Victorian carte-de-visite album
Before Treatment
After Treatment
private client (uk)
This miniature album was badly damaged with significant tears and heavy soiling throughout, and booklice were observed. The guarded leaf structure was breaking in some areas, preventing the book from functioning properly. The leather cover is suffering from acid deterioration and the painted decoration on the front cover was flaking.
This was an involved treatment, starting with pest eradication via manual cleaning, which required the photographic materials to be removed from their slots during treatment. Extensive tear and joint repairs were carried out using re-moistenable tissue and paper losses were infilled. The leather was consolidated using Klucel G and the painted media was consolidated using isinglass and working under a microscope. The guard leaf structure was resurrected using adhesive. Minor repairs were done to a few of the cartes-de-visite before replacing them back into the album, in their original order.
During this treatment, a hidden carte-de-visite was discovered tucked in behind another one. The photograph was curled and partially detached from the card substrate. The photograph was flattened using light humidification and it was re-secured to the card with tissue hinges. This carte was not put back into the album; instead it was housed in with the album in a custom box, designed to help prevent future re-curling. (See Boxes & Mounts - Pressure Flap Boxes)
This album has hand-painted decoration which required stabilisation due to flaking - shown here Before Treatment. This treatment inspired my MA thesis research on consolidation methods for painted media directly on vegetable-tanned leather.
Detail of flaking media under magnification, Before Treatment.
Fascicule-pamphlet hybrid I designed to hold the cartes-de-visite in their original order while they were removed from the album during treatment.