9781606181133

1606181130

9781606181188

"As conservators increasingly engage not only with unaltered works of art, books, and archival collections, but also with the treatment materials of their predecessors, documentation of historic conservation practices is vital to finding an ethical path forward. Our treatment decisions must take into consideration the multi-layered histories of the objects in our care, as well as the past, present, and future stewards of our cultural heritage"-- Provided by publisher.

"This book traces the history of collections care at the American Philosophical Society as revealed through its minute books, treasurers' receipts, and librarians' correspondence. It also examines the physical evidence presented by books and documents that were repaired by former restorers and conservators, including Library of Congress manuscript restorer William Berwick, book and manuscript restorer Carol Rugh (later Carolyn Horton), and the Society's first full-time conservator, Willman Spawn. Their painstaking repairs--using finely woven silk, translucent tracing cloth, and expertly cut historic papers--present both a vital historical record and an ongoing challenge for today's conservators. Although these repairs were groundbreaking in their day, using materials and techniques that would have been unfamiliar to traditional binders, they haven't always aged well. Many twentieth-century leathers fall into dust within decades; silk linings can become dark and brittle. When a previously restored book or manuscript requires additional conservation treatment, how should today's professional conservators, equipped with more recent scientific knowledge, respectfully engage with these historic yet potentially damaging repairs? The conservation of artworks and of library and archival materials is now a small but thriving academic field, with accredited master's programs that equip graduates with both traditional hand skills and an understanding of the physical and chemical forces that cause artifacts to deteriorate or to survive. As the stewards of our shared cultural heritage, conservators are responsible for preserving the physical historical record. The Society's long history of binding, rebinding, restoration, and re-treatment suggests that today's conservators must also act as historians, documenting and preserving the historical evidence of their own field and its evolving preservation methods." -- page 4 of cover.

Transactions of the American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge, volume 111, part 1

Introduction

1743-1846: Early History of the APS Collections and Their Care

Restoration and Conservation from the Twentieth Century to the Present

Generations of Re-Treatment at the APS Library & Museum

Considerations for the Re-Treatment of Library Materials.

American Philosophical Society. Library > History.

Library materials > Conservation and restoration.

Bookbinding > Repairing.

Bookbinding > Repairing.

Library materials > Conservation and restoration.