Corrosion

At the Folger Shakespeare Library we received a donation of 52
tinsel prints dating from around the 1840's. These collages are
composed of coated metal foils (tinsels) and fabric adhered to a
printed portrait of an actor or actress and then attached to a
medium weight card stock.

The tinsels are typically built up of following layers:

    1.  Paper
    2.  Protein based adhesive
    3.  Metal foil [e.g. tin, aluminum, copper]
    4.  Protein based adhesive
    5.  Dyed glaze or varnish

In some cases the glaze has separated from the foil and after
testing we have re adhered it with a Klucel G/ ethanol solution.

In some cases these metal foils have corroded extensively along the
edges or allover. To prevent further corrosion and seal the tinsels
would the acrylic polymer B72 in a low solvent solution be the only
option? Does anybody have any other recommendations with what to
seal these foils to slow down the corrosion process?

Rhea DeStefano
Paper Conservator
Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol Street S.E.
Washington DC 20003


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:24
                Distributed: Thursday, November 3, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-19-24-019
                                  ***