Cheating Time: Preservation Techniques for the Genealogist
Mary Clement Douglass, CG
Appeared originally in World Vital Records, November 2008
We genealogists seem to collect all matter of material objects during our search for our ancestors. Most of us collect paper in the form of original documents, photocopies, newsprint, photographs, and so forth. Some of have inherited the family heirlooms as well. We all want to be good stewards and protect our heritage for passing down to our progeny. However, most of us do not have the knowledge of how to do that. This article will give you some ideas of what to do and not to do.
All man-made objects, including our family heirlooms, decay with time. But you can learn proven ways to extend the useful lifetime of all objects. Let us investigate some of the basic methods museums use to protect their treasured collections. Museum curators learn to consider two factors in preserving collections. (1) The hazards, common to all man-made materials, dictate a preferred environment. (2)The nature of materials dictates preservation techniques. Let us consider these factors separately.
The Nature of Things
All man-made, fabricated, or manufactured objects are classified as either animal, vegetable or mineral. Materials may also be classified as organic or inorganic. Animal and vegetable materials at one time were alive. Animal byproducts include leather, fur, horn, feathers, ivory, or wool. Vegetable byproducts include wood, paper, and fibers. Synthetic materials, such as plastics and rayon are also typically organic. These materials vary in their stability. Organic materials are susceptible to changes in environment. Inorganic materials, such as stone, glass, ceramics, and metals, are less susceptible to environmental changes. However, they may be scratched, broken, cracked, or worn by exposure to weather. Metals corrode, tarnish, pit, or be etched by harsh treatment.
Environmental hazards
Temperature extremes, light, dirt, water, pests, and human contact are the primary causes of loss of our heirlooms and papers. Organic materials do not fare well in attics or basements where temperatures and humidity levels are unstable. Light or radiant energy comes in three forms: ultraviolet light, infrared radiation [heat], and visible light. Ultraviolet light is the most damaging, causing molecular chemical reactions within the material. Ultraviolet light from sun and fluorescent fixtures fades fabric, pigments in artwork, and makes paper brittle. Daylight also provides infrared radiation. Furniture may develop cracks, veneers loosen, joints separate as the wood fibers expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. Insects and mice love to eat paper and fabric, and other organics. Dust is in reality razor sharp bits of sand and stone that may cut fabric and paper. Water in the form of humidity, or flood brings treasured objects into contact with all sorts of mold, mildew, dirt, and potentially hazardous substances borne in the floodwaters. We humans are also hazardous to our collectables through careless handling and ignorance of preservation methods.
Environmental safeguards
Now that we know some of the hazards, we can begin to mitigate them. Here are some simple preservation methods you can use at home for various materials. The following is from the American Institute for Conservation for Artistic and Historic Works.
- Minimize the effects of light.
Avoid displaying organic materials in direct sunlight, even for short periods. Block ultraviolet light from fluorescent bulbs and windows with ultraviolet filtering transparent films. Use incandescent lighting when possible. Halogen light is higher in ultraviolet radiation than incandescent light but much lower than daylight. Do not exhibit works of art close to incandescent bulbs, which give off heat. Avoid using frame-attached incandescent lamps on your paintings. Because light damage is cumulative and irreversible, your most sensitive objects should not be on display all the time but should be rotated periodically.
- Provide stable, moderate relative humidity and temperature.
Extremes in temperature and relative humidity probably occur most often in basements, attics, and garages. Store important objects elsewhere, such as in an internal closet. Do not place sensitive objects over active fireplaces, next to heating or cooling vents, in direct sunlight, or in bathrooms. To prevent the growth of mold and mildew and to discourage insect activity, keep organic materials in stable conditions, around 50% relative humidity. Provide cooling and good air circulation in the hotter summer months; use a dehumidifier in humid areas. In dry climates and during the heating season, use a portable evaporative-type humidifier. Make sure framed works of art are not in direct contact with the glass by using window mats made of archival quality (rag) paper products.
- Minimize the effects of air pollution.
Reduce the amount of dust in your home by upgrading and cleaning the filters in heating and air conditioning units regularly. Framing works of art on paper and small textiles behind glass will protect them from the acidic, abrasive effects of dust. Avoid exhibiting objects where cooking or other combustion takes place. Limit the use of new wood products, coatings, adhesives, new carpeting, and chemicals around your collection. Avoid using spray polishes, commercial cleaners, or products containing silicone on important objects; use paste wax no more than once a year on furniture. Slightly damp cotton cloths, magnetic wiping cloths, or soft natural bristle brushes are appropriate for routine dusting.
- Minimize pest activity.
Good housekeeping and proper storage can help keep your collection free of pests. Display or store organic materials away from sources of food and excessive dampness. Inspect objects both on display and in storage at least once a year for the signs of insect activity: adult insects, small wormlike juvenile insects, powdery deposits, and small holes or missing areas. If evidence is found, place the object in an airtight plastic bag immediately and call a conservator for advice.
- Know how to handle your objects.
Many objects are much more fragile than they appear. Observe carefully the condition and size of the object before you attempt to move it. Be sure that you can carry it alone, or arrange for help. Before you begin, clear space to set the object down. Move small or light objects in a padded tray or basket. Always handle objects with clean, dry, lotion-free hands or preferably with clean cotton or plastic gloves. The acids, oils, and salts in human skin will tarnish and corrode metals and may damage lacquer and other materials such as porous ceramics.
Lift sculpture and other three-dimensional objects by the base or body, never by handles or protruding elements such as extended limbs. Lift furniture by structurally sound elements such as the seat frame or base, never by appendages such as arms or legs. Move framed works of art in a vertical position by handling secure areas of the frame, supporting the bottom and side. Support paper or textile objects from underneath on a sheet of acid-free white mat board or white blotter paper.
Do not touch the front or back surfaces of oil paintings; touching can cause cracks and other damage. Never apply cleaning solutions, sprays, alcohol, or insecticides near any work of art. Use a soft natural-bristle brush to clean objects and paintings when the surfaces are in good condition. Feather dusters are not recommended, as they can catch in small cracks and dislodge fragments of paint or surface.
Remove jewelry and watches before handling your collection. Make sure buttons, belt buckles, and other accessories will not contact the object as you handle it. Avoid the presence of food or drink. Keep work surfaces clean and free of extraneous objects such as keys, paper clips, tools, and writing implements.
- Know how to display your objects.
Be sure that the hanging devices on paintings and other framed pieces are strong and secure. Use wall hangers appropriate to the weight of the work of art and the nature of the wall on which it will hang.
Locate fragile and breakable objects away from areas of activity where they may be bumped or knocked over. Protect objects in vitrines or under glass or acrylic. Avoid the use of sticky substances other than microcrystalline wax to secure unstable inorganic objects on shelves or other surfaces. Ask a conservator to help prepare mounts for objects.
- Know how to store your objects.
Choose the materials you use for display and storage carefully to ensure that they are compatible with the objects. Wood, wood products, and many paper products made from wood contain harmful acids and should not be used with artifacts because they can accelerate damage and cause staining. Archival-quality storage boxes, mats, and wrapping tissue made from cotton fibers (rag) or from purified wood pulp are a better choice. These products are available in buffered or unbuffered form; both are acid-free, but buffered products contain a reserve calcium carbonate, or chalk, which can neutralize acidity in the object or the environment. While buffered products are the best choice for many paper objects, unbuffered products should be used for photographs, wool, silk, and leather, which are somewhat acidic by nature.
Use archival-quality materials sold by companies recommended by conservators or museum staff. Have your framer use archival-quality mat board, and insist that archival framing procedures are followed. House photographs in archival albums or inside inert plastic envelopes. Make sure to record the significance of each of your objects.
Some types of plastic storage products, such as page protectors, photo sleeves, and albums, can be harmful to your photographs, slides, and negatives. Choose stable materials such as polyester (Mylar D), polyethylene, polypropylene, and polycarbonate. Avoid polyvinyl chloride plastics and self-adhesive photo pages. Photo corners on archival paper are a better choice. Objects should not be in direct contact with rubber bands, paper clips, rubber cement, or other adhesives; self-adhesive labels or papers; plasticine or other clays. Do not use bubble wrap, rubber, polyurethane foam rubber, newspaper, or excelsior to wrap or pack objects. Safe polyethylene foams are available through conservation suppliers.
Store three-dimensional objects in labeled boxes that are sufficiently large. Do not overcrowd the objects in a box. Separate them with neutral pH tissue or with unbleached cotton muslin that has been machine-washed in hot water (once with soap and once without) and dried. Place heavier and less intricate objects on the bottom. If textiles must be folded, pad the folds with tissue to prevent permanent creasing.
Protect large, unboxed objects in storage with soft, prewashed muslin cloth or neutral pH tissue and drape them loosely with polyethylene sheeting. Framed paintings and framed works of art on paper can be stored vertically, edges protected with padding, and protected from one another with archival cardboard.
Store metals under dry conditions. To retard tarnish, store silver wrapped in Pacific silver cloth (available at jewelry and department stores) or acid-free buffered tissue.
Pastels, charcoal drawings, and other objects with delicate surfaces require specialized handling; consult a conservator.
For more information For more information about preserving your valuables, consult these resources.
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
1156 15th St., NW, Ste. 320, Washington, DC 20005 202-452-9545 info@aic-faic.org
[http://aic.stanford.edu/library/online/brochures/objects.html]
Northeast Document Conservation Center, 100 Brickstone Square, Andover, MA 01810-1494,
(978) 470-1010 http://www.nedcc.org/home.php
Suppliers
University Products, PO Box 101, 517 Main Street, Holyoke MA 01841, Toll free phone: (800) 336-1912, Toll free fax: (800) 532-9281, Email: custserv@universityproducts.com
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