Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)
Pages - 119
Analysis of the adhesive used on the paper cover The sample taken from the covers was dropped with potassium iodide iodine solution and a bluish grey colour could be observed. It proved that all the three surviving covers were glued to the paper maché shell with starch (gluten). PROCESS OF RESTORATION Dismantling the case, disinfection of the elements Restoration started with dismantling the case. The leather and the paper covers were pulled off dry from the paper maché shell. The paper strips that covered the walls were dismantled partly in dry, partly moistened with water. The object, probably infected by micro-organisms, was disinfected by 2% solution of Preventol CMK (parachlorine-metacresol) in isopropyl-alcoholic spray. The same process was followed on the leather with padding the backside to evade the development of patches. Cleaning of the paper elements First I removed the loose impurities from the paper using a soft brush, then carried on cleaning with Rotring B soft rubber. Soaking the paper elements in water removed patches14 and the end products of disintegration processes. This was necessary, since the remaining impurities could have caused further damage (acidic hydrolysis of the cellulose chains) to the paper. I mixed the cleaning water from time to time and changed it twice. Afterwards, I placed the papers in calcium-hydroxide solution15 to neutralise the acid remains, then rinsed them in water. After a repeated soaking in calcium- hydroxide I left the sheets to dry, so that calcium carbonate could develop from the carbon dioxide content of the air and the calcium-hydroxide of the solution as buffer against later acidification. Soaking lasted 20 minutes in each case. Paper applications - for fear of damaging the silver foil ornaments - were cleaned only in a dry condition with dusting and erasing with rubber. Cleaning of the covering leather Having erased the loose dust from the leather, cleaning with likker16 helped the removal of greasy impurities adhered to the surface and, at the same time, the water content of the desiccated leather could be raised, which resulted the reduction of rigidity and a growing elasticity. Cleaning was made with likker.17 I applied the cleaning substance on the leather with cotton-wool, then wiped the surface with circular movements frequently changing the cotton-wool. Completion of the covering papers I found it the easiest to complete the covering papers with hand-moulded paper. The advantage of hand-made paper is that the pulp of suitable colour, thickness 119
