M.S.I.S Candidate, University of Texas-Austin, School of Information
C.A.S. Conservation Candidate, Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record
Before Treatment
After Treatment
During Treatment
Treatment Information
Click here to download MS Word Version
Date: April 11, 2006
Kilgarlin Center Temporary ID#: 05-014.227 - 05-014.276 (11 folios, 3 leaves)
Custodian: Center for American History,
Address: Sid Richardson Hall 2.101
1 University Station D1100
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712-0335
Curator: Brenda Gunn
Description: Galveston Customs House Ledger Book
Date of Production: 1837-1842
Place of Production: Galveston, Texas
Approximate Dimensions: 43 cm H x 27.3 cm W, 16-15/16 in. x 10-3/4 in. (folio)
Conservators: Amy Baker, Elizabeth Bittner, Brenna Campbell, Fletcher Durant, Anna Friedman, Tonia Grafakos, Lauren Telepak, Melissa Straw
Authorization
The undersigned requests and authorizes the Kilgarlin Center at the University of Texas-Austin, Austin, Texas, to undertake conservation treatment of the artifact described in the attached Condition Report according to the procedures outlined in the appended Treatment Proposal. In the event the Owner/Custodian authorizes Kilgarlin to proceed with the treatment recommended in the proposal such authorization shall be deemed to include acceptance by the depositor of the terms and conditions appearing in the original Authorization for Examination and Treatment.
Signature of Responsible Officer for Owner/Custodian:
Date: _______________________________________
Treatment Objective
The goal of this treatment is to remove newspaper clippings from the pages of the book so that the Customs House information is revealed. The clippings will be lined and saved. Only 11 folios and 3 leaves will be treated, as the book is an ongoing project.
Description
General
After use as a ledger book, the volume was then used as a scrapbook for newspaper clippings. The clippings are adhered to the recto and verso of each leaf, obscuring the ledger information.
Media
The media on the newspaper clippings are a variety of black printers inks. The clippings date from the 1830s to the 1870s, but specific dates are undeterminable. The ledger pages were printed using several colors: the top of the ledger is printed in black printers ink, and the body of the page has horizontal lines printed in gray and vertical lines in red. The ledger pages have been filled out in a variety of hands in iron gall ink.
Primary Support
The main paper is heavy weight, handmade wove, cream colored and uncoated. In previous treatments there was evidence of an eagle watermark and countermark. Determination of the grain direction, running head to tail, was made after attachments had been removed. The newspaper clippings are from a variety of different sources and therefore are of differing sizes, types of paper, and colors of paper, with differing discoloration. The clippings are adhered to the ledger page in a consistent manner, usually arranged in four columns of text, and tend to fit the size of the page almost completely.
Condition
Media
The black printers ink of the newspaper clippings is in good condition. There is little fading although some offset from oil in the ink is seen in places. The ledger manuscript written in iron gall ink is largely obscured, although it seems to be in good condition. There is some sinking through and some feathering of ink sporadically throughout the ledger.
Support
The volume has been disbound, and fragments of sewing and tapes are still physically attached to the gathering. Leaves of the textblock are intact, with little tearing and few losses. The leaves as well as the newspaper clippings are yellowed throughout, and are stiff and somewhat inflexible. There are numerous liquid and adhesive stains, many of which are adjacent to the newspaper attachments. Some mold damage is associated with this staining. There is an overall cockling, particularly along the foredge, probably a result of water damage. All sections have been previously paginated in graphite during the treatment process.
Housing
The Galveston log is housed in a folder stock four-flap enclosure with ties.
Photodocumentation
Digital images of front and back of ledger leaves before treatment, in ambient and raking light. Digital images of front and back of ledger leaves and lined newspaper clippings after treatment, in ambient and raking light.
Testing
No testing was done before treating the section due to extensive testing done previously by PCS in 1996. Results from prior testing are as follows:
- Paper was tested by lightly abrading the surface with a dry cotton swab. There was minimal fiber disruption of both the ledger book and the newspaper clippings. When the paper was tested with moist chromatography paper or brush, neither displayed a color change and there was only minimal new cockling of the ledger paper.
- The media of the ledger linings was tested with moist chromatography paper and water applied by brush. Neither the gray nor the red were immediately soluble. The iron gall ink was also insoluble using the same technique, as was the black newspaper printing ink.
- The adhesive is readily soluble in water.
Treatment Proposal
1) Collate ledger pages graphite.
2) Brush off any particles or dust using dry brush.
3) Wash leaves in de-ionized water bath.
4) Roll newsprint up and off both sides of ledger using polyester.
5) Line newspaper clippings with lens tissue using wheat starch lining paste.
6) Re-immerse ledger in de-ionized water and brush surface with soft brush to remove remaining adhesive.
7) Dry and flatten ledger page and newspaper clippings separately.
Treatment Performed
1) Collated ledger pages in graphite. (10 min.)
2) Brushed off any particles or dust using a dry brush. (30 min.)
3) Washed leaves and folio in calcified water baths, changing baths approximately every 20 minutes, and adding increasing amounts of warm water. (150 min.)
4) Lifted newsprint up and off both sides of ledger using Hollytex. (20 min.)
5) Cleaned residual adhesive from the back of clippings with moist cotton swabs. (10 min.)
5) Lined newspaper clippings with manila hemp lens tissue using wheat starch paste. (30 min.)
6) Re-immersed ledgers in de-ionized water, and brushed each surface with a soft brush to remove remaining adhesive. (10 min.)
7) Dried and flattened ledger pages and newspaper clippings separately. (15 min.)
8) Trimmed excess at edges of lined newspaper pages to approximately 1/8". (10 min.)
9) Numbered pages of lined clipping in graphite. (10 min.)
Length of Treatment
7 hours per conservator