Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

676 Conservation of Furniture
should be taken to leave a label on an object
if at all possible. A paper conservator may be
inclined to remove the label and place an
alkaline barrier layer between the label and the
object. This treatment should not be undertaken
unless the conservation of the wooden
object overall calls for the label’s removal.
Removing the label may call the authenticity of
the label and the object into question and
affect provenance. A label might be removed
if it were bridging a break or if it were in
danger of damage during treatment. If the label
has been removed and then stabilized, it can
be reattached either directly to the object, or
placed between Melinex/Mylar and attached to
the object. If the label will not be reattached,
it can be kept with documentation records.
Photo-documentation is essential in such cases
to record pre-treatment condition and information
contained in a label in its original site.
Certain practices have been used in the past
to treat lifting labels, such as brushing on
varnish, oil, wax or a white glue/water mixture.
All of these methods are undesirable. Another
unsatisfactory method used a 50:50 mixture of
white glue (PVAC emulsion) and water
brushed onto the surface of paper in an
attempt to consolidate it. This can cause
embrittlement due to differing rates of expansion
and contraction between the consolidant
and the paper label. A more appropriate way
to adhere a lifting or fragmented label is to use
an adhesive such as methyl cellulose. It should
be noted, however, that methyl cellulose will
not adhere well to a finished or ‘slick’ surface.
15.2.2 Paper liners
Paper liners are sometimes found in furniture
and related wooden objects. Due to the difference
in pH between paper and wood, a paper
liner in a wooden drawer is likely to be
somewhat discoloured and/or embrittled.
Depending on the degree of degradation, the
paper may be visually unaffected or fragile
and flaking. If the paper liner is falling to
pieces or very fragile, a paper conservator is
needed to stabilize the liner. If the paper liner
is stable but distorted or cockled, local humidification
may be used to reduce planar distortion.
Listed below are two methods to
humidify paper followed by various choices
for readhering lifting paper.
Water vapour or steam can be used to humidify
paper. An ultrasonic mister produces a fine
mist of water vapour, which can be delivered
through various attachments. A small opening
will concentrate and direct a fine mist of vapour
in a relatively small area. The use of an ultrasonic
mister can be time-consuming, especially
when humidifying large areas. The use of water
in mist or steam form is not very specific and
can be difficult to control, resulting in the introduction
of excess moisture to the object.
Gore-Tex can be used to humidify a paper
lining. Gore-Tex is a sheet of Teflon, available
in two weights, that allows the passage of
water vapour but prevents the passage of
liquid water (Purinton and Filter, 1992). To
humidify an area, a Gore-Tex sheet is placed
with the smooth side against the area to be
humidified. A damp blotter, slightly smaller
than the Gore-Tex, is placed on top and the
whole ‘sandwich’ covered by a larger piece of
Melinex/Mylar. Water vapour diffuses through
the Gore-Tex, allowing even moisture-sensitive
paper to be relaxed thoroughly and quickly.
When using thin Gore-Tex, one can expect to
see the desired result within one to five
minutes, whilst thick, felted Gore-Tex takes
longer. Although Gore-Tex permits controllable
humidification, it is possible to over-wet
using this material and such treatments must
be continuously monitored.
Paper liners can lift away from their wooden
substrate. Differential movement between the
paper and the wood substrate causes stress on
the original liner adhesive and may cause it to
fail. Various materials that can be used to
secure lifting paper are discussed below.
Gelatin is a good choice for stabilization, whilst
synthetic adhesives and wheat starch paste are
less appropriate for this particular task.
Gelatin is often the most appropriate
adhesive for re-adhering a paper liner. An
alkaline processed, high bloom strength
gelatin, used in a 2–5% concentration, will
bond strongly with wood (see discussion of
materials used for the consolidation of decorative
surfaces in section 12.2.4). After application
to the wooden substrate, the adhesive
should be allowed to gel, and the paper liner
tacked into place using a heated spatula
(c.50–55 °C). Gelatin applied in this way has
a weaker bond to the paper because it does
not penetrate into the paper, making it easier