Glass window sign

Krista Cooke <museum [at] cancom__net> writes

>We recently received a glass window sign (ca. 1940s) printed with
>black and gold leaf type print.  Much of the gold leaf and some of
>the black are peeling and there are severe losses overall.  Every
>time the sign is moved or has air stirred above it, the peeling
>worsens and small flakes are lost.  It will be a year or more until
>the sign can be seen by a conservator.  As a curator, what small
>steps towards preventative conservation can I take to protect the
>piece. I am concerned about putting any kind of backing onto the
>glass for fear of crushing or creating friction against the curled
>edges of the text.

Not being able to see the object you describe, my first impression
is that it might be better off in a box with a low lid, like a
Solander box.  If the sign is being moved frequently now, this would
be a good solution, if by placing it in the box handling, air
movement, etc. might be reduced.  I would also worry about it
resting on the bottom of the box, though and if it were possible to
place bulldog clips on 4 or more locations on the sign that would
allow the sign to rest in a stable condition and yet not disturb the
paint. We often glue mat board to the bulldog clips "jaws" if we
need to handle a fragile surface like this.  The mat board is then
against the surface and the object can be set onto another surface
without coming into contact with it. The bulldogs act as "feet" but
you cannot count on them to act as handles. Doing so would also
stress the area under the "jaws".  What I describe here is only a
very temporary measure to allow for inspection and temporary
storage.  To do more I would have to see the object.

Niccolo Caldararo
Director and Chief Conservator
Conservation Art Service




                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:27
               Distributed: Thursday, September 27, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-27-009
                                  ***