At last a deffinitive method, safe and efficient for silver mirroring removal in historical photographs. This new treatment will change the way the issue of silver mirroring removal has been addressed in photographic collections. See it in this video and value the results. Continue reading
New Elimination Procedure for Silver Mirroring.
Silver mirroring is a type of deterioration that appears in most gelatin developing-out paper (DOP) historical photographs and black-and-white films. Its treatment involves so many problems that it has often been ruled out. In this article we present a new and simple elimination procedure, which is efficient and offers stable results in the long term.
The study of the causes of the formation of silver mirroring sheds light on aspects that had been little explained so far: the fact that this type of deterioration always appears on the surface of the image leads us to consider a mechanism of transport of electrical charges. Continue reading
There are all sorts of projects, and when Mr. Goya knocks at the door, the red carpet is ready to receive him at the studio: Please, come in!
The Disasters of War by Francisco Goya arrived at the studio in a fairly intact condition, with its 80 etchings, corresponding to the very first edition (in later editions two more etchings were added, making a total of 82). This first one was edited in 1863, more than forty years after Continue reading
Fellows of joys and sorrows, conservators, here is why I am so excited with the “Cleaning workshop: Paper bathing/stain removal”, given by Wolbers: The idea is to make every conservation treatment a kind of custom-made dress for each particular object with a minimal initial investment. He speaks about solvents, gels, surfactants, conductivity and pH.
Nor in my wildest dreams had I imagined such a close, easy and useful chemistry. Thanks a lot Richard, we owe it to you. Continue reading
A cathartic experience: There’s nothing more exciting for a conservator such as participating in a chemistry course. We go there with a certain respect (or maybe fear) and the will to be acquainted to a new miraculous reactant that will change our life.
The poor conservator will poorly be able to discuss one to one with a chemist, either about the reactions that happen during the restoration treatments or along the inherent ageing of the artefact; and yet we must call the chemist into question and keep this dialogue alive. But thanks to Richard Wolbers I made peace with chemistry and their scientists. Continue reading
The bike riders from Sants reached my studio squeaking, rather than cycling!
Tears, foxing, discolouration, brittleness, acidity… All these damages have been carefully restored in order to let the splendorous riders finish line at the Municipal Archive of Barcelona. They are almost centenarian… and yet they ride wild along the repository! I’ll explain which beauty and health treatments these illustrated posters have passed through Continue reading
Approach to a new methodolgy to retrieve the lost flexibility to brittle papers.
Tracing papers -so usual among technical drawings- have in common their transparency, but there are significant differences in the process to make them. The properties and behavior will be very different then. Impregnated papers, for an instance, were applied oils or varnishes to provide them translucency.
Explanation restoration of several drawings in which the varnish was removed to replace it later. Continue reading
Which damages cause sellotapes? Can we release documentary heritage from these fatty strips?
Explanation for the degradation mechanisms of this historic “remedial” tapes that we can find in documents of all kinds, and restoration possibilities in each case. Continue reading
From the books washing machine to new methodologies for leather bindings restoration, a visit to Domènec’s restoration studio is always a great pleasure! Continue reading
This map represents the typical scholar posters: with its wooden slats to roll and hang, lined on the back. It was very common to varnish them with shellac to waterproof and protect them from abrasion. This one was made of two pieces of printed paper, sticked together along the central horizontal stripe. It is from 1936, spanish civil war was barely breaking.
Removing the old varnish has allowed to repare other minor damages: tears, gaps and wrinkles. But most important is that the new varnish is not oxidizing nor yellowing. As it is very flexible it will not crack in the future. Continue reading
What are nanoparticles and chemical gels? Latest technological advances in restoration of archive material is about nanotechnology and chemical gels and so it is studied in the paper & books section of the IPCE Continue reading