Conservation

Rebinding the Rental: conserving the Rental of the Estate of The Marquis of Donegall, 1864

Sometimes an item comes into the Conservation Room that has pretty much everything going wrong for it and as a Conservator your heart sinks (but then you get a bit excited because it’s good to have a challenge!)  This volume was one of those. The paper was acidic and brittle, 141 of the 430 leaves… Read more Rebinding the Rental: conserving the Rental of the Estate of The Marquis of Donegall, 1864

Preserving Archives: Part 2

In the second of our Preserving Archives blog, we’re following on from our tips on handling, packaging and storing Great Aunt Bessy’s birth certificate and now we’re going to talk about digitising, displaying and repairing your precious archives.   Digitising Thinking about digitising some of your archive is a great idea.  It means you can… Read more Preserving Archives: Part 2

Protecting the work of Dame Elisabeth Frink

When the Dame Elisabeth Frink archive arrived at the Dorset History Centre, it came with some unusual items.  Along with a number of bronzes are eight small groups of plaster maquettes, the largest of these measuring no more than 30cm high.  Maquettes are preparatory models that sculptors make to help them visualise the final piece… Read more Protecting the work of Dame Elisabeth Frink

Bookbinding DIY – Piano hinge binding

Whilst the Coronavirus lockdown continues, we have asked our Conservator for some bookbinding activities you can try at home. This is the third of three blogs in which she will show you how to do some book-binding at home… — A part of my job that I always look forward to is running bookbinding sessions. … Read more Bookbinding DIY – Piano hinge binding

Bookbinding DIY – Single Section Pamphlet

Whilst the Coronavirus lockdown continues, we have asked our Conservator for some bookbinding activities you can try at home. This is the second of three blogs in which she will show you how to do some book-binding at home… — A part of my job that I always look forward to is running bookbinding sessions. … Read more Bookbinding DIY – Single Section Pamphlet

Bookbinding DIY – Japanese Stab-Stitch binding

Whilst the Coronavirus lockdown continues, we have asked our Conservator for some bookbinding activities you can try at home. This is the first of three blogs in which she will show you how to do some book-binding at home… — A part of my job that I always look forward to is running bookbinding sessions. … Read more Bookbinding DIY – Japanese Stab-Stitch binding

Tough Grades: Conserving the Railway Plans

In a previous blog, our volunteer Clare discussed working on the ‘grade 2’ railway plans, and explained how the conservation grading system works. Here, Jenny, our Conservator, takes us through what is required for those plans graded 3 and 4, those with significant damage or active deterioration. — Of the original 132 railway plans, there… Read more Tough Grades: Conserving the Railway Plans