Float mount on curled old prints

Create a Post
S

Sherry Lee

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Posts
2,228
Loc
Phoenix, Az.
I just rec'd. six 24"W x 21"L 1953 print series, "The U.S. Army in Action" - one is titled "Remember The Regiment" (price = 15 cents...then). The customer insists on having them floated!

The prints have been in tubes for years, are slightly yellowed with small tears on the edges.
I have placed them inbetween "AF" foamboard and weighted them for a week - they still curl up.

My thought was to use 3-4 Lineco gummed paper "T" hinges across the top and perhaps 2 down each side (because of the curling). I do not want to do any kind of adhesive mounting as these may be of value. My concerns are:

1) The 24x21" paper is not heavy, but is there a chance that the weight while hung could pull away from a hinge, thus tearing the paper?

2) Does such an archival paper hinge ever show through the paper over time?

3) Are there any tricks to lining these tabs up? It's going to be tricky enough given that the paper wants to roll itself up.

Any input is greatly welcomed!
 
Sherry, I feel your pain!

I do alot of floats on watercolors as I have a lot of art student clients. They are so often a pain. Be careful of how much moisture you use because with thin art it can ripple the paper very easily.

To flatten some warped pieces I have LIGHTLY misted the back with distilled water, then used an AF foam board as a blotter and put it in my heat press for a little bit, then let it cool with weight. Someone more P/C conscious may have a better idea, but that has worked well for me.

Good luck!
LeeAnn
 
I have the same problem with Gorman's more recent lithographs. They are on heavy paper, tightly rolled (I swear he gets them in the tube before they are quite dry, because they never want to flatten out again) and since they have deckled edges, customers want to float them. And they're huge!

I finally started using strips of removable archival drymount tissue, instead of tape hinges. It's a lot stronger. I can put small squares of it under edges that just won't lay flat, and iron them down. (Be sure to use a piece of acid free buffer paper under your iron, not brown paper.) If you do it right, the edges lift just enough to show off the deckled edges.

For small curly things, I will ask the customer if I can squash them in place by laying a sheet of acetate over them. Usually they are okay with this extra layer of protection.
 
I'm having trouble finding a gentle way to say this...

Drymounting is great for items of only decorative value, but for preservation mounting items of value, "Removable archival drymount tissue" is neither removable nor archival.

Sure, heat will re-melt the adhesive so the item may be removed from the support, but adhesive residue remains in the paper's fibers. That's invasive and represents a permanent change to the item's condition, which reduces its value.

The clear film mount is a much better choice, but acetate's chemical reactions may be a problem. An inert film such as Mylar-D is much better -- and clearer, stronger, and easier to work with.

The archives have several how-to suggestions for encapsulation mounts.
 
If one talks to the client about whether the most
vulnerable part of their paper-born art (its edges) should be exposed to deformation from changing relative humidity and damage
in case the sheet slips, they may think twice. The
term "floating" is as inappropriate when applied to paper as the term "breathing" is . Sheets
with their edges exposed are either hanging from
hinges or mounted to their back mats in some other
way. The do not float. Neither do they breath, since they lack lungs. Given the fact that the edges of this item are already tearing, the soundness of its paper is suspect and overmatting with edge support of the sheet is the best way to protect it.

Hugh
 
Create a Post
Back
Top