Csapodi, Csaba: Conservation of the Manuscript and Old Book Collections at the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Methods and Results. 1949–1964 (A MTAK kiadványai 44. Budapest, 1965)

in its original state and the good quality rag paper in its brilliant whiteness — if it really survived in such condition. It is also fine when this is the outcome of some cosmetic treatment, but then in quite a few cases the book gives some unpleasant affect: the printing inks fade, the sharp outline of the letters are blurred and — an even greater problem — hand written notes usually vanish and the material of the paper is weakened during bleaching. As it was mentioned such total bleaching is never done because of the great expense involved. Disregarding one or two experiments only the dirt spots and grease stains were removed (Plates 17 — 18). Mechanical damage, humidity, mould, animals are a greater danger to the paper than discolouration. In such cases the paper — depending on how and to what extent it is damaged — must be repaired. The principle here was naturally to do the least amount of unnecessary intervention. The situation is relatively simple when the paper is strong, when its composition did not yet suffer, when it underwent only mechanical- injuries as tearing and chewing. Here the replacement of gaps is not a special problem, although the careful execution of the work is a good test of the skill, conscientiousness and practice of the restorator (Plates 19 — 20). The completion of margins is usually done with a similar quality of rag paper if possible. The material of the added paper is usually slightly precoloured to eliminate the contrast between the two sections. Such additions are employed only on the margins, the crease of the folio, or in instances when the damage is great or close to the margins and thus the paper may be further demaged. Thus the characteristic small boreholes made by the anobia are removed only when close to the margin. In the text such a filling is only troubling and even on the margin — not including the case in question — it is more injurious than useful to the aesthetical qualities of the book. Even the most skillfully executed filling leaves the surface of the reverse side with ugly spots and the work is long and otherwise unnecessary. It is much more difficult to repair the weaknesses caused by dampness, water, humidity or mould. However, this is frequently a must for repairing the tears and for completing the margins because the flaking, weakened paper is not strong enough to support the additions. Recently, of course, the necessary reinforcement is done by plastics (spraying with cellulose acetate, impregnation.) • At the final stage in the deterioration of paper, when the pages are becoming ragged or they probably flake apart, there is no other way to save the pages but by laminating them between two transparent layers. This lamination may be done manually when the page to be conserved is glued between two totally transparent sheets of paper (Plate 14) or it is pressed between two thin sheets of plastic in a laminating machine (Plates 21 — 22). Both processes are used in conservation. Naturally such a complete mounting is done only when avoidable. When dealing with weakened paper we rather photograph the manuscript or book and a life-size enlargement is made and bound in book form for the researchers. The good photographs, in most instances, are entirely satisfactory for research. Hence this method is employed not only for old books and the pages of weakened manuscripts, but also for the manuscripts of our great writers, unique copies of old Hungarian books are preserved this way. The original works are supplied only in special cases, such as the examination of the watermark. 14