Scott-
My concern is the possibility and high probablity of the humidity level
becoming so great that damage is done to the sheepskin/parchment. I have
made/used a humidity chamber to flatten curled photographs under the
supervision and recommendation of our institution's photo-archivist. Warm
water was used, which does indeed create a steam that rises. We checked it
carefully & frequently, but in the hands of someone who has never done this,
the probability of water droplets forming and dropping on the document is a
distinct possiblity. I'm thinking of the water/cloud/rain cycle here. The
difference between humidification and steaming in the hands of someone who
has never done this could be disastrous. (We never did this to any parchment
documents, and my experience with the hinging tape forever turned me off the
concept of allowing moisture to get anywhere near a sheepskin document.) I
am glad that all of your experiences with this technique have been
successful (and undoubtedly under the supervision of a conservator?) Far
better to take this cherished bit of family history to a conservator where
it can be properly assessed & cared for.
Sincerely,
Susan E. Cooper Finney
Exhibit Designer
Michigan Historical Museum
717 West Allegan Street
Lansing, MI 48909-8240
517-373-4859
[log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:38:24 -0500
From: "Scott D. Peters" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: diploma
Susan-
Thanks for the heads up on parchment and steaming.
At the NJ State Archives, we had a great many parchment documents that
needed to be flattened so they could be filmed. They were humidified and no
harm was done. The project supervisors authorized the procedure and nothing
was mentioned about any detrimental effects on the parchment.
If this can not be done to a wrinkled/rolled/creased parchment document in
order to flatten, then what recommendations do you have? I had a parchment
deed under glass and weights for the better part of two weeks and it didn't
produce the desired results.
Also, let's make sure we're clear about what humidification is and whether
steaming is synonymous. Humidification as I have known and practiced it is
the process of placing documents in a moist microclimate so that the
document absorbs enough of the ambient moisture to become pliable. You are
not trying to make them wet.
Humidification is a gradual process. Steaming, as I have understood it, is
best for removing wrinkles from clothing. You should never steam a document
as you would be putting far too much moisture into the item too quickly.
Documents should never be conserved with a clothing steamer or an iron (I've
heard someone recommend that!)
A basic homemade humidification chamber will contain only a modest amount of
water anyway, and it is not coming in _Direct_ contact with the documents.
The steam rises from the water source and fills the chamber. Using a baker's
rack with the items laid on individual racks adds another layer of
protection. The steam from the water source cannot directly penetrate the
items because the rack on which they lay is shielding them. Steaming almost
always implies the steam comes in direct contact from the top down. And
usually very concentrated steam at that.
Scott D. Peters
Research Director/Archivist
Ocean County Historical Society
26 Hadley Ave., P.O. Box 2191
Toms River, NJ 08754-2191
(732) 341-1880
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
"Telling the Stories of Ocean County"
Historically Speaking
ALHFAM -FPIPN vice-chair for trivia, errata and miscellany
[log in to unmask]
"The ordinary distinctions in society are often vague, and imply no just
pre-eminence: rank and titles are
adventitious things and instead of designating merit or virtue, are
frequently the baubles of imbecility, or
the sparkling decorations of meretricious pageantry"
William Griffith, on behalf, and by order of the New-Jersey Society for
promoting the gradual Abolition
of Slavery, Twelfth Month (December) 20th, 1803
----- Original Message -----
From: "Finney, Susan E Cooper" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 11:18 AM
Subject: diploma
> STOP!
> Be sure that the diploma is NOT done on sheepskin or other animal type
skin.
> Any steaming of it will cause irreversable wrinkling, shrinkage & damage.
I suspect that it Was done on some type of animal skin (and moisture has
probably caused the initial wrinkling.)
> We had a Dr. diploma c. 1910s, and it was done on sheepskin. (I found that
out by accidentally using some moisture activated adhesive when mounting it.
> Fortunately it only affected a small area covered by the matt.) I suggest
you just try to gently unroll it and flatten it with weights before matting
& framing.
> Good Luck
> Susan Cooper Finney
> Exhibit Designer
> Michigan Historical Museum
> 717 W. Allegan St.
> Lansing, MI 48909-8240
> 517-373-4859
> [log in to unmask]
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