the british library’s new display policy · mike howden [email protected] production...

ICON NEWS • NOVEMBER 2005 • 1

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION • JULY 2006 • ISSUE 5

The British Library’s new display policy

Also in this issue

New Icon byelaws and Notice of Elections

Institute of Conservation Science joins Icon

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ICON NEWS • JULY 2006 • 1

inside JULY 2006Issue 5

2NEWSNew conservation exhibitions,centres and courses

13PROFESSIONAL MATTERSAccreditation matters; thePlowden Medal winner

20INSTITUTE BRIEFINGFrom Icon’s Chair ; Edinburghoffice opens; ICS joins Icon

28ROTATING THE TREASURESON DISPLAY IN THE BLA new policy is implemented

31 NOTICE OF BOARDELECTIONSCalling for nominations forfive Board seats

32PRIVATE WORK IN THEPUBLIC EYEConserving Wallpaintings inpublic: health and safetyissues

34GROUP NEWS

37REVIEWS

44IN PRACTICE

51LISTINGS

56INTERVENTION

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Institute of Conservation3rd floorDownstream Building1 London BridgeLondon SE1 9BG, UK

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Conservation RegisterT +44(0)20 7785 [email protected]

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Icon NewsEditorLynette [email protected]

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Cover picture:Facsimile of theLindisfarne Gospels usedas part of the displayduring the six months thatthe Gospels are offexhibition. Courtesy of theBritish Library

Disclaimer:Whilst every effort is madeto ensure accuracy, theeditors and Icon Board ofTrustees can accept noresponsibility for thecontent expressed inIcon News; it is solely thatof individual contributors

Deadlines:for September 2006 issue

Editorial: 1 August

Adverts: 17 August

It’s all too easy in the heritage world to see the glass half-full: pathetic acquisitions budgets for museums; thedevaluation of scholarship; budgets likely to tighten furtheras funding for sports increases with the Olympics drawingnear. All of these stories have featured in the media inrecent months and it’s not difficult to think of plenty morereasons for dismay even closer to home: low salaries whichdon’t reflect conservators’ skills and training; the everreducing number of salaried posts….

And yet… it does seem as though there is a growingawareness of conservation as something worthwhile and asource of interesting stories. Why else would the House ofLords spend so much time considering the subject ofconservation science? Why else would the world’s media befascinated by the cleaning of Nelson’s Column? Our newsround-up this time around brings you a host of stories fromthe half of the glass which is full: new conservation-relatedexhibitions opening, conservators on the radio and newconservation centres planned or opening. Not to mentionkeeping tabs on our man (or in this case woman) in theAntarctic. It is good once in a while to be able to reflectback to you, the profession, news which shows us in adynamic and positive light.

And if too much cheerfulness is not to your taste, there is,as always, plenty of sober, helpful and excellent readingmatter here.

Lynette Gill, Editor

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around & aboutAntartic blogWhen Icon News 2 reported on Nicola Dunn’sappointment as objects conservator at Scott Base inAntarctica, we thought that was the last we would hear ofher until her return this autumn. Happily, communicationsare more sophisticated than expected and Nicola hasbeen in touch to tell us that we can keep track of her andthe project generally through the Antarctic conservationblog. The blog can be found on the Natural HistoryMuseum’s website: www.nhm.ac.uk/antarctica-blog. Itmakes for a great read and an opportunity to count yourblessings as you consider the joys of working inpermanent night-time at minus 50°C, and having to usewhatever materials are to hand, with no flights in to bringforgotten items or fresh supplies. Nicola appears to beremarkably sanguine, cheerful indeed, as you follow herprogress.

This is the first time conservation has taken place throughthe winter months. The conservation team is three-strong:Nicola and two Australian colleagues. They are working onartefacts in Cape Royds hut, left behind by ErnestShackleton after his 1908 attempt to reach the South Pole.The expedition turned back just 156 km from the Pole –

the furthest south anyone had reached at that time – butthe team was the first to ascend the world’s southernmostactive volcano, Mount Erebus.

The hut still houses the equipment and many personalpossessions, such as clothing, books and food. If the blogis anything to go by, conserving cans of food seems to beNicola’s main preoccupation at the moment. Undamagedthey are conserved intact but if the tin is punctured ordamaged it is opened up, with some trepidation. The blogshows some evocative images of the cans of the era andsome interesting pictures of their contents: still pink cod’sroe and a desiccated whole cow’s tongue.

The project is the vision of the Antarctic Heritage Trust, aNew Zealand based charity founded in 1987 to care for theheritage of the huts in the Ross Sea region on behalf ofthe international community.

But it’s not all hard work. Conservation lab tours are laidon every two weeks for a nearby American base, whichalso provides friendly competition for regular quiz nightsand ten-pin bowling. And they’ve just had all their mid-winter celebrations, so they know they are heading back tothe light.

Mount Erebus in gloom Scott Base from the ice



Covering Nelson’s ColumnTrafalgar Square with Nelson’s Column and flanking lionsat its centre is a major London landmark and focal point formany historic celebrations and gatherings. Perhaps thatexplains the immense media interest in the conservationwork on the column which has been taking place over thepast three months. The story has been covered by all the

major national newspapers - Guardian, Times, Telegraph,Independent, Mirror -, London’s Evening Standard, ITVLondon, BBC tv, including Blue Peter, and BBC radio,including the arts programme Front Row and BBC WorldServices. And once Associated Press had picked up on thestory it turned up around the world from the Gulf states toIndia and South Africa.

The Grade 1 listed monument was erected between 1839and 1843 and the statue of Nelson on top of the columnhas been cleaned on several occasions. But the wholemonument has only undergone treatment on twooccasions: in1968 and 1986. In charge of the work overall isDavid Ball Restoration Ltd, which has carried out manysimilar conservation projects around London. An unusualfeature of the project is the support of a corporate sponsor- the insurance company Zurich. It is believed to be thefirst instance of sponsorship for this kind of restorationwork in the UK, although it happens more regularly inother European cities. The work is being done withminimal disruption to the normal activities in the area andto a strict timetable for completion in July by the start of

Scott Base Over-winter team

A familiar landmark shrouded in scaffolding

Lion tamer Iain McLean of Antique Bronze Ltd

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underlying research is published in the just-released issueof The Conservator.

But this is not the end of the story. The ss Great Britain alsopicked up accolades in the 2006 Museums and HeritageAwards for Excellence, created by the Museums andHeritage Show and supported by the Independentnewspaper. Ss Great Britain won both the PermanentExhibition category award and the Restoration/Conservation award. Two other projects in this lattercategory were commended: (1) Historic Scotland’sWhithorn Priory Museum and (2) Papplewick PumpingStation – Restoration and Development. With its ornatearchitecture, Papplewick is an outstanding example of acomplete and working Victorian water pumping stationwith two unique Watts beam engines.

‘Mission impossible?’

Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge 1 July – 24 September 2006The Fitzwilliam’s new exhibition, Mission impossible? Ethicsand choices in conservation, invites the visitor to thinkabout some of the issues that confront all conservatorswhen trying to find the appropriate course of action for anobject, so that it is not only preserved but also made asaccessible as possible. Examples are drawn from across theMuseum’s collections of fine art, antiquities, coins andmedals, applied arts, manuscripts and printed books.

Mission Impossible? begins by looking at the implicationsof intervention for objects that have never been treated,for example, Frans Snyders’ painting The Larder: itsstructure essentially untouched since it was created in themid-17th century, but now in frail condition. What are theoptions and what factors influence the decisions? Afterthis, the elements that make up a hostile environment are

the annual summer events programme in the Square.These include a Stone Masons’ trade event on 21 July.

The work involved includes local repairs to the stoneworkand the cleaning of the granite column and sandstonestatue. The remaining decorative elements of themonument are in bronze: the lions, a set of reliefsdepicting Nelson’s victories at the base of the column anda surround of acanthus leaves at the base of the statueitself. And the cleaning and protection of this bronzeworkhas been subcontracted to Antique Bronze Ltd,responsible for the work on Cleopatra’s Needle, describedin Icon News 1. Icon members Lucy Branch and IainMcLean escorted Icon News up the 250 steps and 25scaffold levels which surround the tower to explain thework involved.

Lucy also told the story of her father, in the business beforeher, having been hired to inspect the monument for bombdamage after the war. Making his ascent with the help ofrope and ladder, as he approached the top overhang, hereached the conclusion that he had not demanded a bigenough fee for the job. No sum on earth would be greatenough to tempt Icon News to climb Nelson’s Column bythose means.

Prizes galoreIn earlier issues we have followed the countdown to theaward of the Gulbenkian Prize and were delighted to learnthat the ss Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner,has won the £100,000 award for museums and galleries inthis, Brunel’s bicentenary year. The conservation team ofDavid Watkinson, Matthew Tanner, Robert Turner and MarkLewis are to be congratulated for this success. Our firstissue carried the story of the project and the team’s

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considered, followed by examples of irreversible damagethat present the conservator with few options, such as theravages caused by iron gall ink and the self-destructingcharacter of ‘crizzled’ glass. Historical restorations and theirstatus today are considered through a look at thequestions posed by pastiches and by objects such as afigure of Apollo, on which the ‘recreations’ are arguablynow of greater importance than the original statue. Also, atthis point, we consider the thorny issue in modernconservation practice of how to determine the level ofrestoration appropriate for a particular object. A Roman-Egyptian mummy portrait and a 17th century Spanishtriptych, compromised by earlier repairs, are used toexplore the importance of history and context to thesedecisions. A group of harps that could be restored toplayable condition introduces the question of original state

versus function. Pests - microbiological, insect, animal andhuman come next, followed by the problems of preservingconservation documentation.

The final section contains a series of working models.These enable the visitor to see degradation, such as thefading of a red lake and the opening of splits in a panel,happening before their eyes. This section has beendesigned as a travelling exhibition. From 2007, with the aidof Renaissance East of England, it will tour to othermuseums in the region where it will be shown with objectsfrom each host collection.

A programme of related talks and courses runs throughoutthe summer. Details can be found atwww.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

And yes, the Chinese vases do feature in the exhibition….

‘Keeping it together’

at The Manchester Museum 17 June – 28 August, Not another conservation exhibition! Well, actually, it isworth reminding visitors (and other museum professionals)who it is that cares for collections on their behalf and howthey (we) do it. Our experience of public conservationevents at the Museum has shown that audiences want tolearn what conservators do and what goes on behind thescenes.

Rather than employ the authorial voice of Conservation,this exhibition seeks to reflect the work of the conservationteam at The Manchester Museum and the makeup of itscollections. Displays address topics such as agents ofdeterioration, scientific research and the ethicaldimensions of conservation work, and the exhibition

Restored statuette of Apollo(?)Roman, probably 1st century AD, based on one or more originalGreek works of around 500 – 480 BC Given by Dr. J. Disney The restorations of head, limbs, quiver and plinth were carried outby John Flaxman and Antonio d’Este in Rome in 1793.

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The Reveal gallery explores the memories that objectscontain, shows how science reveals how they were made,and how we can conserve them for the future. With ananalytical laboratory at its centre, scientists andconservators interact with the public as they work,demonstrating techniques including X-radiography, lightmicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Visitors are invited to experience objects with the latesttechnology, including CT scanning and X-rays of a mummy,techniques for examining and dating paintings, lasercleaning of weathered marble, and haptic interaction(touching by computer) with virtual sculptures.

An area with microscopes, databases, interactives and abank of objects representing everyday public conservationenquiries will allow visitors to explore the themes of theexhibition through connections with everyday objects.There is a dedicated area for visitors to bring in their ownobjects for advice on how to look after them, andmicroscopes with digital cameras can be used to examinethem and explain their condition.

The temporary exhibition programme was launched withStreet Life, a photographic exhibition of fashion onLiverpool’s streets. A display of future fabrics and smartmaterials illustrates the technology of modern fabrics,characterised using scanning electron micrographs.

The Conservation Centre has reopened as NationalConservation Centre. This reflects National MuseumsLiverpool’s status as a national museums group and will bea prime attraction for 2008 when Liverpool becomesEuropean Capital of Culture. The Reveal exhibition hasbeen made possible through a grant of £570,466 from theReDiscover fund, a renewal fund for science centres andmuseums across the UK funded by the Millennium Com-mission, the Wolfson Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

includes a comprehensive programme of activitiesthroughout the summer. To broaden the scope of theexhibition ten evening talks on different aspects ofconservation have been organised, presenting specialismsranging from natural history to furniture conservation. Inaddition to these, there are interactive weekend events,gallery tours from a conservation perspective and aworking Gallery Bench two afternoons a week. The maindisplay is in the Museum’s third floor gallery with additional‘interventions’, spot lights on conservation topics,scattered throughout the permanent galleries.

Museums are now under pressure to make their collectionsmore accessible and conservators are well placed tosupport this trend without compromising museum objects.Making objects more accessible has always been part ofconservation work; we must now be proactive in creatingopportunities to demonstrate this and show our work as awhole. People are interested in the technical side ofconservation; they also want to know ‘why’ and ‘what for’.Making the public party to our deliberations willencourage an acceptance of low light levels in galleriesand restrictions on handling. Showing them the work thatgoes towards attaining the delicate equilibrium requiredfor the current and future use of each and every object,and collections as a whole, will help the public understandthe challenges of “keeping it together”.

Details of programmes can be found on The ManchesterMuseum’s website: www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Any queries or comments can be directed to Irit Narkiss,the exhibition co-ordinator: [email protected]

Liverpool’s conservationcentre reopens The newly refurbished Conservation Centre in Liverpool re-opened to the public on 16 June 2006. The £1 millionredevelopment features a brand new permanent exhibitionReveal – The Hidden Story of Objects, with a workingscience laboratory at its heart, a new temporary exhibitionspace and a dedicated learning resource suite.

It’s a hot summer for conservation in the North West;with The Manchester Museum’s “Keeping it Together”exhibition, Manchester City Gallery’s publicconservation of Etty’s “The Sirens and Ulysses”(www.manchestergalleries.org. See Icon News issue 3),and the opening of the Liverpool Conservation Centre’snew permanent exhibition(www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/conservation).

Conservation staff at work in public view in the new RevealLaboratory



Stirrings at the Ashmolean! Despite being the oldest public museum in Britain, with aconservation history that extends back to its foundation in1683, the Ashmolean has only had a Department ofConservation since 1999 when the seven conservators, whountil then had worked in separate curatorial areas, weretransferred into a new department whose remit was todeliver interventive and preventive conservation across themuseum’s nationally designated collections.

Since then, much has happened. With funding from theDCMS Designated Challenge Fund and the Ashmolean,the Department opened a new paper conservation studioin 2004 – a development which marked the beginning ofour programme of upgrading conservation facilities in themuseum. However, in 2005, confirmation of the award of agrant of £15m to the Ashmolean from the Heritage LotteryFund and a highly successful fundraising campaign meantthat detailed planning for a far bigger project became itsmain priority. In brief, the Ashmolean has embarked upona £50m scheme to replace much of its building with a newclimate-controlled development which will provide a 100%increase in public galleries along with new educationfacilities. Most importantly, though, there will also be newObjects and Textile conservation laboratories, includingflexible space to allow for some future expansion intopaintings conservation should funding become available.So, for the past two years, the conservators have beenworking closely with architects, mechanical engineers,designers, project managers, and museum colleagues todevelop appropriate environmental systems, showcase andstorage specifications, and trouble-shoot and fine-tuneplans. At the same time, a team of about 20 people, led byseconded Conservation Dept staff, has bar-coded,databased, digitally imaged, and packed over 180,000items in under 12 months to prepare large parts of thecollections for storage during the project.

The design concept for the Ashmolean’s new displays isbased upon accessibility for all and will feature keyorientation galleries that illustrate how different cultureshave interacted over time. There will also be a dedicatedConservation Gallery that will tell the unique story of theconservation of the Ashmolean’s collections from the early

17th century to the present – a story that can be told no-where else! And, as this gallery will be adjacent to theEducation Department, it will also relate directly to keystages in the national curriculum. There will be also belinks to conservation in the main ‘cultural’ galleries wherethe impact that investigative conservation can make on thebetter understanding of particular objects will beexploited, demonstrating the productive synergy thatexists between object, conservator, and curator.

Finally, the Department is actively looking for funding todevelop training opportunities for conservators. It hastraditionally hosted conservation students, both onvacation placements and also for up to a year as part ofM.A. courses - we will continue with this but also plan tointroduce advanced post-graduate internships anddevelop CPD training opportunities in close cooperationwith our professional body if funding can be secured.

The project is scheduled for completion in early 2009 –watch this space!

Mark Norman

Architect’simpressions byRick MatherArchitects


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200,000 objects, 20,000 library books, equipment fromworkshops and the contents from over 60 office spaces inKelvingrove to Glasgow Museums Resource Centre andother museum sites. From suits of armour to fossils andminerals, every object had its own ‘passport’ – a documentholding key details about it so that it could be easilytraced, as it was packed, labelled and transported.

The philosophy behind the new-look Kelvingrove hasshifted from the approach of its Victorian creators to a 21stcentury view that is object-based, visitor-centred,interdisciplinary and intent on telling the most interestingstories about the objects on display.

Conservators broadcastThe radio is many a conservator’s best friend and, happily,conservators are returning the favour. Dana GoodburnBrown, site conservator, metals technologist and educator,was interviewed on Radio Kent recently, whilst Radio 4’safternoon series ‘Making History’ featured Dinah Eastop (ofthe Textile Conservation Centre and our Intervention

Glasgow masterpiece reopensKelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the most visitedmuseum in the UK outside London, reopens on 11 Julyafter a £27m refurbishment.

Over 25 conservation staff worked on the project–assessing objects and deciding what treatments theymight need, advising on packing materials, commentingon gallery designs, restoring paintings, sourcing newframes, working on the arms and armour, natural historyand other collections. There have been some exciting newdiscoveries, such as finding a second work hidden under alining to Guercino’s St Francis Leaning to the Left, anddiscovering the figure of an old lady in the 17th-centuryDutch painting A Musical Party by M Naiveu when oldvarnish was removed.

The Conservation team have also been involved inresearch into monitoring systems and materials forKelvingrove. Conservators and the CollectionsManagement team also played a major role in the Decantoperation, which planned and organised the removal of

Kelvingrove: the main hall

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contributor in this issue) talking about the deliberateconcealment of garments in buildings. Hidden HouseHistory – the exhibition of the Deliberately ConcealedGarments Project – has been a great success and moves toits final destination of Fareham shortly. Yet to come, ChrisDaniels, Lecturer in Architectural Conservation atWeymouth College, will be waxing lyrical about thebenefits of Portland stone for a radio show called ‘Men ofStone’ to be broadcast on five consecutive Sundays from30 June onwards (Radio 4 after Gardener’s Question Time!)

TV also got a look in on Friday June 23 when ‘Kew PalaceRevealed’ on BBC 2 devoted an hour to describing the 10year programme of research and conservation which hasgone into restoring this little Royal Palace located in thefamous botanical gardens. Several Icon members werefeatured, including a sparkling performance from Boardmember Allyson McDermott.

Serving ConstableSarah Cove, Easel Paintings Conservator and ACR, has alsobeen widely quoted in the media recently as the exhibitionat Tate Britain, ‘Constable’s Great Landscapes’ opened togreat acclaim. As a student of Constable’s techniques andmaterials, through the Constable Research Project foundedin 1986, Sarah has been heavily involved with theexhibition since its inception, carrying out technicalexamination of many of the paintings and collaboratingwith colleagues from the Tate, as well as other British andUS lending institutions, to collate all existing technical andscientific data on the ‘six-footers’. The results of theseexaminations substantially directed the eventual exhibitionand catalogue content. She also contributed a 20-pageessay to the exhibition catalogue on ‘The PaintingTechniques of Constable’s ‘Six-Footers’.

In the previews and during the opening week of theexhibition (1 June) she was widely quoted in the nationalpress (including the Guardian, Independent, Independenton Sunday, Sunday Telegraph) and the Brighton ‘Argus’,and appeared on Channel 4’s evening News, sayingamong other things that the 19th century viewing publicwould have been shocked to see the hugely radical six-foot sketches and would have thought Constable was‘bonkers’ for painting like that!

Don’t forget to let Icon know if you are going tofeature in media events, so that they can get the wordout to colleagues.

New courses at the TCC Major developments are underway at SouthamptonUniversity’s Textile Conservation Centre, where newcourses are coming on stream over the next two academicyears.

At undergraduate level, October 2007 will see theintroduction of a BA in Heritage Studies: Museums andGalleries. This will join the Centre’s existing Museum andGalleries Masters course, which is itself expanding fromOctober 2006 to provide three further pathways throughthe programme: access and learning; archives in museumsand interpreting historic interiors.

At the post-graduate level, this October also sees theintroduction of a new Masters degree by research: MResScience and Heritage. This specialist conservation sciencecourse will develop students’ understanding of culturalheritage alongside their specialist knowledge of analyticaltechnology. And from October 2007, a new two-year MA isbeing offered in Organics Conservation. It will focus onpaper, leather and textiles and should interest those whowant to work on a wider range of materials than theCentre’s traditional focus on textile conservation.

Further information about the Centre and these coursescan be obtained fromwww.textileconservationcentre.soton.ac.uk or tel + 44 (0) 23 8059 7100

TCC grant sucessIn another development, the Textile Conservation Centrehas just heard that it has been successful with its grantapplication to the Arts and Humanities Research Councilfor funding to study the application of engineeringmethodologies to textile conservation problems. This willallow Frances Lennard and Dinah Eastop to continue workwith colleagues from the School of Engineering Sciencesat the University of Southampton on the monitoring ofstrain in tapestries. This award is not just excellent newsfor the TCC but also benefits the whole conservationsector.

The project, which will involve collaboration with EnglishHeritage, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and theNational Trust (and will complement the recentlycompleted E-U funded MOHDT project), aims to find outwhether it is possible to quantify the strain imposed ondifferent areas of a tapestry, and whether it is possible toidentify areas at risk of imminent damage before it isvisible. This will help to ensure that tapestry conservationresources are targeted effectively. The funding is for 3years and will cover the costs of a PhD studentship and a


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post-doctoral research assistant, as well as other costs suchas equipment and conference attendance. The results ofthe pilot project included a dissemination event held at theUniversity of Southampton in May 2005 and twopublications to date: a chapter on mechanical testing andits role in the condition assessment of tapestries, in therecent publication Tapestry Conservation: Principles andPractice and a paper on the use of engineering techniquesfor the inspection of damage in works of art, in Reviews inConservation 2005.

Royal praise for the TCCWe finishing this TCC news round up in celebrity magazinestyle, with news that HRH the Princess Royal, the TCC’sPatron, recently attended a reception to celebrate thework of the Centre at Aspley House in London. ThePrincess said that she found the work of the Centre bothfascinating and important and she noted the Centre’sinternational reputation. Hosted by the Marquess ofDouro, Chairman of the TCC Foundation, the event was

attended by luminaries of Southampton University, ofwhich the TCC is part, along with Masters and pastMasters of the Clothworkers, Merchant Taylors, Drapers,Dyers and many other City Livery Companies. Many trustsand foundations were also represented as were some ofthe TCC’s clients, including English Heritage and theNational Trust.

Government news 1The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, gave hisbacking to the Cultural Leadership Programme, a two-year,£12 million initiative to promote excellence inmanagement and leadership within the cultural sectorlaunched on19 June at EMI Group headquarters in WestLondon.

Initiated by the Chancellor in last year’s Budget statement,the programme is being delivered by three sector partnersworking in collaboration: Arts Council England, Creative &Cultural Skills (Sector Skills Council) and the Museums,Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The two-year

HRH The Princess Royal at the TCC reception



programme will contribute to :

• More diverse and representative leadership

• A higher profile for the sector with stronger links acrossthe economy

• A step change in the impact of the cultural sector

Also at the launch event, Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary ofState for Culture, Media and Sport, said:

‘The Cultural Leadership Programme will encourageleaders from a wide range of backgrounds to reflect thediversity that has made Britain a cultural powerhouse. Ineconomic terms, the cultural sectors account for over fiveper cent of the nation’s GDP (gross domestic product) andfor the last decade the sector has grown at twice the rateof the economy as a whole.

To maintain this position we must continue to invest in thepeople who will be its future. This £12 million initiative aimsto provide a strategic approach to embed a strongleadership culture that will make Britain’s creative sectorsmore successful – and more accessible – than ever.’

It is anticipated that, between 2006 and 2008, around 2,000people working in the cultural sector will benefit directlyfrom leadership development opportunities through thisprogramme. Icon members are already taking advantageof the leadership programmes, as reported in Icon News 4and again in this issue.

The publication Introducing the Cultural LeadershipProgramme is available from www.artscouncil.org.uk orfrom Marston Book Services, tel: 01235 465500

Government news 2Tessa Jowell has also announced recently that the divisionof money between sport, arts, film and heritage goodcauses for the period 2009 –19 will remain unchanged,after an extensive public consultation showed strongsupport for the present distribution.

Let us give thanks

Government news 3Although millions of people in the UK are involved in somesort of volunteer work, in the past, some people may havebeen put off from so doing because they’ve been worriedthat it might affect their benefit. The Department for Workand Pensions and the Department for Social Developmentin Northern Ireland have now produced a booklet to helpvolunteers and volunteer managers combine the two.

The basic rules are that you can volunteer for as manyhours as you want, as long as you still meet the conditionsto get benefits or tax credit. The old rule that you couldonly volunteer for 16 hours a week no longer applies.Secondly, volunteers can generally be refunded forexpenses by the organisation they are volunteering forwithout it affecting their benefit or credit.

If volunteers are getting an income-related benefit, likeIncome Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Council TaxBenefit or Housing Benefit, then they must declare anypayment, payments in kind, or expenses received fordoing voluntary work. Receipts, to back up claims, shouldbe retained by the volunteer.

For the leaflet itself, which is an off-putting 49 pages long,see www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/volunteering/

Government news 4The National Archives and the Office of Public SectorInformation are to merge under the joint name of TheNational Archives. Government Ministers announced that‘The combined organisation will lead on information policyand support effective delivery of records and informationmanagement across government and the wider publicsector. This merger will take effect in October 2006.’

Values and VisionOn 8 June, the National Museum Directors’ Conference,Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and the ArtsCouncil launched Values and Vision: The Contribution ofCulture, which calls for a new settlement with governmentso that Britain can maintain its position as a world-classculture. With the Government spending plans in mind, thearts, museum, library and archive sectors have set out theirvalues and core principles. They demonstrate thecontribution that the cultural sector has made to life inBritain in the past 10 years – in order to ensure that it canmake a similar contribution in the next.

This is the first time that the cultural sector has cometogether in this way to set out its joint values and vision.The document celebrates the sector’s achievements overthe last decade but acknowledges that there is still a greatdeal more to be done to fully realise its contribution topublic life. The leaflet sets out the elements of the vision -that public particpation in cultural activity will be one ofthe country’s outstanding successes by 2015. Backing thisup with key statistics ‘More people take part in culturalactivity than vote’ and with international comparisons, itthen goes on to ask for the tools to deliver a world class


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culture to welcome the Olympic Games in 2012. . ‘Toensure the success of the Games and beyond, it is essentialthat there must be sustained support for the cultural sectorand recognition of the value of investment in culture’.

The Values and Vision document is available at:www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/values_and_vision.html

Demonstrating public valueBolton residents value their museums, libraries andarchives at £10.4m according to an innovative studycommissioned by Bolton Metropolitan Council and MLANorth West. The study, undertaken by economics experts,questioned both users and non-users and demonstratedthat every £1 of public funding received by the servicesgenerated £1.60 of value for the Bolton economy. Theproject is planned to be the first of a number of similarstudies in the North West and nationally and a toolkit isavailable to enable other local authorities to carry outsimilar evaluations. The report can be found onwww.mlanorthwest.org.uk

More bargains to be had?The National Archives wishes to dispose of

1 x 30” x 20” Interwood Hydraulic Press 1 x Harrild Standing Press 1 x Furnival Standing Press

The conditions of sale state that the bid price must includeall costs for the removal of the equipment from TNApremises in Kew. Successful bidders will be expected toremove all items from site within 2 weeks of theacceptance of their bid. However, no equipment can bereleased until payment in full has been received. Thisequipment is particularly heavy and it is expected thatspecialist removal will be required.Appointments to view the equipment should be madethrough Carlo Roberto (020 8392 5330 ext 2485 or 2335)[email protected] ), but bids should besubmitted to Sandy [email protected]. The deadline forbids is 31 July 2006.www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

The IPC 5th InternationalConference

Book and Paper Group FirstInternational Conference

26 – 29 July 2006 Edinburgh

FinalOpportunity to Book!One month and counting down to this exclusiveevent which promises to be a memorable occasionat the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.We still have available places at the conferenceand in addition we are now offering a day rate forattendance.

Plus a special offer to BA and MA Students ofConservation

Daily RateStudents £75 for attendance of lectures Thursday, Fridayor Saturday, including refreshments.

Members £150 for attendance Thursday, Friday orSaturday, including refreshments.

Non-members £170.00 attendance Thursday, Friday orSaturday, including refreshments.

Full attendanceMembers £440.00

Non-members £490.00

Telephone booking is essential at this point in time:01435 883659

Trade Exhibition open to all Icon members

Our Trade Exhibition of prominent conservationsuppliers will be open to all Icon members to attend forthe day on Friday 28th July from 10.00 am – 6.00pm(bring your membership identification card to gain entry)

For details of the Final Conference Programme andAccommodation please go to:

Icon www.icon.org.uk – then events – “IPC 5th International Conference 2006”Tel: +44 (0) 1435 883659

Email: [email protected]


14

professional mattersTHE CONSERVATION AWARDS 2007

The next round of the Conservation Awards, againgenerously sponsored by Sir Paul McCartney, will belaunched later this year. It is not too early to start thinkingnow about whether any of your recent projects would besuitable for entry. Short-listed projects attract valuable localand national publicity – and there is the chance to win upto £15,000 for your company or institution!

The closing date for entries for the Award for Conservationand the Collections Care Award will be 15 December 2006.The deadline for the Student Conservator and AnnaPlowden Awards will be 28 February 2007. Thepresentation of the Awards will be held in London inSeptember 2007.

Further details will be publicised in the September IconNews and on the website.

If you would like to speak to someone before decidingwhether to apply, please contact the Awards AdministratorSusan Hughes, e-mail [email protected] tel. 020 7326 0995.

PACR EVENTS

If you were inspired by the article in May’s Icon Newsprofiling our latest accredited members, then you may bethinking about taking the plunge yourself. You will finddetails of the next Introductory sessions, which provide anoverview of the PACR scheme, in Listings. These alsoinclude two events for those thinking of doing the newConservation Management route.

For those who’ve already decided to give it a go, severalclinics at different venues around the country are beingheld in October. Details, again, can be found in Listings.These clinics are for potential candidates who are workingtowards their application: we aim to support you with yourapplication, address any queries and provide a usefulinsight into the accreditation process.

Book and Paper Group’s International Conference inEdinburghI am also holding a ‘one off’ clinic at the EdinburghInternational Conference Centre on 28 July from 13.15 to14.00 with a further hour available to those not attendingthe afternoon session of the conference.

Please note that it is available to all Icon members.You don’t have to be attending the conference to attendthis session. But you will need to bring your Iconmembership card to gain admission. Booking is essentialprior to the conference – even for those who have bookedas delegates. Like all these events, it is free. To reserve a

place, you need to complete the PACR event form to befound on www.pacr.org.uk or contact Diane Copley bytelephone on 0207 785 3805

Susan BradshawPACR Accreditation Manager

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ROUTE

Update and ConsultationThree meetings have been held since February by theworking group developing the new conservationmanagement route to accreditation. Meetings were heldjointly with the Institute of Historic Buildings Conservationwith a view to developing a route to accreditation whichwould be accessible to some IHBC members in the futureas well as to Icon members.

The reason for needing to create this new route is thatcurrently the PACR scheme requires candidates to providedetailed evidence of carrying out conservation treatmentsor preventive conservation measures. While this evidencecan come from past work, it is still difficult or impossible forsome conservation professionals to meet the requirementsfor accreditation. Many capable and highly-respectedmembers of the profession are effectively debarred fromaccreditation because their roles do not allow them tomeet the PACR requirements in the way envisaged.

This situation needs to be changed for two reasons. Nowaccreditation is more widely recognised it is increasinglybeing expected of project leaders, heads of firms, andthose with overall responsibility for grant-aided work, notonly those who carry out conservation treatments.Secondly, as the professional qualification in conservation,it makes little sense to limit it to people in hands-on roleswhen bona fide conservation professionals occupy a muchwider range of roles.

The conclusions of the working group are currently out forconsultation with the PACR Accreditation Committee andour current assessors, as well as with the Icon Board andthe Chairs of our membership groups. Once responsescome in from consultees we expect to be able to takeforward the pilot of the new route for January 2007.

Responding to the call in the last edition of Icon News forexpressions of interest from people who wished to applyfor the pilot, six have already expressed an interest and aPACR clinic will be held on 11 July for these and otherswho come forward.



CONSERVATION REGISTER

May has seen another big jump in use of the ConservationRegister; the average of 1,497 searches a month for theJanuary to April period increased to 1,941 in May. Furtherincreases are expected as a result of the Register’sinclusion in the Collections Care pages of the newCollections Link website which is to be promoted heavilyto the Museums, Libraries and Archives community overforthcoming months. Added to this we have just reprinted10,000 of the Conservation Register leaflets and continueto distribute them widely, 3,000 having just been circulatedthrough the NADFAS (National Association of Decorativeand Fine Arts Societies) ‘Heritage Volunteer’ network.

New applications from businesses are welcomed, and cannormally be processed within two months. Applicationinformation (including the benefits of inclusion such asdiscounted insurance with Heath Lambert) is available inhard copy from Caroline Saye at Icon or in the ‘Members’section of www.conservationregister.com.

Caroline Saye [email protected]

ACRS WANTED

Icon is establishing a register of ACRs willing to hearcomplaints against Icon members and appeals againstdisciplinary decisions. If complaints are received againstmembers, those on the register will be contacted andasked if they will deal with the case.

If you are willing to serve on such a panel please contactCharlotte Cowin on [email protected]

LEADING ARCHIVES AND MUSEUMS

Icon News 4 reported on the leadership developmentprogramme intended to encourage people working inmuseums and archives to move into leadership positions.Sally Ann Yates of National Museums Liverpool describedher experience of the pilot programme for the Heads ofService level.

It is very encouraging to be able to report that anotherfour Icon nominees have been given places on thesecourses. Two of them have attended the ‘Senior Managers’level and two more took part in the ‘Future Leaders’course. Here, Andy Holbrook gives us a flavour of thelatter. Andy is Collections Care Officer at the Museum ofLondon but is currently Acting Collections Care Managerat the Imperial War Museum, London.

‘A colleague and I attended from IWM, and found it to bea great course. In fact, the whole package was great – theaccommodation and food at Warwick University was topclass, the trainers were knowledgeable and enthusiastic

and there was a verypositive group (which oftenmakes or breaks this kind oftraining for me). The trainingitself was useful – there is an

awful lot to take in – and we both found the process prettytiring. However, the number of ideas meant that you couldpick and choose what suits you. It was also reassuring tobe in an environment where we were strangers, but on thesame path. This meant that we were able to be honestabout the sector we work in and the challenges we all face.Interestingly, we were the only conservators on the course,yet the problems of management and leadership wereinevitably similar. The therapy value of the course couldnot be underestimated! This is one of those courses wherethings fall into place in your mind over time. It has been acouple of months now, and some of the methods used arefinding a way into my work. Unlike, say, learning a foreignlanguage, this kind of learning is quite subtle.’

OUT NOW: THE CONSERVATOR ISSUE 29

The first issue of TheConservator to appearunder the banner of theInstitute of Conservation isnow out. It has undergone amake-over and is nowprinted by L&S Printing,who produce both IconNews and The PaperConservator.

The contents reflect thebroad professional interestsof the conservationcommunity, and many of thearticles will be interestingand useful to conservators across specialisations. Althoughaltered in layout, standards are intact; in keeping with theaim of The Conservator to forward the profession.

There are new Guidelines for Contributors, which can befound at the back of Issue 29 and in full on the Iconwebsite (www.icon.org.uk). They are there to help guideauthors in writing original, well researched articles toimprove the practice of conservation.

The editorial Board accepts article proposals all year roundso that we can keep a steady flow to progress towardspublication. We are happy to consider shorter articles aswell.

The Board recently met and has already started pullingtogether Issue 30, which is due to appear in March 2007.

Andy Holbrook


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more professional matters

The contents of The Conservator, Volume 29, 2005/6:

Gail Gali Beiner and Ticca M.A. Ogilvie Thermal methods of pest eradication: their effect onmuseum objects

David Thickett, Frances David and Naomi Luxford Air Exchange Rate – the Dominant Parameter forPreventive Conservation?

Catherine NightingaleDesigning an Exhibition to Minimise Risks to Costumeon Open Display

William LindsayTime perspectives: what ‘the future’ means tomuseum professionals in collections-care

Jane HendersonInfluence: The Impact of Language, Credibility andGender

David Watkinson, Matthew Tanner, Robert Turner and Mark Lewisss Great Britain: teamwork as a platform forinnovative conservation

Robert LewisInterpretation in Conservation: A rare leather findfrom an early historic crannog

Vincent DanielsThe characteristics of modern and old barkcloth (tapa)

Sarah Houlbrooke A Study of the materials and techniques of 13thcentury tomb of Aveline, Countess of Lancester, inWestminster Abbey

PAPER ID DATABASE

EVTEK University of Applied Sciences in Finland hascreated a Paper Identification Database to collect dataregarding the characterization and identification of historicpapers. This includes information from water marks; detailsof laid and chain lines; paper sizing; colour and aciditymeasurements; fibre morphology; pulp types; and thecharacteristics of handmade rag papers.

The database has been up and running since January 2006and is currently in need of donors to add new samples.The use of the database is free of charge, and informationcan be added by selecting the ‘partner’ user category. ThePaper Identification Database can be found atURL:http://conservation.evtek.fi

It is hoped that this database will find an audience inconservation students; conservation professionals; andthose who care for paper based objects.

For further information please contact:

Istvan Kecskemeti, Head of Paper Conservation Education EVTEK University of Applied SciencesInstitute of Art and DesignLummetie 2b01300 VantaaFinland+358 20 7553435Fax: +358 9 8237489Email: [email protected]

AWARDS

AXA GRANT FOR TATE

Tate has won a grant from AXA Art Insurance to find waysin which modern paint artworks can be conserved in thefuture, in many cases before the signs of ageing becomeapparent. With appropriate techniques currently limited,the Tate AXA Art Modern Paints Project aims to redressthis conservation concern and to explore preventativemeasures which art owners can employ to prolong the lifeof their works. The grant enables Tate to undertake thesecond phase of this research project which started in 2002and which was also funded by AXA.

Acrylic paints and primers have been widely used by artistssince the early 1960s. They account for round 50% of paintsales over the past 30 years and are the most commonpriming medium for modern canvases. It is estimated thatacrylic materials are present in 30% of the Tate’s collectionof modern and contemporary paintings. Dr Tom Learner,Senior Conservation Scientist at Tate, said ‘ This is the

Test cleaning acrylic paints

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y of

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most in-depth modern paints conservation research beingcarried out internationally and there is a real need for it.Tate’s research will be available for public and privatecollections around the world on how best to conservemodern paint artworks in the future.’

In support of the project, David Hockney said ‘ Oil painthas been used by artists for 600 years, so modernconservators have six centuries of experience to draw onand develop. Acrylics, on the other hand, are little morethan half a century old. It is extremely important that Tate’sresearch into the future conservation of these relativelynew materials is being done now to ensure these artworkswill be kept in good condition for centuries to come’.

Tom Learner can be contacted at: [email protected] more information

JAMES BLACK WINNER OF THE 2006 PLOWDEN MEDAL

James Black, who has played a major role in thepreservation of cultural heritage internationally throughconservation training and publication, has been awardedthe Royal Warrant Holders Association 2006 PlowdenMedal. He was presented with it by the Lord Mayor of theCity of London at the Royal Warrant Holders Associationlunch in London on 6 June.

The award is in recognition of his dedication to theprofession over many years, including his work in the fieldof international academic projects, with the creation ofprofessional programmes, including distance learning andtraining advice. Alongside this, through ArchetypePublications Ltd, he has published a great many works ofconsiderable importance to conservators, which otherwisewould not have been available.

Although he began his career as a metallurgist, he soonswitched to become an archaeologist and conservator. Aparticipant of many excavations from Afghanistan to Syria,he also became a lecturer in conservation at LondonUniversity’s Institute of Archaeology, worked as aconsultant and wallpainting conservator and has lecturedaround the world, including on UNESCO and ICCROMcourses. In1983 he founded the Institute of ArchaeologySummer Schools offering short specialised courses in theconservation of art and antiquities - an early instance ofCPD for conservators. These led him to the creation of aneducational charity - International Academic Projects - forwhich he continues to act as co-ordinator. IAP runs aprofessional development programme of short courses inthe UK and throughout the world, as well as a distancelearning programme.

Through Archetype Publications Ltd James Black has

produced a substantial body of work on art, antiquities,preservation and related topics, which are directly useful toconservators and fundamental to current practice. Manypublications, often of a technical and scientific nature, havebeen published in conjunction with other organisationsranging from the British Museum to UNESCO.

The Plowden Gold Medal, inaugurated in 1999, is awardedby the Royal Warrant Holders Association in memory of thelate Hon. Anna Plowden CBE, the leading conservator whowas Vice-President of the Association at the time of herdeath in 1997. The Medal is presented annually to theindividual who has made the most significant recentcontribution to the advancement of the conservationprofession. It can also be awarded to recognise a lifetimeof commitment and achievement.

2006 Plowden Medal winner James Black, with the President ofthe Royal Warrant Holders Association, Anton Mosimann, when hereceived his award at the Royal Warrant holders Lunch on 6 June


18

As an Icon Member, you will

NOT GET:• A monthly Iconnect email news service• Regular notice of conservation jobs• Notice of events and activities from the

groups you are signed up to • Reminders for events, application

deadlines or other information

Unless you give us a current email address.Most Icon members are benefiting fromthese services. If you’re not – perhaps you’remissing out?

Email Charlotte Cowin [email protected]



Icon ScotlandSummer Ceilidh

Date: 27 JulyVenue: Mansfield Traquair

Centre, Edinburgh.8 pm until late, doors open 7.30 pm.Open to all and timed to coincide with the Book andPaper Group International Conference, why not join

Icon Scotland Group members to celebrate thesummer with a ceilidh – a fun and vibrant evening of

traditional Scottish music and dance.

Dress is informal,however all tartans are welcome

No previous Ceilidh experience isrequired!

Tickets cost £10 and are available, along with further information, from Kirsten Elliott, email:[email protected], Tel: 0131 624 6351. Book soon to avoid disappointment!

With thanks to the Trustees of the Mansfield Traquair Trust,this year the Ceilidh will be held at the Mansfield Traquair

Centre, Edinburgh. Built in 1885, the venue is a formerCatholic Apostolic Church located on the edge of

Edinburgh’s historic New Town. Designed by the prominentnineteenth-century architect Sir Robert Anderson, the most

outstanding feature of the church is the vast scheme ofmural decoration painted by Scotland’s leading Arts andCraft Artist Phoebe Anna Traquair in the 1890’s, recently

conserved and restored. Described as Edinburgh’s SistineChapel, this is a truly unique venue and provides the

perfect setting for the event.


20

institute briefingFROM THE CHAIR

The new Icon Board is now half-way through its first year,and this seems an appropriate point to offer a summary ofwhat we have achieved so far. Before turning to Boardbusiness however, I want to pick out a few of the highpoints of our achievement in recent months as I believethey show how we are already reaping the benefits ofworking as a united community.

Firstly, Icon has given oral evidence to a House of Lordscommittee on conservation and conservation science. Asfar as I am aware no invitation to give evidence was everextended to any of our predecessor bodies; nor could anyof them have spoken with authority on behalf ofconservation as a whole. The fact that Icon was invitedsignals clearly that we now have that recognition in thepublic realm, and that is an achievement on which we mustcapitalise in future years. Secondly, a sixth body has nowvoted for convergence, and probably by the time theSeptember issue of Icon News reaches you, the integrationof the Institute of Conservation Science with Icon will becomplete. Both of these items are discussed in detail inthis issue so I will simply say how delighted I am that withinthe first year of our existence we have two suchencouraging signs that we are on the right track.

Turning now to Board affairs, the role of the Icon Board issomewhat different to that of the various executive bodiesof the old organisations, and this means that the way itworks is somewhat different as well. As trustees of thecharity, Board members are responsible for ensuring thatIcon continues to meet its charitable objective of providingpublic benefit. As directors of the limited company, Boardmembers set and monitor the strategic direction of theorganisation.

As envisaged in the blue book, we felt that it wasimportant for us to have an injection of high-level andspecialist skills from outside the membership on our Board,and in recent months three external Board members havebeen co-opted – Lynne Thomas, who has a particular briefto ensure that we develop appropriate strategic riskmanagement; AnnMarie Newbigin, who has considerableexperience at a senior level of a wide range of humanresource issues, and Philip Young as Honorary Treasurer.We are very grateful to all three for giving so generously oftheir time and we are enjoying the considerable benefits oftheir collective expertise.

Since our first meeting in February we have established anumber of specialist panels and committees to work indetail and report on priority areas of work. Two majorreports have been commissioned; one from Diane Gwilt onhow we deliver public benefit, and the other fromAnnMarie Newbigin on how we ensure that Icon develops

appropriate diversity strategies. The management of ourHLF bursary scheme, together with overseeing our otherinitiatives in education, training and professional standards,comes under the remit of our new Professional StandardsDevelopment Committee, chaired by Chris Woods. TheMembership Affairs Review Panel, with Allyson McDermottin the chair, will be looking at how we best deliver thebenefits our members need. Simon Cane chairs ouradvocacy group, which has responsibility for developingIcon’s responses to consultations and major public policyinitiatives.

Lastly, we appointed a Governance Review Panel to reporton some of the questions which surfaced as a result of lastyear’s election process. You will find a summary of thepanel’s report, which the Board accepted, below. Onerecommendation we accepted which is of particularpersonal relevance to me is that we have now determinedthat the term of office for the Chair should be two years.Succession planning starts now, therefore, as this meansthat in a year’s time I will be preparing to handover to asuccessor.

One third of our serving Board will stand down at the endof this year and elections for those seats will take place inSeptember. If you believe you have a contribution to makeat Board level I very much encourage you to considerseeking nomination as a candidate. No previousexperience as a trustee is necessary, and I want toemphasise in particular that Board membership does notequate to professional seniority – we are not, nor do weseek to be, ‘the great and the good’ of the conservationcommunity. We do however ask that everyone on theBoard undertake to think strategically about the future ofour organisation and our profession. In this context I wouldalso like to pay tribute to our excellent and very committedexecutive team. Ably and energetically led by Alastair, theyhave enabled the board to lead in this way and haveworked with imagination and loyalty to ensure that Icon isachieving its objectives.

It is both a privilege and a pleasure to work with so manycommitted and bright people on a Board and staff – and itis not without its challenges! If you are interested in joiningus, and would like to talk to me or to any of the existingBoard members about the role and the work, please dofeel free to contact us.

If you are one of those who cast a vote for convergence in2004 then I hope you will feel, as I do, that some of thegains we looked for in convergence are starting to berealised. If you are one of the hundreds of new memberswho have joined Icon in recent months then I trust that youtoo will feel that we have made a vigorous start on anexciting journey which remains full of promise.

Anna Southall



EDINBURGH OFFICE OPENS

Icon is pleased to confirm its presence North of the Borderby opening an office in Edinburgh. The Scottish office willdeal with training issues on a UK basis and will serve as thefocus for the running of the Heritage Lottery Fund –supported Bursaries project. Carol Brown, Training

Development Manager, and new appointee GillianDrybrough, Administrator for the HLF Scheme, are basedwithin the offices of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) ,in prime position in the centre of the City. We are verypleased to have linked up with the RSE, who are aneducational charity working to provide public benefit inScotland by promoting science, research and developmentand international communications. The office will alsoprovide support and a meeting place for the Icon ScotlandGroup. Contact details are: Icon, 22–26 George Street,Edinburgh EH2 2PQ, tel. 0131 240 5032/8, or e-mailtraining enquiries to [email protected].

NOW WE ARE SIX

In 2004 five organisations voted to merge into Icon, andwe are now delighted to welcome a sixth – The Institute ofConservation Science. The Institute of ConservationScience was founded in 2000 to bring togetherconservation scientists from different disciplines and it hasfocused its work latterly on tasks such as the researchassessment exercise for UK universities 2004–8 and thedevelopment of an EU-wide post-graduate programme forconservation science. The emergence of Icon as a unifiedand authoritative voice for the conservation communitypromoted ICS members to take stock of whether theiraims could more usefully be pursued as a distinctive groupwithin a larger organisation.

At its Annual General Meeting on 5 June the membershipof the Institute of Conservation Science voted 88% infavour of convergence with Icon. This brings to fruitionongoing discussions over the last year and builds on theeffective joint advocacy of the two organisations in theirrecent evidence to the House of Lords Committee onScience and Technology. The two bodies plan to completeconvergence within two months.

Alastair McCapra, Icon Chief Executive, said “This resultbrings the wider conservation community more closelytogether and builds a strong platform for us to articulatethe needs and interests of conservation science.”

ICS Chair, Joyce Townsend said “The ICS has successfullyreinforced the identity of UK conservation science over thesix years of its existence, and the time is now right for us towork together productively, and to gain from the impactwhich Icon is now making and the membership services itcan provide to present ICS members.”

Joyce Townsend will now be in discussion with IconConservation Science Group interim chair Jim Tate overthe coming weeks in order to plan the transition which willsee the new Group fully operational by the end of thesummer.

The Edinburgh office

Gillian Drybrough


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WRITING THE RULES:

New Byelaws for Icon Icon’s first Board elections took place in 2005. During thecourse of these elections a number of issues came upwhich needed to be resolved before we could hold oursecond elections later this year. In February the Icon Boardasked our Honorary Treasurer Philip Young to chair aworking group called the Governance Review Panel to lookinto these questions and make recommendations. Thepanel consisted of Board members Philip Young, VelsonHorie, Rose Briskman and Diane Gwilt. They were joinedby the last member of the panel, Mike Caudrey of BlueSpark Consulting, who had worked with us on theconvergence process.

On 24 May the Board considered and accepted therecommendations of this panel, the main points of whichare summarised below. These recommendations have nowbeen put into effect in our byelaws.

1 Should the Chair be elected by the membership orby the Board?

The task was to find a balance between theresponsibility of the Board on the one hand to ensureleadership, direction, effective performance and riskmanagement; and on the other, the clear desire by largesections of the membership to elect their Chair. Thesolution was a modified version of the system formerlyused by IPC.

In future elections for the Chair, the Board will elect acandidate. Other candidates will then be invited tostand. If other candidates come forward, there will be anelection by the full membership. If no other candidatescome forward the Board candidate will become Chair.

2 Should the Chair should serve a fixed term of office?

Anna Southall, our current Chair, is to serve until the2007 AGM. Future Chairs will serve a fixed two-yearterm.

3 Should the Board be reduced in size at the 2006elections?

The Icon Board currently has fifteen elected members,which is somewhat larger than was envisaged during theconvergence process. The 2006 elections would be ourfirst opportunity to reduce the size of the Board.However the existing number is needed to undertakethe work in hand on various committees. It also allowscapacity for new and less experienced Board membersto develop their understanding of the organisation andtheir role on the Board.

On this basis the Board is to stay at its current size (fiveserving members stand down and five seats are open to

election in 2006). The Board will review this again beforethe 2007 elections to determine whether a smallernumber would be appropriate at that time.

4 Should all elected members of the Board be ACRs?

This would be contrary to the spirit of the convergenceprospectus, which describes Icon as ‘a wholly inclusivenew body’. It has been a key part of the convergenceprocess to make Icon representative of the conservationcommunity in the broadest sense and it would bedifficult to reconcile this intention with a proposal torestrict Board membership to ACRs. This proposal wastherefore rejected.

5 Should only ACRs be eligible to stand as candidatesfor the Chair?

The same principles apply to this as to the previousquestion. This proposal was also rejected.

6 Should the reserved seats for England Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland be abolished?

The England seat is to be abolished when the currentholder, Alison Richmond, next comes up for election(2007 or 2008). The seats for Scotland, Wales andNorthern Ireland will be retained. However if nocandidate stands for these seats they will not be filledby co-option from the relevant country, but opened upto candidates from the general membership. The Boardhas also agreed to review these arrangements in 2008 tosee whether they are working satisfactorily.

ICON GIVES EVIDENCE

House of Lords Science and Heritage Sub-Committeeof the Select Committee on Science and TechnologyThe committee looking into the role of science inconservation of the UK’s cultural heritage has now finishedgathering evidence and the interviewing of witnesses. Theycompleted this phase of their work with a visit to NationalMuseums Liverpool.

Transcripts are now available of all the witness sessions onthe parliamentary website, www.parliament.uk but here isour first-hand experience of the session when Iconrepresentatives were interviewed.

The event took place on 16 May. Chaired by BaronessSharp of Guildford, and with special adviser May Cassar inattendance, the session was in two parts. In the first DavidSaunders and Neil MacGregor (BM), Leslie Carlyle andAlex Beard (Tate) and Jim Tate (National Museums ofScotland) were quizzed, and in the second session JoyceTownsend, on this occasion representing the Institute ofConservation Science, sat alongside Alastair McCapra andDavid Leigh of Icon.



Their Lordships were prepared with some carefully-wrought questions, arising in part from the evidencealready presented. Inevitably it was not possible to sayeverything we would have liked in the short time available,so we had to be selective, and focus on the main points.These were:

• We should like to see DCMS giving some recognition toconservation science as a priority.

• We were sorry to see the minimal reference toconservation, and none to science, in the MLA’soperational plan for 2005/06.

• We agree that greater coordination is required andrecommend the establishment of a post for a nationalconservation science coordinator, a post which Iconwould be happy to host.

• We believe that the forthcoming merger of ICS withIcon will help in the creation of a more strategicapproach to conservation science in the UK.

• The pressures on conservators in the regions militateagainst their being able to dedicate time to thescientific research which they know ought to underlietheir work, as shown in their CPD records, an essentialcomponent of accreditation. The evidence is that theregional MLAs and the Renaissance Hubs give this lowpriority.

• We agree that there is potential for conservation toengender greater public support, and see conservationscience as an essential tool in improving the quality ofaccess.

Since the hearing Icon has provided supplementaryevidence, reporting to the sub-committee on theestablishing of a MRes Degree at Winchester, and on thevote for the merger of ICS and Icon. We also drew theirattention to the recent award of the Gulbenkian Prize forMuseums and Galleries to ss Great Britain as an exampleof how scientific research relates closely to conservationpractice and impacts directly on improved public access.

Looking back, the amount of time and energy devoted toexploration of this aspect of conservation and at this levelis remarkable. Apart from the extensive written evidence,the range of witnesses interviewed over the months of thisinquiry is impressive. The conservation and conservationscience community has acquitted itself well. We await thesub-committee’s report, expected in late July, with thehope that it will offer substantive and achievablerecommendations that will provide a fresh impetus forconservation science in this country.

David Leigh

HLF BURSARY SCHEME UPDATE

Regional Co-ordinators appointed Icon’s internship scheme is well underway – ahead of mostof the parallel schemes funded by HLF! Seventeen internsare due to start mid-September this year. The response toadverts for the placements was excellent and interviewsare taking place in July and August at our host venues. Wehope to profile the selected Interns in the next edition ofIcon News.

A team of three Regional Co-ordinators was appointed inJune to manage the assessment of interns and to supportsupervisors and interns on the scheme. Icon hasassembled an excellent team who will work to link up allregions of the UK and make a significant contribution tothe success of the scheme for the next four years.

Susan Bradshaw – well known to many of you as PACRManager for Icon – will cover Wales and the West. LornaCalcutt, Tutor in the Ceramics Conservation programme atWest Dean College will deal with London and the East,while Alison Fraser – an experienced textile conservatorbased in Angus – will work across the North, NorthernIreland and Scotland.

Icon is still interested to receive expressions of interestfrom host organisations or workshops who are keen tooffer internship placements over the period 2007-2010. Wewould also like to work with other providers across the UK,so do get in touch with the Edinburgh staff if yourinstitution provides supported or non-funded internship orstudent placements.

FIND A PARTNER IN BRACKNELL

Our webmaster Dana Goodburn Brown was finding somefairly exotic – not to say downright illegal – materialappearing on the Icon web discussion forum in recentweeks. The culprits are bots – web spiders which rangeacross the internet looking for unprotected sites tocolonise with links to sites specialising in pornography,gambling, low-interest loans and timeshares.

In our rather naïve way we had underestimated the sheervolume of these intruders and had hoped that anoccasional scan over the forum logins would allow us toweed out anyone unsuitable. Sadly things have moved onat exponential speed since anyone in the Icon office lastmanaged a discussion forum and trying to weed out penisextensions, breast enhancement and discount viagra wasjust becoming a full-time job. We have therefore decided,with great regret, to close the discussion forum on thepublic-access area of the website. Members can still loginto the members’ only area, where the bots can’t go. EachIcon group has its own discussion area behind the


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more institutebriefing

password wall so I hope you will all take the opportunity topursue more edifying discussions there.

I meanwhile will be searching for a bride in the Ukrainewhile paying poker all night long.

Alastair McCapra

FROM THE LIBRARY

While we specialise in paper conservation, there is alsotechnical information on preservation, analyticaltechniques, materials research, disaster planning, pestmanagement, environmental conditions, plus works onspecific materials and techniques, such as textiles, picturesframes, pigments and dyes and many other subjects thatmay be of interest. Please feel free to come and usethis growing collection.

We are also very pleased to announce that as a newservice to Icon members photocopies of articles willbe available free of charge during this trial year tothose quoting their membership number.

We welcome all donations from members’ personalcollections of professional literature Please contact thelibrarian who would be happy to hear from you.

Librarian Catherine Scutt

Email [email protected]

Telephone + 44 (0) 1865 251 303

Address The Chantry Library, Grove Cottage, St.Cross Road, Oxford, OX1 3TX, UnitedKingdom

Website http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/ipc-chantry/

Recent acquisitions:

Bookbinders at work: their roles and method byMirjam Foot, 2006

The restoration of engravings, drawings, books, andother works of art on paper by Max Schweidler,translated, edited and with an appendix by RoyPerkinson, 2006

The care of books: an essay on the development oflibraries and their fittings, from the earliest times tothe end of the eighteenth century by John WillisClark, 1901, reprinted 2005

Glossary of conservation I, II, & III by Mireia Xarrié,2006

Recently published articles

Creating long-lasting inkjet prints by Monique C.FischerWAAC Newsletter vol.28; no.1 January 2006

The restoration programme of the Chinese Palace,Oranienbaum, St Petersburg by Zoe Allen

The ethics of conservation practice: a look from withinby Titika Malkogeorgou

Treasures of Fairford [being two16th century stainedglass panels] by Paul Williamson and Kathrin Rahfoth

The development of English black japanning,1620–1820 by Katja Tovar Azuero

V&A Conservation Journal, no. 52, Spring 2006

Techniques and traditions of Japanese LacquerConservation by Suzanna Shaw in AICCM (AustralianInstitute of the Conservation of Cultural Material)National Newsletter, no. 98, March 2006

Vellum over boards by Peter Verheyen

Mending paper by Christine Smith

Techniques in decorating leather by S.A. Neff, Jr.

An early medieval binding structure by Jiri Vnoucek

Guild of Book Workers Journal, vol. 39, no. 1 (Spring2004)

The Cleveland restoration project of the Army MedicalLibrary by Tom Conroy in Guild of Book WorkersNewsletter, no. 164, February 2006

A method for the aqueous deacidification of oxidizedpaper by John Bogaard, Hannah R. Morris, and PaulM. Whitmore

Evaluation of appearance and fading of daylightfluorescent watercolors by Sandra A. Connors-Rowe,Hannah R. Morris, and Paul M. Whitmore

Original patents as an aid to the study of the historyand composition of semisynthetic plastics by SilviaGarcia Fernandez-Villa and Margarita San AndresMoya

Plutarch’s report on the blue patina of bronze statuesat Delphi: a scientific explanation by Walter A. Frankeand Magda Mircea

Funori: overview of a 300-year-old consolidant byJoseph R. Swider and Martha Smith

An integrated approach to risk assessments andcondition surveys by Joel Taylor

Journal of the American Institute for Conservation,Summer 2005, Vol. 44, No. 2

These publications are available to consult at theLibrary; copies available on request, subject tocopyright restrictions. Please contact the librarianwho would be happy to provide you with anyrelevant conservation literature to help you inyour work.



peopleJOHN FIDLER LEAVES ENGLISH HERITAGE

Icon member and English Heritage’s Conservation Director,John Fidler leaves the organisation this month after 22years to live and work in the USA.

An architect by training, John has worked for nearly 30 years in the public sector specialising in buildingconservation. His early career was spent with the Greater

London Council’s HistoricBuildings Division where hedeveloped expertise in therepair of faience andterracotta. This interest hasstood him in good stead,for example in the 1980s,when he worked with theIronbridge Institute andothers to save one of thecountry’s fewmanufacturers, HathernwareCeramics.

He joined the City ofLondon Corporation in1983 as its first HistoricBuildings Architect, setting

standards of conservation for the many phasedrefurbishment of the Mansion House. In his spare time hehelped found the Association of Conservation Officers(ACO), which ultimately became the Institute of HistoricBuildings Conservation (IHBC). For many years he servedon the ACO’s executive and on a whole string of otherbuilding conservation bodies such as the TechnicalCommittee of the Society for the Protection of AncientBuildings and the executive of the North AmericanAssociation for Preservation Technology. The Royal Instituteof British Architects also called on his services and he waselected a national councillor before establishing the RIBA’sfirst conservation committee which continues today.

If all of that didn’t keep him fully occupied, for10 years hewas part-time architectural editor of Traditional Homesmagazine, teaching home-owners how to have intelligentconversations with builders, architects, conservators andplanners over the cleaning, repair and maintenance ofhistoric dwellings. At its peak in the late 1980s, it had thelargest professional and technical readership of any coffeetable ‘life-style’ magazine.

On joining English Heritage, John became the country’sfirst Conservation Officer for Buildings at Risk and wasinstrumental in saving Brodsworth House near Doncasterfor the nation. Later in his EH career, he developed thecampaign against plastic windows and established theorganisation’s pioneering conservation training centre at

Fort Brockhurst near Gosport in Hampshire. In the 1990s,Fidler established the English Heritage ResearchTransactions series and with his Building Conservation andResearch Team developed strong links with UKIC,delivering Preserving the Painted Past; ArchitecturalCeramics and Monuments and the Millennium as jointconferences and published proceedings.

At an academic level, John is well known on the teachingcircuit serving on academic advisory committees; as aMasters course validator; faculty member and as VicePresident for Programmes on the managing council ofICCROM (the intergovernmental International Centre forStudies of the Conservation and Restoration of CulturalProperty in Rome).

John was a great supporter of the moves towardsaccreditation and merger over several years. He acted asone of the client interests for the development of theaccreditation process; helped support UKIC for EnglishHeritage grant aid for membership developmental work;and of course assisted with the Conservation Awards. Mostrecently his teams have again liaised over labour marketstudies of architectural conservators, just published.

John’s links with the US were formed early from a series oftravelling studentships. He now knows the place, the fieldand the profession’s leading figures well. With an Americanwife, who is the Associate Director of the GettyConservation Institute in Los Angeles, he has decided thatenough is enough: with a journey of 15 hours each wayand jet lag getting worse, it is time to be in the samehome from one week to the next. John has won a GettyScholarship in open competition to work in SouthernCalifornia for 6 months on research and a publicationabout training architects in conservation. Thereafter heintends to consult internationally.

‘I shall miss England, English Heritage, my colleagues,friends and the work here – but the world is a very smallplace and I hope to consult widely in future: always anexcuse to return occasionally….’

You can keep in touch with John as he embarks on thisnew chapter in his life on [email protected]

PETER WINSOR

Collections Link Project DirectorAs noted in Icon News 4, MDA has appointed PeterWinsor to the post of Project Director for Collections Link,the national collections management advisory servicefunded through Renaissance in the Regions. Peter joins theteam at MDA from his post of Senior Collections Adviser atthe Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Hisresponsibilities as Project Director will include managing


26

service delivery, buildingstrategic partnerships andcommissioning new contentand resources forCollections Link.

Nick Poole, MDA Director,commented, ‘I’m delightedto welcome Peter to theteam at MDA. He hasconsiderable experience innational collections strategyand is well known andrespected across thecommunity. He understandsthe challenges andopportunities facing the

sector and is ideally suited to lead the development ofCollections Link.’

Collections Link is a national partnership of more than 15professional groups and associations, led jointly by theMDA, Icon and the National Preservation Office. Theservice will provide online and telephone access to adviceand best practice in 16 management disciplines, fromcollection care to emergency planning and projectmanagement. Icon’s Conservation Register is one of itsmost important components. Collections Link is currentlybeing evaluated prior to a full launch later in 2006.

RINGING THE CHANGES AT YAT

Jim Spriggs, Head of Conservation at York ArchaeologicalTrust is moving on after 34 years with YAT. Jim says ’It’sbeen a tremendous experience working in such a dynamicorganisation as YAT and a real privilege to excavate,conserve and care for such amazing collections of finds.

And, strange as it might seems, waterlogged wood stillgives me a buzz….but I really do need a change!’. He issucceeded by Ian Panter, ex- English HeritageArchaeological Science Advisor for Yorkshire region. Alsoleaving the YAT conservation team are Julie Jones andErica Paterson, Conservators for 27 and 15 yearsrespectively. Mags Felter (ex UCL MSc student) hasrecently taken up the post of Assistant Conservator, and itis hoped that other appointments will be made soon.

The laboratory will also soon be ‘on the move’, fromGalmanhoe Lane, York, where it has been since 1981, tojoin the rest of the YAT organisation in newly renovatedpremises at 47 Aldwark, York. Despite many changes, itseems certain that York will continue to be a major focusfor archaeological conservation in the UK .

MUSEUM MOVES

Recent museum appointments include a new director forthe National Museum of Science and Industry, MartinEarwicker, a scientist whose background is in themanagement of government science and defenceinstitutions rather than that of museums. Five NMSIinstitutions will come under his command: the ScienceMuseum; the National Railway Museum; Locomotion; theNational Museum of Photography, Film and Television andthe collections centre at Wroughton.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and theNational Maritime Museum have announced theappointment of Martyn Heighton to lead the NationalHistoric Ships Unit as Head of Secretariat to the newly-created Historic Ships Advisory Committee. TheCommittee’s task is to provide independent advice to theSecretary of State at DCMS on national ship preservationand funding priorities. Martyn Heighton has extensiveexperience in the maritime heritage field as a former ChiefExecutive of the Mary Rose Trust and earlier maritimerelated posts in Bristol and Liverpool. He has also servedon the Management Board of the National Trust and hasmost recently been championing projects to celebrate the200th anniversary of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s birthday.

DOCTORAL SUCCESS

Congratulation to Andrea Pataki for gaining her doctoratefrom the State Academy of Art and Design Stuttgart,Faculty of Conservation Technology /Art history(Kunsttechnologie / Kunstgeschichte) in co-operation withthe Research Centre Karlsruhe, Institute of InstrumentalAnalysis (Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut fürInstrumentalle Analytik). It is the first doctorate that hasbeen awarded by the State Academy of Art and DesignStuttgart since the introduction of doctoral awards in 2002.

Jim Spriggs (left) and Ian Panter in front of a freeze-dryingchamber in the York Archaeological Wood Centre



Andrea has been Head of the Conservation Studio since1998 and supervises students during their five year bookand paper conservation course at the State Academy ofArt and Design Stuttgart (www.sabk.de).

Andrea’s thesis, ‘The Appearance of Powdery Pigmentsduring Consolidation with Aerosols’, investigated colourchanges following the consolidation of pigmented surfaceswith aqueous and solvent based consolidants, applied withthe aid of a specially adapted aerosol. Changes to theappearance of the powdery surface were analysed inrelation to aerosol particle size, the viscosity and therefractive index of six consolidants. These were gelatine,methylcellulose, isinglass, funori, JunFunori® and Klucel®.The colour and the gloss of the adhesive film sampleswere measured. Changes to the surface of three differentselected pigments were analysed by means of UV/VIS-Spectroscopy. The reflectance spectra and thecolourimetric data enabled a comparative discussion.

As consolidants are not removable after their applications,the ethical aspect of such treatments were also discussed.

Using the results of the analytical investigations, threeworks were consolidated. An installation by Ross Sinclair atthe Hamburger Kunsthalle / Galerie der Moderne, twowatercolours by Erich Mendelsohn at the Kunstbibliothek,Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, and a black pastel drawing byPeter Ulli were successfully treated.

Andrea’s thesis will be published in German by theForschunsgzentrum Karlsruhe, under the title,“Einflussgrößen auf den Farbeindruck von puderndenMalschichten beim Konsolidieren mit Aerosolen”. Furtherinformation can be provided by Andrea ([email protected]

GLYNIS EDWARDS We are sorry to report the sudden death of GlynisEdwards, well known in the field of archaeologicalconservation. An appreciation of Glynis will appear inIcon News in due course.


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The British Library has introduced a programmedrotation of the Treasures in the Sir John RitblatGallery, whereby items are removed from publicdisplay for a period of six months every two years.The rotation started on 3 April 2006 when theLindisfarne Gospels were taken off display for sixmonths. The volume will be put back on display on 2 October 2006 for 18 months, and then taken offfor six months and so on. This exquisite pinnacle ofAnglo Saxon manuscript illumination had previouslybeen on display as one of the iconic items in theBritish Library virtually uninterrupted since theopening of the new BL building in 1998, and forconsiderable periods before that – since theexhibition of printed books and manuscripts openedin the British Museum in 1857. The openings of the‘carpet pages’ at the beginning of each of theGospels represent high points of illuminated art, andhad been disproportionately frequently on display.

Rotating the treasureson display in theBritish Library Helen Shenton, Head ofCollection Care at the BritishLibrary, discusses the factorsunderpinning the Library’s newdisplay policy

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Also on 3 April, the redisplay of the Magna Carta andassociated material opened in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery(fig 1). They will remain on display for 18 months beforebeing taken off display for six months, and then put backon for 18 months and so on.

The redisplay of these two highly significant manuscriptsrepresents the beginning of the new rotation policy. In therotation programme there is an ‘event’ every three months,whereby an item is removed or returned. This policy andprogramme came about through a convergence ofmultiple factors including conservation, curatorship, publicprogrammes, marketing, restitution and politics.

The current galleries were opened in 1998 when the BritishLibrary left the British Museum and moved two km north toits first purpose-built home at St Pancras. There are threegalleries. The Sir John Ritblat Gallery is a permanentshow case for the treasures of the BL. The 250+ items ondisplay represent the range of the BL’s holdings, from theCodex Sinaiticus (the earliest copy of the New Testamentin the world) to the earliest manuscript of Beowulf, fromJane Austen’s manuscript novels to Alice in Wonderland,from the Golden Haggadah to the manuscripts of theBeatles’ lyrics. The Pearson gallery houses temporaryexhibitions, currently ‘Hold the Front Page’ which is a veryinteractive celebration of 100 years of British Newspapersand which invites visitors to create their own newspaper;next year there will be a major exhibition centring on threefaiths – Christianity, Islam and Judaism. There is also aworkshop gallery for demonstrations, and other exhibitionareas throughout the building in which heritage items aredisplayed. All the galleries have controlled environmentalconditions (18–20C and 45–60%RH). In the Sir John RitblatGallery the freestanding cases have their own airconditioning units and the fibre optic lighting in the casesensures less than 50 lux levels on the surface of collectionitems (and less than 10 microwatts per lumen UV).

The rotation policy and schedule came about due to anumber of factors – some related to the conservation ofthe objects, some with a political dimension, some relatedto the programming and marketing of events for the public.

The conservation element was that many of the

manuscripts, codices, books, maps and prints had been ondisplay for varying amounts of time, and, whilst there hadbeen some substitution of items, many had been oncontinuous display for years. As Head of Collection Care Iwanted to see a rotation programme to minimise damageto the pigment or media and substrate from cumulativelight exposure, minimise damage to binding structuresfrom prolonged display and so forth. Notwithstanding theneed to make them accessible, I was concerned that themost ‘valuable’ items are on display the most. There was asecondary conservation consideration, in that the new BLCentre for Conservation is due to open on the St Pancrassite in 2007. It will have behind-the-scenes tours for thepublic and a modest visitor display centre, which will link tothe Exhibition Galleries, so that when an item is off displayfor conservation reasons, the rotation can be explained bylinking to the new Conservation Centre.

The political element relates to the sensitive subject ofcultural restitution. There is a campaign by, amongstothers, a number of local councils in the north east ofEngland, requesting the Lindisfarne Gospels be located inNorthumbria. There is currently an Early Day Motion callingfor the ‘Return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to DurhamCathedral’ that has, at the time of writing, been signed by42 Members of Parliament.

When a further request to borrow the Lindisfarne Gospelswas received by the BL, the Conservation Departmentcarried out an examination of the manuscript, assessingthe risk of damage of five scenarios:

(1) multiple, long-term loans

(2) single loan

(3) status quo (ie permanent display in the gallery)

(4) periodic removal from display into storage

(5) permanent removal from display into storage

The risk of severity and probability of damage to thedifferent components of the manuscript was assessed fromhandling, from movement and from the environment. Therisk assessment was peer-reviewed by Trinity College Dublin,whose stewardship of the Book of Kells has involved itsloan to, most recently, the National Library of Australia.

Fig 1 New display of theMagna Carta and associatedmaterial

Figure 2 Display about theLindisfarne Gospels during thesix months they are off display

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30

the other assessment methodologies used in the BL. David,Mark Barnard and Kumiko Matsuoka assessed the itemsand produced priorities for rotation based on a hierarchy ofcondition. A draft programme was drawn up whereby anitem came off display at three monthly intervals for a sixmonth period before returning for 18 months.

The concept of six months off display within a two yearperiod was a combination of conservation theory,exhibition best practice, pragmatism and access. Itcombined:

1 The need to make the items available to the public.

2 Recommendations in BS5454-2000 and other standardsfor the display of (largely) organic collection material

3 The concept of ‘Just Noticeable Fade’ and the lightexposure work at institutions such as the V&A that hadalready been applied to the BL’s collections on display

4 The BL Board’s desire for rotation of all the Treasures inthe light of the Lindisfarne Gospels

5 The achievability of a rotation programme given theresources in Exhibitions, Conservation, Marketing

On top of the first draft rotation plan based on condition,the exhibition and public programme was overlaid toidentify all interdependencies with major events, launchesetc. For example, Bibles and Korans all need to be ondisplay during the major exhibition about three faiths nextyear; the Codex Sinaiticus needs to be on display duringevents in the BL with the St Catherine’s Foundation and soforth.

Curatorial input further overlaid what were iconic individualitems that could not be substituted, and iconic categoriesof material that could be substituted with similar material.So, works by Jane Austen, William Wordsworth orLawrence Sterne comprise iconic categories that can becontinuously represented by a series of individual items bythose authors; the Tyndale Bible or Codex Alexandrinusare iconic items that cannot be substituted by other itemsand so will be off display periodically.

The BL’s Press Office, Marketing and Public Programmeswere very supportive of the rotation concept and of arotation programme, because taking objects on and offdisplay creates an ‘event’, which is a useful hook forpublicising the BL and the individual item, accompanyinggallery talks about the item etc.

The programme has been drawn up for the next five yearsand will no doubt be subject to some changes along theway. It has been disseminated via the BL website,information in the gallery (fig 3), in the gallery guides andso on. It will be reviewed after a year.

This was a complex, interdisciplinary initiative thatcombined public access, reputational considerations,curatorial expertise, marketing and stewardship. It hasbeen a mixture of high-minded conservation principles,conservation pragmatism, marketing, press and publicprogrammes needs, all balanced with the right of thepublic to see items not only of national importance but inmany cases important to world heritage.

In the light of the risk assessment, the recommendationwas put to the British Library Board that the Gospelsshould be periodically removed from display to minimisedamage from, for example, light exposure balancedagainst making it available to the public. When off display,it would be replaced with a special exhibition about theGospels (fig 2) together with a facsimile and the award-winning digital ’Turning the Pages’ version (that can alsobe seen at www.bl.uk/turningthepages.)

Once the BL Board had agreed this rotation policy for theLindisfarne Gospels, the logical next step was to produce arotation policy and programme for the other 250+ itemsalso on display in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery. Thisnecessitated research into how long each item had beenon display. Then, in order to produce the first draft of arotation programme based on conservationconsiderations, the condition of the items needed to beknown. It was not feasible in the time available to carry outrisk assessments of all the items. Therefore the pragmaticdecision was taken in the first phase to assess those itemsthat had been on display for five years and over, whichcaptured the seminal BL items.

Vicki Humphrey and David Jacobs designed an assessmentform that could be carried out quickly, and that linked to

Fig 3 Top: text in the gallery explains the rotation of theLindisfarne Gospels, displayed (below) in facsimile for six months.

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NOTICE OF BOARD ELECTIONS

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

One Reserved Seat for Northern Ireland and Four Open Seats

In accordance with Icon’s Articles of Association one third of the serving Board of Trustees will stand downat the end of 2006 and their seats are now open to election. The Board is Icon’s governing body, andnominations are invited from eligible members who wish to serve as Board members. All Ordinary andAccredited Members of The Institute of Conservation may stand for election.

What is Involved?

• Job descriptions for both Chair and elected Board members will be published on the website atwww.icon.org.uk. There will be 4 Board meetings in 2007, most of which will be held in London.

• Board members are also asked to serve on at least one committee or panel, but some of theseconduct much of their business electronically. For this reason only people with email access will beable to function effectively as Board members.

• Members should note that travel expenses are subject to an upper limit of £150 per Board meeting.

How does the election work?

• There are five seats open to election in 2006. Four of these are open to nominations from allAccredited Members and Ordinary Members of Icon.

• The fifth seat is reserved seat for Northern Ireland. This means that nominations for this seat will onlybe accepted from Accredited or Ordinary members who have a primary address in Northern Ireland.

• To stand for election, complete and return the nomination form (available on the website) beforemidnight on Friday 18 August. Ballot papers will be sent out to members together with theSeptember issue of Icon news. The results will be announced to members at our AGM on 30November in Edinburgh.

If you wish to discuss running for election on an informal and confidential basis, please contact the ChiefExecutive, Alastair McCapra at

[email protected]

or (+44) (0)20 7785 3803


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This year has seen the completion of a project to conservethe eighteenth century Louis Laguerre wallpaintings on thewalls of the Painted Hall at Chatsworth House

In 1936, the Painted Hall ceiling was found to be in dangerof collapse through failure of the main supporting beams inthe roof due to extensive attack by death watch beetle andthis needed major structural work to reattach the lath andplaster. The restoration was undertaken by Mr Constantine,Technical Assistant at Sheffield City Art Galleries with helpfrom the Mr Arthur Hicks, Master plasterer at Chatsworth.The damaged ceiling paintings were extensively‘reconstructed’ and fully restored and the walls underwentpartial cleaning, waxing and varnishing. The ceiling paintingwas then partially cleaned in 1996 by Pauline Plummer andher team, during her extensive treatment of thewallpaintings at Chatsworth between 1984 and 2001.

In January and February 2005 I took up the baton with ateam of six conservators and we cleaned as much of theEast Wall as possible in the time available when the Housewas closed.

This year, the 12th Duke of Devonshire took up residencein the House and began an ambitious and imaginativerehang of the State Rooms. In a departure from the normalpolicy of completing conservation work during the closedseason, the Duke decided to extend the schedule intoMarch and April to enable visitors to the House to watch

us at work and to let them see how their entrance feeswere being spent.

The main thrust of this year’s work was dewaxing, and dirtand varnish removal with solvents. Numerous meetingswere held with Curatorial staff, the Clerk of Works, SafetyOfficer and scaffolders to resolve all the difficulties ofworking whilst the public were in the building – problemssuch as safe access in a room containing scaffolding andthe risks associated with the use of solvents. At this point itwas decided to commission a specialist firm,Environmental and Management Services Limited ,to carryout tests to determine the concentration levels of solventfumes in public areas and this would be done in twostages before and after the House opened to visitors.

A temporary solvent store was provided in an outsidemarquee in the adjacent quadrangle with easy access fordecanting from bulk.

A portable Nederman extraction system was installed tocapture fumes at source and exhaust them to atmospherevia trunking through the windows. Three N16 fan unitseach with two capture hoods provided adequate localextraction for six conservators. I have employed this systemsuccessfully for ten years and it has the advantages ofbeing mobile and very flexible; it is reasonably quiet, easyto install and very efficient when positioned for individualuse, close to the conservator.

• Atmospheric monitoring was carried out for toluene,using NIOSH method 1500 which involved pumping airthrough a specific carbon tube and analysis by GasLiquid Chromatography.

• Ammonia was analysed to OSHA method ID 188, whichinvolved bubbling a volume of air through a dilutesolution of hydrochloric acid and analysing forammonium using a selective electrode.

• Volatile Organic Compounds were measured using aToxic Vapour Analyser equipped with Flame IonisationDetector and Photo Ionisation Detector.

Results of these tests showed that there was no danger ofexposure for the general public. Wardens and Guides werebriefed so that they could allay any fears about safety.Further explanations were posted on information boardsfor visitors to read.

The front of the scaffold was netted over, in compliance

Brian Cardy, of Brian Cardy Conservation, describes health and safety issues arisingin the final stages of work on the Wallpaintings at Chatsworth House, home of theDukes of Devonshire.

Private work in thePublic Eye

Detail from Death of Caesar showing test cleaning


Everyone involved in the project thought that it was a verygood pubic relations exercise, which emphasised just howmuch expertise is involved in conserving a painting.

NotesOur extraction equipment was supplied by Nederman Ltd, 91Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge, PrestonEnvironmental monitoring carried out by Dr Stephen Daley,Environmental and Management Services Ltd, HuddersfieldThanks to all members of the team including Wilma Day, AndreaKirkham, Greg Howarth, Susannah Penrose, Christine Kirkwood,Stig Evans, Sarah Livermore, Hugo Platt and Rachel Witt


with Health and Safety regulations, to prevent a risk fromfalling objects, and this and the height at which we wereworking meant that it was not easy to see the workproperly. In view of this, a short video was commissionedand this was shown on a large screen television at groundlevel, to allow visitors a close up view of conservators atwork. This was useful at weekends when we were notworking.

The feedback received from the public via the HouseGuides and Wardens was very positive They were betterinformed, very interested in the work and enjoyed beingable to see it in progress.

Testing for VOCs with a Toxic VapourAnalyser

Testing for VOCs during cleaning

Testing for levels of ammonia gas

Portable extraction system

Extraction system in use during cleaning


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news from the groups

BOOK AND PAPER GROUP

The Book and Paper Group committee would like tocongratulate Helen Lindsay, our Chair, on her forthcomingadoption of baby Elizabeth. As Helen will be going onleave over the coming months could I ask members tocontact me, Rose Briskman, with any queries or commentsfor the Chair (email address below). I will be standing in forHelen with help from fellow committee members.

Before mentioning further news about the committee, Iwould like to draw your attention to the deadline forsubmissions for the 2007 Conservation Awards set out onpage 14. If any of you are working on a piece of workwhich you think would be appropriate for submission, or ifyou know of colleagues who are involved with an excitingproject, please think about nominating, or encouragingcolleagues to nominate, the work for an award. TheConservation Awards are a wonderful opportunity for us toraise the profile of Book and Paper Conservation beyondour own profession. For information about theConservation Awards please go to the Icon websitewww.icon.org.uk

We are happy to have a new committee member joiningus: Edward Cheese will be taking up the role of Treasurerfrom July. Christine McNair, who has done a wonderful jobgetting to grips with the Institute’s new finance systems,will be returning to Canada to work. In the last Icon Newswe announced that Liz Bowerman would be joining thecommittee but she has since had to withdraw due to workcommitments.

As mentioned in the May issue of Icon News, the ChantryLibrary has been bequeathed a staggering £210,000 fromthe Chantry estate. The money is restricted, which means itcan only be used for the purposes of developing theChantry Library: it ensures the future of the Library as avaluable conservation resource. As a new service to Iconmembers, photocopies will be available free of chargeduring this trial year to those quoting their membershipnumber. For further information about the Library and itsservices please visit the Library website,http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/ipc-chantry/ where the collectioncan be browsed on-line.

I look forward to seeing many colleagues at the 5th IPCInternational Conference later this month in Edinburgh,hopefully the first of many for the Icon Book and PaperGroup.

Rose Briskman, acting Chair. [email protected]

CERAMICS AND GLASS GROUP

The entry closing date for the Nigel Williams prize was 1 June. The award is for the best conservation/restorationof an object or of a project in ceramic, glass or a relatedmaterial, which has to have been completed within fouryears prior to each award year. Brett James, the NigelWilliams Prize Co-ordinator, has confirmed this year’sjudging panel as Ms Sandra Smith (Head of Conservationat the Victoria and Albert Museum); Mr Errol Manners,BADA (British Antique Dealers Association) member,current BADA adviser to West Dean College, establisheddealer and author of antique ceramics based inKensington Church Street, London; and thirdly Mrs JudithPinkham who is Head of Conservation of Applied Art atthe National Museum, Cardiff. Thank you to all those whoapplied. The prize winner will be announced at ourAutumn 2006 Meeting, Ethical Considerations In CeramicsConservation 14 October 2006, London. Please see thelistings section of this magazine, or the Ceramic and GlassGroup’s webpage in the Groups section of the Iconwebsite, for more conference details.

Amy Drago ([email protected]) is the Ceramics and GlassGroup Contact for contributions to Icon News and theWebsite Co-ordinator

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS GROUP

The one-day open meeting and AGM takes place on 21 July at the Icon office building in the Large LectureRoom. The breadth of papers and posters offeredencompass the birth of photography right up to the latestdigital debate and it will be a very worthwhile day. As everthere will be very good lunch and of course our customaryQuiz with a small prize. The cost, including lunch, is £26 formembers and £32 for non-members. You can register orfind further information on the Group’s webpage on theIcon website (www.icon.org.uk). Or contact Angela Mooron [email protected]; telephone 0208-690 3678; fax0208-314 1940 or write c/o 233 Stanstead Road, London SE23 1HU.

The list of speakers is as follows:

• The Father of Photography: William Henry Fox Talbot –The CPC Archive

• Conservation & Photography – 21st Century Challenge –Chris Woods, Head of Conservation & Collection Care,Bodleian Library

• My Road to Damascus: The Witt & ConwayPhotographic Libraries and Negative Collections –Barbara Thompson, The Witt Librarian at the CourtaldInstitute of Art

• An investigation into the digitisation of historicalphotograph collections – Veronica Davis Perkins,Curator and Researcher

Don’t miss Karen Vidler’s request for help in this issuewith her research into leather bookbinding decay



would like to join this list, please contact David Leigh. RuthHoneybone ([email protected]) is the ScotlandGroup contact for contributions to Icon News.

STONE AND WALLPAINTING GROUP

Should never have been dug out of the ground!A one day conference of presentations and discussion ona selection of problematic building and decorative stonesis planned for November 2006. The venue has yet to beconfirmed, but is likely to be in London. Presentations willbe from a broad cross-section of the conservationcommunity and will cover historic use, petrography, decay,conservation, and the future prospects for numerousstones which have perplexed the conservation profession,including clunch, Kentish ragstone, Polyphant, magnesianlimestone and Purbeck. For further information pleasecontact Clara Willett [email protected]

A review of the Natural Stone and Building ConservationConference 2006, held in London 14–16 March this yearcan be found on the Group’s webpage.

TEXTILE GROUP

…over and out.I must admit to some ambivalence towards ourprofessional body when, nearly eight years ago, I was askedif I would stand as an ordinary member of the then UKICTextile Section Committee. Now as I step down as Chair ofthe Icon Textile Group I wonder what changed my mind.

Today the Textile Group of Icon can stand proudlyamongst the remarkable diversity of groups thatconverged last year to form The Institute of Conservation –a welcome and some may say, long overdue bringingtogether of conservators to form one voice. Now, most ofus are members of many Icon groups thus stretching ourhorizons and just as no single textile can ever be regardedin isolation for its conservation needs, textile conservatorsneed more than just the Textile Group.

That said, the Textile Group continues to get things donethanks to the foundations laid by the first members of theUKIC Textile Section committee and which have stood theIcon Textile Group in good stead. Tried and tested events,workshops and visits continue to be organised, often byGroup members, rather than just the committee. Manyevents are repeated to allow more to participate wherenumbers have had to be limited. I was delighted that anamazing 145 delegates attended the forum ‘TapestryConservation – maintaining the woven picture’ in April thisyear. The annual forum has become a certainty in the diaryand if one is to attend one meeting a year under the cloakof CPD this has become the one of choice for textileconservators.

• A photograph of Alice and the great albumen printdebate! – Ian L. Moor, The Centre for PhotographicConservation

• Famous throughout the world; James Valentine (1815-1879) of Dundee – Pamela Cranston, St AndrewsUniversity Library

• The Albumen Layer: A Black and White Issue? Analysisby Three-Letter Acronyms: SEM and XPS…and an ‘ESP’(Educated Scientific Proposal) – Dr. Simon Bloxam, RoyalCollege of Art

Poster Presentations will be given by:

Nicholas Burnet, Museum Conservation Services andAngela Moor CPC Archive: The Union Case

CPC Archive: The Pencil of Nature

Rowena Jameson, Paper Conservator, National Library ofAustralia: Pixels and Preservation

Anita Bools, The National Trust: A Study of the SaltedPaper Print Process and the Imagery of William Henry FoxTalbot

The principal business of the AGM will be the electionresults and the installation of the new Group Committee

SCOTLAND GROUP

The Committee continues to focus on the eventsprogramme for the Scotland Group, having enjoyed recentsuccess by holding a stand at the Glasgow Arts Fair topromote Icon and conservation in Scotland, and byhosting the Icon Conservation Science Group meeting inApril. Work now concentrates on forthcoming activities toinclude a July ceilidh to coincide with the Icon Book andPaper Group conference in Edinburgh, and the annual DrHarold Plenderleith Memorial Lecture in November. Weare also hosting the Icon AGM in Edinburgh at the end ofthe year. All details of future events will be released whenfinalised. Other Committee functions have evolved andsmall working groups established to formulate the Group’sstrategic plan and develop the Group’s role in politicallobbying. Brian McLaughlin has now replaced MarkBambrough as Acting Chair and we thank Mark for his hardwork during the early transitional period for the Group.

The next Scotland Group Committee meeting will be heldat the National Archives of Scotland, General RegisterHouse, 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh (entry via the side doorin the adjacent small cobbled car park) on 13 June 2006,6.00-8.00pm. If you are an Icon member and wish to jointhe Committee, please send your contact details inadvance to the Chair ([email protected]).

A mailing list for all Icon members interested in receivinginformation about Scotland Group activities has now beenestablished. If you haven’t received recent emails, and you


36

more news from the groups

Despite our enthusiastic embracing of those broaderhorizons we have, I am afraid, and with apologies to themale members of Icon Textile Group, been described as abit of a “Sisterhood”. But this is no bad thing – most of ustrained together, we followed internships, so built furtherfriendships, and thanks (and I never thought I would saythat) to short term contracts have worked with manydifferent colleagues – we are bound to have close tieswhich we need to maintain and we use the annual forumto do so. We talk, we chat, catch up with old friends and ofcourse discuss the minutiae of textile conservationtechnique.

It has been an honour to serve as Chair for the last threeyears, made all the easier by a hard working committee. Ihand over to Sarah Howard who with her level head andgood humour should guide the Textile Group through aperiod of consolidation. I wish her and the new committeeluck and much fun. And remember to bring the biscuits.

Clare Stoughton-Harris

GRADUATE VOICE Don’t forget that the graduate liaison sub-committeewould like to hear from you if you are a student,graduate, newly qualified or otherwise in training.

Your involvement is important if Icon News is to reflectyour views and interests and provide an informalmeans of communication and networking for allconservators in the making, no matter what yourdiscipline or specialism.

All kinds of contribution would be welcome – views,reviews, helpful hints, sources of advice andinformation…. – or help behind the scenes.

Contact Heather Marshall ([email protected])

THE BEER MEETINGS

I’m hoping that the Prince Arthur (80–82 EversholtStreet, the street that runs along the East side ofEuston Station, NW1, 0871 984 1679) is a pub thatwill be basking in the evening sun on Tuesday 25July. If not, it has a very nice inside with lots oflovely Thai food to keep us warm and content. Iwill be there from 5.30 onwards: see you there!

If you have any queries you can contact me at thisemail address: [email protected] and you canfind a map with an arrow pointing to the pub bygoing to www.streetmap.co.uk and typing in thepostcode NW1 1BX.

The register of conservation businessesin the UK and Ireland

• Accredited conservators

• Detailed information on each businessincluding descriptions of recentprojects

• Online links to a business’s websiteand email

• Free to use – searchable by specialismand location

• Guidance on caring for possessionsand collections for owners

• Member’s section of website providingnews, information and statistics on use

• 10% discount with one of the sector’sleading insurance brokers

(conditions apply, see website)

For further information, includinghow to join:

www.conservationregister.com

[email protected]

Tel. +44 (0)207 785 3804

The Conservation Register is owned bythe Institute of Conservation,a registered charity (No. 1108380)



reviewsCONFERENCES

TO DUST OR NOT TO DUST? Care of Collections Group Dust StudyMorningHampton Court Palace 15 May 2006

Run in conjunction with the National Trust,English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces,the aim of the Dust Study Morning was toprovide an update on the results of theLeverhulme-funded research project‘Controls on “irreversible soiling”;minimising damage to indoor artefacts’ andto gain some practical advice on dustmonitoring and mitigation within the historicenvironment.

The morning provided an overview of theLeverhulme dust project and explanation ofthe ‘dust bug’ prototype by Helen Lloyd,Deputy Head Conservator and PreventiveConservation advisor for the National Trust,as well as presentations on dust monitoringand mitigation at English Heritage andHistoric Royal Palaces. It included practicaldemonstrations of the dust monitoringequipment available, both ‘low tech’solutions and more advanced scientificapproaches. It was also interesting to seethat the conclusions of the research projectwere already helping to shape the dustmitigation policies of large heritageorganisations.

Presentations about the dust mitigationpolicies at English Heritage and HistoricRoyal Places highlighted some interestingpoints. At Apsley House, for example, dustmonitoring had allowed conservation staffto show that over a 24 hour period with thewindows open, the amount of dust andpollutants collected was equal to that of 180days keeping the windows closed, and atKenwood House the gravel laid outside wasin fact responsible for 75% of the dustcollected inside. A dust monitoring projectat Hampton Court Palace during their

annual music festival, an event that can seeup to 800 people dining in one evening invarious locations throughout the Palace,running over a 2 week period, was able toprovide evidence to show that increaseddust accumulation was a direct result of theincreased activity, particularly due to thelarge amount of equipment being movedaround the Palace. In such a large, open sitelike this, mitigation techniques can be assimple as using tac mats, placing barriersthat reach shoulder height and vacuumingfloors and flat surfaces as opposed to drymopping. Although these are usually simplemeasures, carrying out dust monitoring notonly raises awareness but provides evidencethat can in turn affect policy change.

As part of the research project, the NationalTrust, with the support of its other partners,is creating a ‘low tech’ dust monitoring packthat could be used by any institution, largeor small. Delegates were given the chanceto look at the ‘sticky slides,’ that are already

being trialled at many National Trustproperties, and to give feed back abouttheir potential effectiveness. Essentially, thedust monitoring is carried out usingcardboard slide mounts with a sticky surfaceto collect the dust. The slides themselvesseemed a very simple and effective tool, butdeciding how to ‘measure’ the amount ofdust on the slide was slightly moreproblematic as with too little magnification itwas sometimes hard to determine the levelof soiling. The pack will contain a small handlens and full instructions along with furtherinformation about dust monitoring, and indevelopment is a form of grey scale tomeasure the dustiness of the slide and giveit a rating. This will be a very valuable tool toaid the implementation of a simple dust-monitoring project at any site.

As well as the ‘low tech’ dust monitoring,there was also a demonstration of theautomated dust counting technique,equipment used at Historic Royal Palaces.

Ian Gibb demonstrates the automated dustmonitoring equipment in use at HamptonCourt Palace

High level cleaning at Kensington Palace

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Glass slides are used to collect the dustsamples, which are then viewed through amicroscope. The automated dust counting,which uses the software NationalInstruments, LabVIEW, takes 50measurements per slide and values foraverage % area of dust coverage andaverage numbers of particles are obtained.The technique offered a very accurate wayof measuring the build up of dust and ismost useful where monitoring for a specificreason, for example the impact of theHampton Court Music festival.

The National Trust, in partnership withEnglish Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces,has funded the development of anautomated dust monitoring device or ‘dust-bug’. Now in its third stage of design thedust bug aims to monitor the accumulationof coarse dust and fibres. It is essentially avideo microscope that takes images of aplain glass surface at timed intervals as thedust builds up. This then provides a pictureof the dust accumulation over time. It iscurrently being redesigned to be a muchsmaller, compact device. It is hoped that itwill be useful in measuring dust generationof cleaning techniques, show how dust re-distribution occurs and the impact of visitorsactivity in a room.

Full details of the Leverhulme researchproject and its partners can be found on theNational Trust website, and furtherinformation about the Dust Study Morning,including all relevant references will beavailable on the Care of Collections Groupweb page. The dust study morninghighlighted some of the most interestingconclusions of the research project thatanyone setting up a dust-monitoringprogramme of any size should consider:

The Leverhulme research project’s dustyconclusions!

• For every 50cm further away from thevisitor route the amount of dust collectedhalved.

• Having good entrance mats can collect asmuch as 80% of dust before it enters thebuilding.

• There are two main types of dust, smallerparticles mainly from the floor, and muchlarger particles, mainly textile fibrescoming from people.

• Dust in historic interiors contains muchless ‘dead skin’ than dust in the home – aspeople don’t tend to undress in ourproperties!

• The more twists and turns in the visitorroutes, the more dust was collected.

• The majority of dust deposited was at hipand shoulder height

• Dust sticks most readily to silk, wool andsynthetic fibres.

• Humidity as low as 35% can cause thecementation of dust to the surface ofobjects

Holly DawesHistoric Royal Palaces

CONSERVATION MATTERSIN WALESNational Museums and Galleries of WalesCynon Valley Museum and Gallery 7December 2005

This annual conference was a great chancefor conservators in Wales (plus a few whosnuck across the border from Bristol) tocatch up and share their experiences overthe last year. The presentations were givenby conservators with varying degrees ofexperience, ranging from students and thenewly qualified to more experiencedprofessionals, and covered a wide range ofsubjects. This meant that the peopleattending could learn from subject areasthat they may otherwise not have a chanceto, and hopefully come away with someideas and attitudes that may be transferredto their respective fields.

The conference began with a shortintroduction from Bob Child who, as anyonewho knows him might expect, started theproceedings with a couple of anecdotesthat had all of those attending in fits oflaughter. This was followed by the first of thepresentations: an update on the recentlycompleted conservation of the famousleatherback turtle held at the NMGW. JulianCarter highlighted some of the problemsencountered with old conservationtreatments including gap fills and in-painting that had created an inaccuraterepresentation. He then discussed thetreatments which replaced those that hadbeen problematic.

Nadia Tsatsouli proved it was possible tocarry out conservation in the field withminimum resources and a limited budget inher appropriately titled presentation‘Conservation from a suitcase’. This was anaccount of a short amount of time spent inEgypt for conservation alongside a dig runby Cardiff University. With weight restrictionson luggage, a certain amount ofimprovisation was inevitable and cleversolutions for tools and equipment thatwould otherwise be used in a lab weredemonstrated using everyday objects.

Volatile organic compounds are a majorproblem in museums both for objects andthe people working around them. VictoriaPurewal discussed her analysis of pesticidesused in the past on paper holding pressedflowers and the possible health and safetyimplications of handling these.

Following this were two presentationsconcerning the treatments of humanremains and the ethical implications.Jennifer Mulrooney discussed a number ofinformative, (if slightly daunting) guidelines,and then related them to her current workon a burial urn. Adding a context to theguidelines made them easier to understandand less intimidating to a conservator whomay not have worked with human remainsbefore. Phil Parkes then presented anexample of conservation of a 23rd Dynastymummy and sarcophagus. He gave adetailed account of the reasoning behindthe choices made during the conservationprocess, again relating to the ethicalconsiderations of such an object. He alsoshowed that it is possible to have analysiscarried out on such a large object byapproaching hospitals, which generatedmuch interest from staff and patients alike.These presentations were particularlyrelevant due to the recent changes in theguidelines to handling and treatments ofarchaeological human remains.

It is always useful to hear of advances inenvironmental controls for museums, whichis why the final presentation given by JonHorton and Patrick Treves of ORLASolutions Ltd was of interest to manyattending the conference. This was ademonstration of a new product; the ActiveFoam Filtration System for the reduction ofpollutants in showcases.

The conference was rounded off with abuffet lunch giving those attending time tointeract which for the students present was agood experience.

Anna BarnesStudent, BSc Conservation of Objects inMuseums and Archaeology Cardiff University

CHALLENGES INCONSERVATIONCeramics and Glass Group meeting 24 – 26 March 2006, Cardiff

The Ceramics and Glass Group held itsSpring Conference – ‘Challenges inConservation’ – and annual meeting inCardiff, Wales. Saturday was dedicated tovisits. During the morning, delegates weregiven tours of Cardiff Castle with itssplendid William Burges interiors. Theafternoon was spent at National MuseumCardiff, part of Amgueddfa Cymru/NationalMuseum Wales and home to the Welshnational collection of fine and applied art, aswell as collections of geology, archaeology,and natural history. In alternating groups,

The Conference venue



the delegates were given comprehensivetours of both the Welsh Galleries, includingthe impressive collections of European andWelsh ceramics, and the Applied Artsconservation laboratories and collectionstorage areas. Sunday consisted of lecturesand the AGM. After a brief introduction byCGG Chair Ros Hodges, the daycommenced with a talk by Oliver Fairclough,Keeper of Art, National Museum Cardiff,addressing the challenges for conservatorsand curators in the acquisition andpreservation of contemporary art and newmedia. Andrew Renton, Head of AppliedArt, National Museum Cardiff, thenpresented several case studies whichillustrated the relationship betweenexhibition-related decisions and theconcomitant impact on conservation/restoration decisions. After the AGM, SarahPeek, a conservator in private practice,outlined a particularly challenging treatmentof a large Minton sculpture. Judi Pinkham,Senior Conservator of Applied Arts,National Museum Cardiff, discussed theprotocol of treating a large collection ofsilver and gilt objects and its ancillarybenefit in the service of treating ceramicsand other composite materials. Finally, PeterDavid, a conservator in private practice,shared a number of his personal solutions tothe perennially complicated issue ofrestoring tile panels and lustre ceramics.There were two trade stands: ConservationResources Ltd., represented by Mark Vineand Addington Studio represented byPamela Warner. Full details of the meetingappear on the Icon Website.

Rachel Sabino-GunaratnaMembership Secretary

EXPLORING HYOSO:the Art of Japanese Scroll MountingHirayama Studio, British Museum10 May 2006

The British Museum’s Hirayama Studio, inassociation with the Daiwa Anglo-JapaneseFoundation, organized this event to discussthe complexities in selecting and preparingsilks for the art of Hyoso (Japanese scrollmounting). The workshop was the fruit ofconnections which Sara Burdett, Head of theHirayama Studio, established during herplacement at the Oka Bokkodo Co. Ltd., inKyoto, where she was introduced to YukioYamamoto.

Mr. Yamamoto was invited to share hisexpert knowledge, acquired during fifty twoyears of work in this field, with conservatorsfrom the British Museum, Bodleian Library,Victoria & Albert Museum, British Library,Courtauld Institute, WereldmuseumRotterdam, as well as students from

Camberwell College of Arts and the Schoolof Oriental and African Studies. Mr.Yamamoto, son of a hyogushi (mounter andrepairer of art works), was trained at the OkaBokkodo Co. Ltd and, in 1962, opened hisstudio, Yokodo Co. Ltd, in Kyoto. Besidesmany positions of honour, in 2005 he wasawarded the title of Contemporary MasterArtisan by the Ministry of Health, Labourand Welfare.

After introducing himself, with the help ofTim Clark, Curator of Japanese Antiquitiesat the British Museum, Yukio Yamamoto ledus through the sophisticated art of hyoso.He illustrated the careful choice of fabrics ofdifferent colours and patterns to create anappropriate and beautiful surrounding forthe honshi (art work to be mounted), takinginto consideration its nature, understandingits content, its artist, the age it wasproduced, the season and the time of theday when it is displayed. We shared ourthoughts with him selecting the textiles forthe assembling of a kakejiku (hanging scroll),respecting the balance and harmony of itsparts and observing how different choicescan change dramatically the perception ofthe honshi.

Developing from an older Chinese tradition,the art of hyoso has been practised formany centuries in Japan, evolving a widerange of styles and silk textiles as a result ofmany cultural, historical and aesthetic

influences. It combines technical knowledgeand a deep aesthetic sense; theinterweaving of which became immediatelyapparent.

During the day, all our senses were involvedin understanding the qualities of thematerials, the tools and the execution ofdifferent techniques. Our eyes werefascinated by the fabrics: monra (silk gauzewith complex patterns), kinsha (silk with goldgilt thread), kinran (gold brocade), ginran(silver brocade), donsu (satin damask) andnanako (basket-weave fabric).

Our sense of touch felt the distinctivecharacteristics of washi (traditional Japanesepaper): minogami (a strong paper madefrom kozo, paper mulberry, used for the firstlining); misugami (soft paper dried in thesun on wooden boards made from kozo andgofun, calcium carbonate obtained fromoyster shells, used for intermediate lining);and udagami (paper with a smooth surfaceand a close and tight structure, made fromkozo and white clay, used for the final lining)(fig.1).

Our sense of smell could distinguishbetween shinnori, new wheat starch pasteand furunori, aged paste obtained fromfermented shinnori, after being stored in adark cold place for 7–10 years becoming aweak adhesive with a pervasive smell, thepreparation and properties of which play avital part.

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Lustre dish beforetreatment fromPeter’s talk atCardiff. A full reportof his talk will soonbe available on theCGG webpage


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Our ears learnt to understand the meaningof sounds produced by executing a varietyof techniques. During the hada urauchi (firstlining), the fabric was squared on the table,the urauchi gami (lining paper) wasprepared with thick shinnori and thenremoved from the table to let it rest for awhile on felt to take away the excess ofhumidity and finally it was applied on to thetextile with the help of a nadebake (asmoothing brush). The mashi urauchi(second lining) was also performed. Theperfection of Mr Yamamoto’s movementsproduced distinct sounds: the light brushingsound of the nadebake followed by thedeep sound of the uchibake (poundingbrush), so that the first and second liningpapers adhere well (fig 2). Even the sound ofthe knife blade when tapped revealed thehardness of the steel. Each tool and materialis fundamental in reaching the final result ofperfection and equilibrium.

Mr Yamamoto dedicated part of theworkshop to show his collection of oldtextile fragments and an intact robe withmarvellous patterns. Copying the design ofthese historic remnants, he tries to createfabrics, woven for him by expert artisans,suitable for his kakejiku (figs. 3 & 4).

During this invaluable day, he impressed allthe participants with his enthusiasm for thebeauty of the art of hyoso, which has aprofound influence in the paperconservation field, and contributed todeepening the understanding of curatorsand conservators responsible for the care ofJapanese paintings belonging to westerncollections.

Robert Minte, ACR and Marinita StiglitzConservation & Collection CareOxford University Library ServicesBodleian Library, Oxford

CVMA GUIDELINES Stained Glass Group Seminar The King’s Manor Conference Centre, York,27 April 2006

The Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi (or CVMA)is an international research projectdedicated to the publication of medievalstained glass. Founded in 1949, the CVMAhas national committees in fourteencountries and over sixty-five volumes havebeen published so far detailing descriptionsand locations of medieval stained glass. TheInternational Committee of the CorpusVitrearum for the Conservation of StainedGlass in association with the Stained GlassCommittee of ICOMOS first established aset of guidelines for the conservation ofstained glass in 1989. The second edition ofthese guidelines, ratified in 2004, reached awide audience of stained glass conservatorsthrough its publication in ConservationNews and placement on the CVMA’s website(http://www.cvma.ac.uk).

After a year of living with the newguidelines, the Stained Glass Group of Iconfelt that the time had come to create a forumfor the discussion of the practical applicationof these principles. The well-attended eventwas organized to explore the updatedguidelines by presenting case studies frompractising conservators, and by discussingthe theory behind their evolution. Eightspeakers from Belgium, England, Germany,Scotland, Poland and the United Statespresented examples of the very best incurrent conservation techniques, togetherwith some sobering examples of what notto do.

The morning session was hosted by thechairman of the stained glass section, Mr.Chris Chesney ACR. The first speaker, Dr.Sebastian Strobl, Professor for Stained GlassConservation at the University of AppliedScience in Erfurt, gave a paper entitled ‘TheNew CVMA Conservation Guidelines:Background’, which he presented as amember of the committee responsible fordrafting the new guidance; he also outlinedthe history of the revision and the ethicalunderpinnings of the text.

The second speaker was Keith Barley FMGPACR, with a slide presentation: ‘Practicalproblems and solutions associated withIsothermal Glazing’. The paper illustratedexamples of early international efforts todevelop viable isothermal techniques forconserving stained glass, some of whichwere more successful than others. The nextspeaker was Drew Anderson, AssociateConservator in the Sherman Fairchild Centerfor Objects Conservation, The MetropolitanMuseum of Art, New York, where he isresponsible for the museum’s collection of

Mr Yamamoto watched by Dr. DavidSaunders, Keeper of Conservation, BritishMuseum, Sara Burdett, Head of theHirayama Studio (standing, right to left)and Professor Marie Conte-Helm, DirectorGeneral of the Daiwa Anglo-JapaneseFoundation (standing, centre).

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the CVMA committee for the carefulconsideration they gave to drafting theguidelines, but clearly signalled his concernwith their perceived bias towards non-intervention.

Needless to say, his perspective received amixed response from the audience and wasthe source of much interesting debate overthe ensuing lunch break.

The afternoon session was chaired by DerekHunt ACR, who had also organised theevent. The first speaker was Prof. JoostCaen FICC, senior professor of glassconservation-restoration at the HogeschoolAntwerpen (Assoc. University of Antwerp) inFlanders, Belgium. His talk ‘Preventive andpassive conservation of stained glass inmonuments. The new Corpus VitrearumGuidelines and the need for a no nonsenseapproach concerning protective glazing’emphasized the role of protective glazing asa crucial and reversible part of preventiveconservation. Chris Chesney then providedsome light relief in his talk entitled‘Guidelines! Who Needs ‘Em?’ whichidentified the underlying contractual factorsthat still lead to sub-standard interventionson historic stained glass.

The next speaker of the afternoon wasSlawomir Oleszczuk, a Works of Artconservator and stained glass maker who ispart of the technical committee of theCVMA. His lecture, ‘Fillings in antiquestained glass’, gave an interesting anddetailed insight into the application of theCVMA guidelines to infills of lacunae bothof glass and of painted decoration.

The final speaker of the day was SusanBradbury FMGP FRSA, stained glassconservator and partner of Stained GlassDesign Partnership. Her paper was on ‘TheApplication of the CVMA Guidelines to theconservation of the Stained Glass at St GilesCathedral, Edinburgh’. She pointed out theusefulness of the new guidelines as anarguing tool in discussions with clients,giving the individual conservator thebacking of an international community ofconservation professionals.

The conference concluded with a shortquestion and answer session from theaudience and was then followed by theStained Glass Group’s AGM. The mostpressing issue brought to light was the needfor the election of a new secretary for thegroup. Any member of the Group interestedin taking on this position should please getin touch with the chairman, Mr ChrisChesney, at [email protected]

A full account of the individual papers canbe found in the stained glass group sectionof the Icon website: www.icon.org.uk .

Derek Hunt, ACR

WORKING WITH AJAPANESE ARMS ANDARMOUR COLLECTION The Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds.17August 2005.

Japanese arms and armour are present inmany museum collections world wide andthe quality of craftsmanship balanced withits utilitarian nature makes it an ever-popularmaterial for display. However the differentmaterials and surfaces used in each piececreate inherent problems of care for theseworks of art. Although this is a huge subjectarea, there is a clear lack of material printedin English specifically aimed at theconservator or museum professional. Theseminar held by the Royal Armouries was amuch-welcomed insight into how such anestablishment works with a significantJapanese arms and armour collection.

Thom Richardson (Keeper of EuropeanArmour and Oriental Arms and Armour)began the day with a summary of the typesof armour and weapons and theircharacteristic forms. The talk condensedover 1500 years of Japanese arms andarmour development by identifying themost common styles and trends that mightbe encountered and made positiveidentification of an object a far less daunting

European and American stained glass. Hisdigital presentation paper was entitled,‘Applying the new conservation guidelinesin a Museum setting: examples from TheMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York.’

Alfred Fisher FMGP FRSA was the lastspeaker of the morning session. His paperwas entitled ‘Protect or perish – the onlyway?’ Never afraid to speak his mind, AlfFisher set out to kick the hornet’s nest withhis provocative paper. His talk gave credit to

The conference venue

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traditional in appearance ( fig 1). In extremecases armour that has been badlysupported during display has been knownto tear itself apart from the strains exertedon a specific area. The shoulder straps ofthe cuirass and the tassets are particularly

vulnerable. Subtle supports can evenlydistribute the weight over the entirety of anobject if they are positioned correctly. Forexample a lip on to which the bottom lameof the cuirass rests removes stress from thevulnerable shoulder straps.

prospect. Thom also gave an introduction tothe specific terminology given to the armourand weapons of Japan.

Suzanne Kitto (Head of Conservation)discussed how the different materialsencountered in Japanese arms and armourreact and interact when used in conjunctionwith each other, their variety often creating acomplex problem for the conservator.Suzanne described the varying ways thatenvironmental conditions can affect specificmaterials. An example of this is lacquer,which is susceptible to UV light damage. Iflacquer begins to deteriorate the danger isthat the surface below can be affected byenvironmental fluctuations, which then allowsfurther damage to occur. Often iron andleather are used as a base to which lacquer isapplied. In the case of iron, if corrosionproducts begin to form they can push thelacquer from the metal surface. Similarly,fluctuations in relative humidity andtemperature can cause lacquered leather toswell having the same adverse effect.

These problems can be avoided throughappropriate storage and display. Suzannedescribed how the Royal Armouriesdeveloped a display stand specifically forJapanese armour. The display system isbased around the traditional style althoughimportantly can be adjusted to moreeffectively support all aspects of the object.Perspex is used in conjunction with wood tocreate a modern mount that is still

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revealed. Fortunately the gold lacquerclearly matched a surviving surface on thehelmet bowl. A crude previous repair to thecrest had caused further damage over timeand this was carefully removed. However thesurface deterioration was such that anyfurther treatment was avoided. The RoyalArmouries display department produced amount that not only supported the fragileoriginal section but also allowed thesilhouette of the crest to be maintained (fig2).

Emma had done some extensive researchand cleaning tests on lacquer. A simple testto determine the effect UV light has had onlacquer is to test its pH level. Stable lacquerhas a pH reading of 4.5 whereas the redlacquer on the helmet bowl ranged from 4.4to 3.9. Cleaning tests with deionised waterwere shown to remove lacquer from thedeteriorated surface. The used swabsfluoresced under a UV lamp indicating thatlacquer was present. Members of the RoyalArmouries conservation department arecurrently carrying out further research intolacquer cleaning.

Fiona Cahill, Conservator at the RoyalArmouries, highlighted the difficulties ofconserving an object with a variety ofsurfaces. After a brief history of a Sakakibarafamily armour dating from about 1600, Fionaemphasised the problems of removingcorrosion products from metals that areattached to or directly next to fragiletextiles. Fabrics were used in conjunctionwith metals to give more manoeuvrability tothe wearer whilst being decorative.Interestingly, the deterioration of thelacquered leather lining of the cuirass (do)allowed structural repairs to be carried outfar more effectively. Supportive ties that hadbroken could be replaced using Dacron andthen reattached to specific lames (fig 3).Originally these supportive ties were madefrom thin leather strips and are found on theinterior of the cuirass to hold it rigid.Although it can seem as if the silk braidfound on many do is load-bearing it isactually these interior ties that providesupport to the rows of armoured plates. It isextremely important, therefore, for thestructural stability of the object that theseare repaired when broken. Detached tiescan mean the plates move in relation toeach other damaging both the lacquer andthe silk lacing. Some ties carry more loadthan others and are therefore far morevulnerable and prone to damage. The areamost at risk is the Mune Ita plate, theuppermost lame of the breastplate to whichthe shoulder straps fasten. If necessarythese ties can be strengthened or replacedquite easily. A particularly effective yetsimple treatment is to pass strong threadsuch as Dacron through the existing holes inthe lames (fig 4).

Ian Bottomley (Senior Curator) finished theday with an intriguing talk on how to readJapanese inscriptions. Many Japanesecraftsmen signed and dated their work anddeciphering these can teach us much aboutan object’s history and provenance. His talkwas accompanied with a short booklethighlighting ‘signpost symbols’, which allowyou to work out a number of significantfeatures from an inscription.

The balance between a solid base ofknowledge provided by curators and theinsights into conservation practice gave afascinating look into working with aJapanese arms and armour collection. Witha paper to follow the talk and a furtherseminar planned, the Royal Armouries areexploring the conservation and care issuesof an area which has been neglected for fartoo long.

Jamie HoodThird Year Student, BA Conservation andRestoration, University of Lincoln.

Problems also arise with far more modernmaterials, as plastics can be encountered onmore modern Japanese arms. On thehandles of some swords produced towardsthe end of the Second World War a casein-based plastic was used to recreate asharkskin effect.

Emma Schmuecker, Conservator at theRoyal Armouries, outlined conservationtreatments carried out on two helmets. Thefirst was a folding helmet that would havebeen issued to lower rank foot soldiers. Ithad not been displayed for some time andthe treatments included iron oxide corrosionremoval and lacquer consolidation. Thesecond case study concerned an impressivebut extensively damaged red lacqueredhelmet with a removable gold crest. Thehelmet had been in store for some time andit was uncertain whether the crest, whichhad become detached, actually belonged tothe helmet. However Emma managed toprove that the helmet and the crest werepart of the same object. After removing alayer of bronze paint from the crest, whichhad been crudely applied in the past,underlying layers of gold lacquer were

Figure 4


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in practiceNADFAS Heritage Volunteersby Caroline Saye, Icon Development Manager

Alongside this issue of Icon News is a leaflet outlining theactivities of NADFAS Heritage Volunteers. NADFAS (theNational Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies)works towards promoting and preserving the arts – forexample through voluntary work in historic buildings,museum and galleries etc, recording churches and theircontents and offering lecture programmes and tours formembers.

As we all know, volunteers can be a valuable resource,particularly for preventive conservation and collections careprojects (as was demonstrated at the 2005 ConservationAwards) but careful supervision and training are necessaryto ensure that their enthusiasm reaps the greatest rewards.NADFAS has a long history of providing volunteers andnow has well established procedures for setting up andrunning these projects. For conservation projects thisincludes the training and supervision of volunteers by anAccredited Conservator.

Nicola Gentle has long been involved with one suchproject and here describes her experiences over a periodof ten years…

‘In 1996 I was approached by the Representative ofTeignbridge Society NADFAS Heritage Volunteers who waskeen to organise a conservation project at UgbrookeHouse, Devon. The owners, Lord and Lady Clifford,showed us a selection of textiles including a fine set of BedHangings embroidered in the mid-18th century by MaryHoward, Duchess of Norfolk, sister of the 3rd Lady Clifford.

As these fragile textiles were soon to be displayed andfunding for professional work was not available, I thoughtthat we should see whether the Volunteers could carry outthe conservation. My initial brief was to give two trainingdays covering general principles of handling,documentation, cleaning and stitching techniques, toorder equipment and materials and to provide writteninstructions. I would set up each stage of the project andvisit every so often to monitor progress.

It soon became clear to everyone involved that moreconstant supervision was required and the Cliffords agreedthat I could attend each time the Volunteers met. From achanging core of around ten to twelve people, a rota isarranged for three to four Volunteers to work every twoweeks for three to four hours. Progress is necessarily slow:Volunteers cannot be expected to work at the pace of atrained conservator and much of my time is spentanswering questions a fellow professional would not needto ask. After ten years we are now nearing completion.

Bedhanging at Ugbrooke

Ugbrooke bedhanging detail



Perhaps this is not the type of conservation usuallyentrusted to untrained workers and the situation certainlywas not ideal, but I felt the treatment I proposed wasmanageable. However, I was relieved once it was agreed Icould have more professional involvement. Overall, I havebeen impressed with the skills shown by the Volunteers (I have only felt it necessary to unpick stitching not up tostandard on a handful of occasions) and, above all, withtheir loyalty to the project.

The Bed Hangings are central to the collection atUgbrooke House. Without the collaboration of NADFASHeritage Volunteers with an accredited Conservator, thesetextiles would have been redisplayed in a very vulnerablestate.’

Nowadays most projects are restricted to preventive workand risk assessments are carried out in advance to ensurethat potential problems are identified before a projectstarts. But as Nicola’s experience demonstrates,collaboration and communication can deliver great resultsin sometimes less than perfect situations – not only interms of the conservation outcome but also for the leadconservator who builds valuable skills in volunteermanagement within the supportive environment andguidelines provided by NADFAS.

Packing Chain Mail Armour: Asimple solution for gainingspace and maximizing supportby Tamar Maor, UCL Conservation Intern, HornimanMuseum and Dylan Cox, Conservation Officer, HornimanMuseum

In March 2006 a student project was initiated to repackchain mail which was being stored on a shelf in a less thanideal manner at the Study Collections Centre, the storagefacility of the Horniman Museum. The shelf had threepieces of chain mail that could not be identified (Figure 1).They had been rolled around and nailed to a woodensupport, which was most likely at one point used as ahanger for display purposes. All three were wrapped inpolythene sheeting which was stapled at both ends. Thishad lost its transparency due to corrosion products anddust which had gathered on both the interior and exteriorof the bag. The chain mail had interlinked because of thisstorage method and it was quite difficult to unpack thepieces and to identify the objects as three chain mailjackets. The jackets are all steel, two of which are corroded.The objects vary in provenance but date from c.18 – 19thcentury. A method of repacking these jackets was necessaryin order to document and photograph them, better

support them, avoid interlinking, ease accessibility, andideally reduce the space that they were consuming.

The following steps describe the process used to repackthe chain mail with a simple and effective storagetechnique. A risk assessment was done and for health andsafety reasons as well as ease of handling, two peoplewere needed throughout the process to carry and movethe chain mail, which is typically quite heavy. Each objectwas initially carefully unfolded and laid flat on a Tyvekcoated table, and the wooden supports were removed.The supports were causing points of tension where thechain mail had been wired to the wood. These have beenkept but are most likely not original.

Step 1: Thin Plastazote® sheets were cut to be insertedinto the torso, the lower third of the jacket, and eachsleeve (Figure 2). These sheets were inserted by one

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 2


46

The Joy of Pipe Laggingby R. M. Entwistle ACR, with Louisa Di Capite

Whilst reading the new edition of the National TrustManual of Housekeeping, I noticed on page 850 that theystill advise a rather traditional method of making a paddedhanger. Padded hangers are necessary for the safe storage

of hanging costumes as they reduce the pull of the weighton the costume; thus preventing possible damage. TheNational Trust recommends encasing plastic hangers inTerylene wadding and sewing this in place, they thenadvise that the wadding be enclosed in cream cottonsateen such as curtain lining fabric.

No doubt this would produce the ‘king’ of padded

person carefully lifting and supporting the top area ofchain mail, while a second person slid the Plastazote®

between the layers (see Figure 3). This provides supportfor the object as well as separating the layers of chainmail, thus preventing them from interlinking.

Step 2: A sheet of acid free tissue was placed on the torsoof the jacket, and the sleeves as well as the lower half ofthe jacket were folded over into the centre of the jacket.The object is now compact enough to fit in a box, but allthe layers of the chain mail are still separated as well assupported. (Figure 4)

Step 3: After cutting a piece of plastazote to line thebottom of an archival box of adequate size, two peoplecan carefully lift the object (this is quite easy due to thecentral piece of Plastazote® supporting the torso) andplace it into the box. (Figure 5)

At this point, another piece of Plastazote® can be placedover this object, and the next jacket can be packed andlayered on top. Using this technique, the three jacketswere placed in the same box. The heaviest object wasplaced at the bottom. The box was also packed with themore corroded objects on the bottom, and the least at thetop. This prevents corrosion products from falling ontoother less corroded objects. The metal is not activelycorroding and is stored in a climate-controlled room. Thebox is still able to be lifted by two people. This packagingmethod was cost effective and time efficient (taking only 3hours). It maximized support for the objects whileminimizing damage and releasing more storage space.

For further information on this method, please contactTamar Maor ([email protected]) or Dylan Cox([email protected]).

Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5



hangers and be a thing of beauty in itself. However, wework in a local museum that has over 500 hangingcostumes. To make padded hangers for all these items inthe National Trust fashion would have taken an amazingamount of time.

Some years ago because of a lack of time, staff and let’ssay it, sewing skills, I hit on a quick way of making paddedhangers. The idea was to bulk out the hanger with thickfoam pipe lagging instead of the wadding.

The pipe lagging comes as a tube with a split down oneside, and can be easily placed over the top of the hangerand a hole made for the hook; the lagging is held withknotted linen tape. Tyvek or acid free tissue can then beplaced over it as a separator, we do that out of force ofhabit rather than real need; the pipe lagging, is inert (it is aform of polyethylene foam and we had it tested by afriendly chemist), but it is grey and although it is doubtfulthat the colour could transfer itself, I am a fan of belt andbraces.

Hey presto, a quick padded hanger in a few minutes. Seepictures of one I made earlier. The lagging comes in avariety of thicknesses and density and so can be tailored tosuit the costume. For costumes with a high collar we put aslice of the lagging around the extended hook of thehanger. We have also used it to pad the arms of boxedcostume.

Louisa Di Capite, a student in conservation, who is workingon our fan collection, recently had an idea for storing openfans attached to acid free board using the pipe lagging.The pipe was first wrapped in acid free tissue paper (forlooks).Then it was slid along the bottom edge of the boardthus enabling fans to be stored stacked in boxes, head tofoot, without touching each other. The fans can be display-ed on the same mounts by just sliding off the lagging. Thisagain takes only moments to do and saves storage space.

We also had a sturgeon, a large fish, which recently paid a

visit to the lab. The sturgeon had a rather fragile tail. Tomake sure that the tail would not accidentally hit the deckwhen he is unpacked we wrapped the ubiquitous laggingaround it and tied it with linen tape.

Besides being very useful and safe the lagging is also verycheap.

Robert Entwistle is Conservation Officer at IpswichMuseums Service and Louisa Di Capite is a conservationstudent at Camberwell College

Towards an assessmentsystem for bookbindingleather deteriorationby Karen Vidler, Institute of Archaeology.

Karen outlines her PhD research and invites your input

IntroductionThe longevity of recorded information in written andillustrated form is in part determined by the structure orhousing in which it is surrounded. In many cases thatprotective structure is the bookbinding. This includessewing the leaves together, so that they do not becomeseparated; lining the spine so the pages will ‘throw-out’ ina particular way for reading, writing or drawing on; theboard attachment, that provides a protective layer on thefront and back of the leaves and the covering materialwhich can reflect the preferred decorative style of the day.The binding itself can offer significant social, economic andcultural evidence of the time in which it was manufactured.

Since the early 19th century librarians, bookbinders andother custodians of the book have struggled with thepremature decay of books bound in vegetable tannedleather. ‘Red rot’ is an example of an acid induced or aciddecay in vegetable tanned leathers. There is acharacteristic weakening and eventual loss to the integrityof the leather fibre structure that over time reduces thefibres to a fine powder. This leads to weakness and loss tothe leather over the spine, joint and corners areas and thebinding can almost self-destruct even if left undisturbed onthe shelf. (Fig.1)

During the 19th century the more common hydrolysabletannins used to tan bookbinding leathers included sumacand myrabolam, which produce yellow-green or yellow-brown tanning liquor. At the same time there was anincreased use of the condensed tannins such as mimosaand quebracho, which resulted in a red-brown tanningliquor. ‘Red rot’ is a term commonly used to describe acidicleather decay of the condensed tanned leathers as they


48

• health and safety: the powdering grain layer canbecome an air-borne irritant for some people when it isdisturbed

• financial: if left untreated the structural damagerequires costly repairs.

This PhD research was prompted by my own experienceswhen treating acid decay as a practising conservator. Sincefirst coming across this type of leather decay I havebecome increasingly frustrated by the limited practicalinformation available through the literature on this type ofdeterioration and the limited suitability of currentconservation treatments.

The first part of this research seeks to improve theidentification of the stages of acidic leather deterioration in19th and 20th century bookbinding leathers, while part twowill focus on improved selection of the appropriateconservation treatment.

There are some specific questions I am seeking to answerduring part one of this research:

• What exactly is acidic decay in bookbinding leather?

• Can the deterioration be described and measured?

• Can an assessment scheme be applied for improvedcondition assessment?

Within these key questions are other issues that have beenraised in conversation or via email with practisingconservators. So far, the two issues that stand out are thepossibility of acid decayed leather being harmful to humanhealth and the need for simple bench tests for moreaccurate assessment of the chemical state of the leathersbefore deciding on the conservation treatment.

One way of increasing understanding of acidic leatherdecay is to develop methods for describing and measuringthe various stages as the decay proceeds. This is currently

revert to a distinct reddish tinge in the decayed areas.Consequently not all acidic leathers turn red as the decayproceeds.

Collections of ‘Red rot’ damaged bindings can be seen inlibraries, archives, museums, historical houses, and privatecollections – a variety of locations. This type of leatherdecay has been found in large national collections such asthe British Library and The National Archives, Kew. Manybooks collected by Societies, Institutes and private librarieswhich historically preferred their books bound in full or halfleather also suffer from leather decay.

The problem for the conservator often begins when thebook is handled. The custodian or reader is confrontedwith the powdery decay of the leather transferring to theirhands and clothing. This is usually when the book isbrought to the attention of conservation staff. On one levelthe book has become uncomfortable to handle, but itindicates the beginning of a more expensive and time-consuming problem. Acid decay offers a visual sign andcatalyst for the deterioration of the binding structure. Thiscan cause problems for both display and handling as wellas decreased protection of the manuscript or printedcontents of the book.

Some important considerations when faced with theproblem of acid decay include:

• cosmetic: the powdering leather leaves unsightly,coloured deposits on library shelves and when handling

• structural: acid decay seems to begin along the spineand outer joint areas of the binding -these being themost mechanically stressed areas of the book. Oneobservable consequence is eventual detachment of thespine and the boards, with the binding no longerperforming its protective function

Figure 2 The main reading room of TheLiterary and Philosophical Society Library,Newcastle

Figure 1 Acid decay of large 19th centuryledger bindings, Art and Design Archive,National Art Library, London

Figure 3 Location of sampled leather forSEM imaging



being investigated using simple visual examination andsmall sample analysis of naturally aged leather samples.Results from all techniques are being verified using morecomplex analysis available within The University CollegeLondon and other institutions.

Visual examinationThe visual examination began with a pilot survey of leatherbindings held within various collections such as TheLiterary and Philosophical Society Library, Newcastle (Fig.2). This collection was chosen because, during the historicliterature review, a very early description of 19th centuryacid decayed binding leathers was recorded as comingfrom this library. The Society’s Librarian, Mr Thornhill(Librarian c.1833-1863) describes one particular book thathad been missing from the library since 1818 and whenreturned was found to be in good condition, but theleather on the books bound at the same time weresuffering with acid decay. This is a documented example ofleathers manufactured quite early in the 19th century thatwent on to suffer from acid decay.

The visual examination is part of a condition survey thatrelies on quickly establishing key information about theleather before deciding on the final condition ranking. Thisincludes information about the animal species, decoration,colour change, texture change and structural failure asdecay proceeds. All this information assists in building anoverall picture of the condition of each leather binding tomake general observations on their condition withoutaccess to more accurate chemical analysis.

Small sample analysisDuring the 1990’s The STEP* Leather Project confirmedthat the acidity in bookbinding leather is greatly influencedby exposure to acidic atmospheric pollutants such assulphur dioxide. When more specific information isrequired about the acidity of the leather then small samplechemical analysis can be conducted. The validity of eachtest for determining acidic chemical change will be verifiedusing more complex analysis such as ion chromatography.

There is a relationship between acidic chemical changes inthe leather and the degree of physical deterioration. Somephysical changes cannot be easily seen during directobservation or under light microscope examination.Complex analysis such as Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) requires a sample size much larger than a few fibres.However, the technique allows the detection of changesover a much wider surface area. Investigation of a largersurface area can reveal surface irregularities such as theswelling or bubbling of the grain layer (Figs.3 & 4) as theincreased magnification reveals a more profound changeto the surface morphology. This will be compared withchemical analysis to bring together a clearer relationshipbetween increased acidity and the structural changeswithin the fibre network as decay proceeds.

Assessment tool kitThe data resulting from the physical and chemical analysiswill be used to create a set of tools for conditionassessment. The assessment tools will include data sheetsof common combinations of animal species, tannage andchemical and physical characteristics found during surveyand analysis. The data sheets can only act as a guide forcondition assessment as leather is a complex material;similar tools exist for assessing iron gall ink damage.

A set of simple bench tests will also result from theanalytical work. Returning to standard scientific equipmentand reagent suppliers and suppliers from relateddisciplines, simple chemical assessment techniques forgaining information on the acidity of the leathers underexamination will be identified.

ObservationOne significant observation so far during the analysis of aset of late 19th century leather spines has made me awareof the importance of identifying acidic decay during itsearly stages. The leathers in question showed no obviousvisual signs of aggressive physical or chemical change.There is some mechanical wear at the head and tail capsand alongthe joint areas where the spines had becomedetached – but no other indication. Chemical and physicalanalysis revealed leathers with a high pH, high sulphurcontent and bubbling and cracking of the surface as

Figure.4 SEM imaging showing bubbling of the grain layer


50

observed under SEM analysis. These seemingly soundleathers represent a group of leathers that are ‘timebombs’ waiting to go off. They may very well benefit fromearly detection and conservation treatment to slow therate of deterioration before irreversible physical damage tothe fibre structure occurs.

Conservator InputI am seeking assistance from the conservation communityin order to complete this research and ensure it remainsrelevant to the practising conservator. First, access tocollections for piloting and refining the condition surveycurrently being created. Access is required to collections ofbindings bound in leathers of different animal species,tannage, decoration, and storage conditions – all factorsthat can impact on the rate of decay.

This research focuses on the analysis of naturally agedbookbinding leathers so a reference collection of leathersfor analysis is being created. Specifically I am looking forsets of book boards and spines in a full or half leathercovering style. Often the leather on the board is one stageless degraded than the spine and is useful for comparison.

Finally, I am asking for volunteers to trial the bench testsfor determining the acidity of the leathers. A test kit isunder development for use in a small conservation studiowith training and documentation provided. This user groupwill be the ‘guinea pigs’ to decide if the test methods arereproducible and useful in assisting in conditionassessment and determining conservation needs.

If you are interested in contributing to this research projectplease contact:

Karen Vidler

Institute of Archaeology, University College London31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PYEmail: [email protected]

*(Larsen, R. STEP Leather Project. Protection and Conservation ofEuropean Cultural Heritage: Research Report No.1. Copenhagen,1994.)

AcknowledgementsI am grateful for the ongoing advice from my supervisors ProfessorClifford Price, Dean Sully and Christopher Calnan. Much thanks toPhillipa Jones (Archives Conservator, Royal Library, Windsor) and TonyBish (Private conservator) for contributing samples for analysis andseveral conservators in private and institutional practice who haveoffered sound advice and support for this research project.

The collectionThe collection includes over 150 major conservation periodicals, new conference preprints, foreign language publications, andconservation research documents.

ServicesA comfortable space for study is provided as well as use of thecomputer with direct links for all Oxford University web services.Photocopies of articles may be obtained. This service is free ofcharge for Icon members upon quoting their membership number.

Visit the libraryThe library is open every Monday, Tuesday 9.00–5.00, andWednesday afternoon 2.00–5.00. Appointments outside thesehours may be arranged in advance with the librarian. Readers areadvised to contact the librarian before visiting, in case of changesto opening hours.

The ChantryLibrarythe resource centre for Iconmembers and for non memberswith an interest in conservation

the library has an extensive collection of literature on conservation, withparticular strengths in art on paper,library and archive materials

check out the Chantry Library atwww.icon.org.uk

ContactAddress The Chantry Library, Grove Cottage, St. Cross Road

Oxford OX1 3TX, United Kingdom

Website www.icon.org.uk

Email [email protected]

Telephone + 44 (0) 1865 251 303

Fax + 44 (0) 1865 251 303



listings

10 July (1pm), Lecture TheatreAll That Glitters: Gilding at the Wallace CollectionFurniture Conservator Jürgen Huber will reveal the manytechniques used to gild the various materials representedin the Wallace Collection.15 August (1pm), Lecture Theatre: Fighting Against Time!Conserving Arms and Armour. Conservator Deborah Leewill provide a glimpse into the world of Arms and Armourconservation. Until 28 August – Special Conservation Display: AChinese Mandarin’s Robes. These magnificent, delicateand fragile woven silk brocade robes have recently beenconserved and re-mounted at the Textile ConservationCentre in Winchester, a fascinating process documentedin this display All events listed are free of charge.The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, ManchesterSquare, London W1U 3BN. Tel: 020 7563 9500

See issue 4, Icon News or visit: www.icon.org.uk for moredetails

Venue: Icon Offices, 3rd Floor, Downstream Building, 1 London Bridge.A day of papers on the conservation and preservation ofphotographic materials. The day will also include theintroduction of the new committee.Further details and booking information can be found onthe Icon website shortly and mailed to photographicmaterials group members separately.

21 July, London

One Day Conference

ICON PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS GROUP

11–13 July, Winchester

AHRC Research Centre for Textile Conservation andTextile Studies

3rd Annual Conference: Textiles andText: Re-establishing the linksbetween archival and object-basedresearch

The Wallace Collection Events

Lunchtime Lectures

A celebration of 30 years of achievement in conservationwith a programme that will include 36 illustrated talksfrom speakers in leading institutions and private practiceworldwide. The conference is attracting a largeinternational audience and booking is essential toguarantee a place.Booking forms and full details on the conference, venueand recommended hotels can be found on the Iconwebsite. All further enquiries to The Institute of PaperConservation, Conference secretariat, PO Box 143,Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 9AT. Tel: +44 (0) 1435 883659or email: [email protected]


See: www.icon.org.uk for more details

Venue: Sage CentreAiming to bring together a wide range of experience andexpertise to expand the vocabulary on the broad subjectof printed ink on paper – imagery and text, historic andmodern. More detailed information can be found by following thelinks from the events listings at www.icon.org.uk

Venue: Northumbria University.See issue 1Contact Jean E. Brown Senior Lecturer Conservation, BurtHall, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18ST. Tel: 0191 227 3331, fax: 0191 227 3250, email:[email protected]

11–13 September, Newcastle upon Tyne

3rd Triennial Conservation Conference atNorthumbria UniversityThe Alum Meeting

5–7 September, Newcastle upon Tyne

Northumbria University and AIC

Printed on Paper: The Techniques, History andConservation of Printed Media

28 August – 1 September, Munich

IIC international CongressThe Object in Context: Crossing ConservationBoundaries

16 August – 2 September, China

The Research Institute of Paper History andCarriage House Paper

Expedition to China – A Papermaker’s Tour of China

26–29 July, Edinburgh

IPC 5th International Conference

ICON BOOK AND PAPER GROUP

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.icon.org.ukFOR FULL DETAILS OF ALL EVENTS.


52

This groundbreaking two-day conference will examine theuse of decorative tiles, mosaic and terracotta in thechurch from the mid nineteenth century to the presentday, and will also consider the problems of recording andconserving tilework. The conference is for all thoseinterested in the architectural and social history of thechurch, decorative arts, ceramic history, church recordingand conservation.Cost: Friday or Saturday only, £60 per day Both days£100.Further information can be found on the Icon website orcontact Elaine Godina, TACS Conference Co-ordinator,27 Spurn Lane, Diggle, Oldham, Lancashire OL3 5QP orTel: (01457) 870587, email: [email protected] .

Venue: Victoria and Albert Museum.A fascinating day of lectures on fakes, forgeries andother ethical considerations for conservators. Subjects tobe covered include:The discovery of composite objects and how to handletheir conservation once their nature is discovered; The question of fakes – what do we consider to be fakesand forgeries? How do we correctly identify these anddetail them in our documentation to the client.Tainted objects and how to avoid being put in theposition of working on them.

Call for Papers This meeting covers the subject of conserving fakes andforgeries and the legal position of the conservatorhandling ‘tainted’ objects. We have already contactedsome eminent conservators who will be giving lecturesbut would like to hear from others who may have materialto offer in order to make this day as varied and excitingas possible. Please contact [email protected] if you feel thatyou would be interested in participating at this meeting.Full details of the meeting are available [email protected] or from Alex Patchett-Joyce [email protected]

Venue : Wren and Hawksmoor Rooms, RIBA, 66 PortlandPlace, London W1.Joint meeting to discuss the issues associated with theprovision of access to historic buildings, internally andexternally. Despite the importance of the historic fabric,the means of access is often unspecified, undesigned and

19 October, London

Problem Arising? Scaffold/accessissues in and to historic buildings

ICON STONE AND WALL PAINTINGS GROUP ANDHISTORIC INTERIORS GROUP

14 October, London

Ethical Considerations In CeramicsConservation

ICON CERAMICS AND GLASS GROUP

6–7 October, Coalbrookdale

Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society (TACS)

Church Ceramics Conference

Venue: National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff.A chance within Wales to celebrate the formation of theInstitute of Conservation and the considerableachievements of the organisation since its launch lastyear. Further details to follow shortly. Contact HeatherPerry, Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery, Depot Road,Gadlys, Aberdare CF44 8DL, email:[email protected].


Venue: Hotel Bretagne, Saint Omer.Including visits to Maison du Papier, a paper museum,and Cascades Blendecques Mill, one of Europe's largestmanufacturers of corrugated board and white liner.Speakers will include:Peter Bower – Real or Fake, the investigation of papersused for a series of cartoons after The Last Supper byLeonardo da Vinci.Louis Michell Gohell – history and renovation of an oldpapermill in Normandy.Nigel Vellam – stampers and hand papermaking inFrance.Ian Hendry – papermaking in the 1950s.Jos de Gelas – the history of Belgian stamps.Other discussions, including conservation, will also beorganised and the food promises to be rewarding.For further details please contact Ian Hendry on tel:01665 577988, or email: [email protected]

Venue: October Gallery, Londonia House, 24 Old Gloucester Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AL. An overview of the conservation of three rooms of historicwallpaper, two Chinese and one French.Speaker: Mark Sandiford of Sandiford and Mapes –private wallpaper conservators.Cost: £6 (students £3, with card) – correct money at thedoor please.For further information on this lecture and other IconBook and Paper Group lectures please contact JoannaPayne on email: [email protected] .She would also be interested to hear from speakers whomight have a subject that would interest our members,also ideas & venues for workshops.

3 October (6pm), London

Wallpaper Conservation at Wrest Park

ICON BOOK AND PAPER GROUP

27–29 September, France

British Association of Paper Historians

Annual Conference

21–23 September, Dubrovnik

European Heritage Association

The Best in Heritage

12 September, Cardiff

Welsh Launch for Icon

ICON



can have significant influence on tenders. Speakers willinclude representatives of major clients and architects,conservators, scaffold designers and those with expertisein the contractual side. The seminar is directed towardssharing good advice and gathering information oncurrent technology, good practice, commercialmanagement and specification. If you would like tocontribute please contact David Odgers [email protected] by the end of July. Toregister for the event, please go to www.icon.org.uk anddownload the form.

Venue: Bournemouth International CentreConference 2006 will cover a wide variety of topics andwill include sessions on: the dynamic collection; theentrepreneurial museum; the right to culture; the localagenda.Visit the Icon website for further details and a link to theMuseums Association website or contact ConferenceOffice, Museums Association, 24 Calvin Street, London E1 6NW, tel: 020 7426 6940.

There are a few places left for the trip to India.For details, or to reserve a place, contact Janie Lightfoot,Textile Conservation Restoration Studio, 21 Park Parade,London NW10 4JG. Tel: 0208 963 1532, Fax: 0208 9631623, email: [email protected] .

Venue: Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institute (WKI),Braunschweig.The conference is to set the state-of-the-art in the field ofpollutants in museums and archives, especially researchon pollutants, their sources and their effects both oncollections and on human health. Other topics areinteracting forms of indoor air pollution, deteriorationmechanisms, the development of assessment methods,control strategies as well as national and internationalregulations. Cost: Before 31 July – B 150, after 31 July – B 200.Visit the events listings at www.icon.org.uk for moreinformation, or contact: Alexandra Schieweck, email:[email protected]

15–17 November, Germany

7th Indoor Air Quality 2006 Meeting(IAQ2006)

November

Study Trip to India

ICON TEXTILE GROUP

23–25 October, Bournemouth

Museums Association

Annual Conference and Exhibition

Venue: Felix Meritis, Amsterdam.Topics of interest include: Case studies ofrestoration/conservation projects; Material studies on forinstance mahogany, gilt mounts, textiles; Early 19th-century construction techniques, upholstery methods; Arthistorical and socio-historical research on the products, itsmakers, designers and clients.

Call for papersDeadline: 15 July, submit a provisional title and anabstract of approximately 250 words to the addressbelow.For more on the organisation, previous programs,publications etc., please follow the link on the Iconwebsite or contact Stichting Ebenist, P.O. box 15902,1001 NK Amsterdam, email: [email protected]

Presenting research that deals with the history andsociety of Naqada and Qus, its geography, itsarchaeology and associated scientific methods andconservation programs, its art and architecture, itsliterature, and its industries. Papers may deal with anytime period from Pre-Historic and Early Dynastic throughto the present time, with comparative studies with similarregions, areas, sites, monuments, cases from Egypt andfrom around the world in the conference themes anditems.For further information see the Icon website or contactthe conference chair: Dr. Hany Hanna, ElectedCoordinator, ICOM-CC–Wood, Furniture and Lacquer,Professor, Institute for Coptic Studies in Cairo. email:[email protected]

The aim of this meeting is to explore new techniques andmaterials in Ceramics and Glass Conservation and towiden the knowledge base within the profession.

Call for Papers:We are seeking speakers from the museum sector, privatepractice, college students, graduates or conservationscientists who will give conservation lectures and also usethe extensive facilities at West Dean College to set uppractical demonstrations. We are especially interested innew ways of using existing materials and the experiencesof conservators using experimental substances. Please email [email protected] if you feel that youwould be interested in participating at this meeting.

23–25 March 2007, Sussex

Spring Meeting: The Use andManipulation of Materials

ICON CERAMICS AND GLASS GROUP

January 22–28, 2007, Egypt

ICOM-CC-Wood, Furniture and Lacquer

International Conference: Naqada andQus – Past and Present

17–18 November, Netherlands

Stichting Ebenist

8th International Symposium onWood and Furniture Conservation,“Empire Furniture”


54

Montefiascone is a medieval walled city situated on ahuge lake, about half way between Rome and Siena.Each summer, conservators, librarians, archivists, arthistorians and others interested in the history and thestructure of the book, meet to participate in classes,which are held within the city walls. There are four week-long courses with different themes:31 July–4 August: Re-creating the medieval Palette.7–11 August: Medieval Limp Vellum Book Structures: A North European Style.14–17 August: Archival and Account Book Bindings:History, structure, materials and decoration.21–25 August: Syriac Bookbinding.Cost: £345 per week. Tuition is in English.For further information please contact Cheryl Porter at:[email protected] or 7 Venice Lodge, 55 Maida Vale,London W9 1SD, England.

Venue: Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, Patmos(Greece)9–12 August: A practical introduction to ByzantineBinding. A series of practical demonstrations to give an initialunderstanding of the construction of a Byzantine binding,including sewing, board preparation, endbands, coveringwith leather and embellishment. Cost B 500 16–19 August: A “flexible” conservation binding basedon medieval techniques.Focussing on the construction of a “flexible” bindingstructure which can be used in conservation. Thisstructure is based on sound medieval craft techniquesdeveloped with contemporary ideas of bookconservation, flexibility, reversibility and the use of theappropriate archival materials. Cost: B 500Further details can be found on the Icon website orcontact Nikolas Sarris, Book Conservator, email: [email protected] to join the course. Deadline for applications: July 14.

Workshops on Historic Bindings

Summer School Programme 2006

Montefiascone ProjectTRAINING

11 July, London (Conservation Management routeapplicants only)14 November, London29 November, EdinburghThis workshop is aimed at those who would like to findout about the PACR accreditation scheme – theprogramme includes: Everything you need to know aboutthe PACR Accreditation scheme; What is PACRaccreditation?; How does the PACR scheme work?; Theprofessional standards and the application process; Theassessment process; The assessment visit; ContinuingProfessional Development.

28 July, Edinburgh (at the Icon Book and Paper Groupconference – open to all Icon members, including nonconference delegates. Booking is essential) 5 October, London (Conservation Management routeapplicants only)10 October, London17 October, Bristol19 October, PrestonClinics are aimed at potential PACR candidates who areworking towards the next application deadline. This eventwill support candidates with their PACR application,address any queries and provide a useful insight to theaccreditation process.Bookings: Please use the PACR events booking formavailable from www.pacr.org.ukand return to Diane Copley [email protected]

18–21 July: The Conservation of Plastics (PC5609). Cost £31511–14 September: Specialised Techniques forPolychromed and Gilded Surfaces (PC6701). Cost £315For further information contact Liz Campbell at WestDean College, Tel: 01243 818219 or email: [email protected].

July– September

West Dean College – ConservationShort Courses

10% DISCOUNT TO ICON MEMBERS

Next PACR application deadline: 30 January 2007

PACR clinic

Introduction to PACR

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION FORCONSERVATOR-RESTORERS (PACR) EVENTS



30 August-1 September, Kenwood House, London – Lightand Humidity27 September, UCL, London – You’ve Monitored theEnvironment, Now What?7-9 November, Walmer Castle, Kent – Surviving a Disaster23-25 January 2007, Audley End House, Essex –Conservation HousekeepingFor further details tel: 020 7679 5903 or email:[email protected].

11–12 September or 20–21 November National Conservation Centre, Liverpool.This 2-day course provides an introduction to the use oflaser cleaning in conservation. It is aimed at conservatorswith no or very little experience of this technique.Numbers are restricted to 5 per course, allowing asignificant amount of practical work. By the end of thecourse, the conservator will have a good understandingof how laser cleaning works, the type of work to which itis suited and the practical aspects of working with a laser.

9 October, National Conservation Centre, Liverpool.Laser scanning is becoming more widely used within theheritage field. It allows fast, accurate 3D digitisation ofartefacts (from small archaeological pieces to completebuildings) for a wide range of applications, including:Documentation; Non-contact replication; Visualisation formuseum displays; Education; Erosion monitoring; Virtualrestoration; Research. This 1-day course provides an introduction to the use oflaser scanning in the heritage field and comprises a seriesof lectures, practical demonstrations, case studies andopportunity for discussion. It is aimed at all those workingwithin the heritage field who would like to develop abasic understanding of laser scanning and its uses,including: museum curators, conservators, conservationofficers, archaeologists, virtual reality providers, exhibitiondesigners, surveyors and other commissioners of 3Drecording work. Cost: £75 (+vat).For more information on either course contact MartinCooper, Conservation Technologies, NationalConservation Centre, National Museums Liverpool,Whitechapel, Liverpool L1 6HZ tel: +44 (0)151 478 4916, email:[email protected] orvisit the Icon website.

National Museums Liverpool

An Introduction to Laser Scanning inthe Heritage field

National Museums Liverpool

An Introduction to Laser Cleaning inConservation

UCL and English Heritage

Short Course Programme

Classes are held in a restoration studio in the old artisandistrict in the centre of Florence, Italy, or at the Villa ofMaiano overlooking Florence.Autumn 200623–29 September: Six day Intro gilding plus introdecorative painting combination course at the Villa ofMaiano, B1490 (full days including accommodation)For more information see www.florenceart.net/courses ortel: +390 557 879 097 See: www.icon.org.uk for moredetails

Places are available for 6 participants to attend a seminarpresented by Hildegard Homburger. (German languageversion to be held 21–21 September). Cost: B 270,00,B 230,00 for members of IADA.Contact: Hildegard Homburger, Krefelder Str.17, 10555Berlin, Germany. Tel/Fax: +49-30-3912503, email:[email protected]

1 February – 30 March 2007, Rome, ItalyThe course aims at serving a wide range of conservationpractitioners and decision makers by placing technicalissues within the broader conservation context in order tolink them to planning and management concerns. Thefirst part of the course will consist of an overview of thedifferent approaches and of key concepts in builtheritage conservation. The second part, focusing on anintegrated approach to conservation and management ofheritage, will provide an opportunity for the participantsto view conservation concerns within a broader strategicand planning framework capturing not only technical butalso the cultural, environmental and sustainability issues.Finally, a portion of the course will be allocated tolooking at technical aspects of conservation interventions.Course fee: B 900Applications should reach ICCROM by 31 July 2006 toensure inclusion in our selection process. Visit the Iconwebsite for more information and a link to the coursewebsite, or contact ICCROM – Sites Unit, Via di SanMichele 13, I-00153, Rome, ITALY, Tel: +39 06 58553 1,email: [email protected] .

ICCROM

Course on Conservation of BuiltHeritage 2007

28-29 September, Berlin

IADA

Conservation of Transparent Paper

Florence ArtGilding and Decorative PaintingCourses


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The physical environment and its effects on objects,collections and sites are now well understood withinconservation. The characterisation of materials iswidespread and material changes are understood;chemical markers of deterioration are well on the way tobeing characterised and refined for diagnostic purposes.Studies in Conservation demonstrates this hugeknowledge base.

What is lacking is an equivalent understanding of thedynamic social environment. Conservation works withinand is part of social life and its dynamics. The dearth ofpublications on the social dynamics of conservation and itseffects on conservation practice is in marked contrast tothe wealth of literature on the material properties ofcollections. Notable exceptions include the work of MiriamClavir (2002) and Nancy Odegaard (2000) who havedescribed the way conservation practices are influenced by‘first nation’ use of collections.

The forthcoming IIC congress Conservation in Contextmay be a start in redressing the balance. It promises across-disciplinary discussion of ‘context’ by examining “theway that the context in which an object was conceived andcreated, and in which it has been kept or displayed, affectsconservation decisions.”(www. iiconservation.org/conference/munich)

Conservation is a response to both the changing physicaland social environment: the physical properties of objectsand the uses to which the objects are put. The chemicaland physical properties of an object will change over time,and its use (role) and meanings will also change. Theconservator, faced with how to conserve an object, has toaddress the relations between the object’s current andprobable future physical state and its current and probablefuture social meaning. The study of the social meaning anduse of objects, ‘material culture studies’, provides a wayconservators can investigate and participate in the socialaspects of their discipline.

Material culture studies are concerned with why thingsmatter. The word ‘matter’ encompasses two importantconnotations. As a noun it refers to forms of materiality, asin the three states of matter (solid, liquid and gas). As averb it refers to importance or significance. Material culturestudies are concerned with integrating both these aspects,the material and the social/symbolic aspects of things. Inmaterial culture studies, the focus on the social role ofthings leads to analysis of the materials, technology andcircumstances of an object’s making (production), its use

interventionConservation as social and material Dinah Eastop, Senior Lecturer, Textile Conservation Centre, University of Southampton, and Associate Directorof the AHRC Research Centre for Textile Conservation and Textile Studies

(or consumption) and its disposal. Measures taken toensure the preservation of an object may be viewed asnew stages of consumption. Why things matter and howthey come to be attributed significance demands anunderstanding of how and why significance is attributed bypersons to things.

“The extent to which museums can or should share controlover the meaning of objects with others remains a highlycontentious issue. Museums need to engage more activelywith this debate and work out its implications for the waytheir collections are presented” (Museum Association2005: 5). Conservation also needs to engage more activelywith this debate and to analyse the way that their/ourcollections are presented, investigated and preserved.Laura Drysdale’s (1999) analysis of the language ofconservation texts provides an excellent example of theway often ‘taken for granted’ assumptions are expressed inthe terms chosen to report conservation work.

As a means of integrating understanding of both the socialand physical properties of objects, collections and sites,material culture studies have proved very effective in theeducation of conservators and curators. For example, atwelve-week unit on material culture studies has beenshared by the MA Textile Conservation and MA Museumand Gallery Studies programmes, University ofSouthampton, since 1999.

Material culture studies make it clear that conservation ispart of a much larger ‘heritage sector’, and it helps inunderstanding the changing role of conservation withinthis larger sector.

Dinah Eastop is author of ‘Conservation as Material Culture’. In: C.Tilley, W. Keane, S. Küchler, M. Rowlands and P. Spyer (Eds).Handbook of Material Culture. London: Sage, 516–33

References:

Clavir, M. (2002) Preserving what is valued: museums, conservation andfirst nations. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Drysdale, L. (1999) The language on conservation: applying criticallinguistic analysis to three conservation papers. In: J. Bridgman (ed.)Preprints of the 12th triennial Meting of ICOM’s Conservation Committee,Lyon. London James and James, 161–5.

Museums Association. (2005). Collections for the Future. Report of aMuseums Association Inquiry. London: MA, 33pp.

Odegaard, N. (2000). Collections Conservation. Some Current Issues andTrends. Cultural Resource Management (published by the National ParkService, U.S.A.) 5, 38–41.


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