Consolidating deteriorated leather

Chris Koustourlis <ckoustourlis<-a t->jenkinslaw< . >org> writes

>Does anyone know of a treatment for old
>leather-bound books whose covers are deteriorating, dry and dirty?

If you have followed the discussing about leather and leather
dressing on the DistList you will know that I recommended Maroquin
Leatherbalm, but if the leather are very deteriorated and have a pH
under 4,  I think  you must use another water-free solution.

In many cases perhaps a drycleaning process with vacuum cleaner,
rubber pad  and 50 % Relative Humidity would be sufficiently enough?

Soren Ibsen
Conservator
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
University Library
N-7004 Trondheim
Norway
+47 73 59 21 32
Fax: +47 73 59 20 41

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:16
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 14, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-16-010
                                  ***