{"id":1281,"date":"2016-12-01T15:17:27","date_gmt":"2016-12-01T15:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjhblog.cjh.org\/index.php\/2016\/12\/01\/chasing-history-the-allure-of-the-object-2\/"},"modified":"2016-12-01T15:17:27","modified_gmt":"2016-12-01T15:17:27","slug":"chasing-history-the-allure-of-the-object-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/2016\/12\/01\/chasing-history-the-allure-of-the-object-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chasing history: the allure of the object"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dong Eun Kim, Head Conservator<\/b>, Center for Jewish History
<\/b><\/p>\n

Post 2<\/b><\/p>\n

In the previous blog post, the Werner J. and Gisella Levi
\nCahnman Conservation Laboratory had received the Leo Baeck
\nInstitute\u2019s Metz Jewish Community Collection for assessment and treatment. The
\nConservators in the lab were captivated by these artifacts; we felt there was
\nsomething truly important about them, yet none of us could identify what it was
\nthat made them feel so special. <\/p>\n

Before finding the answers, we were
\nabout to embark on a journey of fascinating dead ends. Our investigation
\nbegins with a condition report, an assessment of the state of the artifact. We
\nidentified Iron Gall Ink in the intermediate stage of oxidation. In some cases
\nlarge deposits had faded through to the verso (back), and in others it had deteriorated and degraded the paper, causing cracks and
\nlosses due to corrosion.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/figure>\n
\"image\"<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Detail photograph
\nshowing loss of paper (top) and crack (bottom) due to ink corrosion, Leo Baeck
\nInstitute Archives<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/i>Photo credit: Dong Eun Kim<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Treating this requires meticulous
\nexamination, using light tables and even microscopes to identify problem areas.
\nThis inspection exposed a compelling new detail: in several places, the ink
\nseemed to have a gold sparkle to it, almost like glitter. Magnification and UV (ultraviolet) fluorescent light revealed colored particles, like grains of sand. The material
\nappeared throughout several of the manuscripts. <\/p>\n

We were delighted and intrigued by this new detail, and
\nbegan appropriate analysis to understand what we were seeing.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/figure>\n
\n

Detail photograph showing sparkling
\nletters photographed under visible light, Leo Baeck Institute Archives<\/p>\n

Photo credit: Dong Eun
\nKim<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/figure>\n
\n

\nDetail photograph
\nshowing glittered letter photographed under UV light, Leo Baeck Institute
\nArchives <\/i>
<\/i><\/p>\n

Photo credit:
\nDong Eun Kim<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"image\"<\/figure>\n
\n

Detail photograph
\nshowing \u201cblotting sand\u201d under high magnification, Leo Baeck Institute Archives
<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/i>Photo credit: Dong Eun Kim<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Research revealed the gold particles as \u201cblotting
\nsand,\u201d a substance \u201capplied to wet ink for centuries with the intention of
\nspeeding up the drying time of writing inks. Blotting sand consists of small
\nparticles of a variety of materials (minerals, bio-minerals, glass, metal and
\nothers).\u201d \u00a0(Reference: Reissland et al. 2006, Milke et al. 2003<\/a>) <\/p>\n

A remarkable find, but entirely common in documents from the
\ntime period. Necessary information for effective treatment, yes, but we are no
\ncloser to understanding why these objects feel so intriguing. We press on\u2026if
\nnot the ink, perhaps the paper it\u2019s printed on?<\/p>\n

Careful examination
\nof one of the documents revealed a watermark, which often helps in identifying
\nhistorical elements. This gave us a new avenue of research, offering new hope
\nof discovering the importance of the artifact.<\/p>\n

Paper watermarks are
\nthe designs left in the paper from the structure of the paper mold. Wire
\nthreads are sewn onto the mold wire cover, producing thick or thin sections of
\nthe paper during its manufacture, and forming an image that can be seen when
\nholding the paper up to a light source or in raking light. <\/p>\n

Due to
\nheavy writing on the page, the watermark was very difficult to identify. By
\ncombining two pages with partial watermarks, we were able to get a sense of the
\nwhole. The
\ndesign includes an inscription circle topped by a crown, which surrounds a lion
\nand plinth; it appears to contain a phrase beginning with the words ‘pro
\npatria’, which is similar to those found in Dutch and English papers in the
\n18th century. It is about 4
\ninches wide and shows the lion carrying a corn sheaf and a spear, standing on a
\nplinth with the letters ‘VRYHYT’.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/figure>\n
\n

\u00a0Detail photograph
\nshowing watermark under transmitted light, Leo Baeck Institute Archives \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n

Photo credit:
\nDong Eun Kim<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Because versions of this
\nwatermark were commonly used by Dutch and English paper makers, they may have
\nbeen from one of a dozen different paper mills. The missing \u201cE\u201d on the plinth
\nlikely indicates a lesser known manufacturer, which leaves us without enough
\ndata to reach a conclusion about the paper\u2019s origin.<\/p>\n

However, handmade paper was
\nmade on a mold that had chain wires laced or sewn directly onto the wooden ribs
\nof the mold. This caused the pulp to lie heavier along each side of every chain
\nline. European paper made before 1800 may often be distinguished by this
\npeculiarity. One of the methods used in paper analysis is the measurement of
\nthese features, and the measurement distance between chain lines in this case confirmed
\nthat this paper was Dutch and not English.<\/p>\n

As rewarding as it felt to
\nhave identified the country of origin for the paper, it offered no new answers.
\nDutch-made paper in the 1700\u2019s was quite common all over Europe and even abroad
\n\u2013 even the original draft of the Declaration of Independence was written on
\nDutch paper.<\/p>\n

Why are we still so compelled
\nby these objects?! Frustrated but undaunted, we persevere\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dong Eun Kim, Head Conservator, Center for Jewish History Post 2 In the previous blog post, the Werner J. and Gisella Levi Cahnman Conservation Laboratory had received the Leo Baeck Institute\u2019s Metz Jewish Community Collection for assessment and treatment. The Conservators in the lab were captivated by these artifacts; we felt there was something truly important about them, yet none of us could…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[176,178,137,177],"class_list":["post-1281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog-post","tag-conservation","tag-dong-eun-kim","tag-leo-baeck-institute-collections","tag-metz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cjh.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}