Message viaDiedre Windsor, the Museum of Textile History, Textile
Conservation Centre, Lowell , Massachusetts
regarding your post on silk degradation:


 I would recommend you purchase the thesis of
our first Mellon fellow's graduate thesis, "Weighted Silk: Identification,
Characterization and Photodegradation"  Shawna Lemiski came to us after her
graduate work at the University of Alberta, Edmonton.  It is a very thorough
and practical exploration of the subject.  I think it is very reasonable in
cost and is practically a book in itself.  You can contact Nancy Kerr about
how to purchase it at: [log in to unmask]
If you need a postal address it is: U of Alberta, Dept. of Human Ecology, 301
Printing Services Bldg., Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2N1 Canada.

Michael Bogle
Historic Houses Trust of NSW
Sydney Australia




>At 01:02 PM 10/5/1998 GMT, you wrote:
>>Does anyone had problems with silk conservation ?
>>The fact is that some silks get broked after some years while other qualities
>>remain fine with no problems. I wonder if it is simply low quality or the
>silk
>>or is from colouring materials used on it ?
>>Apparently fibres gets too dry and starts collapsing easily.
>>Is there any "treatment" to be done before it starts breaking ?
>>
>>Thanks for the attention
>>
>>Emanuel
>>
>
>Emanuel,
>
>Everyone has problems with silk conservation.  As Hodcarry mentioned, the
>dyes and mordants (solutions used to fix colors) often caused long term
>problems with silk, and, although less frequently, with cotton.  Silk,
>however, has some unique sources of degradation.
>
>Silk quilts of the 1820's and 30's usually seem to be in better condition
>than those of the later 1880's and 1890's. In order to stiffen the silk and
>give it a a more substantial "hand", manufacturers of clothing would soak
>the cloth in solutions of metal salts.  When dry the silk would hold the
>billowy shapes desired at the time.  It also made the silk heavier.  This
>became an important factor when the enormously popular fad for Crazy Quilts
>started in 1884.
>
>For the next ten years there were so many crazy quilts being made that the
>traditional source of fabric for quilts, old but not worn out dresses and
>suits, could not come close to satisfying the demand.  Clothing
>manufacturers and cloth sellers stepped into the breech by supplying bags
>of scrap silk sold by the pound.  Anything that would add to the weight of
>the silk would add to the profits of the merchants and less scupulous
>purveyers even added iron filings  from the machine shop next door.
>
>Over the next hundred years the protein in the silk contributed electrons
>to the slow oxidation reactions which changed the chemical and physical
>properties of the fibers.  As a result the silk threads became brittle and
>lost their tensile strength.  The process did not affect all silk fibers
>consistantly: often the warp of the cloth is gone but the woof remains as a
>feathery ghost of the original fabric.
>
>The first "treatment" is to avoid bending or rubbing any of the aflicted
>silk.  A fine nylon netting is often sewn over deteriorated pieces to hold
>them in place and limit further movement.  I do not know if there is a way
>to remove the inherent vice of the chemical additives without severely
>damaging the silk.  If anyone on the list knows how to do it, I would love
>to hear about it.
>
>David Hupert

Michael Bogle
& Peta Landman
& Ariel Bogle
429 Riley Street
Surry Hills, Sydney
New South Wales
Australia 2010
(61) (2) 9212 7069