El Piloto del Comercio, broadside, 1825

Before Treatment

Overall

Transmitted Light

Details

During Treatment

After Treatment

Overall

Details

TREATMENT PROPOSAL/AUTHORIZATION FOR TREATMENT

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 OBJECTIVE
To improve the chemical and physical stability of the manuscript in order to provide improved access and handling.

DESCRIPTION
General        
Overall Dimensions (unfolded):         8.5 in x 12 1/16 in (21.6 cm x 30.7 cm)

The broadside is letterpress printed with black ink on one side of a handmade, laid paper.

Media
Black Printing Ink
Two vertical columns of text have been letterpress printed onto the leaf.  The typeface is fairly large and a pronounced type impression is visible on both the recto.

Iron Gall Ink
A two line handwritten notation is visible on the recto side, located in lower right quadrant of the leaf. 

Primary Support
The primary support is a soft, moderately textured, medium weight, cream colored, laid, handmade paper.  The edges of the sheet are not completely straight and the pulp distribution is irregular.  A fairly large watermark appears in the center of the sheet.  The broadside was folded twice horizontally and once vertically.

General

Though the ink is still legible, the broadside’s primary support is in very poor condition.

Media
Black Printing Ink

The ink has retained its color but is flaking somewhat.  This flaking has caused the overall appearance of the text to seem less dark and dense than when it was first printed.  Despite the lighter appearance of the ink, it remains easily legible. 

 

Iron Gall Ink

The ink lines are thick, slightly faded and exhibit some haloing.

 

Primary Support
The paper has darkened and yellowed and there are very many stains across the broadside.  The leaf is lighter in color along the edges and in the lower left quadrant of the leaf.  There are lighter areas along the folds of the sheet.  There are many small losses and abraded areas throughout the broadside, particularly visible under transmitted light.  The tears are located along the edges of the sheet.  The most sever losses and tears are located at the bottom of the leaf. 

Housing

The broadside is housed in Mylar in a good quality folder.

PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Digital photographs were taken before and after treatment in ambient, raking, and transmitted light.  The photographs include overall shots, as well as detailed shots.

TESTING
Protocol
The inks were tested for their stability using three different tests:

• Particulate offset was tested using a dry cotton swab and gentle abrasion.  The test was done under a microscope so that the smallest amount of offset would be detected.
• Dye offset was tested by contacting a piece of chromatography paper, moistened with deionized water, with the medium for up to 10 seconds, and looking under a microscope for offset of the medium onto the chromatography paper.
• Solubility was tested by applying a very small droplet of deionized water to an inconspicuous area of the medium and allowing the water to sink into the paper.  The test was performed under magnification to detect the first sign of change.

Results

• Black Printing Ink
  • The ink displayed no particulate offset.  No dye offset was observed after contacting the chromatography paper with the ink for 10 seconds.  There was no visible change with the addition of a small water droplet.
• Iron Gall Ink
  • The ink displayed no particulate offset.  No dye offset was observed after contacting the chromatography paper with the ink for 10 seconds.  There was no visible change with the addition of a small water droplet.

TREATMENT PROPOSAL

• Dry-clean as possible. (10 min.)
• Wash as possible. (20 min.)
• Mend tears and fill losses as appropriate. (1 hr.)
• Return to original housing.

Total Treatment Time Proposed: 1.5 hours

TREATMENT PERFORMED

• Tested for media solubility. (20 min.)
• Dry cleaned with medium grain Mars Staedler eraser crumbs.  (15 min.)
• Washed in three successive baths of calcified deionized water.  (1 hour)
• Dried broadside between felts for 24 hours.
• Mended tears with Manila hemp lens tissue and Zin Shofu Japanese precipitated wheat starch paste mixed in a ratio of 1 part wheat starch to 4 parts deionized water. (1.5 hrs.)
• Rehoused in a lignin free folder.

Total Treatment Time: 3 hrs. 5 mins.