark) are far superior.  There seem to be two basic groups of papers, with the higher quality, typically watermarked sheets being slightly shorter and wider than the lower-quality, unmarked sheets.

Condition

The documents are in fair to good condition. 

Media: The iron gall ink throughout the documents has turned from black to brown.  The color ranges from dark to light, depending on application and whether the sheet was silked.  The iron gall ink on the non-silked leaves is exhibiting mild to severe sinking, and in some places is causing losses.  The ink on the silked leaves has faded to a medium brown color, but does not show signs of sinking or burn-through.  While legibility on the unsilked sheets is generally better at present due to greater contrast, the future prospects may be better for the silked sheets, which are not exhibiting dropout or disfiguring sinking.

Graphite: There are catalogue notations as well as checkmarks throughout the leaves.  In general, there are a few graphite notations on each sheet.  Some graphite pre-dates the silking process as it is under the silk, while other notations are later and occur on top.

Blue Ink: Small (approximately 3 mm) drops of a blue ink are visible on three leaves. 

Primary Support:

Without exception, the lower-quality sheets have been silked, while the higher-quality ones have not.  The silked sheets have turned brittle and darkened in color to a light brown.  Some of the silked sheets display large cracks and tears, which have been somewhat haphazardly rejoined by the silking.  In some areas, small fragments of paper are trapped under the silk, obscuring text.  The silked sheets have a very flat, placemat-like quality.  The unsilked sheets have remained supple, although some sheets, particularly those with water damage, have lost most of their sizing.  In spite of slight soiling, most unsilked sheets have more or less retained their original cream color.  There is insect damage on many leaves, both silked and unsilked, which pre-dates the silking process.  Loss from insects occurs primarily in the margins.  Water damage is visible on several of the unsilked leaves.  Foxing is present on all leaves.   

Lining:  In cases where the document was silked, the silk was applied to both sides of the sheet with a starch paste.  In some places the silk is firmly attached to the surface, while in others it is gapping or stretching over cockled areas.  Some sheets appear not to have been allowed to relax completely after being pasted out, and have therefore wrinkled and buckled under the silk.  The silk itself is a medium brown color, and is very brittle and fragile.

Photodocumentation

Digital images before and after treatment, front and back.  Overview and detail for ambient and raking light. 

Testing

Testing was done with distilled water and ethanol, and effects were observed with the aid of a microscope.

Moistened chromatography paper was pressed against the graphite underneath the silk lining and no offset was visible after 60 seconds.  Drops of distilled water were applied with a small brush, and observed for any signs of bleeding or fading.  No such reactions were visible.  Drops of ethanol were then applied in the same way, with no visible change to the medium.

Moistened chromatography paper was pressed against the graphite over the silk and a slight particulate was visible after 1 second.  Drops of distilled water were applied with a small brush, and observed for any signs of bleeding or fading.  No such reactions were visible.  Drops of ethanol were then applied in the same way, with no visible change to the medium.

Moistened chromatography paper was pressed against the iron gall ink underneath the silk and no offset was visible after 60 seconds.  Examples of writing from several different sheets were tested, but it was assumed that, since the ink had already been moistened by the silking process, it was likely to be safe for washing. 

Moistened chromatography paper was pressed against suspected indigo ink underneath the silk and no offset was visible after 60 seconds.

Treatment Proposal

Estimated Treatment Time:  20 hours

Treatment Procedure

Treatment Time: 16 hours