Glassine

Lauren Jones <collectionscare [at] rhqre__co__uk> writes

>...  I have read recently that glassine could be used as a
>slip sheet for between prints and drawings (Margaret Holben Ellis'
>Care of Prints and Drawings).  But when I mentioned this to a
>visiting conservator, she was a bit dubious about its use.  So, can
>anyone confirm the good or bad points of using glassine, I have now
>purchased a huge roll, at some expense, from Preservation Equip Ltd
>UK who pitch it as "transparent, smooth with a pH of 7.0,
>unbuffered..."

Historically glassine paper has been considered a definite no-no for
archival storage. This was because the paper is generally produced
using a highly acidic method. The acid causing the cellulose fibres
to become more crystalline and therefore translucent. There have
been 'archival' glassine papers produced over the years but I am
unsure if it is a different process or that they are simply loaded
with calcium carbonate. If it is the latter then the carbonate could
be quickly used up.

As a rule we avoid glassine paper and replace historical examples we
find. For interleaving we simply use archival paper or tissue.

Ian Batterham
Assistant Director Preservation Services and Projects
Quality Assurance and Support
Operations and Preservation
National Archives of Australia
Cnr. Sandford Street and Flemington Road
Mitchell ACT 2911
PO Box 7425
Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610
+61 2 6212 3424
Fax: +61 2 6212 3469
Mobile: +61 0432 551 327


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:51
                   Distributed: Tuesday, May 28, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-26-51-005
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