Műtárgyvédelem, 2008 (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum)
Darabos Edit: Papírból készült bababútorok restaurálása
Edit Darabos This article reports about the conservation of an object unit that rarely occurs in paper conservation. The toy furniture set of eight pieces is in the possession of the Szórakaténusz Toy Museum (inv. no. 99.67.1-8.). It probably came from the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. The small objects were made in a press form embossed cardboard. The cardboard of the furniture showed very poor mechanic properties. The paper was brittle and rigid. Numerous missing areas, deformations and other mechanic injuries could be observed on the items. Inauthentic completions and reinforcements with aesthetic intentions were formerly used to replace the missing areas and to repair the fractures. The broken or half-detached legs were reinforced from inside with thick cardboard strips. An unknown synthetic adhesive was used for gluing. Before the planning of the conservation, numerous analyses had to be made to find out the acidity of the cardboard, the fibre composition of the paper and the gluing matter. The mechanic cleaning was made in the three dimensional condition because of the rigidity and the brittleness of the paper. Supports were needed for it, which were prepared from Austrotherm1 pieces. The stirofoam was covered with sucking paper or Vetex.2 The mechanical cleaning was carried out with a latex- sponge3 and then with lumps carved from a Rotring B 20 rubber.4 The repairs were removed with ethyl-acetate of medium permeability and a low retention. The wet treatment and the neutralisation of the cardboard within the most appropriate wet environment were delicate points of the conservation. The so- called “floating” technique was chosen for washing. It means that the paper placed on the surface of water does not sink because of the surface stress of water. Water touches the paper from below and the decomposition products and the dirt leave at the edges in parallel to the cross-section. After test washing, the wet treatment of the larger elements followed. Neutralisation was carried out according to the method elaborated during test washing: in calcium hydroxide solution calibrated to 9 pH. The neutralised objects dried folded to formerly prepared forms, which helped to repair the larger deformations. Negatives had to be taken from the existing elements to replace the missing areas. The first negatives were taken with plastiline blocks isolated with shrink foils.5 A plaster negative was taken from the plastiline, from which a Duracrol negative was made. The paper used for completion was prepared with leafcasting. The pulp was composed of longer (less ground) and more ground fibres. As the furniture was dark brown, more coloured fibres had to be added. Conservation of paper toy furniture 1 Heat isolator used in building industry, stirofoam. Purchased in OBI warehouses. 2 An auxiliary material of textile industry, non-woven polyester product. 3 Natural cellular caoutchouc rubber. It does not contain softeners and sulphur. It was purchased at Billerbeck Hungary Zrt., Budapest. 4 Poly(vinyl-chloride) rubber without sulphur. 5 Common polyethylene foil. 106
