Paper is one of the most important inventions ever; its impact on society was maybe even bigger as what is happening now "on the net". Although relatively simple to describe in general terms, paper is a very complicated material which comes in numerous forms with various properties.
Restorers and conservators are faced with this variety of problems when they try to conserve the written and printed heritage for the future. Very often the paper which is deteriorated in any form (insects, mold, acidification or mechanical damage) is important as a carrier of unique information. All treatments have to be examined whether they are absolutely unharmfull to the paper or the ink which is on it. If there is any doubt the treatment should be reconsidered, and sometimes be renounced.
In the daily routine of restoring and conserving several ways are available to tackle these problems: consolidating or strenghtening weakened paper (for instance by mold-attack) by impregnating with cellulose-derivates (sometimes in combination with japanese tissue-papers), deacidification of acid and brittle paper, rinsing or washing of discoloured paper, filling up of missing paper parts by leaf-casting (see the picture above; this machine was developed and build in our workshop, information downhere or on request).
Being dependable on what scientists find out on paperconservation we carefully pursue all new developments in science (like new discoveries in eliminating irongall-ink corrosion or newly developped papers for conservation like MicroChamber®-Paper); just to be sure that we can make the right decisions on how to perform the right method of approach. The Net is ofcourse a varied and fast medium to get this information. For those of you who are interested in this item please visit:
Conservation on Line (the most important forum for people involved in conservation)
Book Information Center (a very comprehensive collection of links )
American Museum of Papermaking (very interesting site)
European Confederation of Conservators Organisations (what more to say....)
CNC (Coordination of National Conservationstrategy in Holland)
Other interesting links are found at our LINKS-page