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Re: preservation of flags



Thank you all for the many useful replies to my question about preserving
flags and watercolors.  I've been gleaning the list's collective wisdom on
many subjects for several months now, but this is the first time I've
actually asked anything myself--and I'm impressed with the depth, range,
and graciousness of your response. Here are most of the responses (I've
only left out those that are essentially duplicates of the first one):

Could you summarize replies for the list? I've got a lot of stuff like
this, too.
Rebecca Fitzgerald, CA
Mt. St. Mary's Archives & Dept. of Special Collection
Mt. St. Mary's College & Seminary
301/447-5397
301/447-6868 (fax)
rfitzger@msmary.edu

Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 08:40:08 -0400
To: kcollett@hamilton.edu
From: Mary Huelsbeck <mkh@uwm.edu>
Subject: Re: preservation of flags

Hi Katherine:
my name is Mary Huelsbeck and I am a graduate student in the archives
program at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Before I came back
to school, I worked for five years in the museum field in collections
management. I don't know if you have gotten any replies to your query
but I thought I would offer you two options for storing your flag. I would
not offer any suggestions about the prints without seeing them.
One option for the flag is to roll it. To properly roll a textile, you
will need a tube, (preferably an acid free tube) that should be longer
than the width of the flag. Whether it is acid free or not, wrap the
tube with acid free tissue. Next, lay pieces of acid free tissue on a
table so that when you lay the flag down on them, the tissue extends beyond
all
sides of the flag. Then, roll the flag onto the tube. When the flag is on
the tube, wrap acid free tissue or a prewashed piece of cotton around the
outside of the tube and the tie. The second option would be to buy a acid free
box and lay the flag inside the box. Light Impressions has textile box kits
you can buy with the acid free tissue included. Whatever you do, try not to
fold the flag - especially where it is frayed. If you have to fold it to fit
it into a box, roll pieces of acid free tissue and place those in the folds to
support the folds and prevent creases from forming.
It is easier than it sounds. Let me know if you have any questions -
good luck
Sincerely:
Mary Huelsbeck

Katherine,
Here are a few broad suggestions:
Store it in the dark as flat as possible. Store it in an enclosure made of
acid-neutral, NON-BUFFERED rag mat board. Buffered board may have a
bleaching effect on some fabrics. Store in as cool an environment as
possible, with a stable temperature and relative humidity. Light, handling,
and a fluccuating environment are its worst enemies. Hope this helps.
Light Impressions has oversized boxes for sale, or you can custom make one
with sheet rag mat. Hope this helps.
Steve Hoza, Conservator
Arizona Historical Society Museum

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 09:43:22 -0400
To: kcollett@hamilton.edu
From: "Ator, Kirsten" <Kirsten.Ator@AIG.com>
Subject: RE: preservation of flags

They should really contact a textile conservator for the flags and paper
conservator for the watercolors. Joanna Hill is the tex. conserv. that I
work with who is great. Her # is 617-876-9245 in Boston. The Brooklyn
Museum of Art has a couple of great paper conservators-one is Rachel
Danzing, or Toni Owen. They both probably do freelance work outside of the
museum and can be reached at 718-638-5000 ext.275.
If they need further information on storing them after they've been treated
and stabilized they can email or call me.
Kirsten

Madam,
I read your interesting dilemma on the World War Two flag through the archives
listserve list.
Though I am not with a preservation-related institution, I am familiar with
one in Pennsylvania which has done work on flags in worse condition than that
you are describing.
The Capitol Preservation Committee has a Web site at
http://cpc.leg.state.pa.us
but all my efforts to download the page have not succeeded. Below I have
included their mailing address, phone number, and fax for your use. From the
sources I have, they do not have an e-mail address, but it would be good to
check with them firsthand.
Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee (CPC)
Room 30
Capitol Annex Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: 717-783-6484
Fax: 772-0742
I hope this helps with your preservation efforts! Best wishes.
Michael Clater
Library Assistant
Clearwater Christian College
3400 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33759-4595
www.clearwater.edu

Good morning Katherine,
Please forward any information you receive. I have a large flag from 1947
that one of our founders would display from his house during Mardi Gras. It
is a flag that former kings of the Rex Mardi Gras Krewe flew each year and
I would like to hear whatever suggestions that come.
Barbara


Barbara J. Attebery, MLIS, AHIP
Librarian - Collection Development
Alton Ochsner Medical Library
1516 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, LA 70121
Ph. (504) 842-3760
Fax (504) 842-5339
battebery@ochsner.org
http://www.ochsner.org/library

Hello,
We are pondering the same question with one of our pre civil war flags.
Could you please forward to me or the group all information you receive?
Thank you,
James Beaven
Librarian Assistant V
Special Collections
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN. 47907

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 09:43:32 -0400
To: kcollett@hamilton.edu
From: Louise Sandberg <lsandberg@mailserv.mvlc.lib.ma.us> (by way of
kcollett@hamilton.edu (Katherine Collett))
Subject: Re: preservation of flags

Katherine,
The Museum of Textile History conserves fabric items. They are very
expensive. I took a wwi banner to them, but the cost was too high. Ultimately
they wrapped in tissue and tied it closed. It all depends on the value of the
item to the collection. The museum address is 491 Dutton St. Lowell, MA 01854
978-441-0400
Louise Sandberg, Special Collections
Lawrence Public Library
Lawrence, MA

When I worked as a Curator in a local museum we had some
painted banners on silk that we wanted to display and give support
to before they dissolved.
I bought canvas stretchers and sealed them with poly urathene.
Then we put peg board (also sealed) on the stretchers. That made
the base.
Next I bought velvet which I washed and rinsed several times to
remove any chemical left from manufacturing.
I placed the banner on the velvet so that the fibers of the velvet held
the banner. If you are looking at the base and the fibers are facing
up then the banner would be held up by the fibers.
I covered the whole thing with Crepeline. This is a very thin material
that is available through Talas. Their # is 212-219-0770. It runs
about $24.00/yard.
This worked very well. good luck
Peg Schram
Records Manager
Allen County/City of Fort Wayne
1 East Main Street
City/County Building B-16
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
peg.schram@ci.ft-wayne.in.us
219.427.5682

When our Irish Brigade Flag was in need of preservation, we contacted Mr.
Harold Mailand. His phone number is 317-266-8398, fax number 317-266-8399,
email context@netdirect.net
He will be able to help you.
Sincerely,
Angie Kindig
Assistant Archivist
Notre Dame Archives

>>> Katherine Collett <kcollett@HAMILTON.EDU> 07/11/01 12:49PM >>>
We have a number of interesting preservation problems in our archives at
the moment. Can anyone give us some advice on what we should do with a
U.S. infantry flag, possibly World War II, made of what feels like heavy
silk, which is perishing along one edge and discolored in a band across the
middle, but otherwise the silk and the embroidered emblem are beautiful and
in reasonably good condition? What is the best way of preserving
cloth? Also, we've found two rolled-up Asian watercolors (of Kuan-Kung and
Chow Chang, God of War and Home Protector, according to the label, which
also says "Hangchow College Museum of Religion"), donated in 1929 by an
alumnus, that are falling to bits--they have crumbled at the edges and torn
in strips around the roll--but the painting looks beautiful from what we
can see of it. Any suggestions?


Katherine Collett
Archives
Burke Library
Hamilton College
198 College Hill Road
Clinton, NY 13323
kcollett@hamilton.edu

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