THE CONSERVATION OF COSTUME DESIGNS FOR BROADWAY MUSICALS, 1900-1925

Translation of the original Austrian article: V.Flamm, C.Hoffmann, G.Banik, "Die Konservierung von Kostümentwürfen Broadway Musicals, 1900-1925. Maltechnik, Restauro, 4 (89), pp 306-311.'

Introduction

The theater collection of the Austrian National Library in Vienna currently houses 1400 costume designs for Broadway Musicals covering the period between 1900 and 1925.

The gouache drawings were executed in pencil and water sensitive aniline dyes on to a l-2m thick sheet of card (90% wood pulp, 10% straw pulp) with a thin paper lining (cotton 1inters) on either side. The impasto gouache paint appears brittle to the point of flaking in places. Gold and silver leaf have been applied and details are enhanced with gun arabic. Having been considered as mere sketches, the drawings had not been handled with a great deal of care by costume makers in the past. Both the card layer and the primary support were badly discoloured and very brittle throughout, especially along the edges, with corners damaged or missing. An average surface pH of 3.5 (1) was measured on the recto. Positive tests for aluminium (2) and rosin (3) conclusively indicated the presence of aluminium sulphate rosin sizing in the primary support. The presence of lignin (4) was determined in the thin drawing psoer and undoubtedly proved that deleterious migration had taken place.

105 drawings had been chosen for inrriediate conservation.Because of the scale of the project and the sensitivity of the medium an efficient conservation plan had to be devised and it was decided to adopt the following conservation procedures.

Backing removal

Historic infomation ( stamps, inscriptions )on the verso of the backing were lifted individually prior to the removal of the entire backing. The card layer was split using a bamboo spatula and gradually reduced with a scalpel. A high viscosity methylcellulose poultice was applied to remove the final layers of paper debris from the verso of the drawing.

Non-aqueous deacidification......

Due to the solubility of the medium a non-aqueous deacidification agent was chosen. Using an airbrush, both recto and verso of the drawings were sprayed with a 2% w/v solution of methanolic methoxy—methyl magnesium

carbonate (5). The solution did not wet the paper at all well.

In order to prevent it from evaporating too quickly and to facilitate successful and even penetration a stack of freshly sprayed drawings was interleaved with sheets of Viledin and wrapped in Melinex. Spot tests carried out prior to deacicification indicated that the chosen deacicification agent would net have any adverse effects on the medium. This was confirmed on completion of deacidificaticn in the case of all but one drawing where a certain lilac coloured area seemed somewhat lighter. Contrary to suggestions in the literature (6) neither yellowing nor darkening of the deacidified paper occurred. On completion of deacidification an average surface pH of 5-5 was found.

Lining procedure

Having lifted and deacidified the drawings, the objects were still very brittle and fragile and could hardly be handled without causing further loss. Consequently, the principles of the lining method, described by Cathleen Baker (7) were adopted. She suggested using Japanese paper, but in view of the demands on the collection caused by exhibitions and handling it was decided that Japanese paper would not provide sufficient mechanical support and an acid-free, neutral-sized Kahnemuhle paper was chosen instead. In preference to the adhesive mixture described by C.Baker (1 part of wheat starch paste and 2 parts of methylcellulose), 7yiose-C-300, a sodium carboxymethylcellulose with a viscosity of 300 m Pa/s was used. Preliminary tests had demonstrated that adhesion would be sufficient between drawing paper and lining paper. The addition of wheat starch paste would have caused a sheen on the surface which was unacceptable for later local retouching. Since it had been deciced that the missing areas would not be filled in with matching repair paper the chosen lining paper was surface-coloured with inks to match the colour of the original drawing paper.

The lining paper was prepared in the following manner. A sheet of Fluorfil FC-70 [COP] was evenly coated with a layer of 5% w/v Tylose C-300, which had been buffered with calcium hydroxide to pH 10.4. The wet and relaxed lining paper was smoothed out onto the pasted Fluorfil and almost irrediately coated with the buffered Tylose adhesive. This was brushed over the edges of the lining paper onto the Fluorfil so that the paper would remain flat on its support. The double sided application of adhesive guaranteed flat drying under tension and would counteract distortion of the lining after separation from the Fluorfil. Once dry the Flucrfil could be peeled off with ease. A surface pH of 3.9 was measured after drying. Prior to the lining on the suction table, the drawing was humidified in hunidification chamber. The prepared lining paper was light relaxed to reactivate the adhesive layer and was then placed on blotting paper on the suction table. The humidified drawing was placed face up on the prepared lining paper and a sheet of thin Viledon was placed over it. Finally the entire surface of the suction table was covered with Melinex.

Retouching

Pigment losses within the image areas were retouched using Schmincke watercolours and pastels. Losses along the edges, revealing the surface-coloured lining paper, were toned in using Faber Castell Albrecht Dürer colour pencils to match the original.

Susanne Ruf

Western Pictorial Art Conservation

The British Museum London WC1B 3DG

1. pH was measured using Merck indicator strips.

2. A paper sample was tested for the presence of aluminium using a solution of Ammonia salt of Aurin, Merck Nr.128 (Ig/1 H2O).

Lit B.L. Browning: Analysis of Paper, 2nd edition Marcel Dekker, New York, 1977, p.318

3. A paper sample was tested for the presence of rosin according to Halphen-Grimaldi using Dimethylformamide.

Lit. H.B. Schramm, E-Herwig: Historiche Malmaterialien und Moglichkeiten ihrer Identifizierung, Dresden 1980, p. 214.

4. Test with phloroglucinol according to Tappi T401.

Lit. B.L. Browning: .Analysis of paper, 2nd edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1977, p.72.

5. The MMC solution was race up according to publications by

1) H.Finkbeiner and M. Stiles S. Am.Chem.Soc. , 85, (1963), p. 616.

2) G.B.Kelly, L.C.Tang, M.K. Krasnov: Advances in Chemistry Series 164, Am.Chem. Sec., Washington D.C., 1977, p.62.

6. M.Hey: The Deacidificaticn and Stabilisation of Iron Gall Inks, Restaurator, 5, No. 1-2, (1931/82), p.24.

7. C.Baker, R.Espinosa: Working across the Conservation Disciplines: New Techniques and Materials AIC Preprints (Papers presented at the 16th Annual Meeting AIC), Washington D.C., 1983, p.205.

MATERIALS

Viledon ViledonC 1974 Carl Freudenberg. FOB 1369 D-6940 Weinheim/West-Germany

Neutral sized,acid free paper, 70 x 100cm, 100 g/m Büttenfabrik Kahnemiihle P0B 4, D-3354 Dassel, West Germany

Tylose-C-300 sodium, carboxymethylcellulose Order number 140900

Hoechst Austria AG PC3 1 A-11SO Vienna

Fluorfil FC-70 [COP] Züricher Beuteltuchfabrik CH-6803 Rüschlikon

Büttenfabrik Kahnemiihle P0B 4, D-3354 Dassel, West Germany