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

After Treatment

During Treatment

Treatment Information

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Date: 5/8/07              Temporary ID: 07-19             

Conservator: Fletcher Durant

Identification of Artifact

Owner/Custodian:              Beauvoir: Jefferson Davis Home and Library

Address:                             2244 Beach Blvd.

                                           Biloxi, MS 39531

Curator/Contact:                 Richard Flowers

                                           228-388-7800

                                           curator@beauvoir.org

Title:                                   Hayes Family Coat of Arms [Howell Family Coat of Arms]

Creator:                              Varina Davis

Date of Production:            [1902]

Place of Production:           unknown

Approximate Dimensions: 17.7x14.1x1.2 cm (6.97” x 5.55” x .47”) (frame), 8.10x11.11 cm (3.19” x 4.375”) (Coat of arms)

Authorization

The undersigned requests and authorizes the Kilgarlin Center University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX, 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 the Kilgarlin Center 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 Objectives

To facilitate safe handling for long-term access and preservation.

Description

General

3.19” x 4.375”

The Howell Family Coat of Arms is drawn in graphite, ink, and water-colors on the front of a machine-made laid paper.  The item has been mounted on a paperboard that has been painted with bronze powder and placed in a float mat within a wooden frame. The paperboard is supported in the frame by a folded piece of soft card, which is held in the frame by four nails.  The back of the frame has been sealed with a piece of black construction paper.  A manuscript note describing the item has been adhered to the back of the construction paper and covered with a piece of Mylar.  Below the Mylar is a “TruGuard, UV Protection” sticker, presumably, describing the glass in the frame.

Media

Graphite:

The graphite is applied lightly to outline the design and heavily in the highlight areas.

Aqua Water-color:

The aqua is applied evenly to form foliage around the crest. 

Black ink/wash:

The black ink is used throughout the drawing for the line drawings.  There is no apparent burn through or other indications of iron gall.  When applied, the pigment in the ink tends to migrate to the edges of the applied area, leaving a brown or black wash in the center.

Black Gouache:

Black gouache has been used to accentuate thick areas of black.

Copper Paint:

Metallic copper paint has been applied thickly in areas of the crest and shield.  There are very light highlights found in the banner.  Metallic flecs are visible in the paint.

Red Water-color:

A lightly applied red watercolor has been used to color areas of the shield.

Red Paint:

A glossy red paint has been applied to highlight areas of red water-color and black lines.

Blue Water-color:

A navy blue water-color has been used to create foliage on the shield and to highlight black lines.

White Gouache:

Used for highlights in the shield.

Black Felt-tipped Pen Ink:

A black ink from a felt-tipped pen has been used to write a description of the item on a note adhered to the back of the frame.

Primary Support

The primary support is a single leaf of cream colored good quality, thin, machine-made, laid paper.  The paper appears to be good quality.  The paper has a slightly textured surface.

Secondary Support

The secondary support is a fair quality, .060” thick, brown cardboard.  The front of the board has been painted with a brass powder.

Frame

The stained wooden frame consists of four pieces of beveled wood, joined on the left edge with 2 brass nails.  The beveled edges are not perfectly aligned and there is a 1mm gap where the bottom and right pieces join.  The upper face has been carved with a row of cylindrical “beads” on either side of the center, 6-grooved barrel.

The interior line of beading has flecks of flaking cream-colored paint in the grooves between the beads.  The bar on the right side has3 small (2mm) areas of white paint, 5.5 cm from the top.  The outer face of the left bar has a black stain (1.3x0.2cm) 2cm from the top.  The outer face of the upper bar has a small layer of delaminating wood-grain, 1.6 cm from the left edge.  The right bar has a shiny, dark stain at the bottom edge of the bar.  The bottom bar has a small (0.5cm) dark ding on the right side.  There is 1 large and 3 small stains from stray drops of brass paint on the left edge of the bar.  There are also 3 small drops of cream-colored paint on the left side.  Overall, there is a grey-green coating of grime with two visible fingerprints.

The back of the frame is sealed with black construction paper, drummed onto the frame.  There are 2 plastic “feet” adhered to the bottom corners.  A 7x11 cm piece of paper with a manuscript note has been adhered to the center of the construction paper.  There is a stationers label attached to the top of the note that reads: “From Framing Department of Whitney Grimwood Booksellers & Stationers Colorado Springs.”  The note has been covered by a 10x14.2 cm piece of mylar that is adhered to the construction paper on all four sides with an unknown adhesive, possibly rubber cement.  There are two holes drilled through the mylar, constuction paper, and the frame on the left and right edges.  There is a silver paper sticker adhered to the bottom of the construction paper, overlapping the bottom of the mylar by 3mm, for “TruGuard UV Protection.”

A small, polypropylene, zip-loc type bag containing a small, 3.9x6.1 cm piece of mat board labeled “original mat for Coat of Arms 2006R-999-3099” was found within the frame, behind the secondary support.  The front of the mat board has yellowed lightly, and there are two, perpendicular stripes of residual adhesive with pieces of brown paper still stuck to the adhesive.  The back of the mat is lined with a cream-colored, heavy cloth.  The cloth has tidelines along the left edges, 1.2 cm from the edge.  The top and left edges of the board have been beveled

Condition

General

The coat of arms is in fair condition overall. 

Media

Graphite:

The graphite is in good condition.  There appears to be little or no particulate loss.

Aqua Water-color:

The aqua water-color is in good condition.  There appears to have been little or no light damage or color changes. 

Black ink/wash:

The black ink is in good condition.  The areas of heavier pigment appear unchanged.  However, the center of lines or other application has browned, with little evidence of remaining pigment.

Black Gouache:

Black gouache is in good condition, but is friable.

Copper Paint:

Metallic copper paint has crystallized.  The color has shifted to either an oxidized green of brown.  Some areas of light application appear to be suffering from acid burn.

Red Water-color:

The red water-color has faded to pink.

Red Paint:

The red paint has significantly cracked and crazed.  The surface is extremely friable and vulnerable.

Blue Water-color:

The blue water-color is in good condition with no evidence of fading or color-change.

White Gouache:

In areas of heavy application, the gouache is powdery and friable.  On the back of the coat of arms, the white gouache has bleached (or prevented the darkening of) the paper.

Black Felt-tipped Pen Ink:

The black ink has faded to brown.  The characters closest to the left and right edges have feathered and softened.

Primary Support

The primary support is in poor condition.  The paper has darkened overall to light brown except in areas of the white gouache and starch adhesive that have retained their original cream coloration.  The surface is soft and vulnerable. The paper is extremely brittle, with little flexibility of fiber strength.  There is no surface grime.

Secondary Support

The secondary support is in fair condition.  The board has retained its strength and is not delaminating.  However, the brass powder has tarnished to black along the bottom, left, and right edges. 

Frame

The frame is in good condition.  Small cracks have formed around the joining nails, and there are chips on the front and back at all four corners.

The gold-colored paint of the float-mat has oxidized to brown on the left, right, and bottom edges, and a cupric green in some spots.  The folded card has rust stains at the top and left edges from the nails used to secure the item in the frame.

The black construction paper is in good condition.  The paper note has browned significantly and there is a large tear across the upper right corner, as well as other minor losses along the top edge and bottom right corner.

Photodocumentation

Digital images were taken before treatment in ambient and raking light.  The photographs include both overall and detailed shots.

Testing

Protocol

Media was tested initially at inconspicuous locations for offset using two methods, one dry and one wet.

• Tested for particulate offset using a dry cotton swab with gentle abrasion.
• Tested for dye offset using chromatography paper moistened with distilled water pressed over the media for 1, 5, and 30 seconds.

Following the dismounting of the item from the backing board, the decision to wash the item was made, and additional testing of the media was undertaken.

• Under a microscope, small amounts of water were introduced to the media using a #00 sable brush.  The media was observed for any change or movement.

Results

Graphite:

No offset observed.

Aqua Water-color:

No offset observed. 

Black ink/wash:

No offset observed.

Black Gouache:

Minor particulate offset with gentle abrasion.  No offset during wet testing.

Copper Paint:

No offset observed

Red Water-color:

No offset observed.

Red Paint:

No offset under gentle abrasion.  Minor particulate offset after 5 seconds of wet testing.

Blue Water-color:

No offset observed.

White Gouache:

No offset observed.

Black Felt-tipped Pen Ink:

Not tested because this media was not exposed to treatment.

Treatment Proposal

Stage One:

• Separate primary and secondary supports
• Remove residual adhesive as possible
• Stain reduction as possible
• Mend as needed
• Lift manuscript note from frame backing
• Mend as needed

Stage Two:

• Hinge good-quality lining paper onto secondary support
• Hinge primary support onto secondary support/lining
• Return to frame
• Place manuscript note in Mylar sleeve
• Attach Mylar sleeve to new backing paper on frame

Or:

• Place items in Mylar sleeves
• House items, including piece of original mat, in folders for archival storage
• Construct box for original frame components

Treatment Notes

The initial attempt to separate the primary and secondary supports utilized a methyl-cellulose poultice on the adhesive in the upper right corner.  However, it was quickly removed due to concerns about tidelines.  The area was blotted dry with chromatography paper.  Once dry, it appeared that the area of the adhesive staining may have lightened and yellowed slightly, but no tidelines were visible.

During the mechanical lifting of the primary support, the extent of the brittleness of the paper became evident, when the left edge cracked upon release, and the area in the left corner that was adhered to the mat shattered and fell out.  The upper right corner area cracked, but maintained a tenuous attachment to the primary support.  This attachment later broke during dry cleaning.

The blotter washing was very successful.  The paper visibly lightened, and the blue ink brightened significantly.

Treatment Performed

1)  Mechanically lift black construction paper from back of frame.  Remove framing pegs, support board, secondary support, over-mat, and item from frame. (15 minutes)

2)  Locally humidify the primary support in the upper corners to soften the adhesive attachment to the secondary support, using Gore-tex packages for 45 minutes.  Then, mechanically lift the primary support, attempting to skin the secondary support and paint layer to prevent damage to the primary support.  (2 hours)

3)  Dry clean the back of the primary support under a microscope using tungsten needles to manually remove excess paint and adhesive.  (4 hours)

4)  Clean remaining adhesive under a microscope using cotton swabs and mild enzymatic solution. (3 hours)

5)  Dry clean backing board and frame with soot sponges.  (15 minutes)

6)  Humidify item in Gore-tex package in preparation for blotter washing (1 hour)

7)  Blotter wash item through non-woven polyester gossamer.  Place item on damp blotter and allow to wet-up.  Encourage even contact and wetting by applying gentle manual pressure through a layer of gossamer.  Once item has wet up completely, gently apply shaped pieces of chromatography paper to areas of discoloration to draw out stains.  After 5 minutes, transfer item and gossamer to fresh, damp blotter and repeat.  (10 minutes)

8)  Dry between blotters, without applying direct pressure to the surface of the item.  (15 minutes)

9)  Repeat steps 6, 7, and 8.  (1 hour and 25 minutes)

10) Blotter wash corner pieces between blotter and damp chromatography paper.  Dry between blotters and weight. (1 hour)

11) Re-adhere corner pieces into their original locations using dry paste.  (2 hours)

12) Insert small fill of macerated usui-usimino (Hiromi Paper HO-04) into loss in upper right corner with paste.  Dried between blotters.  Lightly sized fill with methyl-cellulose.  (1 hour)

13) Tone fill under microscope with Windsor-Newton Watercolors. (1.5 hours)

14) Mechanically lift curatorial note from frame backing paper. (1 hour)

15) Individually, line item and curatorial note with heat-set tissue made from Bookmakers heat-set adhesive and tengujo tissue.  Place between boards and blotters to reduce curl.  (1 hour)

15) Trim oversize lining tissue.  (1 hour)

16) T-hinge item onto new 4-ply museum mat board with heat-set tissue.  Cut new window mat of museum board.  (1 hour)

17) Cut new frame backing paper from 80 lb. text-weight Mohawk paper.  Float hinge curatorial note onto backing paper with heat-set tissue.  Place Mylar cover over note, and attach Mylar to backing paper with double sided tape.  (30 minutes)

18) Reassemble framing package: Frame, glass, window mat, primary and secondary support, and additional 4-ply mat board support.  Secured in frame with original framing pegs.  Attached backing paper to frame with double-sided tape. (15 minutes)

Total Treatment Time: 22 hours and 35 minutes