Courses at the Centro del bel libro Ascona

2003 Courses at Centro del bel libro

No. 108
Consolidants and Adhesives in Conservation

    The consolidation of pigment layers and fragile surfaces
    requires the introduction of an adhesive in form of a liquid
    which then gets applied with a brush or with the help of an
    aerosol.  The objects can range from paintings on parchment,
    paintings or drawings on paper and wood and can also include art
    objects executed on plastic foils.  The class introduces the
    various possibilities of applying consolidants in theory and
    practice.  In addition, the course will give a concise overview
    over both aqueous and non-aqueous adhesives that are generally
    used in conservation.

    Instructor:         Andrea Pataki-Hundt

    25-03-27.03.2013

    Duration:           3 days
    Course language:    German with explanations in English
    Tuition fees:       630.00 CHF.
                        (material costs are included)
    Admission policy:   limited to 8 participants

    Target group:       The course is aimed at conservators or
                        others with equivalent knowledge. This
                        course is suited for people who have prior
                        experience in conservation.

No. 109.
Conservation of Historic Bookbinding Leather:
Important factors for making the right decisions

    General course description: Expert restoration on leather
    bindings requires very specific knowledge and skills on a wide
    range of subjects including; understanding the various
    characteristics of leather, the ability to identify various
    types of leathers, knowledge of leather production,
    understanding the causes of leather deterioration, identifying
    the various types of damages and determining the correct
    conservation treatments or restoration techniques.

    In this two part course participants will learn these
    fundamental skills through a balance of theoretical study and
    practical "hands-on" experimentation.  The theoretical course
    will cover such subjects as: Methods of bookbinding leather
    production, Chemistry of leather, the ageing leather and types
    of deterioration (age hardening and shrinking, mechanical
    damage, water/fire/mould damage, acid decay and previous
    treatments) examination and testing techniques to assess leather
    condition.

    The practical part of the course will will build on the subjects
    covered in the first part and will mainly focus on: examination,
    treatment and repair techniques. Subjects include: cleaning and
    consolidation of leather; humidification; dyeing leather;
    surface coatings and current treatment methods, leather care
    products and their disadvantages.

    The focus of this part of the course is for participants to
    experience a variety of repair techniques for leather bindings
    that are aimed at retaining the original leather.

    We will also have a visiting expert in leather tanning join us
    who works with leather producers from around the world helping
    to ensure that the quality standards necessary for producing
    durable "Archival Quality Leather" are fulfilled.  Mr. Schmidt
    will share his knowledge on what determines the quality of
    Archival Leathers and what you need to know before purchasing.

    The goal of this course is to give participants an in-depth
    knowledge about bookbinding leathers and their deterioration and
    conservation which will allow them to make more informed
    decisions about aged, fragile and deteriorating leathers.

    Instructor:         Franziska Richter, Thomas Schmidt
    part 1:             03-04-05.04.2013
    part 2:             08-04-12.04.2013

    Duration:           8 days
    Course language:    German and English
    Tuition fees:       1280.00 CHF.
                        (material costs according to usage)
    Admission policy:   limited to 8 participants

    Target group:       The course is aimed at restorers and
                        interested persons with previous experience
                        in the restoration of books.  This is an
                        intermediate level course, for which
                        participants need good bookbinding and some
                        previous book restoration skills.
                        Participants should have some basic
                        bookbinding skills that include the ability
                        to pare leather.

Course No. 111
Calcium Phytate for the treatment of Ink corrosion caused by
Irongall inks

    Iron gall ink, widely used in the past, is a significant factor
    in the deterioration of paper documents and books.  The use of
    calcium phytate is one of the solutions adapted to combat this
    phenomenon.  A combined treatment with both calcium phytate and
    gelatine seems particularly effective.

    The focus of the class will be on learning how to prepare the
    phytate solution and on its application to various objects.  We
    will also learn about the sizing procedures using gelatine.
    Additionally this class will address issues involved in the
    choice of adhesives suitable for the stabilization and repair of
    damaged objects. The theoretical part will introduce students to
    the various testing methods used prior to treatment and the
    theoretical background concerning this treatment method.  In the
    practical part, we will practise various techniques of applying
    the solution, immersion bath, suction table, etc.  and
    participants will also test and apply various adhesives like;
    Isinglass, gelatine, Klucel in ethanol, etc. used for the
    stabilization of damaged and perforated pages. Participants can
    also create a sample collection which can be used for future
    reference.

    Instructor:         Cornelia Bandow
    06-05-08.05.2013

    Duration:           3 days
    Course language:    German and English
    Tuition fees:       630.00 CHF.
                        (material costs are included)
    Admission policy:   limited to 8 participants

    Target group:       This is an intermediate level course and
                        aimed at conservators and participants with
                        previous knowledge in conservation.

No. 114
Parchment Surfaces: Flat and Bound Materials:
Recent Developments and Effective Conservation Methods

    The conservation or restoration of Parchment as a writing
    surface or as a bookbinding material is one of the most
    difficult challenges conservators face today.  This course is
    designed to give participants a comprehensive overview over the
    best and the most recent developments used by conservators.  We
    are especially pleased to have two experts with long time
    experience, Johannes Schrempf and Kerstin Forstmeyer who will be
    sharing their expertise with us on this subject.

    The course will focus on the many different kinds of loss and
    repair techniques including: the lining with Japanese paper and
    leafcasted paper (laminated technique), loss repair using strips
    and inlays, leafcasting parchment and the stabilization of ink
    or pigment corroded parchments.

    Participants will learn which factors determine the choice of
    materials, methods, cleaning and humidification methods and
    procedures.

    Course Overview

        Selection of appropriate materials
        Assessment of damages
        Cleaning and humidifying of parchment (recognition of also
        critical glass like layers)
        Flattening parchment, also partially
        Selection of adhesives for parchment restoration
        Loss repair methods:

            Lining with Japanese paper
            Laminate method with Japanese paper and leafcasted paper
            Loss repairs with parchment (strips and inlays)
            Leaf casting parchment
            Stabilization of ink corroded parchments

    The goal of the course is to broaden and deepen the existing
    knowledge that conservators may already have concerning the
    restoration/conservation of historical parchments.  In
    particular, the course aims to provide participants with more
    self-confidence when choosing suitable methods and materials for
    this highly sensitive and difficult subject.

    Instructor:         Johannes Schrempf, Kerstin Forstmeyer
    27-05-30.05.2013

    Duration:           4 days
    Course language:    German and English
    Tuition fees:       840.00 CHF.
                        (Material costs according to usage)
    Admission policy:   limited to 8 participants
    Target group:       The course is aimed at conservators or
                        others with equivalent knowledge.  Previous
                        experience in working with parchment is
                        required of course participants. This is an
                        intermediate level course.

    Kerstin Forstmeyer is senior conservator and responsible for the
    department parchment and wax seal restoration at the State
    Archives in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany and teaches as a guest
    lecturer at the University of Bern.

    Johannes Schrempf has specialized on the topic of parchment
    early in his career.  He wrote his thesis on "The Leafcasting of
    Parchment." Since 1998 he is a self-employed conservator with
    his own studio and has extensive experience with the
    conservation of parchment objects.

No. 110
Sewing Structures and the mechanics of the book

    The focus of this course will be on learning and revisiting
    various historical sewing techniques with special emphasis on
    understanding how the various sewing techniques effect the
    opening characteristics of the book.

    Participants will practise various methods of sewing that will
    include kettle stitch, sewing on single and double raised cords
    using herringbone or the "packed" sewing, sewing using a
    concertina guard and if time allows the integrated head band. We
    will also become familiar with hand sewing using a sewing frame.
    In addition this course will also introduce techniques used to
    stabilize existing sewing structures in antique books without
    having to redo them completely and to save and/or add on to
    existing sewing supports.

    Instructor:         Franziska Richter
    22-04-26.04.2013
    Duration:           5 days
    Course language:    German with explanations in English
    Tuition fees:       800.00 CHF.
                        (Material costs according to usage)
    Admission policy:   limited to 6 participants

    Target group:       This is an introductory level course for
                        participants with little or no previous
                        experience in conservation. Though
                        participants must have some previous
                        experience in bookbinding in particular
                        sewing skills.

For registration please contact:

    centro del bel libro ascona
    Buch- und Papierrestaurierung
    Department Book and Paper Conservation
    Sezione restauro di libri e carta
    Section restauration de livres et papier

    Via Collegio 6
    CH 6612 Ascona
    Switzerland
    +41 91 791 81 56
    Fax: +41 91 791 81 30
    f.richter<-at->cbl-ascona<.>ch

    <URL:http://www.cbl-ascona.ch>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:36
                Distributed: Wednesday, February 6, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-26-36-016
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