Symposium on exhibiting books

"Don't Rock the Cradle"
Books in Exhibitions:  Mounts, Materials and Economy

The Folger Shakespeare Library's Werner Gundersheimer Conservation
Department is organizing a three-day symposium on books in
exhibitions focusing on book cradles and book supports to be held on
April 1-3, 2015.  The symposium will discuss the various types of
available book cradles and book supports, both generic and
custom-made, as well as the wide variety of techniques employed by
different institutions to custom-build them.  It is being offered in
collaboration with Hanka Gerhold, paper conservator at the
"Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Preussischer
Kulturbesitz", Germany and Michaela Brand, book conservator at the
"Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum" in Berlin, Germany
following up on their successful symposium on this topic "In die
Wiege gelegt" held in Berlin in 2013.  As that symposium was offered
in German only, this follow-up is intended to broaden the reach of
these ideas and bring the conversation to new audiences in the
United States.

The main issues to be discussed in this symposium will be:

    How to safely display an opened book

    What angle of presentation is the best compromise between
    exhibition and preservation

    What types of supports or designs are available to display a
    book

    Is the cradle intended to be a purely structural support or is
    it part of the visual design of the case and exhibition

    What materials are safe, cost effective, and sustainable

The symposium will be limited to approximately 180 participants and
will be held in the Folger's historic theater:

    <URL:http://www.folger.edu/imgdtl.cfm?imageid=1459&cid=2471>

Colleagues will be invited to share the designs of their book
cradles and supports by sending in a sample which will be on view
for all participants.

More details will be announced in the fall 2014.  For more
information, please contact us at dontrockthecradle<-a t->folger< . >edu

Renate Mesmer
Head of Conservation
Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol Street SE
202-675-0332


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:6
                   Distributed: Sunday, July 13, 2014
                        Message Id: cdl-28-6-006
                                  ***