Category Archives: Enclosures

Archeological Textile Discovery in the Stacks: Storage Solutions

This is the final post of a four-part series.

When a collection of Egyptian mummy bandage fragments at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library was found in an area used to store uncatalogued flat materials, the lab was asked to play a role in providing better stewardship.  

Click the links below to jump to the following posts:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Storage Solutions

Inspired by JAIC and AIC articles such as Storage Containerization: Archaeological Textile Collections by Dennis Piechota and Storage System for Archeological Textile Fragments by Lisa Anderson, Dominiue Cocuzza, Susan Heald and Melinda McPeek a custom matting system was created with the following goals in mind:

  • The textiles will remain in the enclosure for both storage and potential display
  • The matting system will support the fragments for handling and viewing
  • The fragments will not move or slide in the enclosure, yet be stored non-adhesively

Portfolio Matting System

Before constructing the final portfolio, models were created to test functionality. The first prototype was a helpful learning experience that lead to improvements in the final product.

First Portfolio Model

I used the basic construction outlined in Storage System for Archeological Textile Fragments with a few tweaks. Below is the original article’s construction I used as a jumping off point:

Fig 3. from Storage System for Archeological Textile Fragments by Lisa Anderson, Dominiue Cocuzza, Susan Heald and Melinda McPeek

In particular, I made one big change: rather than constructing the sink mat portfolio out of corrugated board, I used museum rag mat board. I also added a hinged window mat on top of the pillow. Below the window mat, notes or labels could be discretely added below so the object would be exhibit ready with no handling required.

A few other alterations included using 4-ply mat board for the inset board rather than 2-ply (I used the cut out from the window mat trimmed a bit smaller), and instead of using polyester webbing adhesive, I used Jade 403 PVA along areas where the construction materials did not come into contact with the textile.

Completed first prototype: a sink mat portfolio made out of museum rag board with an added window mat

The first model had many successful features; however, there were two main failures in its construction. These related to the cloth tie closures and Tyvek lining. Pros and cons in the construction were determined using a mock-up Egyptian textile fragment (made out of linen book cloth colored with acrylic paint and inscribed with Sharpie).

Pros:

  • The cover folds behind the backing board which is useful for saving space when on display.
  • The cotton/polyester pillow holds the textile in place non-adhesively with Velcro-like surface tension.
  • The cover’s inset board applies gentle compression that safely holds the textile in place when closed. The 4-ply board was the appropriate thickness for our thin textile.
  • Both the front and back of the fragment can be viewed without excess handling: If the portfolio is opened while laying face-down, the back of the fragment can be safely viewed while resting on the inside of the cover. Then the portfolio can be closed while still laying face down. Once closed, it can be flipped and reopened to the front. (See handling video below.)

Cons:

  • The cloth edge ties are cumbersome during handling. Ties showed potential to drape over and catch on textiles, becoming a potential for damage.
  • The soft Tyvek lining created such a strong static cling charge that the textile often became stuck to the cover lid when opened, posing a hazard of falling unexpectedly!
Nicole tests the portfolio finding the textile stuck to the inside of the cover upon opening due to static cling!

Improved Portfolio Model

Improvements to the second model included replacing the cloth ties with rare earth magnets and eliminating the soft Tyvek. A smooth, stiffer Tyvek was used instead. These changes proved highly successful and also felt more elegant!

It was a bit more time consuming to use rare earth magnets because the magnets were inlaid both to the cover and the hinged window. While creating the model, I learned to strategically use a stronger magnetic pull for the window so that when the portfolio was opened, the cover released preferentially. If you’d like to read step by step instructions about its construction, please check out my notes here.

Additional lesson learned: Be sure to double check how the magnets are oriented so they attract each other rather than repel!

Revealing rare earth magnets below the Tyvek lining and Tyvek tape to reorient them so they attract the opposing magnets rather than repel

Final Portfolio

This versatile portfolio facilitates storage, handling, and display as the cover can be folded behind the window and backing board.

Cloth Covered Clamshell with Trays and Chemise

Each fragment received a custom matted portfolio that then needed to be grouped appropriately and stored as a collection.

Overall, the collection of six fragments were stored together in a cloth covered clamshell, constructed by Conservation Specialist, Matt McCoy. We designed the enclosure as follows:

  • Each matted fragment sits on a custom support tray within the box because many portfolios varied in size and needed to be easily stacked.
  • To retain the context of the three fragments that belonged to a priest named Wennofer, these trays were grouped within the box inside a cloth-covered chemise.
  • Labels were added to the portfolios and trays for easy replacement into the custom trays.

This GIF shows the different layers within the enclosure system.

Curious on how these storage enclosures facilitate handling? Check out the video below for instructions on use.

If you missed the earlier installments, you can jump to the previous posts below:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Acknowledgements

  • Katherine Davis, Lecturer in Egyptology in the Department of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan
  • Suzanne Davis, the Associate Curator and Head of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan
  • Dr. Ann-Katril Gill at the University of Leipzig
  • Marieka Kaye, Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation, Head, Conservation & Book Repair, University of Michigan Library
  • Obie Linn, Textile Conservator at the Cincinnati Art Museum
  • Ann Wuertemberger, Catalog Librarian at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
  • Meredith Montague, Textile Conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Special Collections Conservator and Co-Lab Manager [CHPL]

Archeological Textile Discovery in the Stacks: The Treatment

This is the third post of a four-part series.

When a collection of Egyptian mummy bandage fragments at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library was found in an area used to store uncatalogued flat materials, the lab was asked to play a role in providing better stewardship.  

Click the links below to jump to the following posts:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Conservation Treatment Consultations

Being a primarily book, paper, and photograph conservator, working on textiles comes up only intermittently as minor stabilization or housing.  When these projects do arise, I tend to consult immediately with a textile conservator. This project was no different. Generously, Obie from the Cincinnati Art Museum kindly visited the lab to look at the fragments with me in person.

Initial Treatment Idea

Before consulting with Obie, my initial plan was to cut the overall board and separate the individual fragments.  Once separated, I thought I might hinge the fragments to a backboard inside a sink matting system.  I had briefly corresponded with a textile conservator at the MFA Boston who is familiar with ancient textiles and she confirmed this would be a sufficient option. 

Testing

However, with Obie present, together we tested the solubility of the adhesives and likelihood of removing the fragments from the acidic board for better storage. Surprisingly, we determined removal was possible with the smallest amount of moisture!

Being familiar with backing removals and conserving degraded cloth covers (and now encouraged after having Obie’s support) I next went beyond spot testing and decided to perform a test treatment on one of the fragments to remove the backing board… with the caveat that I would stop at any point if I felt uncomfortable.  Should I ever feel out of my element at any step, or have concerns that removing the textiles from the backing would not keep them intact, I knew I could always pivot to my initial solution of storing the mounted parts in mats.

Treatment

My new plan was now to first reduce the acidic backing board layer by layer.  Once the backing was removed, I would assess if it was appropriate to remove the brown paper lining.  (While my test treatment was performed on only one of the smaller fragments, images below are pulled from the actual treatment for better illustration).

Low and behold on my first fragment, treatment proceeded without a hitch.

The board was removed slowly, layer by layer. The fragment was kept planar to prevent mechanical damage to the textile.

Before I knew it, it felt as though I was performing a regular backing removal on a photograph or document and soon found myself down to the final brown paper layer. 

After removing multiple layers of board, the brown paper lining was revealed. Some areas of the brown paper were no longer adhered to the textile and readily released during mechanical removal while other areas remained more firmly attached.

At this point, with the backing and lining parts removed as much as possible, I decided to test a corner of the paper backing with light moisture. To my surprise, the paper backing adhesive quickly reactivated, the lining lifted with little effort, and the humidification strengthened the fibers of the linen fragment. All of this eased fears the fragments might fracture during final treatment steps. Proceeding with treatment felt obtainable.

The final step was releasing the brown paper lining with moisture from a water pen and lifting the lining with spatulas.

With this new turn of events, I realized, if I ventured so far as to remove both the mounted board AND the paper backing, I’d need a new storage solution.

I halted treatment and went back to the drawing board to research storage enclosures (click here to jump to my post on storage solutions). Once I felt confident in selecting a method of storage for the loose textiles, I resumed treatment to remove the brown lining paper and proceeded with treatment on the rest of the fragments.

This is a time-lapse video showing how the brown paper lining was removed in stages. Localized humidification was applied from the back while mechanically separating the paper from the textile with spatulas.

Before Treatment

Collection is mounted to an acidic board with two of the fragments oriented upside down.

Normal Illumination, Before Treatment

After Treatment

Fragments are stored individually in storage solutions that double as long-term housing. The enclosures facilitate handling as well as display. Being stored individually, the fragments are able to be grouped as necessary by their context.

  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Recto, Normal Illumination
  • Verso, Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment, Upside Down
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment, Upside Down
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment
  • Raking Illumination, Before Treatment
  • Recto, Normal Illumination, After Treatment

To learn more about the storage, check out the final post of the four-part series: Storage Solutions!

If you missed the earlier installments, you can jump to previous posts using the links below:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Acknowledgements

  • Katherine Davis, Lecturer in Egyptology in the Department of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan
  • Suzanne Davis, the Associate Curator and Head of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan
  • Dr. Ann-Katril Gill at the University of Leipzig
  • Marieka Kaye, Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation, Head, Conservation & Book Repair, University of Michigan Library
  • Obie Linn, Textile Conservator at the Cincinnati Art Museum
  • Ann Wuertemberger, Catalog Librarian at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
  • Meredith Montague, Textile Conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Special Collections Conservator and Co-Lab Manager [CHPL]

Archeological Textile Discovery in the Stacks: The History

This is the second post of a four part series.

When a collection of Egyptian mummy bandage fragments at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library was found in an area used to store uncatalogued flat materials, the lab was asked to play a role in providing better stewardship.  

Click the links below to jump to the following posts:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Learning About the Collection

Before coming to the lab, the library knew little about the fragments. So first and foremost, I reached out to a handful of scholars to see if I could glean any information.  I soon found myself engulfed in a journey of discovery with each colleague leading me to a new reference, sharing a collective wealth of knowledge.

History

With generous information provided by colleagues, the library learned the following about the fragments (fragment measurements below are with height and width at the widest points):

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Radiation

This is the center fragment.  It contains Hieroglyphic script, measuring 21 x 23 cm.  It’s part of a 3-piece set that belonged to a priest called Wennofer.  The large scene in the middle belongs to Book of the Dead Spell 110 showing the deceased doing various things in the netherworld.

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Radiation

This is the upper left fragment.  It measures 8 x 14 cm. Script contains images and no preserved text. This is part of the 3-piece set that also belonged to a priest called Wennofer. Images belong to the vignette of Book of the Dead Spell 148. “For making provision for a spirit in the realm of the dead” this spell provides the names of the Bull of Heaven and his seven cows, providing an eternal supply of food and beer.

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Radiation

This is the bottom right fragment.  It contains Hieroglyphic writing and measures approximately 10 x 17 cm, containing a Thoth god image. It’s the final part of the 3-piece set that belonged to a priest called Wennofer. Preserved images are part of the vignette of Book of the Dead Spell 125, the so-called judgement scene.

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Illumination

This is the bottom left fragment containing Hieratic script, however it is oriented upside down. It measures approximately 13 x 12 cm.  There isn’t an owner’s name preserved so we’re unsure if it belongs with any other fragments in this collection. Images contain a shrine column, sections of Book of the Dead Spells 125 and 126, as well as traces of the vignette belonging to Book of the Dead Spell 125.

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Radiation

This is the upper right hieratic fragment with Hieratic script. It measures approximately 9 x 7 cm. There is no owner’s name preserved.

  • Normal Illumination
  • Raking Illumination
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence
  • Infrared Illumination

This is the bottom center hieratic fragment measuring 4 x 10 cm, also with no owner’s name preserved and oriented upside down.

Further Reading

Check out this essay for Glencairn Museum News by Dr. Jennifer Houser Wegner to learn more about burial practices and in particular, funerary texts, such as the Book of the Dead.

To learn about how the fragments were treated in preparation for long-term storage, check out the third post of the four-part series: The Treatment

If you missed the earlier installment, you can jump to previous post using the links below (or even skip to the final post on storage):

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Acknowledgements

  • Katherine Davis, Lecturer in Egyptology in the Department of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan
  • Suzanne Davis, the Associate Curator and Head of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan
  • Dr. Ann-Katril Gill at the University of Leipzig
  • Marieka Kaye, Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation, Head, Conservation & Book Repair, University of Michigan Library
  • Obie Linn, Textile Conservator at the Cincinnati Art Museum
  • Ann Wuertemberger, Catalog Librarian at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
  • Meredith Montague, Textile Conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Special Collections Conservator and Co-Lab Manager [CHPL]

Problem Solving: An Exhibition-Style Enclosure for a Collection of Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Bindings

This set of Japanese side-sewn, crepe paper bindings, or Chirimen-bon, came to the Preservation Lab housed in their damaged traditional Japanese wraparound case, known as a maru chitsu. The set belongs to the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, which has an extensive Lafcadio Hearn collection. This collection of volumes was printed by Hasegawa Takejirō, a Japanese publisher who specialized in books written in European languages on Japanese subjects. The Japanese Fairy Tale Series was one of the more popular series, beginning with six volumes in 1885; though this later collection only has five volumes of fairy tales. Lacadio Hearn was one of the foreign translators employed by T. Hasegawa.

Original enclosure laying on a table
Original enclosure
Five volumes withing the original enclosure, the enclosure is open
Five volumes withing the original enclosure (pictured after treatment)

Due to the high profile nature of Lafcadio Hearn for the library and the beauty of the bindings, the collection is often shown during tours and used for display, however, the crepe paper volumes, while in excellent condition, are extremely floppy, and they are also side-sewn, both factors make them difficult to handle and display. The original enclosure is also very fragile and damaged, and susceptible to further damage if used as an enclosure moving forward. For all these reasons, the curators wanted an enclosure that would not only store the collection long-term, but could also be used for display.

This proved to be a challenge, but a fun one. I started by making a couple of sketches and then a couple of models…

Three models pictured, two are collapsible cradles and one display stand with foam insert
Models – two types of collapsible cradles and one model of the display tray/stand

For the models, I had two main focuses: 1) a collapsible cradle that would house and display one of the volumes, and 2) a display component that would act as a tray or level within the enclosure and house the remaining four volumes, in two stacks of two, side by side.

I will always advocate for making a model if you are trying to work through a new enclosure or adjust an existing enclosure or display piece, like a cradle. For example, I knew that a normal collapsible cradle wasn’t going to fit the bill for these volumes. Instead, I was going to need a stiff, squared off spine piece built into the cradle to help support the bindings’ spines.

Closed collapsible cradle with volume inside
Closed collapsible cradle
Collapsible cradle opened, detailed image showing the spine support piece of the cradle, with volume inside
Supported spine piece
volume sitting in cradle open
Cradle opened
volume sitting in cradle open
Volume displayed

One of the main areas I had to troubleshoot was the display tray, which would house the four remaining volumes. I knew I wanted to create a stand that would basically replicate one side of a collapsible cradle and have a 1/2 inch Plastazote foam insert, which happened to nestle the thickness of two volumes perfectly, that was covered in Tyvek. But I had concerns about gravity and reliability of PVA to hold the foam insert in place overtime. And I wasn’t happy with my initial ideas of how to remove the volumes (and also the original enclosure and collapsible cradle) from the insert(s), which consisted of a tab underneath the volume. It created friction that would ultimately cause damage to the actual volumes.

Ultimately, I am extremely happy with what I came up with. I think it functions very well, and checks all the boxes it needed to check. Safe, secure storage. Elegant display. User-friendly.

Display tray open, with four volumes in it, two volumes are visible and on display
Display stand open
Detail image of the display tray
Display stand closed. A lip was added to support the foam insert overtime
Display tray closed with one set of volumes removed
Display stand closed with one set of volumes removed
two volumes supported by a polyester film sling
Polyester slings were created as a solution for removing items safely and easily from the enclosure

The display stand includes a cloth tape inserted into the boards to keep it from opening too far, a foam insert covered in Tyvek, a lip to support the foam insert overtime, and two polyester film slings to aid in removing the volumes from the foam insert. The polyester slings proved to be an excellent solution for removing all the elements from the enclosure safely and easily.

For those interested in how some of the components were constructed, here are some in-progress images…

Photo showing the display stand being made
Detail of the turn-in for the display stand lip; cut similarly to how we cut our clamshell enclosure tray turn-ins
Photo showing the display stand being made
Detail of the turn-in for the display stand lip; cut similarly to how we cut our clamshell enclosure tray turn-ins
Foam insert being covered in Tyvek
Foam insert, vertical panels covered in Tyvek first
Tyvek cut in preparation for covering the foam
Tyvek sheet cut in preparation for attaching to foam
Tyvek cut in preparation for covering the foam
Tyvek sheet cut in preparation for attaching to foam
Foam insert being covered in Tyvek
Tyvek attached to the front of the foam piece
Tyvek turn-ins cut
Tyvek turn-ins cut

Because of the way the trays/components of the enclosure are constructed, they are actually interchangeable. So if the “lower tray” with the original enclosure and collapsible cradle ends up on top of the display tray/stand, that’s not an issue at all. And there is a 1/4 inch Volara foam piece adhered to the outer tray of the clamshell enclosure, so whatever items are on top will be cushioned by soft foam in the enclosure.

Contents of the enclosure pictured
Lower tray pictured in the enclosure

Get a full tour of the enclosure by watching our reel on Instagram:

Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Assistant Conservator

Archeological Textile Discovery in the Stacks: The Research

This is the first post of a four part series. Click the links below to jump to the following posts:

  • Research and Examination – Examining the material composition of the objects
  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Discovery in the Stacks

When a collection of Egyptian mummy bandage fragments at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library was found in an area used to store uncatalogued flat materials, the lab was asked to play a role in providing better stewardship.  

Discovered in the stacks: A mounted collection of six Egyptian textile fragments that date to the Ptolemaic Period (around 300-30 BCE), recto

Mummy bandage wrappings are rare finds in public libraries, and discovering that the materials where uncatalogued was not terribly surprising; having the specialized knowledge to catalog such a unique object may not have been available at the Public Library at the time of the acquisition.  With no identifying marks, and mounted to an aged board, the provenance of these objects are unfortunately unknown.

Collection suffered from a lack of storage housing without identifying information, found by staff performing a collections inventory, verso

Concerned about their overall safety of the fragments, as they were attached to a brittle board that could potentially chip and break if mishandled, it was clear that a solution for long-storage was needed.  Therefore, the items were brought to the lab for a comprehensive examination.

As a book and paper conservator with little knowledge of archeological textiles, the first step towards selecting a preservation solution was to better understand the fragments and conduct research on how to care for them. Because of the age and fragility of the items, my goal became to find a storage solution that could facilitate access while limiting handling of the actual objects themselves.

Examination

In order to conduct research, the condition of the individual fragments were fully examined with a variety of illumination techniques to better understand their composition. The collection was photographed with a DSLR camera in normal illumination, raking light, infrared, and ultraviolet fluorescence. The images revealed valuable information such as the possible types of adhesives used in mounting, the degree of linen loss, as well as the type of pigment applied to the linen. 

Creating the photographic documentation also allowed me to reach out to other scholars, to inquire about their history, while providing high quality images.

Types of Photography Performed During Examination

  • Normal Illumination – General reference image
  • Raking Illumination – Shows losses in linen, brown paper linings, and breaks in board
  • Infrared Imaging – Reveals inscriptions hidden along stains
  • Ultraviolet Fluorescence – Exposes differing types of adhesives
  • Normal Illumination – Overall images were taken of both the front and back of the mounting board. Normal illumination images serve as general reference photographs, representing how we perceive the object in normal room lighting.
  • Raking Illumination – Reveals the surface topography, showing breaks, tears, and losses in both the linen fragments and the mounting board.
  • Infrared Imaging – A modified DSLR camera and specialized filters remove visible light and capture longer wavelengths than the human eye can see, revealing the carbon-based writing while allowing the stains to disappear, making the writing more legible.
  • Ultraviolet Radiation– Ultraviolet radiation produces a fluorescence that readily shows the two differing types of adhesives used to adhere the fragments onto the backings. The first adhesive used to adhere the fragments to a brown paper backing does not fluoresce, while an adhesive that is smeared onto the face of the backing board does fluoresce.  This indicates that the fragments were adhered at different times to the two different substrates, first being adhered overall to a paper backing, then later mounted onto the board.

Research

Using the high-quality images described above, I reached out to experts in Egyptology and papyrology at the University of Cincinnati Classics Library and the University of Michigan to learn about the history of the objects. Right away, I was given extremely detailed information by generous colleagues.

One of the first surprising things I learned is that two of the fragments were oriented upside down.  So in their mounted format, they were not properly represented. Perhaps even more exciting was the discovery that three fragments were able to be attributed to a priest named Wennofer! (There will be more about the history of the pieces in the second part of the series, stay tuned.)

Of Parts and Pieces

It was serendipitous that during my research one of the contacts I was put in touch with was Dr. Ann-Katrin Gill from the University of Leipzig.  Dr. Gill happened to be in the midst of a larger project titled: Of parts and pieces: unearthing, reassembling, and documenting papyri and linen objects in US libraries.  As you can imagine, she was thrilled to receive the treatment documentation of the Public Library’s fragments to add to the collection.  We have hopes that should any other fragments belonging to these be discovered, perhaps they could become reunited.

Materiality

The Egyptian mummy bandage fragments, or cloth shrouds, are also referred to as archaeological linen textile fragments. I learned the following about the materiality of the fragments.

Inscriptions

Fragments contain either formal hieroglyphs (using pictorial characters) or cursive hieratic script (which is a later Egyptian shorthand writing system used by scribes). It was determined that the fragments likely date to the Ptolemaic Period (around 300-30 BCE) based on the writing style used during that time period. 

Inscriptions are written in black ink with a reed or rush pen, referred to as rush ink.  The ink appears to be typical of the time period, most likely carbon-based with a gum binder. The fragments when viewed though infrared imaging (see slide show above) shows the carbon in the ink absorbing infrared radiation, making the ink appear dark black in infrared images, while the organic staining drops out of the image.

20th Century Alterations

Lined with Brown Paper

At some point in the fragments’ history, the textiles were lined on the back in an acidic machine-made brown paper (reminiscent of brown craft paper tape).  If you look carefully in the raking light image (see slide show above), you might notice the brown lining paper poking through losses in the textiles as a slightly darker shade of brown than the board support.  Under UV fluorescence (see slide show above), the adhesive used in conjunction with the brown paper lining does not fluoresce. This adhesive was found to be readily water soluble and possibly a gum-based adhesive.

Trimmed Edges

You might notice the fragments are cut into odd shapes. Likely, they were trimmed to remove frayed ends and damaged parts.  There’s no way to know if the fragments were trimmed before or after they were lined with the brown paper lining, however the edges are fairly consistent with one another. One could make the case they were trimmed at the same time.

Mounted to a Board

After lining, these fragments would have then been mounted to a board, with two identified as upside down (oops)! Faint patterns on the back of the paper board resemble off-setting from wood, likely caused by a wooden backing board in a frame. If these assumptions are correct, it’s my guess that the fragments were mounted then framed for the tourist trade, with the frame now lost. 

Condition

Being mounted on an aged, unsupported, brittle board put the fragments at risk of breaking along with the board. Since the board already contained cracks and breaks along the edges, this concern felt urgent.

Despite the precarious storage and concerns surrounding the fragments being exposed to the elements, the textiles themselves appeared in fairly good condition for being over 2,000 years old! Viewing the fragments in raking light (see slide show above) reveals a considerable amount of linen loss throughout the textiles. However, it doesn’t appear that these losses were a recent incident in the past half century.  The losses were likely present when the fragments were lined with brown paper backing.

Next Steps

Next steps were to prepare the objects for safe keeping in long-term storage. To do so, required research on possible treatment options to safely store the items in their proper orientations. Also, knowing that not all fragments belonged in context with each other was further justification to split the collection into separate parts. Read on for more discoveries in this preservation journey!

To learn more, check out the other three posts in the series:

  • History – Historical information provided about the Egyptian inscriptions
  • Treatment – How the materials were treated after learning about their content
  • Storage Solutions – Individual solutions for separated fragments as well as storage as a collection

Acknowledgements

  • Katherine Davis, Lecturer in Egyptology in the Department of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan
  • Suzanne Davis, the Associate Curator and Head of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan
  • Dr. Ann-Katril Gill at the University of Leipzig
  • Marieka Kaye, Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation, Head, Conservation & Book Repair, University of Michigan Library
  • Obie Linn, Textile Conservator at the Cincinnati Art Museum
  • Ann Wuertemberger, Catalog Librarian at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
  • Meredith Montague, Textile Conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Special Collections Conservator and Co-Lab Manager [CHPL]

Otto Ege: Villain or Hero?

Introduction

Otto Ege (1888-1951) was a real-life figure known for his involvement in the dispersal of medieval manuscripts. Whether he is considered a villain or a hero depends on the perspective and context in which his actions are viewed.

Ege was a book dealer and collector who gained notoriety for breaking apart medieval manuscripts and selling individual leaves or pages to collectors and institutions. He would disassemble bound illuminated manuscripts and sell them as separate pieces or as a collection of works, thereby dispersing the original works.

Original portfolio case
Leaf from 12th century manuscript bible
Leaf from 12th century Armenian bible

This is one of four Otto F. Ege collections owned by the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library before treatment.  It is titled Original Leaves from Famous Bibles, Nine Centuries 1121-1935 AD (call number R090 ffB582).  It came to the lab for better long term storage.

Villain

From the perspective of some scholars and conservators, Ege’s actions are viewed as unethical today. By breaking up unique historic manuscripts, he caused irreparable damage to the cultural, historical, and scholarly heritage they represented. The dispersal of these manuscripts makes it challenging for researchers to study them as cohesive and complete works, leading to a loss of valuable historical information and artistic context.

Hero

On the other hand, some might argue that Ege’s actions had positive effects. By selling individual leaves, he made rare and exquisite artworks more accessible to a broader audience, including institutions and collectors who might not have been able to afford an entire manuscript. This enabled more people to appreciate the beauty and artistry of these ancient texts.

Conclusion

Otto Ege’s legacy is a complex one, and opinions about him vary widely. However, it is essential to note that Ege’s actions occurred in a different time when the appreciation for medieval manuscripts as complete works of art was not as prevalent as it is today. Modern views on preservation and the importance of maintaining cultural heritage have evolved significantly. Ultimately, his actions highlight the ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding cultural heritage and the need for responsible stewardship of historically significant artifacts.

Treatment and Storage of the Public Library’s Collections

The Public Library owns four collections by Ege. Each have been receiving treatment to better improve their long-term storage. After the smaller collections received successful treatment, this larger collection followed suite.

Treatment

In their original format, the manuscript leaves were hinged to floppy paper folders with windows cut out for viewing. The original hinges were thick cloth, and in many cases, no longer functioning as the hinges became stuck in place. This prevented viewing the backs of the materials. The flexible folders overtime became U-shaped and were in need of supports to keep materials planar, especially during handling.

Individual leaves were unmounted from the original paper folders and re-hinged with kozo tissue and wheat starch paste onto archival 2 ply mat board supports. The mat board supports were then placed within the paper folders. Unbuffered interleaving tissue was then added between the manuscript and the folder window for long term storage to prevent the edges of the window from catching or rubbing onto the objects.

Armenian manuscript hinged to 2ply mat board support, stored within the original paper folder
The backs are now viewable!
Interleaving tissue protects the face of the manuscripts from rubbing along the edges of the windows

Storage

While other collections were retained within their original enclosures with a protective chemise, this portfolio was acidic and deformed with broken ties, so two new corrugated banker’s boxes were created to retain the original enclosure and store the manuscripts separately.

Additional Resources

The Public Library also owns Ege collections titled Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscript Western Europe: XII‐XVI century (call number R096.1 ffF469), Fifteen original oriental manuscript leaves of six centuries (call number 096.1 ffF469f), and Original Leaves from Famous Books, Eight Centuries 1240 A.D. – 1923 A.D. (call number R094 ff069).

The collection Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts is digitized and is available online in the digital library.

There are also multiple copies of the printed pamphlet by Otto Ege titled Pre‐Alphabet days. Interestingly, Genealogy and Local History own two copies in different formats. One copy is a cased‐in hardback with a single sewn gathering while the other copy is a single gathering pamphlet sewn into a paper case. Both pamphlets are original formats that would have been offered to buyers at different price points!

If you’re interested in further treatment details, check out our treatment reports on the Digital Resource Commons by searching for Otto Ege.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer [CHPL] – Special Collections Conservator, Lab Manager

Learning the Basics

Hi! I’m Nicole, and I’m the newest member of the Preservation Lab.

Portrait of Nicole Browning
Nicole Browning makes a corrugated clamshell enclosures

When I was interviewing for the position of Conservation Assistant, I did a deep dive into what preservation and conservation really mean. I read through blog posts and perused the Lab’s Instagram, trying to get a grasp on what exactly the lab did. Little did I know, these snapshots into lab life hardly even scratched the surface.

Materials and Tools

My first week as a Conservation Assistant was full of learning, from what types of boards and paper supplies are available, to how to create a pamphlet binder and sew music scores. I had no idea there were so many types of paper out there, and I was ignorant about how many tools there exist simply to cut these pieces of paper. My hand skills were immediately put to the test with learning the stitches used to attach pamphlets to protective premade binders, which create a hard cover for these otherwise soft materials. I was also instructed in which methods of cutting are best for which practices and types of paper, such as board shears for larger pieces of Bristol or corrugated board, scalpels and Olfas for small, precision cutting, and even a corner cutter to clean up the corners of your pamphlet binders!

A music score lays on a bench with a needle and thread used for conservation sewing.
Sewing parts of a music score with a needle and thread.

Enclosures

Over the next few weeks, I was thrust into a whole new world of enclosures after learning about pamphlet binders and music scores. Enclosures are typically boxes that are used to keep a book or object safe from light, dust, and other environmental factors that can harm the item over time.

Tuxedo boxes

Creating tuxedo boxes was an exciting and fun challenge, as getting all the measurements right and being precise is so important. These boxes take a lot of focus to make, and attaching the two pieces of board can be daunting, as you must make sure not to overlap the folds and ruin the whole box.

Front view of a tuxedo box
View of a tuxedo box opened next to the book it will house.

A finished tuxedo box on the left, and the two pieces of an unfinished tuxedo box opened to show the full spread of the box on the right.

Corrugated Clamshells

Corrugated clamshell boxes came next, with their in depth measuring and precision crimping and cutting. Like a tuxedo box, these boxes offer better storage from light and dust, and are a more structured enclosure. Where they differ, though, is they are made from corrugated board rather than Bristol board, and this offers more support to items that need a little boost of structural help. These boxes are made from one piece of board that is cut and folded into a clam-like box that opens on one end and is attached at the spine.

A flat corrugated blue board that has been cut and pre-folded, ready to form into a box.
A corrugated clamshell during the construction process. This clamshell still needs it’s ends glued in to create it’s box shape.

General Collections Treatment

My final big learning project was cloth tape removal, which was something completely different, making it very enjoyable to learn. Cloth tape removal is taking off old adhesive tape that has been applied to materials that is now falling apart. To remove cloth tape, a poultice of methyl cellulose is applied in thirds to the tape. Introducing moisture to the adhesive allows you to slowly and carefully use a Casselli microspatula to loosen and remove the tape, leaving behind only the original materials.

General collections treatment removing a cloth spine hinge with a methyl cellulose poultice.

An old pamphlet that’s been bound together with cloth tape in the middle of the removal process. Weights hold down pieces of Mylar to keep the pamphlet cover from absorbing any of the poultice. The cloth tape is the grey strip on the right of the pamphlet, and you can see where some of the tape has been removed and what still needs to be done.

Final Impressions

I’ve learned so much over my first month at the lab, but so far corrugated clamshells have been my favorite. It’s been so fun to grow my hand skills and to see how much of a difference one month can make, and I’m so excited to expand my horizons and learn more about the lab in the upcoming months!

Nicole Browning, Conservation Assistant [CHPL]

Nests and Eggs on Display at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio are on display at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra March 1st and 2nd as part of a musical program honoring Oliver Messiaen who was both a major composer of the 20th century and an ornithologist.

Synesthesia

Oliver Messiaen is well known for studying bird songs and interpreting their notes into musical transcriptions. His works are also unique in that Messiaen experienced synesthesia which greatly influenced his creations. Synesthesia is when a person perceives more than one sense at a time, such as Messiaen who experienced colors when listening to music and was able to see sounds. 

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Program

The program at the CSO honors Messiaen by incorporating both music, color, and bird visuals to invite the audience to experience a unique multi-sensory experience. Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles (“From the Canyons to the Stars”) will be performed  by the conductor, Matthias Pintscher, and pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard.

Click the image for a link to the digital program for the CSO Proof: From the Canyons to the Stars

“Inspired by his visits to Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles (“From the Canyons to the Stars”) depicts the birdsong and red rock hues he experienced during his time in the desert… Accompanied by immersive video-art, Springer Auditorium will be transformed, allowing listeners to escape into the southwestern landscape and experience a synesthesia of their own.” – As described by the CSO website

Nests and Eggs

Complementing the musical performances, on display will be a page from Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s Illustrations of the nests and eggs.  The page showcases a local Ohio native, the Wood Thrush, who lays bright blue colored eggs within a nest made of old leaves, dried grasses and moss (rarely sticks).  The nest of the Wood Thrush also contains “rootlets” placed intentionally inside of the nest, resulting in a pinkish brown or black lining. The nest is “plastered” with a thin mud that is easily missed as it’s thoroughly worked in and covered.

Nests and Eggs, while lesser known than Audubon’s Birds of America, is quite extraordinary in how it highlights the uniqueness of the construction of nests made by different bird species. Take for instance, the Baltimore Oriole’s nest, which primarily consists of strings and flax fibers to create a soft and long pocket.  Compare that to the more traditional nest of the Wood Thrush whose home is bowl-shaped with a wide opening.

Baltimore Oriole – Plate 1
Wood Thrush – Plate II

It’s also extraordinary that the illustrations are detailed lithographic portraits created by Gabrielle Estelle Jones and her family, despite not having been formally trained.  Their work was intended to be used as a companion volume to John James Audubon’s Birds of America.  While not as large as the Birds of America double elephant folios, Eggs and Nests is still an impressively large-sized volume. 

Gabrielle “Gennie” Estelle Jones

The following excerpt was written by Sara Williams, Arts & Special Collections Reference Librarian:

Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio was a project begun by Genevieve Estelle Jones, a native of Circleville, Ohio. Born May 13, 1847, Genevieve, or Gennie, spent much time as a young girl birdwatching in the woods and wetlands with her father, an amateur ornithologist. Just before the age of 30, Jones’ father forbade her from marrying the man she loved, and in 1876, she visited the Centennial World’s Fair in Philadelphia to take her mind off her broken heart. While there, she viewed hand-colored engravings from John James Audubon’s vibrant The Birds of America. Inspired by Audubon’s example, Jones set out to illustrate the nests and eggs of birds, an aspect often missing from his work. Jones completed only five illustrations for her book before she died of typhoid at the age of 32. The work was eventually completed by Genevieve Jones’ family. Only 90 copies of the book were published, of which only 34 are currently known to exist.  

Preservation

As part of the Preservation Lab’s role in displaying the object, a condition report book was created to accompany the item to ensure the object’s condition is preserved. This helps those who are installing anticipate any possible challenges in supporting fragile pages or bindings. In this case, the upper endsheets are extremely brittle and have been previously repaired, but could break again if not carefully draped and held with polyester strapping in a safe manner.

After determining a proper exhibit case to fit and secure the binding, a custom cradle was made. To protect weak points of the binding on display, a support was constructed out of 8 ply museum mat board to support the heavy and oversized pages from stress along the joint.  

Solutions were tested to fit within an 18 inch deep case, however, the book was just too large!
A custom 8 ply mat board cradle was created to fit within a more appropriate 4 ft case. Pages are strapped with polyester strapping

Before an object travels, it’s often reviewed to make sure it can handle transport and treated if necessary.  Luckily, in this case, the binding was treated in 2016 and is still in great condition for its age.  When it received treatment, at that time it received a lightweight yet strong enclosure that will also work well to safely protect the item for travel to the CSO.

Corrugated banker’s box with a drop spine houses the Nests and Eggs book. Binding and exhibit labels are ready for packing.
A 4-foot case was kindly loaned to the CSO from the Behringer-Crawford Museum and is ready for use! (Image credit: Amber Ostaszewski)
  • Entrance to the Founder’s Room
  • Bird sounds were played in the entryway
  • During staging of the exhibit
  • Nests and eggs on display in the Founder’s Room
  • The Founder’s Room
  • Night of the performance
  • Entering the theatre
  • Not visible are the camping chairs and fire pits in the orchestra pit

Additional Resources

Interested in seeing more Nests and Eggs?  The entire binding is conserved and digitized where it is made publicly available online. More information about Gennie’s fascinating and tragic history can be read at the Linda Hall website.

CSO Program Dates

There are two programs where you can view the item on display, Friday, March 1st and Saturday, March 2nd, both at 8pm at the Music Hall. Interested? Click here for the digital program.

We hope to see you there!

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer [CHPL] – Book and Paper Conservator, Co-Lab Manager

Preservation and Exhibition: DAAP Library’s Teaching Collection & Upcoming Gallery Talk (12/5)

For the past six months, Jessica and Catarina have been working with the DAAP Library on housing their Teaching art collection, including prior acquisition and newly acquired items.  This collection consists of different art prints on paper, print plates and manuscript parchment leaves in need of long-term housing. In addition to housing, this collection is used for teaching in a classroom setting and for exhibition.

Most of the collection only requires simple matting systems, but some require more intricate matting systems such as the copper plate along with its print, a project mentioned in a previous blog post entitled How many magnets is too many magnets!?.

As some of the items of this collection were being prepared to go on exhibit, we had the opportunity to create mounts for other items, such as two parchment scrolls that were included in the exhibit. This was a fun project to work on, as it required us to create a support that would secure both scrolls, while providing an elegant solution for display.

To start, Jessica created a very rough small model with mat board, polyethylene strapping, and paper (as we always do with anything new in the lab, we do love model making!!). The model provided us the visual example that we needed to create the mount for the two scrolls.

Scroll mock-up
Small rough model created by Jessica
Scroll mock-up
Small rough model created by Jessica

With the model in mind, we were able to engineer a good system that would provide support for the scrolls and could be used for display. The scrolls were supported with foam rolls on the inside for the rolled ends, and secured with polyethylene strapping that only touched the foam. The sections of the scrolls that were going to be displayed were also secured with polyethylene strapping that wrapped around the mat board support through slits in the board. At the bottom, the mat board extended outwards creating a small shelf to support the end of the scroll.

Two scrolls mounted to mat board with strapping
Scrolls mounted and ready for exhibition.
Two scrolls mounted to mat board with strapping
Scrolls mounted and ready for exhibition.

A small “shelf” of mat board supports the bottom of the scrolls.

  • Catarina adjusting the strapping on the mount.
  • A small “shelf” of mat board supports the bottom of the scrolls.
  • A small “shelf” of mat board supports the bottom of the scrolls.
  • The foam rolls support the inside of the scrolls and are secured with polyethylene strapping.
  • Jessica securing the foam roll that supports the scroll.

As a result of all the mounting and matting we did for the Teaching Art collection and for the scrolls, each item is currently on display at the DAAP Library entrance case:

Image of the exhibit
Current display at the DAAP Library featuring the Teaching Art Collection.
Close up of the scroll mounted on exhibit
A close-up of the scroll mounted on exhibition.

If you are interested in learning more about our preservation considerations for exhibition of this collection, Catarina and Jessica will be giving a short gallery talk on Tuesday, December 5th at 1pm, at the DAAP Library entrance on the 5th floor.

Image of the gallery talk flyer

Catarina Figueirinhas [UCL] – Assistant Conservator

Interested in starting a career in conservation? Join us!

The Preservation Lab, a partnership to preserve and conserve the collections of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library and the University of Cincinnati Libraries, seeks applicants for a Conservation Assistant position.

The Conservation Assistant is a technician level position with on-the-job training that may appeal to emerging conservation professionals. This position will join a collaborative team of 7 full-time staff members, including conservators, a preservation librarian, technicians, student workers and volunteers to preserve collections from both institutions. The Preservation Lab staff consists of both Cincinnati Public Library and the University Library members. This position is a Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library position but is stationed at the University of Cincinnati West campus.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to execute hands-on work with skill.

Founded in 1853, the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library today is one of the busiest and most highly acclaimed library systems in the United States, providing service to over 800,000 residents through a network of 40 branch libraries, a major downtown Main Library, and a Distribution Center.  CHPL holds one of the largest genealogical collections in the United States and many other specialized collections, most of which are housed in the Main library.

Pay rate begins at $15.87/hour. 

Deadline to Apply: Dec 1, 2023

For more information about job duties and how to apply, please visit the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library website.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer, Special Collections Conservator [CHPL]