Tag Archive for 'conservation'

At the Frontier of heritage conservation. A report from the Museums Australia Conference, Perth 2011. Part 2

Published by Toner Stevenson 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Toner Stevenson outside the WA State Library.

Written by Toner Stevenson, manager, Sydney Observatory. Only last week Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate galleries, campaigned against environmentally-damaging conditions in Museums and galleries worldwide. It is true, many museums spend a significant proportion of their budget in keeping galleries at a steady temperature and humidity level. Filtering pollutants and controlling light levels is taken very seriously. Also costs escalate when Museums display loaned artifacts which require even more stringent controls governed by contracts.

Making decisions about whether and how much to cool, heat and de-humidify has been much debated and, with the onus on reducing our carbon footprints and the running costs, the old standards are in question. International Conservation Services (ICS), a private conservation company based in Chatswood, took out this year’s Museums and Galleries National Award for an Australian-based research project titled Development of Guidelines for Environmental Conditions for Museum and Galleries. The presentation of the findings by ICS Director, Julian Bickersteth, considered both human comfort in galleries and the temperature and humidity conditions required for objects made form different materials, looking at the crossover range and suggesting that more flexibility can be tolerated. The new guidelines for the UK (PAS 198) are leading the way and it is timely for Australia to consider its own varied climate, and, argues Bickersteth, set its own guidelines.

The Powerhouse Museum is fortunate to have a highly-skilled Conservation Department who monitor spaces and advise on all the environmental requirements for all exhibitions. At Sydney Observatory we can only keep paper and textiles for a very short time and in a few rooms that have the least fluctuation in temperature and humidity. These new practically-based guidelines will help all Museums and Galleries make better decisions about the storage and display of their collections, guiding reductions in energy waste. .

The Judges Comments: “This project holds great significance for the cultural and heritage sector throughout Australia (arguably the world) as it builds knowledge, skills, understanding and standards for keeping collections safely into the future, both in storage and whilst on display. These guidelines will become the well-thumbed or bookmarked resource that remains on every gallery, library, archive and museum professional’s desk.”

Related reading:
Dialogues for the new century: Discussions on the conservation of cultural heritage in a changing world, 2010.

Australian Institute for the Conservation of cultural materials (AICCM) National Cultural Policy Discussion paper

Love Lace International Lace Award and exhibition: behind the scenes

Published by Kate Chidlow 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

'Cermony' by Noelle Hamlyn, Gowns (6) and bonnets (6): cotton and silk embroidery and smocking on Japanese gampi tissue, 700 x 570 mm (largest). Image Powerhouse Museum

Much work has been going on in the Conservation department in preparation for the upcoming Love Lace International Lace Award and exhibition. There are some wonderful pieces in the exhibition and the variety of materials is amazing. Each object requires its own special display support. Rebecca Ellis has been making supports for some very delicate paper christening gowns and bonnets that will be suspended off the display wall. The artist, Noelle Hamlyn, has created the gowns out of Japanese gampi tissue and decorated them with cotton and silk embroidery.

Conservator Rebecca Ellis filing the stainless steel support rods

The support rods with their padding, ready for hanging.

Ian Scott-Stevenson has made small, stainless steel hangers that will protrude from the display wall. Rebecca has covered the shoulder section of the hanger with dacron padding, covered in silk. This will protect the garment and give it extra support whilst it is on display. The bonnets will be displayed on moulded acrylic attached to a stainless steel rod.

A close-up of a very fragile sleeve of one of the christening gowns.

Gosia Dudek and Nadia McDougall have been working on another artwork called ‘One Echidna’ by Christine McMillan. The quills, which came from a road kill incident, have been made into a beautiful piece of art. Ian cut a piece of acrylic slightly smaller that the outside edge of the object. Gosia then hand drilled 60 sets of holes into the acrylic.

Conservator, Gosia Dudek attaching the echidna quill object to it's acrylic backing.

Gosia and Nadia secured the object to the acrylic by tying very fine nylon threads over the thicker echidna quills and through the drilled holes. Each thread was knotted four times and in case one stitch came loose, another thread was also used in the same set of holes. The process has ensured that the weight is distributed throughout the object, which allows it to be displayed upright.

Sculpture 'One Echidna' by Christine McMillan. echidna spines, linen thread and glue and an animation which records the image made by light passing through the work. 700 mm (diam), 3.05 min (duration) Image Powerhouse Museum

Regional Services Internship: The Manning Valley Museum

Published by Erika Taylor 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .

Manning Valley Historical Society Museum. Photography by Marsha Rennie

The Manning Valley Museum was established in 1964 through the incredible foresight and hard work of local farming women. They literally drove around on the back of a ute from farm to farm calling for locals to empty their sheds! In 1966 the Society moved into what was previously a General Store first established in 1871 by the Duff family in which to house the museum collection. They did not have any museum skills but had a real passion for their community. Today the museum still operates without a Curator and the volunteers are much the same, coming with various experiences to work with a passion for preserving the history and objects within the walls of the old store.

As the textile ‘custodian’ of the Manning Valley Historical Societies Museum, I was delighted to be accepted, along with my colleague Mieke Van Werdt for a Powerhouse Museum Internship. I certainly had no idea what to expect and I was soon to learn the breadth of skills I could acquire and the capacity of a 5-day program to transform every aspect within our Regional museum.

The art of box making. Photography by Marsha Rennie

The first day brought lessons in paper conservation with Margaret Jurasek. Paper conservation?? What would a textile manager possibly learn from a Paper Conservator? I was impressed to learn the importance of simple sand bags when displaying books and picked up a variety of skills from making mylar mounts and folders to the ‘art’ of box making – not just any lidded box but the hinged, foam lined, cotton tape enclosing, photo labelled type! Necessary skills for a textile volunteer in a low budget regional museum.

Across the room, I met the talented Gosia Dudek who shared with us the magic of building displays using simple ‘pins’, silicon tube and fishing line! She gave me real skills for presenting professional displays securely. Whilst in the conservation lab, we also learnt to absolutely not rub any preparation into our leather and timber objects. This is a revelation for decades of well-meaning volunteers everywhere armed with Mr Sheen or linseed oil!

Range of tools required by Conservators to build displays. Photography by Marsha Rennie

In the basement, I not only got to visually feast on the collection but observe real storage solutions for our Manning Valley Museum. This rack on castors would be the ideal answer to our dilemma of storing large garment boxes in our back workroom. It would allow extra storage whilst being able to easily access our permanent shelving too small for garments.

Photography by Marsha Rennie

Even when not actively engaged in a ‘lesson’ – opportunities to professionally ‘develop’ abounded. Just wandering through the ‘transit’ area and examining the Powerhouse Museum curators wish list items gave me reason to reflect upon our own accessioning choices now and into the future.

Anni Turnbull the Social History Curator, was the fresh set of eyes I needed to immediately see the opportunity to breathe life into our SES exhibit- a corner of our museum that had seemed like just another collection of objects. It was suggested that we dig up old newspaper articles of rescues that had been carried out by the men who had used the equipment.

Photography by Marsha Rennie

Both Anni and Diana Lorentz explored the undeveloped potential of our museum to represent the story of our buildings history and this was best demonstrated by exploring the Powerhouse’s “What’s in store?” exhibit. Diana and Malcolm McKernan also helped me develop a strategy to highlight significant objects amongst our ‘clutter’, improve our signage and explore the potential for storage to be developed on the exhibit floor itself.

The internship surpassed all expectations. It was a pleasure and an inspiration to meet so many passionate and generous professionals giving freely of their time and knowledge to enhance our humble regional museum.

Marsha Rennie
Manning Valley Historical Society Volunteer

Conservator’s Corner: Knight in shining armour

Published by Erika Taylor 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Photography by Kate Chidlow @ Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

We have had a Finnish furniture conservation student, Sanna Makarainen, with us in the Conservation Department undertaking a 3 month internship with Bronwen Griffin, Mixed Media Conservator. Sanna recently worked on a mounted knight for the Tinytorium exhibition.

Photography by Kate Chidlow @ Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Firsly, she brush-vacuumed the object thoroughly all over. Using the brush, Sanna removed all the surface dirt from the metal, leather and fabric construction materials. A small plastic tube was attached to the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to reduce the suction flow. Tulle was attached to the end of the tube with a rubber band to ensure that if any fragments were accidently loosened, they could be easily caught in the gauze, rather than getting sucked into the vacuum cleaner.

Photography by Kate Chidlow @ Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Photography by Kate Chidlow @ Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

The leather straps on the knight’s leg guards had deteriorated and separated and needed to be consolidated. Sanna removed the leg guards to give her better access to the straps. Some of the leather strapping was in poor condition and needed to be supported. Sanna used a heated spatula, Beva film and silk behind the leather to give it more strength. In two places, the leather strapping had to be re-adhered, so Sanna used Beva impregnated stablitex to sandwich the leather together.

Photography by Kate Chidlow @ Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved.

There was quite a bit of red rot in the saddle leather. Sanna protected the fragile saddle with fabric to prevent further abrasion occurring when the knight is seated on the saddle and horse. Some loose fragments from the hooves were re-attached with Paraloid B72 adhesive.

Kate Chidlow
Conservator

Tutorial: How to make a simple paper wig

Published by Erika Taylor 1 Comment Tags: , , , .
Photography by Sotha Bourn

This method of making wigs for display mannequins has been used in museums for over 20 years.

It is a great way for small museums and fashion students to create elegant wigs cheaply and easily. We have used white paper for our tutorial, but you could use anything you liked; ribbon, fabrics, unusual papers. You are only limited by your own imagination!

Post by Suzanne Chee, Conservator

Design underground #1 – In the fashion vault

Published by Melanie Pitkin 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Photography by Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Yesterday afternoon we kicked off the Design Underground tours as part of Sydney Design 2010 with an insightful, behind-the-scenes look at the expansive storage facilities of the Museum’s costume and accessories collection. Led by Suzanne Chee, the tour started with an overview of conservation work at the Museum and the breadth of the fashion collection. The first garment the group encountered was a crocheted dress designed by Romance Was Born and worn by Cate Blanchett at Federation Square, Melbourne in September 2009 (see image below). Dubbed by some as the ‘old-school granny rug’, the dress certainly turned a few heads among the group!

Collection: Powerhouse Museum

But, in order for garments like this to be kept in good condition, you need to ensure the correct climatic and humiditiy conditions and appropriate storage measures. Compared with the display of objects in exhibitions where the temperature is maintained at around 20 – 22 degrees, the long term storage of textiles requires a slightly cooler and constant temperature of 18 degrees (with a 50% relative humidity). When the store was setup in the 1980s, it was modelled on the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and The Kyoto Costume Institute (which have lots of hanging space). But, overtime, the Museum has increasingly opted to lay garments flat as this reduces the pressure placed on the shoulders and the seams created by hanging. This is moreso the case for the ‘heavier’ garments of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Photography by Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Textile lengths, rugs and yardage are stored on aluminiuim rolls protected and covered with acid free tissue paper which can be easily moved about for study and display. Accessories, such as shoes, bags and gloves, are displayed flat in trays and filled with padding to help retain the object’s form.

Photography by Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

In the above image Suzanne shows the group how hats are stored and cared for. This is a Rugby League cap dating to 1914. It is placed on a wooden hat stand with a padded support shaped exactly to the size of the cap (if it was going to be displayed, it would be on an acrylic stand instead as it is slightly more pleasing to the eye!). The hats, as with a large part of the dress collection, are stored in compactus units, as you can see below.

Photography by Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Following the tour, Suzanne showed the group how to make their own padded coathangers (of Museum standard!) to display their own precious garments over light refreshments. Everyone was particularly impressed by Suzanne’s ‘textiles-inspired’ cupcakes which were devoured in no time!

Photography by Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

If you’d like to take part in any other upcoming Design Underground tours, please click here or download the Sydney Design iPhone app here. The next tour we’ll be blogging about is ‘Telling Stories About Textiles’ with Principal Curator, Design and Society, Christina Sumner.

Suzanne Chee, Conservator and Melanie Pitkin, Curator

Conservator’s Corner- Using digital photography to recover daguerreotypes

Published by Erika Taylor 1 Comment Tags: , , .

One of the Museum’s projects has been condition reporting, treating and re-housing the Early Photography Collection of Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes.

The daguerreotype was one of the earliest forms of photography. It is a permanently fixed, mirror-like silver image on a polished copper plate. By adjusting the angle it is held by, you can see a positive or a negative image, or it can appear like a mirror. It was a one-off and very delicate – the image can be destroyed by touch.

The daguerreotype was encased in an enclosure made from a variety of materials – glass, wood, leather, textile and paper. These materials all deteriorate differently and may also interact deleteriously with each other. This means that there is no perfect way to treat and store the whole object.

This 1850s daguerreotype of Melbourne had been dismantled previously. It was in pieces and very dirty. The image was very faded and difficult to decipher either with the naked eye or normal photography.

Collection: Powerhouse Museum

Conservator Rebecca Main removed the glass, matte and daguerreotype plate from the case and cleaned them. Because the daguerreotype itself could not be touched, the loose specks, dust and pieces of grit were removed by blowing on it with a photography dust blower.

The cleaning made the image a bit more readable, but it was still very faint to the eye. While cleaning it had become apparent that the negative image was sharper, with much more visible detail than when viewed as a positive.

Cleaning the daguerreotype metal plate.
Cleaning the daguerreotype metal plate

The uncovered, cleaned image was then re-photographed by photographer, Chris Brothers. The previous photos had been of the plate as a positive image, this time it was done as a negative image. The plate was held at different angles by Rebecca until the image was at its clearest. Chris took photos of the plate in sections, with a flat softbox light almost directly behind the photographer, making it possible to capture the negative image. Taking photos of the daguerreotype in sections allowed for much flatter and consistent lighting as well as improving the quality and details.

Bottom right hand corner of the daguerreotpye when viewed at a negative angle.

Bottom right hand corner of the daguerreotpye when viewed on a negative angle

Using the Photoshop computer program, the different images were composited –stitched together and inverted to create a new positive image. This revealed far more of the original detail of the daguerreotype.

The combination of conservation treatment, digital photography and image manipulation made it possible to retrieve visual information which had appeared lost when the object was examined by a conservator in 1983.

The composite image reveals much more than the actual positive image.
The composite image reveals much more than the actual positive image

The reassembled object is stored in a clamshell box. The box is constructed from acid free mountboard containing Zeolites or molecular traps. If there are chemicals given off from the daguerreotype or it’s enclosure materials, they will be absorbed by the zeolites. This will create a more neutral micro environment that will help stabilise the object.

Because the photoshopped image contains far more easily visible information, the actual object can safely remain in storage, and the digital image can be used as a research resource.

Conservator’s Corner- The Hugo Schroeder Telescope

Published by Erika Taylor 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Photography by Jean-Francois Lanzarone © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

A major project to overhaul the Sydney Observatory’s 11.5″ Schroeder Telescope has been recently completed. It coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Observatory in 2009. The key aim was to return the telescope to its 1880s appearance and configuration. New operational and maintenance plans have also been developed. 

The telescope has been well maintained as an operating instrument of the Sydney Observatory. It was painted the same colour grey as the other operating instruments at the Observatory during the 1960’s and 70’s. The telescope is now classified as one of the museum’s A category objects used to demonstrate observing technology of the 1880’s. 

The project started in April 2009, when the main lens, earpiece, focusing assembly, the sighting scope and the other brass components were dismantled and brought back to the Museum’s conservation workshop. 

 

Photography by Chris Brothers © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Photography by Chris Brothers © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved

Damaged lacquer and corrosion were removed from these brass components, which were then treated for chlorides and coated with a clear protective lacquer. 

 

Collection; Powerhouse Museum.

The optics and the telescope drive were carefully dismantled, cleaned and realigned ready for installation.

Photography Powerhouse Museum © all rights reserved.

A new eye piece was modified to fit the telescope as the original eye piece was too damaged to be dismantled and realigned.

 

 

Collection; Powerhouse Museum

Original areas of paint on the telescope tube and pillar were identified, samples taken, colour matched and documented.

The telescope tube and pillar were then painted in their original colours (Bristle Green and Monarch Red) in a readily available paint system which can be easily maintained. The Telescope was reassembled and on display for the Observatories 150th Anniversary weekend and is again part of the Observatories public viewings and programs.

 

Photography by Chris Brothers © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved.

The conservation work was undertaken by conservator Timothy Morris with assistance from conservator Skye Mitchell and registrar Carey Ward. Images were taken by conservation photographer, Chris Brothers.

Conservator’s Corner- Changing preservation practices

Published by Erika Taylor 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Collection; Powerhouse Museum

Tim Morris, conservator metal and small technology, is currently working on a model that demonstrates a principle of physics. It was conserved in 1986 using products that would be used if it was to be operated on a regular basis. These products were designed for optimum operation of the object, not necessarily for the longevity of the object. This approach was best practise at the time.

Photography Powerhouse Museum © all rights reserved

Conservation trends have changed since then. We do have operational objects at the Powerhouse Museum such as steam engines and musical instruments. However, most that were once operational have been mothballed so they do not sustain further damage.

The products used in the early treatment of this item were not inert. The grease has acted as an electrolyte and has caused the brass to dezinc, observed as the green colour on the object in the photo.

Tim dismantled the object and took samples of the grease and tested it for chlorides. Fortunately the tests were negative. A positive result for chlorides would have indicated the grease had chemically bonded to the metal and would require vigorous treatment. However in this case, the remaining grease was then removed with solvents, detailed photos were taken of the corrosion, and the corrosion was reduced mechanically.

The object was reassembled and lubricated using a medical (archival) grade petroleum jelly. This will protect the moving parts but will not harm the metal. The object can occasionally be used for demonstration.

Conservator’s Corner- Preserving the Cyril Ruwald Collection

Published by Erika Taylor 4 Comments Tags: , , , .

Drawing by Cyril Ruwald. Collection; Powerhouse Museum

We have received funding for a project called TAM (Total Asset Management). The project focuses on our collection, rather than on exhibitions. The objective is to preserve, document and manage the collection so that it can be made more widely accessible.

One component of the project that is nearing completion is the rehousing of the Cyril Ruwald Collection. It consists of 1424 architectural plans and drawings including diazo prints, pencil and ink drawings, blueprints, negative photo-prints and monochrome photographs.

Cyril Christian Ruwald (1895-1959), was one of several architects who designed hotels for Tooth & Co during the 1930s and 1940s. He was instrumental in adapting the streamlined horizontal look of European modernism to hotel design. The collection is regularly viewed for research.

The project involved the following steps:

 

Photography by Chris Brothers © Powerhouse Museum, all rights reserved.

Step 1: Rehousing – the collection, donated to the PHM in 1990, was originally housed in four large storage boxes, with 350 items per box. It was in poor condition, overall, primarily due to poor storage.

005537043.jpg

Photography Powerhouse Museum © all rights reserved

Step 2: Photography – digital conservation photography of the Ruwald collection has now provided greater access to conservators, staff and clients. Conservation photography clearly documents all aspects of an object so that conservation staff can accurately report its condition. With items from this collection, photographs are taken of the front and back of each, and prints are made of those requiring conservation and condition reports, as well as after-conservation shots.

Cyril Ruwald. Collection; Powerhouse Museum

The images were shot with a Canon 30D, EF 28-135mm lens and Elinchrom soft box studio lights. Studio lights are set at 45 degrees and equidistant from the subject, to provide flat and even illumination. Digital RAW originals of each of the images are kept – then using Photoshop CS3, they are resized to jpgs and the object identification number is added to each image, for uploading to our Collection Database K-EMu.

Step 3: Preservation – the individual requirements of each item were assessed and more fragile items, including blueprints and drawings on tracing paper etc., are interleaved with archive text, placed in Mylar sleeves or supported with archival backing boards as required.

A condition report is written for each item and the photographs are annotated to indicate areas of damage and deterioration. Drawings treated, so far, have had large tears, missing pieces, been stuck together, and tackiness and staining from adhesive tape. The drawings on tracing paper have been the most fragile and damaged.

They were carefully separated from each other and from any interleaving tissue between them. Tape, staining and tackiness, and fragments of paper from other drawings, were removed by swabbing with a cotton bud with petroleum spirits and lifting off with a scalpel. Fragments of paper were matched with holes and gaps in the drawings. Creases and folds were removed one by one by swabbing with a cotton bud dampened with di-ionised water, burnishing with a bone folder over a piece of Mylar, and pressing under weights.

Tears were repaired and missing pieces of paper re-attached. Tracing paper is a difficult material to work with because it cockles when it is wet, so two methods of sticking the paper together have been tested – dryish starch paste and Japanese tissue, or small strips of heat set tissue. The first method seems the best – it is stronger, despite the threat of cockling, and the heatset tissue does not stick as well to the tracing paper, so the first method will be used for future repairs on this collection.

 

Photography by Powerhouse Museum © all rights reserved

The Ruwald collection has now been relocated to a new 23 drawer storage cabinet designed specifically for the flat storage of plans and drawings. The cabinet, made of zinc coated steel finished with a high quality powder coating, has perforated drawers allowing for ventilation of the works.

It is hoped that with the photographs available online, there will be less need to access the original drawings, reducing wear and tear on the original objects.

Following the family tradition, Cyril Ruwald’s grand daughter, Monica Earl, a Sydney Uni architecture student, recently won the Australian Institute of Architects NSW Design Medal for her redesign of Belmore Park.