Leather discolored by tobacco smoke

Marjorie Kevlahan inquired about cleaning pipe tobacco smoke residue
from the spines of leather bound books.  To answer the question
simply, yes there are solutions to that problem.

On the other hand, it is difficult to give specific answers to this
type of question on the Cons DistList for the following reasons:

1.  One doesn't know who the inquirer is (i.e. are they a trained
    conservator) and how they will use the information.

2.  Usually not enough background information is given about the
    problem at hand.  In this case, is tobacco smoke the only
    pollutant that might have left a visible residue?  What type of
    leather was used in the bindings?  What is the overall condition
    of the leather, i.e. will it withstand handling and cleaning
    treatment without falling apart?   Will it withstand aqueous
    cleaning or will that cause further damage?  One can give advice
    based on certain assumptions, and then find out that the
    situation warranted a different course of action based on other
    facts.

3.  As a professional conservator I hesitate to give out the same
    level of advice that other professionals in other fields would
    not be expected to release pro bono.  Why is the conservation
    profession considered different?  There is a subtle difference
    between discussing a treatment methodology or materials question
    on the list with someone who is a conservator and giving
    specific advice in a "do-it-yourself/how-to" manner.  The
    latter, in my opinion, serves to perpetuate the popular notion
    that anyone can do conservation with the right recipes and
    products.

Having said all that,  it would seem that in this case before any
cleaning is done, the books should be examined by a conservator who
has had experience with leather in this condition.  Once the
conditions of all the books in question are assessed, a proper
treatment proposal can be developed.  Given the assumption that
these journals are valuable and historical enough to warrant an
inquiry in this venue, then it would follow that they warrant
professional assessment and treatment.  I would be happy to speak
with you off list about possible solutions to this problem.  Thanks,

Paul S. Storch
Objects Conservator
John and Martha Daniels Objects Conservation Laboratory (JMD-OCL)
B-109.1, Minnesota History Center
345 Kellogg Blvd West
St. Paul, MN  55102-1906
612-297-5774
Fax: 612-297-2967

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:29
               Distributed: Thursday, September 25, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-29-004
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