UConn Conservation Lab

It's UConn Conservation Lab's Virtual Open House! Come on in, grab a virtual chair, let’s chat preservation!

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Look at this handsome lil’ dude! This week I made a mount so that my friend Mickey can be safely displayed. I used black felt, armature wire and black plastazote for the base. 🎶 Who's the leader of the club that’s made for you and me M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E 🎶 source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/themickeymouseclublyrics.html https://www.instagram.com/p/B3pnPiUJqAv/?igshid=1t63jsc8v4fk0

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Got a box bigger than the objects in it? Keep in mind that folders and documents inside a too-big box can sag. This creates distortion in the material that can only be remedied by a conservator. Avoid all the extra steps and the hassle, and make sure your box has a filler. https://www.instagram.com/p/B3U9oe1J10Z/?igshid=1spsyy8xze0gm

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Here’s what’s in the lab this week. Four very different textblocks were bound together. The varying dimensions led to sagging and stress on the spine. In preparation for digitization, the titles are being separated and later rebound in a manner that more closely resembles how they were bound originally. https://www.instagram.com/p/B27P5_QFlAT/?igshid=1ge313mrg55o5

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Flat, stable material was housed in folders for transport. Photo corners were added to prevent shifting. Finally, the objects were placed inside a box with a handle. As you can see, padding was added to the outside of the box and there you have it! A box inside a box inside a box 🙀 https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mXKsvl-f8/?igshid=1nci6q20n4omg

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Here’s something we worked on recently. This loan is heading out to the @nationalsportinglm for their upcoming Ellen Emmet Rand exhibit (be sure to check it out from October 4 to March 22). The objects needed stabilizing for transport with corrugated barriers and walls. Stay tuned for more pics! #enclosuredesign #exhibitprep #museumexhibit https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mVXtJFQms/?igshid=1hzcdbmqt3sbl

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Ready for some conservation vocab? Alrighty, let’s make it a thing! 👇🏽 Since tape is a our ubiquitous enemy, why don’t we start with a related term. Enter skinning. Skinning is damage that is often the result of tape or adhesive removal or excess cleaning. These baddies lead to the disturbance and elimination of the upper layer of a substrate (in the case of the image above, paper). You’ll spot it to the right of the strip of Japanese tissue on the image. Look for the area with fuzzy, pulled fibers, which is lighter than the rest of the paper. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mUEp8lf_X/?igshid=1jt2iecr29ou9