Time Capsule Contents (Continued) - July 19, 2014

July 19, 2014

Handwritten Page 1 - enhanced

Perhaps the most important artifact in the Time Capsule from June 19, 1929 is the seven handwritten pages discussing the Kings County school at the time.  The title on the first page is Kentville Schools and there is no signature at the end which likely signifies it is a short history of the school rather than a personal account.  From the first paragraph mentioning a report from 1888 it captures our attention considering it may hold information from that time until 1929.  I have a photograph of the first page which will help to set the tone for future transcription and exhibit.  Our intent is to show these pages sealed in mylar envelopes to prevent deterioration.  Mylar is used because it is inert and has been proven to be safe for longer term storage and display.  Mylar is one of several choices (polypropylene bags being another) in comic book storage particularly for Golden or Silver Age comics but also for any truly valuable comics.  Either types of bags are clear so can be used for display purposes. However, polypropylene bags may yellow over a longer period of time so is not the best choice.  Additionally, we can keep each page in the mylar envelope with an acid free backing board to ensure that it will not bend.   It is best for these pages to be unfolded once only and stored flat which we have now done.  Repeated unfolding may damage them.  Think of them as fibrous material which may break from repeated bending.  These pages are currently stored unfolded, flattened and in acid free folders pending purchase of mylar envelopes (on order).  Displaying them in an exhibit in mylar envelopes can allow for viewing of the pages which will show the public the handwriting, fading, staining, etc. of the original.  These are all important parts of the history of the artifact. 

Handwritten Page 7 - enhanced

Transcription of all seven pages will be done.  As you can see by the photographs there is some fading along the right side and water damage in a few spots.  This next photograph shows the last page which will be a challenge to transcribe due to more serious fading from water damage.  However, with the use of image enhancement software we can attempt to bring out the more faded writing.  You can also see that there is no signature at the bottom.  This begs the question, who is the author?   

Inks used in writing from the time period as with many other inks will fade over time.  Direct sunlight is particularly damaging so these pages will be displayed and stored away in a carefully controlled low light setting for exhibit and stored in acid free boxes for longer term storage in a humidity and temperature controlled environment.

I mentioned in the last post that there are techniques to bring out faded writing.  There are two worth mentioning: ultraviolet light (UV-A light or black light) and infrared light.  Both are light at a longer wavelength and depending on the ink used each may work better.  Since ultraviolet is the easiest and lower cost we would normally try it first.  It is commonly used to authenticate oil paintings, antiques, and bank notes.  Infrared light is more challenging because it uses more expensive equipment in a special setting.  The phrase "infrared reflectography" is used for a technique that will show underlying layers in oil paintings such as drawings used as a guide by the artist.  I mention these for use with the handwriting on the inside corner of the time capsule lid and possibly for some of the faded writing in the handwritten pages if it is necessary.

Conservation Tips:

Use mylar envelopes for storage of fragile paper, pamphlets, etc.  You can purchase these in various sizes from comic book stores or on-line.  Although more expensive than polypropyline it is well worth the extra expense.  Measure your artifact first to determine the best size to use.  Note: modern comics are smaller than 8.5 by 11 standard page size so be sure to order the correct size.  Most comic stores (at least in my area) stock the modern comic size only.

Always keep fragile papers away from direct sunlight and strong lighting of any kind.   Light is particularly damaging to inks and some papers.  You can bring these artifacts out from time to time to look at them but minimize light exposure.  In a museum environment lighting may be set to come on when someone enters a room to view them or limited to only a few hours of viewing.

Time Capsule Contents - July 2, 2014

July 2, 2014

Two weeks after the public opening of the time capsule I opened it again to start the conservation work necessary to record the objects as they are removed.  This photograph shows the tools I will use (starting from the far right):

Getting Ready

• an exacto-knife with a larger flat blade, 
• a probe flat on one end, pointed on the other, 
• a metal ruler for measurements, and 
• a pen and paper to take notes.

First thing was to take the capsule measurements:

• 18.8 cm long, 11 cm wide, and 8.5 cm tall including the lid, 
• 18.5 cm long, 10.5 cm wide, and 8.2 cm tall without the lid

The contents of the time capsule are (more details following):

• 7 handwritten sheets of paper
• 3 newspapers (details to come later)
• one small business card - Dominion Atlantic Railway 
• one large business card - Town of Kentville

The capsule reacted strongly to a magnet implying that it has high iron content.  The exterior and interior does show patches of reddish coloured corrosion which is another clue to iron content.  The lid was made of a single flat piece of metal with notches in the four corners and folded over to produce an edge.  One of the consequences of this is that there are minute openings in each corner which could allow moisture to enter the capsule.  Moisture was evident on opening day on the paper observed.

Small business card

Handwritten pages - pinned together

The first thing I noticed upon opening the lid was that the handwritten sheets of paper folded on the top were now loose from the sides of the capsule.  It is likely that it dried out to the point where it came loose.  However, the newspaper below it was still attached to the sides.  The folded up, handwritten pages came out easily with no tearing.  On the other side a small business card in very bad shape was attached to the paper but came loose very easily.  It is not easily readable but does have two lines printed in the lower left corner: Dominion Atlantic Railway and Engineer and Mechanical Supervisor.  The person's name in larger lettering is printed in the middle.  All is obscured by black spots and general deterioration.  It is very fragile and requires special handling.

Carefully releasing edges

Below this was a folded up newspaper with some parts attached to the sides of the capsule.  I used an exacto-knife with a larger, flat blade to scrape along the sides to loosen the attached bits.  This was done all around the sides.  The newspaper came loose after a few minutes with minimal damage.  This newspaper was dated April 18, 1929, two months before the capsule was placed.

Beneath this was another newspaper.  I was able to loosen the newspaper using the exacto-knife.   It was dated June 19, 1929.  The date the capsule was placed.

What is in the bottom?

Below this was a third newspaper and unlike the others this one had attached itself to some parts of the capsule beneath it causing slightly more tearing.  This could not be loosened via an exacto-knife due to the location.   However, it came out with only minimal damage.  Some bits of newspaper are left intact in the bottom of the capsule along with a very well preserved business card for a Mr. Henry Morse Kentville Town Clerk and Treasurer.  Although some small pieces of the newspapers were torn on removal all the text is readable except for the pieces shown at the bottom which will be left as is.

In my next blog entry I will show details of the handwritten pages.  It is currently being transcribed by one of our museum volunteers.  I will also write about the inscription on the inside corner of the lid.  There are a few techniques that can be used with the right equipment to make the inscription clearer.

Time Capsule Opened - June 19, 2014

June 27, 2014

85 year old time capsule

On June 19, 2014 at the Kings County Museum in Kentville, Nova Scotia I had the opportunity to open a time capsule 85 years to the day when it was deposited in 1929.  The capsule as shown in the photograph consists of a metal box approximately 10 cm wide, 10 cm high, and 25 cm long (exact measurements will be posted at a later date).  It was deposited in a granite block with a carved out space specifically made for it.  The capsule was one of two found on the site of the Kings County Academy, a decommissioned school demolished recently in Kentville, Nova Scotia.  It has corrosion on the outside and what appears to be patches of cement throughout the exterior.  The corners of the lid show gaps which introduced the possibility of moisture getting inside.  The other time capsule found onsite in fact was opened by demolition staff and was a mass of muddy brown watery material.  It has not been processed to see if anything solid is inside but will be at a later date.

First view after opening

I will explain the best approach in conservation of this historically precious artifact and its contents.  Keep in mind that the museum has a mandate to preserve and protect the cultural history of Kings County which means we must take the safest approach in examining, evaluating, documenting and exhibiting historical artifacts.  Most activities of this nature would be done in a laboratory setting where environmental conditions can be carefully controlled.  These photographs show the artifact outside of the sealed plastic envelope it was stored in.  It is kept in a humidity and temperature controlled and secure area until worked on and returned to it when done.  It is critical to maintain moisture levels at a steady state  to ensure the artifact and its contents do not dry out or become moist in high or low humidity levels too rapidly.  This latter condition can rapidly deteriorate some artifacts.

Documents close-up - water marks

Paper tearing from lid removal

The lid came open relatively easy with very little pressure applied.   As shown in photograph "First view after opening", inside was found two distinct collection of papers: one a handwritten letter of several pages folded and stuffed on top; below it is a newspaper page.  In both cases the papers show evidence of effects of moisture: both black and red spots as well as some other obvious water marks.  In addition both of these papers are obviously "fused" to the sides of the capsule and the bottom newspaper could be "fused" to something unknown below it.  The accompanying close-up photograph shows these in detail.  How did this occur?  It is quite possible that this is the result of repeated freezing and thawing cycles over 85 years.  Condensation will form on the surface of metals below 10 degrees Celsius.  The fusing presents a significant problem to their removal.  There is the possibility that the two documents could be fused together which means they could tear apart and destroy some of the writing if removed separately.  With some parts fused to the side it introduces more chances of tearing.  Another photograph (see lid inscription below) shows evidence of tearing in the corner of the handwritten page.  It is likely this occurred when the lid was removed.  

The best approach is to use a tool which is flat and narrow with a sharp edge to carefully break apart the papers fused to the sides and then carefully try to remove the papers as a package.  The other option might have been to apply a small amount of steam to the edges which might facilitate releasing them from the sides.  There are steam tools that can be used with a wand to pinpoint accuracy.  However, this is not a good choice in this case since the handwritten sheets are already showing evidence of moisture damage.  Where documents are "water fast" this would be a viable option.

Interior lid inscription

The inside of the lid shows bits of paper and an inscription initially transcribed as:

Ben (or is it Eric?) Schofield 
Rockwell Mtn 
June 19/29

On the left, centre in the photograph is a fragment of the handwritten paper torn from the pages.  This occurred when the lid was pulled off.

I will be doing further work on the capsule over the next few weeks and will post the results over time.  In all cases the contents and the capsule will be carefully measured, the handwritten letter transcribed, everything photographed and catalogued.  It is anticipated that an exhibit will be put together to show the results to the public at a later date.

Locks of Hair - December 10, 2013

December 10, 2013

Locks of human hair have been kept as keepsakes for thousands of years.  This was usually practiced for several reasons: superstition, religious or sentimental.  Certainly it was much more common a hundred or more years ago but is virtually unknown in present times.  

Recently someone came into the museum to show me locks of hair that a female relative had put together of her children, herself, and husband as a keepsake dated from 1868. The locks were tied together with thread and sown along a sheet of paper to keep them all together.  The top of the paper is in two pieces that were sewn together when the locks of hair were attached to the paper as a group.  The bottom part of the paper is in two loose pieces.  The shapes suggest that they were torn apart as it was folded and unfolded over time.  Several types and colours of thread were used.  Near each cluster of hair was the person's first name in very fine ink writing.  It was likely done using a nib pen and ink well.  The handwriting was somewhat difficult to read due to the fading, creases, missing paper, and penmanship of the time.  The penmanship in my view is very beautiful but not something we are so familiar with in current times so a little more difficult to read.  However with the use of a magnifying glass and careful unfolding we were able to make out all the names.  Fortunately, the date 1868 is clearly shown which also coincided with the owner's family information on birth dates of the children whose hair was collected.  For example, one child was not included because they weren't born until after 1868 but all those born in that year and before were included so we could verify the date was correct.  It was also exciting to see that some of the writing on the back clearly was practice in forming some elaborate letters of the alphabet and words.  The author obviously was very concerned with penmanship which was an important part of education at the time.

Locks of hair - front

Locks of hair - back

Above are two photographs of the locks of hair as it was presented to me - front and back.  The hair appears to be in very good condition but I noticed that hair strands will come loose so any handling introduces a risk of loosing a few strands each time...not a good thing!  The paper is brittle and writing is faded.  Faded writing is common with the types of ink used in 1868 as is brittle paper from that time.  Having photographs will preserve the writing as of the date of the photograph.  One can try adjusting the contrast and brightness in the photographs with photo processing software to get the writing to be easier to read.

From a conservation point of view, here is what I recommend:

• try to avoid handling it as much as possible.  It is brittle and might break apart further and loose hair strands or bits of the paper.
• store it in a location where it will not be exposed to higher humidity or increased or constant exposure to light.  Both will hasten deterioration over time.  If storing in a mylar envelope keep it in a dark location when not being shown such as a drawer.
• store it in an acid free envelope if you wish to keep it without showing or handling OR use a mylar envelope which allows others to see it.
• if it is a larger piece, use an acid free backing board in the mylar envelope to eliminate the chance of it getting bent or folded .  This means only one side is visible (pick the best side!) but a photograph of the other side can be kept nearby but not in the envelope.
• mylar envelopes can be cut down to the size of each of the pieces so that it will not slide around.   Although this stores each of the pieces separately it means you don't need the backing board.   Otherwise you might have to attach it to the acid free backing board which is a challenge to avoid damage so don't recommend it.  Since this example comes in three pieces I suggest cutting the envelopes and backing paper down to size rather than trying to attach the pieces to the backing board.  Ordinary tape, perhaps see-through, on the outside can be used to close off any edges cut open.
• do not store it with any other objects such as other sheets of paper unless they are acid free materials.

It is possible to get mylar envelopes and acid free backing board from comic shops locally.  Contact the shop owner and ask them if they are willing to sell you a few of each.  I think getting two or three mylar envelopes and two or three acid free backing boards which will be not so much money is a good idea then you can cut them down in size or work with them to show off the hair locks in the best condition.  Whatever is left over can be used to store other important, older family documents.

Conservation Tips

Mylar envelopes are used to store papers and other flat objects because mylar is less likely to react to the materials stored in them.  Some plastics are not chemically inert.  That is, they may give off gases that mixed with moisture produce varying levels of acid or react negatively to some materials.  Mylar is certainly much more chemically stable and prevent odours and other gasses from penetrating to the interior.  Acid free paper for storage of most objects is useful again for the same reason that it will not give off harmful gases.  Avoid excessive handling of brittle objects of this type.  The less handling the better.

Paper Artifacts Handling - General Information - November 2013

November 12, 2013

Paper Artifacts

As with all artifacts that come into the museum we examine each one carefully to determine the best way to proceed with cleaning, packaging, storage, and possible repair and display.  The following are some of the conditions paper artifacts are subject to which can be conserved usually under laboratory conditions:

1. stained by water, humidity or other liquids,
2. ripped, earmarked, 
3. missing pages, missing covers or in pieces, 
4. cracked or split spine, 
5. repaired with scotch tape, other tape or adhesives that is recent or has yellowed,
6. pest damage such as silverfish or book lice,
7. improperly mounted.

Each condition is carefully noted as a permanent record and appropriate action taken.  For community museums, only minimal treatment can be undertaken due to the costs involved.  That usually involves documenting, photographing, flattening minor rolls or curves, proper storing or packaging, some minor repairs with Japanese papers and paper adhesives if funding is available, and researching the history. 

For example, with earmarking such as corners folded or a part of a page folded back when stored or handled we resist the temptation to correct it by folding it back in place.  Attempting to correct it may cause further damage particularly if the paper is very fragile so is best left as is for now.  This type of condition can be corrected by engaging a paper conservator who will follow the correct procedures to do repairs such as applying humidification to a particular area or to the entire document to loosen the paper fibres, flattening the document, and drying it all under controlled conditions.  Paper artifacts that are moderately rolled or with moderately curved edges can be flattened by placing it between two larger pieces of thicker paper such as matting board and laying a large flat weight on top such as a piece of plywood of the appropriate size.  This does not always work if documents are severely distorted.  A paper conservator can help to determine if the humidification process mentioned above may be necessary.  Here is a photograph of a flattening in progress at the museum.

Large paper document being flattened.

It is possible to wash some paper under laboratory conditions to remove staining.  This is a labour intensive and often expensive process that is usually only done on very precious documents under highly controlled conditions.  Repairs can be done to replace pieces, fix cracks in spines, consolidate tears, loose pages or pieces.  Often Japanese papers of appropriate various thicknesses and colours are used for this purpose as is adhesives designed specifically for paper.  The papers are mostly used to stabilize the pages but in some cases can be colour matched to replace missing pieces.  Adhesives used in the past for attaching covers to books were sometimes a good source of food for pests; modern adhesives are designed to avoid this.  Modern adhesives are reversible, strong, and non-staining.  Examples are starch-based or methyl cellulose.  Stabilizing a loose or cracked spine on a book is a good preventive measure to avoid further tears or breaks.  A paper conservator can do this with near invisibility to the casual observer.

Precious paper artifacts should be packaged in acid free sleeves and labelled.  Another option is to use Mylar sleeves and acid free backing boards of the type that are used to store comic books.  These can often be obtained in local comic stores for a reasonable price.  Mylar is recommended due to its inert composition and acid free backing boards are important to reduce the chance of a paper artifact getting bent in storage or handling.  Mylar is also transparent which means it can be used to put a document in an exhibit and keep it protected.  Obviously this packaging is not the best option for all paper artifacts but should be done for those precious pieces.  The following photographs show two paper artifacts we recently packaged at the museum in acid free envelopes.  The accession number and archival number are both written on the outside of the envelope.  Cotton gloves are used for handling.

Cartoon booklet stored in acid free envelope.

1930 school book stored in acid free envelope.

References

CCI - Caring for paper artifacts  Canadian Conservation Institute - How to care for paper documents and newspaper clippings.
Asiarta Foundation - Works of art on paper conservation techniques - Paper conservation techniques
NEDCC - Repairing paper artifacts - NorthEast Document Conservation Center