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.

Environmental Considerations For Mixed Collections of Historical Artifacts - 2014

January 21, 2014

The following discussion focuses on artifacts that are comprised of metals, glass, ceramics, papers, textiles, organics or in-organics all kept in the same space.  This document outlines the environmental considerations and conditions for their storage and display in general terms for community museums.  I have provided several references at the end for further detailed information specific to each type of material.

Many historical artifacts are made up of several different materials attached and combined in various ways and would benefit from careful environmental considerations.  Temperature and moisture fluctuations put undue pressure on their structure and in some extreme conditions can cause fractures.  Different metals expand and contract with temperature changes to different degrees.  This is also true for different woods which will have different moisture content as well.  Particularly fragile are some older papers, wood, and porous ceramics that are hygroscopic – meaning they can absorb and give off moisture.  Higher and lower moisture levels can be particularly damaging to their cell structure.  Condensation can appear in some metals at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius.  This promotes corrosion and can negatively affect other materials when they are stored in close proximity.  Storage materials can also play a role in deterioration since we know that materials such as some plastics can give off gases and over a lengthier period of time when combined with moisture form a mild acid.  Glass is more stable as is acid free wrapping paper, storage boxes and envelopes.

Some general information for artifacts kept in a community museum environment follows where it is assumed that special air conditioning or lighting controls are not available for storage or display of these artifacts.  This is true for most community museums in Nova Scotia, Canada and in general terms, elsewhere.  However, Nova Scotia is subject to a climate similar to United Kingdom in that we have on average 85% relative humidity over the course of a typical year but colder weather (and snow!) in a slightly longer winter.  The freeze and thaw cycle over the winter months is particularly challenging when some museums shut off the heating systems or set the thermostat too low while the museum is closed.  This is also a concern for those who have historical artifacts in their homes and leave for a few months with the thermostat turned down and the humidifier turned off while vacationing where it is warmer. 

In all cases it is best to keep things in a steady state.  That is, to avoid rapid fluctuations in humidity, temperature, light levels and so on.  Even moderate fluctuations are to be avoided but are not as damaging.  Where possible, monitor the temperature and humidity as a minimum watching for wild changes over a short time.  There is relatively inexpensive equipment available to do this but it requires effort on someone’s part to check the results.  If you must turn the temperature down or bring the relative humidity up or down (for example, when doing building repairs) do it over a longer period of time and return it back to normal settings over a longer period of time.  This allows the artifacts to slowly adjust without cracking, getting condensation, and so on.

Dust levels and vibrations are also a consideration if work is being done nearby or in your building.  Recently we became concerned at a community museum when roadwork outside caused serious vibrations inside our building when heavy machinery was working on the street outside our door.  We packed some things away to ensure they did not suffer damage from dust, falling over or off shelves. 

Basic Environmental Factors and Recommended Levels
 

Relative humidity, the recommended acceptable level day and night throughout the year is 50 or 55% +/- 5% with the acceptable range of 45 to 60% for mixed collections.

Light exposure, recommended generally acceptable level is 100 lux (lumens per metre squared), high levels of lux exposure are not usually harmful to metals, glass or ceramics but are detrimental to coloured objects since it can result in fading of colours; levels above 300 lux can cause eye adaptation difficulties for visitors in some facilities.  Light exposure can be measured with a light metre as used by photographers.

UV radiation, the general recommended level of Ultra Violet exposure is 75µw/l (microwatts per lumen).  Extended exposure to sunlight is the most damaging although quartz halogen lamps are also a concern.  Do not hang or store any painted artifact in an area that is subject to direct sunlight.  UV can be measured with broadband UV sensors, for example, which is specialized equipment usually outside the budget of most community museums.  Just ensure that all painted or coloured artifacts (examples: samplers, paintings, prints, papers, most textiles) are kept out of direct sunlight.

Temperature, the general acceptable level in winter is 19 C +/- 1 C and 24 C +/- 1 C in summer with a minimum temperature of 10C at any time to avoid condensation particularly in metals.
  

References

This document is a general discussion and overview of environmental factors.  Please refer to the references below for more detailed information.

1) This is an excellent overview of general preservation guidelines and recommendations for mixed collections thanks to the Minnesota Historical Society:

http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/connectingmn/docs_pdfs/BasicPreservationConsiderations_002.pdf

2) Canadian Museum of Nature – Collection Conservation:

http://www.nature.ca/en/research-collections/our-collections/collection-conservation

3) Environmental Guidelines for Museums by the Canadian Conservation Institute:

http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/caringfor-prendresoindes/articles/enviro/index-eng.aspx