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Annotated Bibliography
(2001). Hanging System for Textiles in Sturdy Condition. Retrieved April 10, 2011, from
http://www.textilemuseum.org/care/brochures/hanging.htm
This article covers the same textile hanging technique as the CCI Notes: using
Velcro attached to cotton tape. Overall, the description and illustrations are very
clear: perhaps more clear than the CCI article.
(2008). Velcro Hanging Support for Flat Textiles. CCI Notes, 13(4).
Traditional ways of hanging flat textiles, by nails, hooks or tacks, may cause
unnecessary strain to the textile. By attaching a strip of fabric to the back of a
historic textile, and then Velcro, a textile can be mounted to a plank of wood with
the hook side of the Velcro. This creates even pressure along the top of a textile,
rather than concentrating strain around nails or hooks. It is also easy to remove or
position a textile. Overall, this method looks very useful and versatile.
Coping with Water Damage. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/WaterSegmentFG.HTM
This video is about disaster response, particularly flooding or other water damage.
The first step is to understand the source of the water, and what it contains. This
would inform treatment, as well as keep you safe. Waterlogged objects will be
heavier and more fragile, so they need to be stabilized in transport. Freezing or
drying will prevent molding. The methods for drying depend on how many
objects you have and how wet they are. If there are not enough staff to deal with
the problem immediately, freezing is a fine option. Cleaning can take place in
bins with progressively cleaner water. This video is thorough, understandable,
and useful.
Crowe, T. (2007, October 27). An Early History of Knitting. Retrieved March 8, 2011, from
http://ezinearticles.com/?An-Early-History-of-Knitting&id=804092
The technique we call knitting is of relatively recent invention, documented in
Europe only from the 14th with the purl stitch only documented from the 16th
century. Despite this, similar techniques like cross-knitting and nalebinding, are
very old with examples throughout the world from as early as the 4th or 5th
century B.C. Unlike our modern, stereotypical view of a woman knitter, knitting
was often practiced by men historically. In fact, it may have been popularized and
spread by Arabic sailors.
Fahey, M.M. The Care and Preservation of Antique Textiles and Costumes. Retrieved March
11, 2011, from http://www.thehenryford.org/research/caring/textiles.aspx
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There are a number of causes of deterioration in textiles. Light is harmful to
textiles, with a recommended light level of 50 lux. Fluctuations in humidity can
also be dangerous as the fibers expand and contract. Pests often eat textiles. It is
best to prevent infestation in the first place, but freezing is a good option if one
occurs. Pollution, inherent vice, and handling damage are also possible. Good
storage practice can minimize these risks. Flat storage is often best, except for
rugs and other large flat textiles. Hanging can be used for costumes, but is not
usually the best option. Care still must be taken when the object is being
displayed: small textiles can be framed behind glass, and large ones can be hung
with a Velcro support.
Fiber Reference Image Library. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from
https://fril.osu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=site.getThisPage&SitePageID=124&Page=Bro
wse%20Collections
This reference is an invaluable resource for helping to identify different kinds of
fibers. They have images of fibers ranging from cat hair to corn fiber to more
common fibers like cotton or nylon, taken under regular and plane-polarized light.
Flury-Lemburg, M. (2009). The image of a crucified man on the Turin Shroud: measures taken
for conservation of the legibility of the body image. Conserving Textiles. ICCROM. 4351.
This article starts with the assumption that the shroud of Turin is not a painting or
drawing, and claims that no pigment was discovered: in contrast with McCrone’s
claims. The author also disputes the radiocarbon dating done on the shroud. The
author goes on to talk about the decision to place the shroud in an oxygen-free
environment. A decision was made to remove repair-work on the shroud: patches
and a lining. Then, after cleaning, the shroud was stitched onto a linen backing
cloth with silk thread. The most interesting thing in this article was the discussion
about how to balance the shroud’s role as a relic with its preservation.
Frisina, A. (2000) Conservation tips: is your textile suitable for framing? Minnesota Historical
Society.
This guide addresses how to determine whether a particular textile is suitable for
framing. The reader is advised to consult a conservator, but gives guidelines for
how to look at a textile. Loose strips, loose threads, open seams, or breaks in the
fabric or losses may lead to snagging. Stains or light fading might be areas of
weakness. Brittleness, and powdering, are also warning signs. A conservator can
help with more complicated situations.
Goodway, M. (1987). Fiber Identification in Practice. JAIC 26(1), 27-44.
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Some archeological or ethnographic fibers cannot be identified with current
techniques, but many can. The first step is to determine whether it is a cellulosic
or proteinacious fiber. An ash test can divide the two. Microscopy is a good way
to identify different fiber types, looking for twist, scales, barbs, and other
characteristics. A mounting medium is required, preferably one that will create a
decent contrast with the fiber.
Gorges, L.L. How to Care For and Salvage your Textiles After a Flood. Retrieved March 11,
2011, from http://www.textilepreservation.com/flood.htm
A great layman’s guide to caring for textiles after a flood. It emphasizes the
importance of protecting your health, and advises thorough documentation.
Freezing, or drying, is possible if there is no time to wash. If there is time to
wash, it is best to wash in a bathtub. Dry-clean only items can be dry cleaned. If
an object is of particular value, a conservator should be consulted.
Hofenk de Graaff, J. H. (2004). The Colourful Past. London: Archetype Publications, Ltd. 14-17.
Conjugated double bonds in compounds create colors – “cromophores”. These
dyes, aqueous organic compounds, bind to the surface of the fiber. Often, a
mordant (a metal salt) is used to help bind the dye to the fiber. This works best
with proteinaceous fibers. Cellulosic fibers are not as susceptible to mordant
dyeing, but work well with direct dyes. Vat dyes require reduction in order to be
water soluble, and work well for cellulosic and proteinaceous.
Brooks, M.M. and S.A. O’Connor. (2005). New insights into textiles; the potential of Xradiography as an investigative technique. Scientific Analysis of Ancient and Historic
Textiles. London: Archetype Books. 168-176.
The largest problem with x-raying textiles is that threads do not absorb much xradiation. They had to develop special techniques to deal with that difficulty:
specifically low-energy x-rays, and high-contrast film. Different energies might
be required to investigate different areas, as with the metal thread on a plastic
doll. Several other case studies are also used to show the variety of information
that one can get by x-raying a textile object.
Johansen, K. (2009). Assessing the risk of wet-cleaning metal threads. Conserving Textiles.
ICCROM. 77-86.
This article summarizes a research project to determine if metallic threads can be
cleared of tarnish in situ, without harming the silk core. Seldom are the cores of
metal embroidery threads addressed in condition reports: probably because there
is no universal terminology to deal with them. Dye stuffs might be leeched out
during wet cleaning, and the fibers themselves might degrade as they expand
when wet and then contract. The author describes several types structures for
metal threads, and points out that there is a wide variety in structure in practice.
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Finally, some guidelines for treatment are presented: wax-coated threads will take
longer to dry and will be in danger longer, look for broken filaments, and explain
to the public why you cannot make an old metal-embroidered textile sparkle like
new.
Kataoka, M. (2010). A study of the micro-environment within pressure mounts. Textile
Conservation: Advances in Practice. Burlington, Massachusetts: ButterworthHeinemann. 245-254.
This study addresses the microenvironment in pressure mounts. The author
compared the environments in objects mounted with hydrophilic and hydrophobic
materials, determining that hydrophilic materials in a pressure mount made RH
rise with temperature rather than fall. Hydrophobic materials have the normal
relationship: RH falls as temperature rises, because the air can hold more
moisture. Although the author’s observations are interesting, there are no real
suggestions for why this occurs or how to address it.
Kite, M. (2010). Modern textile conservation at the Victoria and Albert Museum: roots,
evolution and rapid changes. Textile Conservation: Advances in Practice. Burlington,
Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann. 30-37.
This case study describes the history of textile conservation at the Victoria and
Albert museum, starting with mention of repairers working in a basement in the
19th century. In the 1960s and 70s, trainees with undergraduate degrees would
work on the job for 4 or 5 years, before being promoted to conservators. In the
1980s, they started to train people formally at the Master’s level. Lately, an
emphasis has been placed on traveling exhibitions, and on understanding of
effects of climate on objects. But needs for a lower budget, and more hands than
can be hired full-time have led to more cost-effective strategies and the hiring of
contractors. The greatest challenge foreseen in the future is the lack of qualified
new conservators in textiles, as many of the graduate programs in that area of
expertise have closed down.
McCrone, W.C. (1990). The Shroud of Turin: Blood or Artist’s Pigment? Accounts of
Chemical Research 23, 77-83.
This is a famous article covering McCrone’s well-known analysis of the blood
and image of the Shroud of Turin, wherein he concludes by means of polarized
microscopy and x-ray diffraction that the blood is pigment (vermillion and red
ochre). He describes in detail the refractive indices of the pigments, and how he
identified them on the shroud. He also studied it to try to find a medium for the
paint, and identified collagen. With this, he helps establish the utility of these
methods in analyzing textiles.
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McLean, C.C. and S.R. Schmalz. (2010). The preparation of condition reports for costume and
textiles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Textile Conservation: Advances in
Practice. Burlington, Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann. 152-162.
This article describes a way to write condition reports for textiles simply, clearly
and uniformly. It suggests subdividing into quadrants, on front and back, and
describing each condition issue in short phrases rather than sentences. Rather than
using subjective terminology based on individual preference, the authors
recommend creating a uniform set of descriptors that can be applied across entire
collections. Overall, it seems sensible to try to make things clear and concise, so
that necessary information is readily accessible.
Moseley, M.E. and L.K. Barrett. (April 1969). Change in Preceramic Twined Textiles
from the Central Peruvian Coast. American Antiquity 34(2), 162-165.
There are three broad phases of construction of early Peruvian twined cotton
textiles. The first used single-warp construction. The next was split-paired
twining, and the last was plural-warp twining. Using these phases in conjunction
with radiocarbon dating, it should be possible to place further preceramic
Peruvian textiles in their historical context.
Oddy, A. (2009). The Philosophy of Restoration: New for Old?. Conserving Textiles. ICCROM.
117-123.
Oddy describes four primary stages to conservation: cleaning, stabilization, repair
and restoration. He then speaks of changing attitudes in conservation: a greater
concern for stabilization, and more care taken not to remove original material.
Whereas, in the past, corrosion products would be removed without a thought
now it requires more consideration. The philosophy for repair is much the same,
though the materials have changed: synthetic resins have replaced shellac or
animal glue. Restoration is now often carried out in a visible manner, rather than
illusionistic, and is always carried out in a different material than the original.
But the question to what stage to restore an object remains.
Rivlin, J. (1992) The Dyeing of Textile Fibers: Theory and Practice. J. Rivlin. 6-7.
A brief description of the characteristics of fibers, and how they become receptive
to dye, this is nonetheless clear and understandable. He speaks about crystalline
and amorphous regions in a fiber, mentioning how the crystalline regions
strengthen and the amorphous add flexibility and receive dye. Some fibers swell
in water, which lets them receive dye. Others, like polyester, do not: but heating
makes them receptive to dye.
The Shroud of Turin. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from http://www.mcri.org/home/section/6364/the-shroud-of-turin
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This is an overview of the techniques used to identify the Shroud of Turin as a
painting: XRD, plane polarized microscopy, and carbon dating. It is very brief,
and covers the same material as the other McCrone article.
Von Bergen, W. and W. Krauss. (1942). Textile Fiber Atlas. New York: American Wool
Handbook Company
This huge guide has pictures of many different fibers, as well as descriptions of
their measurements, shapes and characteristics to aid with identification. It is
dense, and contains detailed descriptions of everything from hog bristles to hemp,
along with photomicrographs of cross-sections of the fibers to aid in
identification. This book is most useful as a reference to keep on hand for when
fiber identification is necessary, rather than something to sit and read cover to
cover.
Wouters, J. et al. (2005). Understanding historic dyeing technology: a multifaceted approach.
Scientific Analysis of Ancient and Historic Textiles. London: Archetype Books. 187-193.
There are different types of analysis: invasive and non-invasive, destructive and
non-destructive. Even within destructive techniques, some require larger sample
sizes than others. One common technique is high-performance liquid
chromatography with photodiode array detection. This is a destructive technique,
which requires a large sample but which can be very useful. Microchemical
analysis, and chromatography, can also be used. This article covers several case
studies, including testing of silks to determine their country of origin, and
examining purple Roman Egyptian textiles.