Paper Restoration
Art conservation and restoration involves the preservation of works of art, arresting progressive deterioration that causes damage, and correcting damage that has previously occurred. Professional fine art restoration is divided into specific areas of expertise. Restoring a painting, photograph or drawing, for instance, is in essence solving a problem related to the substrate, or material on which the piece is executed, as well as the medium or emulsion layer that is applied to that substrate. Our expert restoration and conservation services are offered nation-wide.
Before Restoration
This Edward Curtis photogravure had severe reverse mat burn and foxing.
After Restoration
The mat burn and foxing were removed by aqueous methods resulting in an even sheet tone. The artwork was also thymolized and deacidified to prevent further damage.
Before Restoration
The tears of this hand-colored antique map had been improperly back with pressure-sensitive tape. The tape residue has stained the paper over time, leaving the paper brittled and yellowed.
After Restoration
After carefully removing the tape and adhesive residue, the staining was cleaned and the tears backed with mulberry tissue. The voids in the paper were fiber filled and the darkened sheet was cleaned by aqueous methods.
Before Restoration
This 19th century watercolor was mounted to a wood pulp board that became acidic over time causing the artwork to darken.
After Restoration
After dry peel methods were used to remove the acidic board this watercolor was mounted to, the adhesive residue was removed using aqueous methods and the sheet locally cleaned by aqueous methods.
Before Restoration
Exposure to acidic materials had severely darkened this Hiroshige color wood block print triptych.
After Restoration
Before locally cleaning by aqueous methods, the three parts were disassembled and the adhesives removed. The parts were reassembled with archival adhesives and deacidified.
Before Restoration
The reverse mat burn on this Edward Hopper etching is a common condition issue for framed prints.
After Restoration
An even sheet tone was created by cleaning with aqueous methods and the sheet was deacidified.
Before Restoration
This Havell Edition Audubon hand-colored aquatint engraving was brought back to life after removing the improper repairs to the tears.
After Restoration
The adhesive residue staining caused by the pressure-sensitive tapes, foxing, and darkening was removed by aqueous methods. The tears were repaired and missing fiber was replaced.
Before Restoration
The large tide marks and darkening on this color lithograph made the print unpresentable.
After Restoration
After cleaning this severely damaged color lithograph by aqueous methods the subtle color was visible.
Before Restoration
This watercolor with silk surround has large foxing spots on the silk.
After Restoration
The foxing stains on the silk were cleaned locally by aqueous methods.
Before Restoration
This Thomas Hart Benton lithograph was glued to an acidic board with a facemat glued to the front of the print causing extensive adhesive residue staining on the margins.
After Restoration
After removing the print from the board by dry peel methods, the staining was cleaned by aqueous methods.
Before Restoration
The reverse mat burn on this Matisse lithograph is typical of framed artworks of this age.
After Restoration
The print was cleaned and flattened by aqueous methods, as well as deacidified.
Before Restoration
Cleaning foxing spots in a watercolor painting must be done extremely carefully because of the solubility of the watercolor pigment.
After Restoration
While some staining can be locally cleaned, some can not and will instead be cosmetically concealed. The voids were also filled with fiber and the pigment replaced.
Before Restoration
This Japanese woodblock print was improperly removed from the mount causing damage to the extremely this paper.
After Restoration
The adhesive residue on the front of the print was removed, before replacing the paper fibers. The sheet was also locally cleaned by aqueous methods after testing each pigment for solubility in water.
Before Restoration
The matte surface of this Albers serigraph was carefully minded during restoration.
After Restoration
The large tide marks and darkening was cleaned by aqueous methods resulting in a uniform sheet tone.
Before Restoration
This off-set lithograph poster became brittle due to the acidic nature of the paper causing severe tears and voids that were incorrectly stabilized with pressure-sensitive tape.
After Restoration
After removing the tape and cleaning the sheet, the poster was backed with mulberry tissue. Any fiber losses were filled and missing pigment replaced.
Before Restoration
This Lichtenstein color lithograph was severely darkened due to long-term exposure to cardboard and other improper framing methods.
After Restoration
After cleaning by aqueous methods, the true colors came to life. The print was also deacidified to neutralize the acidic paper.
Before Restoration
Severe foxing and yellowing has left this Curtis Plate 28 Canon de Chelly - Navaho photogravure on tissue in a fragile state.
After Restoration
The original facemat, mount and print were disassembled, each part individually cleaned by aqueous methods, deacidified, thymolized, and re-assembled.