mounting advice: 3 silk paintings, rolled up (and creased) since 1959!

[Kristin]

Okay, a bit wordy, but here goes:

A customer came in today with three paintings on silk (about 12x16) that have been rolled up since 1959 when they were brought home from Japan. One family member tried to flatten one out by hand for her, but the fibers separated vertically in three areas, so they didn't go any further (so glad it wasn't me...)

All three have creasing, the one that is torn is the worst off. So I told her I'd look to the forum for some advice. We currently have them in art sleeves to help relax the curls and creases but without too much weight on top. This seems to be helping. Mounting is the thing that has me stuck.

These appear far too fragile to stitch-mount (no rolled hem, though there is about 1/2" unpainted border)
I thought maybe mylar mounting (having attended one of Jim Miller's talks), though I don't know if that's suitable for fabric. I also read one of his articles about mounting delicate fabrics with a covering of fine mesh.
I did a little searching around and haven't found the answer yet in any previous threads, so please, share your thoughts!

p.s. Cost is an issue for customer; she'd like to have all three framed for her son, perhaps not all at once. Also, I have warned her that the creases very likely will remain part of the art, as ironing would be the kiss of death for these...

 

[MaJa]

I'm not the most experienced here for sure, but I would say #1 recommend a conservator. If that's a no-go sounds too me like bridle tulle would work great.

Good luck!

 

[Jim Miller]

Get these to a textile conservator. Rebecca Pavitt, a professional conservator and a frequent Grumble participant, would be a smart contact.

Fine mesh fabric mounting is non-invasive and might be a good choice for these silk paintings, but they need to be assessed and possibly treated to repair existing damage and to reduce the likelihood of future damage. Cleaning may be appropriate, and for such fragile textiles, that would be a conservator's job. A conservator could handle the attachment, too.

Note that silk is vulnerable to damage from light and, once weakened, the fibers can be extremely fragile. I've seen silk so fragile that any kind of flexing would shatter the weave. Be careful.

 

[Kristin]

Thank you both! I will give the customer a local name, and also contact Rebecca to see if she has any recommendations.
Your expertise is always appreciated by newbies like me.

Cheers!