New Crescent Matboard

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B. Newman

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
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4,855
Loc
Kodak, Tn. USA
I just got a newsletter from one of my suppliers that announces "Crescent Select Alpha-cellulose conservation matboard. Get ready for an exciting new line of matboard from Crescent! Value-priced conservation line! Alpha-cellulose based matbaords are suitable for minimum levels of conservation framing and as an alternative to non-conservation matting."

Hey Nona, what does this mean? I don't understand. It looks to me like it either is or isn't a conservation matboard. See, this is where the confusion comes in. How can you have a "value-priced conservation line". Why is it less than other conservation lines?

("Help me, help me, help", she said.)

Betty
 
This confusion is exactly why the FACTS PMMB-2000 should be followed and no other. It says that purified wood pulp and rag pulp are interchangeable in use. A research scientist at a prominent institution who tests boards and is totally independent wrote me personally and said for matboard, there is no difference in use between purified wood pulp and rag pulp. Period. The Fine Art Trade Guild standards from the UK separate the two and say the rag is a higher line of material. I am going out on a limb here and state that their document is compromised and not correct. If someone can show me proof that it is not, I will eat my words. Has to pertain to matboard, not paper and be independent.

Nona Powers, CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
Write and ask Crescent if the matboard meets the FACTS PMMB-2000 or not. Tell them those are the standards by which you measure matboard. If it doesn't, it can't be used for preservation framing. If it does, then it meets the same standards as their rag board.

Nona Powers, CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
Originally posted by nona powers:
This confusion is exactly why the FACTS PMMB-2000 should be followed and no other. It says that purified wood pulp and rag pulp are interchangeable in use. A research scientist at a prominent institution who tests boards and is totally independent wrote me personally and said for matboard, there is no difference in use between purified wood pulp and rag pulp. Period. The Fine Art Trade Guild standards from the UK separate the two and say the rag is a higher line of material.
Click to expand...
I'm still confused. If the FATG says that rag is higher, then aren't they holding to a higher standard? And I am probably the only one who doesn't know, but just what is alpha-cellulose anyway? Are we looking at levels 1,2,3 Rag, purified wood pulp, and alpha-cellulose? In other words, best, better, good.

Maybe I should just go to the FACTS site and start reading. (Quick, somebody ask me a marketing question. My self image is sinking fast! :rolleyes: )

Betty
 
Hi Betty,

I'm with Nona and her scientist here. Alpha cellulose is highly purified woodpulp - all of the nasty acidic lignin and other impurities have been taken out, so you are left with pure cellulose, the same as cotton linters (rag).

The photograph industry has something called the "photographic activity test" (PAT), which is VERY STRINGENT as far as conservation/archival quality standards are concerned. Materials which pass this test are ok to use as photographic enclosures (storage envelopes and such), and I am (almost)positive that most (if not all) of them are made of alpha cellulose rather than rag. Check out your Light Impressions catalogue, I bet it would say.

Rebecca
 
Originally posted by Rebecca:
Alpha cellulose is highly purified woodpulp - all of the nasty acidic lignin and other impurities have been taken out, so you are left with pure cellulose, the same as cotton linters (rag).

Click to expand...
So, what's the problem with Crescent's new matboard? Is it good, or is it not?

Betty
 
As far as paper conservators are concerned, the alpha cellulose part is fine for conservation framing. Is it 100% alpha cellulose? If so, one would assume that the manufacturers are not going to add anything awful to the pulp, so it should be fine BUT, why not get in touch with the manufacturers and ask how it measures up the the FACTS standard? At the same time, ask for all the specs, e.g. pH, sizing, water/light fastness of any dyes etc. Then you should know for sure.

Rebecca
 
You will have to go to Crescent. Ask if the matboard meets the FACTS PMMB-2000 or not. Tell them those are the standards by which you measure matboard. If it doesn't, it can't be used for preservation framing. If it does, then it meets the same standards as their rag board.

There is no better or best. When it comes to matboard, purified wood pulp is just as good as rag for preservation framing. You will not find an independent scientist who disagrees. There is no need for three grades or levels. The matboard either meets the FACTS PMMB-2000 and is suitable for preservation framing or it is not. There is no better or best. It simply does or it doesn't.

In my opinion it is a marketing ploy to somehow say that wood pulp is a little bit less good so rag can be held up as the best. Rag is more expensive to produce therefore it has to sell for more. A lot of marketing dollars have been spent convincing framers that rag is better. Now to say that purified wood pulp is OK but a little less good, is not true. Both are equally acceptable for conservation/preservation framing.

Nona Powers, CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
Rebecca and Nona, that's exactally what I needed to hear. Thanks for speaking in terms that even I can understand!

Betty
 
This is copied directly from the FACTS PMMB-2000 document.

"Museum Board and Conservation Board-These terms have traditionally been used in both the US and UK to refer to composition, and not necessarily to performance. Museum board has been made from cotton, and Conservation board from high quality wood pulp. If properly made, the two boards may be used interchangeably. "

See why FACTS is so important? Ask any manufacturer if any product they sell meets the FACTS PMMB-2000. If it does not it cannot be used for conservation/preservation framing. If it does, you can use it safely. Ask Crescent; because it's the only way you are going to know.

The guide goes on to describe other attributes the board should have such as thickness, colorfastness, no bleeding, etc. Go to www.artfacts.org to read the document.

Nona Powers, CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
Bainbridge sends me all the new samples automatically. Crescent only send new samples if I request them, which I am too lazy and irresponsible to do. I haven't seen the Elizabeth Dow collection yet, which has received mixed reviews from my fellow Grumblers. (A neighboring framer had me order one of the Elizabeth Dow mats for her and, when I unpacked it, I thought something had crawled into the carton and exploded, possibly due to the reduced cabin pressure in the truck that delivered it. I'm sure Elizabeth Dow is herself a lovely, talented and straight-forward woman - not unlike Martha Stewart.)

This new series isn't likely to find its way into my sample rack, which is already over-crowded with samples of less mysterious composition and utility.
 
Ron, you might want to look at the ED Collection again: I felt the same way upon opening them. However, within three days I'd sold three jobs with the Internet and Screenplay off-whites. Could be the chicken-and-egg deal? but it worked.
 
MerpsMom,

Tell me more about the chicken-and-the-egg deal. Was that supposed to be sent out automatically, or do I have to request it?

I miss out on a lot of these special deals 'cause I wasn't paying attention.
 
Whether you like the Dow collection or not, are they a conservation/preservation quality matboard or not and how can you tell? Do you care?

Nona Powers, CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
I noticed when these mats first came out that the pats and pans seemed to be divided strictly along gender lines.

Is this still true?

My first reaction when I saw this collection was that I must instantly re-mat everything at my house.

They're selling very well for me - probably because I like them. I've even sold a few of the ones that look like old car upholstry.

Since I have sworn never to start another poll, could we just have an informal show of hands?

Ladies?
Gentlemen?

Kit
 
Cellulose, as with most organic molecules, exist in two forms that are mirror images of each other. Alpha cellulose, the cellulose in cotton (where the term rag comes from; paper was once made from chopped up cotton rags) has some different properties than regular cellulose: its molecules form longer strands and are more stable, so it has longer life. Wood is about 10% alpha cellulose. Alpha products are made by separating out this alpha cellulose from the wood pulp and making the paper from it. Alpha cellulose is the same whither it comes from wood or cotton.
 
The Elizabeth Dow Collection and Crossroads are Rag Mats. Here is a summary from Crescent on "Select".

100% virgin alpha-cellulose facing paper, core and backing.
100- 32x40 4-ply boards
15 - 40x60 4-ply boards
8 - 32x40 6-ply boards

123 total sku's
Buffered - pH neutral
Fade and Bleed resistant
Meets all conservation standards as set fourth by
F.A.C.T.S.

They also paint a good better best scenario:
Good: Decorative Matboards (Non-conservation)
Better: Crescent Select (Conservation)
Best: - Rag Mat and Rag Mat Museum Matboards (Conservation)

Crescent - realizing that Select won't be for everybody (except possibly all Artique users) is NOT automatically mailing samples or specifiers to their database. If you would like materials you should contact your nearest distributor that is going to carry the line. The corner set is 4" corners and all oversize colors have the rounded top corner for easy identification. This line is priced to compete with Artique and be less than Alpha.

Hope this helps.

John
 
John,
That IS helpful. I guess a question that will probably be addressed at the FACTS meeting in Chicago might be something like, "Does this industry need a good, better or best standard or is C-P an either/or issue (like pregnancy?)"

Originally posted by nona powers:
are they a conservation/preservation quality matboard or not and how can you tell? Do you care?
Click to expand...
Nona, I'm so glad you're on The Grumble. You are one of the great teachers in our industry and a genuinely nice person. But I think you're preaching to the choir here. Of course, we care.

Keep on preaching, though. ;)
 
Personally I think conservation practices are great and when we teach our classes we preach conservation framing. We do however explain to our students that it ultimately is the marketplace and the art that will determine the extent of your ability to sell conservation framing. Paper mats throw 'em out....but "I'm framing this picture as a gag gift!" types are always out there and the "good" category is always going to exist. I don't mind a good, better, best scenario only because it works with almost every facit of framing:

cardboard - foam - artcare
std. glass - crc glass - museum glass
paper - alpha - rag
duct tape - atg - pH neutral atg

and on and on and on.
 
The problem with good, better and best when it comes to products, rag has been sold as best. It is no better than purified wood pulp when used for matboard. Why should it get a best label? It's misleading. Asking whether a mat board meets the FACTS PMMB-2000 moves it from conjecture into fact. Is it good for conservation/preservation or not? The way the material is used after that is where the good better and best can come in. It should not be attached to the product. The framer can decide how to use the product if they know that it is suitable for the highest levels of framing. If they chose to use something that does not meet that criteria, such as white core, that is their choice. It should be in the framers hands, not the manufacturers. I can't make that choice if I don't know the status of the products I want to use. There are so many products that we just don't know for sure. Matboard does not have to be one of them. Labeling has to start somewhere, we have the tool for the labeling, the FACTS PMMB-2000. As framers, we have to insist it be done. Trust me, if enough speak out, it will happen, I swear it will.

Nona Powers. CPF, GCF
www.nonapowers.com
 
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