Something Old - something new

  • Thread starter Thread starter KingstonJW
  • Start date Start date
Create a Post
K

KingstonJW

Guest
We just received a job to do some refit for an etching in a beautifully crafted frame circa 1935. We're replacing the mat, glass and so on but keeping the frame. We estimate 1935 due to a dated university newspaper used as a dust barrier between the art and a wood backing.

Challenge: the etching was glued along the top only (hinged, if you would) to the mat. My personal experience is that these older pieces can just pop off safely but not the case this time.

Thoughts on removing safely?
 
Sometimes mild heat will release the adhesive. You could try putting it in the drymount press at about 160 degrees for a couple minutes or use a hairdryer.
 
The whole top of the etching is glued to the mat or are there hinges?

If hinges I would just cut them off the mat and rehinge over the old stuckfast ones.
 
Depending on a whole lot of factors, I would slice into the glued board along the top edge and see if I couldn't pull the top surface off of the back of the mat. So the etching was glued from its face to the back of the matting, or by its verso to a backing board?

Either way, I bet the old matting/backing is quite crumbly.

It would be a start.
 
I dont think I would use heat... you don't know what it might do to the art.

I would slip a blade into the top edge of the mat, and seperate the layers until you are down to the edge of the glue. It will take a little work, but since the mat is old, it should seperate easily enough.
 
If it's old hide glue then it's usually very crumbly. The knife trick is the best way, but try and work toward the mat, not the paper. With luck it will come off leaving bits of glue/mat attached to the engraving. Rather than the other way round. At least then you can remount it. Don't try an remove any glue residue from the paper. That's a job for a restorer. Left as is it won't come to any harm and if the customer won't cough up for full restoration at least it can be done later.
 
Thanks for your thoughts...

Will be addressing it this weekend so all hopes for the best. Thanks everyone for input.
If you don't hear back, it will be because I left the country and on the run for ruining it. :-)
 
This job is a variant of backing removal, which my boss the conservator says is the scariest thing a paper conservator does. It's one of the few things she won't let me do.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top