AZ ORSZÁGOS SZÉCHÉNYI KÖNYVTÁR ÉVKÖNYVE 1982-1983. Budapest (1984)

II. Az OSZK történetéből és munkájából - Beöthyné Kozocsa Ildikó: Új módszertani eredmények a restaurálás területén - New Results of Restoration Methods

Library will work in this workshop too. At present the holdings of the National Library are being restored in two workshops, one works on the museum collections and the other on modern, ground-wood containing papers. In the last few years the restorers have studied the work of almost all the significant restoration institutions both in Eastern and Western Europe to choose the best and most appropriate methods. The three chemical experts and the leading restorers of the National Library are also involved in testing and checking the new processes, chemicals and materials, but as a well-equipped research laboratory is not available to them, they have formed professional connections with various research institutions to help the experimental work of the National Library by their instruments and experts. The new results of the decade will be presented in the order used in the restoration-processes. For the disinfection of library materials infected by microorganisms and insects the use of ethylene-oxide of gaseous form has spread all over the world in the last years. Our library few disinfected books with this gas for the first time in 1983. At present the restoration laboratory is studying the possibilities of how to disinfect the parchment codices permanently. P-chlorine-m-cresol seems to be suitable for this purpose. Many restoration techniques which use the so-called Regnal SI synthetic material (poly-vinyl-butiro-acetale) have been developed by the restoration laboratory. The most important ones have been described. These are: temporary or permanent fixing of inks and colours on paper; disinfection, neutralization and reinforcing of weakened papers by one single process

; mounting the paper sheets with Regnal-solution and Japanese paper. For reinforcing parchment manuscripts destroyed by mould or acidic inks, Calaton (soluble nylon) has been used. Calaton has proved satisfactory for mounting goldbeater's skin onto the surface of parchment manuscripts when it was necessary. For fixing miniatures and inks which are flaking of, they made experiments with a new material called hidroxy-propyl-cellulose (Klucel). To neutralize acidity of paper and even of parchment they tried to use barium-hydroxide in methanol mainly when water-soluble inks and miniatures were present. For softening and flattening parchment that has hardened and become deformed, they succeeded in applying a treatment with urea in ethanol-water mixture. For hydration of parchment, they carried out experiments with a new material, polyethylene-glycol too. They have a new, experimental process to make leaf-casting by hand on parchment manuscripts with a pulp-pixture made from the fibres of parchment and paper. Finally, the paper gives the description of several methods for preservation and restoration of leather and parchment bindings of historical value. To illustrate the new results of the restoration laboratory several photos are included; among others of several Corvinas that were restored for the exhibition on the Hungarian Renaissance in Schallaburg. 184