I think this is an interesting article that highlights the occasional 
conflict between conservation and use.  See the complete article at

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=59876

Massacring history? State puts Revere plates in jeopardy
By Jack Meyers
Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Priceless engravings crafted by Paul Revere are being jeopardized by 
Secretary of State William Galvin, according to experts, all for the sake 
of a $200,000 fund-raiser for a state agency.

      ``There's no question about the fact that the surface will be altered 
by this'' reprinting process, said MIT professor of archaeology Heather 
Lechtman, regarding three irreplaceable works created by the Revolutionary 
War hero.

      The engraved copper plates have been polished and are now being 
subjected to pressure to make 500 new prints. They will soon be dipped in 
an acid bath to remove electroplating - a process that some experts said 
will degrade the surface and affect the historic artifacts' integrity.

[stuff deleted]

      Galvin's spokesman and the printer producing the new images said the 
process will have little to no effect on the state-owned artifacts. Others 
disagree.

      ``Every single time an impression is made (of any plate), in a very 
subtle way the image is degraded,'' said Elizabeth Barker, associate 
curator of drawings and prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

      She did not criticize Galvin's decision to ``re-strike'' prints from 
the antique plates, but she said, ``It's something we might be more 
hesitant to do now.''

[stuff deleted]

      However, Lechtman said, ``The acid attack itself will alter the 
surface of the metal. It will dissolve some of the copper.''

      David Blanchfield, conservator of objects and metals at Colonial 
Williamsburg, said, ``The harshest thing that ever touches any of our 
metals is chalk.''

      Brian McNiff, spokesman for Galvin, said every possible effort has 
been taken to eliminate or minimize any impact on the metal engravings.

  [stuff deleted]

      Brian McNiff, spokesman for Secretary of State William Galvin, who 
authorized the ``re-striking'' of prints from the plates to raise money for 
the state archives, said the two plates are valued at $1 million each.

end



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