Conservation of stationery parchment binding with severe mould losses

[translation pending]

  • Owner: Regional Archive of  Baix Llobregat (Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Barcelona).
  • Artefact: Books from the Notary of  Esparraguera (1823-27). Stationery vellum bindings with tapes. Manuscript folios on laid paper.
  • Damages: Mould attack causing losses. Mould stains, breakage of the covers..
  • Conservation: Mould treatment, restitution of the lost cover, folios reinforcement. Facsimile binding for the volumes which lacked any.
  • Other linksBlog post.

The book from the notary of Esparraguera (1827) was severely damaged by mould. To the extent to suffer remarkable losses on both folios and covers. The remaining folios were so weak that discouraged even a most careful handling.

BeforeAfter

Front cover and first folios before conservation (top). First folio after conservation (bottom) which has been lined from both recto and verso.

Unfortunately the losses due to mould attack are quite an irreversible damage. The worse effect being the weakening of the chemical structure of paper, It’s a not so evident damage at first glance but dramatically tangible when it comes to handling.
The folios (or what was left of them) were reinforced lining the most damaged and infilling the losses. 

BeforeAfter

First folios before conservation (left) and after conservation (right), being lined from both recto and verso.

Clients

Conservation of stationery parchment binding with severe mould losses

[translation pending]

  • Owner: Regional Archive of  Baix Llobregat (Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Barcelona).
  • Artefact: Books from the Notary of  Esparraguera (1823-27). Stationery vellum bindings with tapes. Manuscript folios on laid paper.
  • Damages: Mould attack causing losses. Mould stains, breakage of the covers..
  • Conservation: Mould treatment, restitution of the lost cover, folios reinforcement. Facsimile binding for the volumes which lacked any.
  • Other linksBlog post.

The book from the notary of Esparraguera (1827) was severely damaged by mould. To the extent to suffer remarkable losses on both folios and covers. The remaining folios were so weak that discouraged even a most careful handling.

BeforeAfter

Front cover and first folios before conservation (top). First folio after conservation (bottom) which has been lined from both recto and verso.

Unfortunately the losses due to mould attack are quite an irreversible damage. The worse effect being the weakening of the chemical structure of paper, It’s a not so evident damage at first glance but dramatically tangible when it comes to handling.
The folios (or what was left of them) were reinforced lining the most damaged and infilling the losses. 

BeforeAfter

First folios before conservation (left) and after conservation (right), being lined from both recto and verso.

Clients