Book and Paper Conservation 2009

Gepubliceerd op 13-07-2009

Abstract

Hilde Schalkx

Washing water-sensitive paper objects : capillary unit or blotter wash?

In this thesis the washing of paper objects containing water-sensitive media is discussed. There are several methods for washing water-sensitive and vulnerable objects designed to minimize damage during treatment. Two of these methods are the capillary unit and the blotter wash. Their workings are examined both in the literature and through experiments. The methods are then compared using samples of various papers that have been coloured with a red dye. In this comparison, a third method is compared as well, the blotter wash using Paraprint OL 60, a viscose non woven fabric. The results of these experiments are used to treat several case studies.

The results of the first comparative experiment. Each washing method lasted 5 ½ hours. The differences between the samples washed with the capillary unit (second and third row from the left), blotter wash on Paraprint OL 60 (fourth and fifth row from the left), and blotter wash on blotter paper (last two rows from the left) are clearly visible.

Hilde Schalkx, hildeschalkx@gmail.com