The Abbey Newsletter

Volume 5, Number 3
Aug 1981


Literature

Conferences & Professional Publications

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International Symposium on the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property - Cultural Property and Analytical Chemistry. Amoto, Y., and Mabuchi, H., Eds., Tokyo National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Japan, 1978. xviii - 266 pp. Contains about 7 papers of especial interest to paper conservators.

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International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works: Preprints of the Contributions to the Vienna Congress, 7-13 September, 1980, Conservation within Historic Buildings. Many papers on environmental control. £8 to IIC members, £10 to non-members. Write The IIC, 6 Buckingham St., London WC2N 6BA.

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John C. Williams, ed. Preservation of Paper and Textiles of Historic and Artistic Value II. (ACS Advances in Chemistry Series No. 193) 1981. 355 pp. $44.75 from American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth St., NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202-872-4600). Proceedings of a symposium in Fall 1979; 18 of the 24 papers are on paper conservation. The book is printed on acid-free paper.

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The following papers are included in the 4 tape cassettes of the Book and Paper Specialty Group meetings in Philadelphia in May:

Bill Minter - New Techniques of Washing and Deacidifying Book Leaves

Robert Espinosa - Aqueous Treatment of Text-Blocks Merrily Smith - Preservation of Scrap Books: Many Problems and Some Solutions

Peter Waters - Some views of Past and Present: Support Methods of Archival Materials

Susan Nash Munro - Conservation of a 3-D Paper Object Mary Todd Glaser - An Archival Method of Treating Large Wall Maps

Open Discussion and Panel Discussion

These cassettes are available from Cassette Recording Company, 34 North Main St., Suite 1444, Dayton, Ohio 45402, for $24.

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"Papers Delivered to the Book and Paper Group Session at the 9th Annual Meeting of the AIC, Philadelphia, May 27-31, 1981." Caber Press, 7549 N. Fenwick, Portland, OR 97217. 11-p. typescript. These abstracts, ½ to 3 pages long, are fairly informative. Copies may be available from the Caber Press, or perhaps through Karen Garlick, secretary of the Book and Paper Group, at 1722 Hobart St., NW, Washington, DC 20009; this was not checked out before publication.

Contents:

Specialized Handmade Papers for the Conservation Field - Timothy D. Barrett

An Archival Method of Treating Large Nineteenth Century Wall Maps - Mary Todd Glaser

Alternatives to Conventional Methods of Reducing Discoloration in Works of Art on Paper - Keiko Mizushima Keyes

Washing and Deacidification of Book Leaves: A New Approach - Bill Minter

Conservation of a Three-Dimensional Paper Object [a globe map] - Susan Nash Munro

Research in Paper Conservation: The Effects of Wash Water Quality and an Investigation of Four Dry Cleaning Products - Jerri Nelson and Ellen Pearlstein

Research in Paper Conservation: A Comparative Study of Fluorescent Light vs. Sunlight in the Bleaching of Paper - Keiko M. Keyes and Thomas J. Branchick, with the Supervision of F. Christopher Tahk

Some Useful Tips. Nine tools or techniques useful to paper conservators. "These have been gleaned from far and wide and should you want more specific information please contact Cathy Baker, Art Conservation Center, Cooperstown, NY 13326."

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The proceedings of last fall's International Conference of Hand Papermakers in Boston have been published in a 96-page Conference book, which supplements the visual documentation in the form of a slide kit of 100 slides (now out of print). $14.50 postpaid. Make checks payable to International Paper Conference and mail to: Carriage House Handmade Paper Works, 8 Evans Road, Brookline, MA 02146 (617-232-1636).

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Simon Barcham Green, "Raw Materials for Papermaking," Fine Print 7: 40-43 & 68-69, 1981 (April).

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Canadian Conservation Institute, Technical Bulletin #9. "The Care of Black-and-White Photographic Collections: Cleaning and Stabilization" by Siegfried Rempel. Dec. 1980. Available without charge from CCI, 1030 Innes Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0M8, Canada.

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The Fall 1981 issue of Library Trends will be on preservation of library materials.

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Pest Control in Museums: A Status Report (1980). Available for $15 from Pest Control Book, ASC Office, Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045.

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National Conservation Advisory Council. Conservation Treatment Facilities in the United States. Washington, DC, 1980. 44 pp. Describes and evaluates four categories of conservation treatment facilities:

  1. Freelance professional conservators
  2. Exclusively in-house facilities
  3. In-house facilities also serving others
  4. Cooperative conservation organizations (what we usually mean by "Regional conservation center")

The study concludes that no one type is best, and that there is a place for each type. All provide public services, including seminars and workshops. All have problems with cash reserves and need better access to information and to analytical facilities.

The 1979 AIC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are reprinted on p. 28-41.

Copies of this report are available from the National Conservation Advisory Council, Inc., c/o A&I 2225, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560 (202-357-2295).

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Gilbert E. Donahue, "Selected Bibliography on Apprenticeship and Related Topics." 18-p. typescript, covering both craft and industrial types of apprenticeship, history, and the role of government and corporate business.

This is a chapter in a book that was planned for publication in June:

Gerry Williams, Ed. Apprenticeship in Crafts. Goffstown, NH: Daniel Clark Foundation, June 1981.

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Bruce Metcalf, "Crafts: Second Class Citizens?" Crafts Report 7 (68): 10-11, April 1981 and 7 (69): 10-11, May 1981. Excerpt:

I propose that there is a separate tradition of ideas and attitudes in the crafts. There is a separate language, and in some cases a separate value system, that often has no parallel in painting or sculpture. This tradition, this language, is just as old and honorable as the tradition of painting and sculpture. Its newest manifestations have been just as intelligent and radical as the newest developments in any of the fine arts contexts. These traditions of ideas and attitudes are the real subject of my talk.

(This article originated as an address at the annual conference of the Society of North American Goldsmiths in Arizona last year.)

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Raymond H. Lafontaine, "The Lightfastness of Felt-Tip Pens." Journal of the International Institute for Conservation - Canadian Group, 4: 9-16, 1980. The author is Chief of the Environment and Deterioration Research Division, Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0MB (613-998-3721). He writes: "Although the majority of felt-tip pens fade rapidly when exposed to visible light and ultraviolet radiation, there exist some rather stable colors, When people consider using felt-tip pens, whether it be for art work, documentation or any other usage, they should remember that felt-tip pens are potentially sensitive to light. Only stable pens should be used. Table II of my paper lists a series of acceptable pens from which people can choose. I would not want to discourage their use but only remind users of their inherent problems."

It is possible- to pick out the five best-performing black pens from the list, just for an example. They are from Table II, the list of pens found to be most acceptable with regard to fading and color change acceptability, 116 in all.

Buffalo "Senior" - Black - Not sold in the U.S.

Eberhard Faber - Black no. 265-L

Magic Marker - Black M-100

Koh-I-Noor Projector Colour Markers - Black

Magic Marker - Double Black A101

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Abstracts, IIC-CG 7th Annual Conference, May 7-9, 1981, Victoria. Includes 26 short abstracts. Those of interest to book and paper conservators include:

M.A. Ruggles - The Classification and Characterization of Historic Black-and-White Photographic Prints.

Jack Thompson - Restoration of the Multnomah Lodge Photo- murals.

Geoffrey Morrow - The Conservation of a Four Panel Japanese Screen.

Brian Marsh - The Leaf Casting System at the C.C.I. Helen Burgess - The Bleaching Efficiency of Three Borohydride Derivatives.

Sylvie Lalonde - Compte-rendu de non stage de reliure et de visites de laboratoires de restauration 'a Paris, en France, en octobre et novembre 1980.

Tim Padfield - The Image of Saint Joan.

Bibliographies & Other Lists

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Paul N. Banks. A Selective Bibliography on the Conservation of Research Library Materials. Chicago: Newberry Library, 1981. "This bibliography, which is selected from a much larger card file, was originally compiled for the students of the first offering, in 1971, of 'The Conservation of Research Library Materials,' a course co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Library Science of the University of Illinois and The Newberry Library. It has been revised several times since then." 1200 entries. Unpaged; about ½" thick. Arranged by topic in an outline with 5 levels of specificity. The 6 main headings are:

Introductory

Materials, Structure and Technology of the Book

Enemies of the Book

Protection and Care of Books and Manuscripts

Physical Treatment of Books and Other Materials

Related Subjects

There is an author index. Price: $10.00. Order from The Newberry Library, 60 West Walton St., Chicago, IL 60610. (312) 943-9090. Paper cover.

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Rende Roff. Directory of American Book Workers. Bronxville, NY: Nicholas T. Smith, 1981. 118 pp. $19.95. Order from Nicholas T. Smith, Publisher, P0 Box 66, Bronxville, NY 10708. Reviews and reactions to this directory and the issues related to it are invited for publication in the Newsletter. A review copy can be sent to a reviewer, but since it also serves as part of an exchange of publications, it must be returned afterward to the Editor.

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The American Craft Council (22 W. 55 St., NYC 10019 and 44 W. 53 St., NYC 10036) is in the process of preparing a directory of craft and craft-related periodicals.

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Opportunities for ~ in Hand Bookbinding and Related Crafts has been updated and mailed to all GBW members. Additional copies available to both members and nonmembers for $3 prepaid. (See address above.)

Bookbindings

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Guild of Book Workers 75th Anniversary Exhibition Catalogs can be ordered at the members' price of $20 (one copy per member), and as many others as desired at $30 per copy post paid. (New York residents please add 8% sales tax). Checks or money orders in U.S. dollars should be made payable to the Guild of Book Workers, Inc., and sent to the Guild at 663 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10022.

This is a catalog that the Editor found as hard to put down as any novel. The biographies of early Guild members are numerous and good, as are the color photographs of the entries.

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Sydney Morris Cockerell & Joan Rix Tebbutt: Thirty Recent Bindings. Printed at the Stamperia Valdonega, with 30 color plates. Published by K.D. Duval, Frenich, Foss, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH16 5NG, Scotland. £10, post free for cash with order.

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A 36-page catalog of the exhibition "Arno Werner Master Bookbinder" (Houghton Library, Harvard, Feb.-Mar. This year) is available for $8 postpaid. Write Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, NA 02138. A few copies were available earlier in sheets, and may still be.

Standards & Practical Guides

The full revised report of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity will not be published in the LC Information Bulletin as originally announced (ANL April, p. 17) but is available from the Council on Library Resources, One Dupont Circle, Suite 620, Washington, DC 20036 if you enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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Process Materials Corporation (301 Veterans Blvd,, Rutherford, NJ 07070, 201-935-2900) is putting out a series of 1-page leaflets entitled "Paper and Preservation." Those issued so far are:

These leaflets deserve mention as probably the most informative and sophisticated advertisements for acid-free materials so far.

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H.G. Jones. Local Government Records: An Introduction to their Management, Preservation and Use. American Association for State and Local History, 1400 Eighth Ave., South, Nashville, TN 37203. 196 pp. $6.95, $5.25 to members.

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Library Binding Institute Standard for Library Binding. Boston, 1981. This standard has recently been revised. There is a review copy in the ANL office for anyone who wants to comment on the parts that relate to conservation or the work of the conservator.

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"A Basic Bibliography for Conservation Administration," a product of the Society of American Archivists Basic Archival Conservation Program, was published as a special 4-page section of the May SM Newsletter.

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"Simple Repairs for Library Materials" Educational Package. Yale University Library, March 1981. Concerns the equipment and materials needed for a small in-house bindery, and the operations that can be performed with moderate expense and skill. Useful both for training book repairers and for the general education of library staff.

The package contains a slide-tape show on simple repair and protective measures, with 74 slides, a cassette tape and a copy of the script; models of the various storage containers, etc.; 6 pamphlets; and a return shipping label. $20 for 2 weeks; for sale for $120. Write to: Conservation Dept., Yale University Library, New Haven, CT 06520. The pamphlets can be obtained separately.

A set of the pamphlets is available for anyone who would like to describe and review them for this Newsletter.

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The Columbia University Libraries Preservation Handbook is now available for distribution. This manual is for use by librarians and technical staff for selection of binding styles and other treatment for unbound and deteriorated materials, completion of forms, and forwarding of materials for treatment.

The scope of this second revised edition has been expanded to include preservation information other than physical treatments and handling. It is intended to be an in-house document, so many procedures and prices will only be applicable at Columbia University. Copies are $5 postpaid and can be ordered from:

Preservation Department
110 Butler Library
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027

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Preserving Your Historical Records: Proceedings of the Symposium Held at Drake University, October 20-21, 1978. Toby Fishbein and Alan F. Perry, eds. A few copies are available free to interested individuals and institutions, as long as the modest stock lasts. Write Alan F, Perry, Archivist, Archives Branch, Federal Archives & Records Center, 2306 E. Bannister Rd., Kansas City, MO 64131.

For book and paper conservators, the most valuable parts of this 132-page transcript may be the group of papers and appendices on preservation of black-and-white and color photographs. Other contributions to the volume include articles on accessibility under law, choice of photographs to collect, conservation centers of different sorts, do-it-yourself techniques (fairly elementary), and 5 appendixes of useful information.

Commercially Available Publications

Edith Diehl. Bookbinding, Its Background and Technique. Unabridged reprint, 2 vols. Bound as one. Dover Publications, 180 Varick St., New York NY 10014. $12.

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Carl J. Weber. Fore-Edge Painting: A Historical Survey of a Curious Art in Book Decoration. Originally $25, remaindered at $14.98 through Edward R. Hamilton (98 Clapboard Ridge, Danbury, CT 06810). Add $3 for postage and handling.

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Manly Banister. Bookbinding as a Handcraft. Originally $12.95, remaindered through Publishers Central Bureau at $4.98. 1 Champion Avenue, Avenel, NJ 07131; add $2.25 shipping and handling charge.

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