Washington Conservation Studio

PORTFOLIO

  • Watercolor and graphite on medium-weight, machine-made wove paper. 3 1/4{quote} x 5 1/8{quote}Before treatment image showing overall discoloration of the support and localized discoloration (liquid stains with tidelines). Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included discoloration and stain reduction on blotters dampened wtih purified water..
  • Engraving and watercolor on medium-weight, handmade laid paper. 11 7/8{quote} x 9 1/2{quote} Before treatment image showing a number of condition issues including severe overall discoloration, scratched, abraded, and faded media, tears, and support losses. The engraving was also adhered overall to paperboard. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included, surface cleaning, backing removal, washing, tear repair, infilling support losses, lining, and inpainting. Further reduction of the discoloration was deemed usafe due to the fragile watercolors.
  • Pastel on heavyweight, handmade laid paper, 9{quote} x 7 1/8{quote}Before, during, and after treatment--once careful cleaning under a microscope to remove surface debris was completed, areas of loss along the edges were infilled with a paper similar in weight and texture to the original. Scratches and losses were toned and/or inpainted with pastel pencils and ground pigments. Private Collection
  • Color lithograph on heavyweight, machine-made wove paper. 19 1/2{quote} x 21 3/4{quote} Before treatment image. Note the severe, almost overall discoloration of the paper support. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: The discoloration was dramatically reduced by extensive washing in purified water, and the use of conservation-grade bleaches, pH adjusted solutions, and light bleaching.
  • Color lithograph on heavyweight, machine-made wove paper. 22{quote} x 30{quote}Before treatment image showing light overall discoloration and staining at the top and bottom edges. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment inclued surface cleaning, washing, and stain reduction using pH-adjusted cleaning solutions and conservation-grade bleach.
  • Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)Woodcut on medium-weight, handmade laid paper, 11 7/16{quote} x 8 1/8{quote}Before and after treatment images showing considerable reduction of discoloration through light bleachingPrivate Collection
  • Lithograph on heavyweight, machine-made wove paper. 18 3/8{quote} x 13 5/8{quote}Before treatment image showing discoloration of the support. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included extensive washing to reduce the discoloration.
  • A plate from Audubon's The Birds of America. Engraving, etching, aquatint, and watercolor on heavyweight, machine-made wove paper. 38{quote} x 25 3/8{quote} Before treatment images showing condition issues including surface grime, overall discoloration, discolored pressure-sensitive tapes, edge tears and minor support losses. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included surface cleaning, tape removal, careful washing on a vacuum suction table, tear repair, and infilling support losses.
  • This object is a plate from John James and James Woodhouse Audubon's The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. Lithograph with watercolor on heavyweight wove paper, 21 1/4{quote} x 27 3/4{quote}Before treatment image showing severe overall discoloration of the support and some fading of the watercolor. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: The lithograph was carefully washed on a vacuum suction table to reduce acidity and discoloration. Additional treatment steps included the appication of a conservation-grade bleach to further reduce the discoloration. Unfortunately, the discoloration was impossible to completely reduce wtihout damaging the paper and delicate watercolors.
  • Watercolor and graphite on medium-weight, handmade laid paper, 8 1/2{quote} x 6{quote}Before and after treatmentPrivate Collection
  • Before treatment showing area of loss before infilling and inpainting.
  • After treatment images showing infilling and inpainting area of support loss. The loss was infilled with a piece of laid paper (dated 1807) carefully matched in weight and texture.followed by inpainting with watercolors.
  • Pen and ink, opaque watercolor, and graphite on parchment. 31 7/8{quote} x 31 1/2{quote} Before treatment raking light image showing planar deformation (undulations and wrinkles) Additional condition issues included surface grime, inactive mold spores, and cracked and partiall detached areas of media (opaque watercolor). Private Collection
  • After treatment image showing the chart in raking light. Treatment includied mold remediation, media consolidation, surface cleaning, and humidificaiton and flattening.
  • Printing inks on laid paper, 10{quote} x 14{quote}Before and after treatment. Treatment focused on removing the map from its cardboard backing, removing darkened and discolored pressure-sensitive tapes, and reducing the severe overall discoloration to the extent possible. The discoloration was reduced dramatically by light bleaching. Private Collection
  • Engraving on medium-weight, machine-made wove paper. 10 1/2{quote} x 9{quote}Before treatment image showing severe overall discoloration, severe foxing, forlded back portions of the support, tears, and support losses. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included extensive washing and treatment with conservation-grade bleaches followed by light bleaching. After tear repairs and infilling support losses with paper pulp, the engraving was lined to Japanese paper.
  • Lithograph on medium-weight, machine-made laid paper. 13{quote} x 17{quote}Before treatment image showing a number of condition issues including overall discoloration, localized discolorations including mold stains, and support losses due to mold. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included extensive washing and stain reduction followed by infilling losses with paper pulp followed by lining to Japanese paper.
  • Lithograph and pen & ink on heavyweight wove paper, 16{quote} x 20{quote}Before and after treatmentPrivate Collection
  • Signed by George Washington & Thomas Jefferson, Letterpress and pen & ink on laid paper, 14{quote} x 9{quote}During and after treatment--after washing the document in calcinated deionized water to reduce acidity and discoloration and to remove old repairs, the support losses were filled with paper pulp from the reverse and a lining applied for additional support. The filled losses visible at left were then toned with pastel powder.Private Collection
  • Before and after treatment images: Treatment included surface cleaning, immersion in purified water to remove silk crepeline from both sides, removal of old repairs,washing, deacidification resizing, and tear repair, inflling losses, and inpainting.
  • Red inks and watercolor on medium-weight, machine-made wove paper, 15{quote} x 18{quote}Before and after treatment images: Conservation treatment inclued tape removal, surface cleaning, tear repair, and infilling of losses.Private Collection
  • Letterpress on medium-weight, handmade laid paper, 13 3/4{quote} x 8 3/8{quote}Before and after treatment images: Conservation treatment included surface cleaning, washing, deacidification, resizing, tear repair and infilling losses.. Private Collection
  • Pen and iron gall ink on medium-weight, handmade laid paper. 3{quote} x 8{quote}Before treatment image showing severe discoloration, damages, and support losses.
  • After treatment image: Treatment included washing, deacidification, and resizing. The support losses were filled with pigment-toned paper pulp folllowed by lining each side of the manuscript with a gossamer-weight Japanese tissue.
  • Pen and iron gall ink on medium-weight, handmade laid paper. 8 5/8{quote} x 7 5/8{quote}Before treatment image showing condition issues including severel overal discoloration resulting from light exposure, a paperboard backing, and a window mat.
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment incluced surface cleaning, backing removal, washing, deacidification, and resizing. No further treatment was undertaken to reduce the discoloration because iron gall inks are easily damaged by higher pH cleaning solutions and conservation-grade bleaches.
  • This is the only known document bearing the signatures of George Washington and Benedict ArnoldPen and iron gall inks on medium-weight, handmade laid paper. 3 1/2{quote} x 6 5/8{quote}Before treatment showing conidition issues including overall discoloration, surface grime, oxidized pressure sensitive tapes, oxidized animal glue, tears, and support losses. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment incluced surface cleaning, tape and glue reduction, washing, deacidification, resizing, tear repair, and infilling support losses. No further treatment was undertaken to reduce the discoloration because iron gall inks are easily damaged by higher pH cleaning solutions and conservation-grade bleaches.
  • Pen and iron gall ink, black stamp ink, resin seal on medium-weight, machine-made laid paper (separated folio). 9 7/8{quote} x 7 7/8{quote}Before treatment image showing ingrained surface grime, overall and localized discoloration, tears, and support losses. Private Collection
  • Pen and iron gall ink, black stamp ink, resin seal on medium-weight, machine-made laid paper (separated folio). 9 7/8{quote} x 7 7/8{quote}After treatment image: Conservation treatmeent included surface cleaning, washing, deacidification, resizing, tear repair, and infilling losses.
  • One of 26 extant copies of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence printed by John Dunlap during the afternoon or evening of July 4, 1776. Letterpress: Black printing inks on a sheet of medium-weight, handmade laid paper. 18 1/16{quote} x 14 5/8{quote}Before treatment image showing condition issues including overall discoloration, darkened adhesives, surface grime. In addition, the broadside was lined to fabric. Collection of the National Archives
  • After Treatment
  • Engraving on heavyweight, machine-made wove paper. 31 1/2{quote} x 21 1/4{quote}Before treatment image showing overalll discoloration and liquid stains with tidelines. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included surface cleaning, washing, deacidification, and tear repair.
  • This copy of the Stone Engraving descended in the family of President James MadisonCopperplate engraving on parchment, 30 1/2{quote} x 22{quote}Before treatment image showing the engraving {quote}as received{quote}. Condition issues included severe planar deformation (wrinkling and shrinking of the support), heavy surface grime and accretions, dark liquud staining, numerous tears and support losses. Collection of David Rubenstein
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included surface cleaning, accretion removal, repeated humidification and flattening, tear repair, infilling losses, toning and inpainting.
  • Pen and iron gall ink on a sheet of medium-weight, machine-made wove paper. 9 7/8{quote} x 7 7/8{quote}Before treatment image showing overall discoloration, planar deformations (creases), edge tears, and cropped top corners. Private Collection
  • After treatment image: Conservation treatment included surface cleaning, washing, deacidification, resizing, tear repair, and infilling losses.
  • Pierre L'Enfant, J.J. Le Veau, and R. ScotEngraving and pen & ink on parchment, 14 1/4{quote} x 19 3/8{quote}, signed by Henry Knox and George WashingtonBefore treatment showing damages. The torn parchment was lined to a stretched canvas. Over time, portions of the parchment detached and lifted from the canvas. Private Collection
  • Pierre L'Enfant, J.J. Le Veau, and R. ScotEngraving and pen & ink on parchment, 14 1/4{quote} x 19 3/8{quote}During treatmentPrivate Collection
  • After treatment image: The parchment was removed from the strainer. Next the canvas lining was removed mechanically and the remaining lining adhesives were removed with minimal moisture. After extensive humidification and flattening, the parchment was repaired and the support losses filled and inpainted.
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