Pigment analysis

Minna Lindgren-Larkin <melarkin [at] ucsc__edu> writes

>... I would also like to hear general comments on which measuring
>methods are considered the most accurate and/or least destructive to
>the original material? How do the portable on-site measuring
>equipment compare with the laboratory models? ...

If I may self-publicise, see:

    Clarke, M. (2002)
    The analysis of medieval European manuscripts.
    Reviews in Conservation  2: 3-17.

My main suggestion regarding portable equipment is:  don't trust
identifications of MS pigments only on the basis of colour (nor even
using visible-light reflectance spectroscopy).

Personally, after having reiterated endlessly for years the
importance of non-sampling analysis for MSS, these days I am more
and more convinced that it is better (and actually safer for the
MSS) to use micro-sampling, (e.g. cotton swabs rubbed gently across
the surface) and then send the samples off to the lab. Then you may
have a chance with the organics too.

Mark Clarke
gsm mobile +31 0 6 482 39221
+31 20 620 9168
Fax: +31 20 305 4600
ICN
Gabriel Metsustraat 8
1071 EA Amsterdam


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:51
                Distributed: Thursday, January 29, 2004
                       Message Id: cdl-17-51-005
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