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CCI Newsletter, No. 35, June 2005
CCI — A Conservation Laboratory called Canada
by David Grattan, Manager, Conservation Research
Charlotte Gray's recently published book The Museum called Canada explores key Canadian artifacts that illustrate our country's geography as well as our natural, social, and political history. Set out in the form of a museum, the book also demonstrates how CCI has supported Canadian museums — not just because many of the objects illustrated in the book have been treated and stabilized at the Institute, but also because the information we discovered has allowed these objects to be more deeply interpreted and hence better understood. In this way I think the book underscores the true value of conservation, i.e. not only does conservation make objects more accessible but it also increases their value by expanding knowledge about them.
Early in 2005, I had the pleasure of meeting the author shortly after I had been given a copy of her book by my daughter Naomi — a copy Ms. Gray kindly autographed, making it truly a treasure. During our brief discussion, it was an honour for me to point out to her the many artifacts in the book that had been studied or treated at CCI.
The table below lists objects or topics that I recognized
immediately as having been the subject of projects at the Institute.
Each is identified as per its description and page number in
the book, and is followed by a brief account of the work carried
out. The list clearly demonstrates the role of the conservation
laboratory in The Museum called Canada.
| Artifact name as it appears in the book | CCI's work |
| Early tree fossils, pp. 26–27 | While CCI did not work on these particular tree fossils, multidimensional studies including scientific study, conservation, and recording were done on specimens from Arctic fossil forests — especially those on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. (International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation: 11th Triennial Meeting, Edinburgh, Scotland 1996: Preprints, pp. 776–783.) |
| Tsimshian mask, p. 71 | Conservation, 3D recording, and creation of an accurate copy of the stone mask. (Journal of the International Institute for Conservation - Canadian Group, Vol. 18 (1993), pp. 18–23.) |
| Peterborough petroglyphs, p. 91 | Monitoring of the condition, recording study of the causes of deterioration, and input into the design of a protective building. (Journal of the Canadian Association for Conservation, Vol. 22 (1997), pp. 53–76.) |
| Dorset mask, p. 113 | Conservation advice, studies, and pigment analysis. |
| Thule carving of a Norseman, p. 117 | Creation of carved copies in wood. |
| Basque harpoon and fish hook, approx. 1550, p. 125 | Conservation and stabilization. (International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation: 7th Triennial Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark 1984: Preprints, pp. 84.22.14–84.22.17.)
|
| Basque sailor suit, approx. 1550, p. 127 | Recovery, conservation, and analysis. (CCI Newsletter December 1987, p. 14 / Bulletin de l'ICC décembre 1987, p. 7.)
|
| Mariner's astrolabe (known as "Champlain's astrolabe"), p. 155 | Analysis of metallic composition to help in the determination of the origins of the astrolabe.
|
| Ornate cross (known as "Ferryland cross"), p. 180 | Stabilization treatment and development of options for dry and anoxic storage/display. (CCI Newsletter, December 1987, p. 11 / Bulletin de l'ICC, décembre 1987, p. 4.)
|
| Charter of the Hudson's Bay Company, p. 219 | Multifaceted analysis of the condition and appearance of the Charter and assistance to the private-sector conservator who undertook treatment. (CCI Newsletter September 1997, pp. 1–2 / Bulletin de l'ICC septembre 1997, pp. 1–2.)
|
| Plaque, approx. 1649 (known as "Brébeuf plaque"), p. 298 | Analysis of corrosion products, 3D laser scanning, copying, and conservation treatment. (CCI Newsletter, September 1990, pp. 3–5 / Bulletin de l'ICC, septembre 1990, pp. 3–5.)
|
| Crest bearing the Royal Coat of Arms, 1727, taken from Quebec City in 1759, p. 298 | Pigment analysis and conservation. (Journal of the International Institute for Conservation - Canadian Group, Vol. 4, pp. 3–8.)
|
| Death of General Wolfe, Benjamin West, pp. 300–301 | Some analysis of Benjamin West's Death of General Wolfe, and extensive analysis and conservation of James Barry's Death of General Wolfe for a special exhibition "The Many Deaths of General Wolfe" at the National Gallery of Canada in 2000 in which the two interpretations were exhibited side by side. (CCI Newsletter, June 2003, pp. 1–2 / Bulletin de l'ICC, juin 2003, pp. 1–2.)
|
| Franklin era artifacts, pp. 412–418 | Replication and replacement of wooden gravemarkers of burials of Franklin's crew members on Beechey Island, Nunavut; work in stabilizing Kellet's cache; preservation of the search effort for the Franklin expedition; treatment of rusting food cans from Franklin era sites. |
| Constitution and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, p. 680 | Colour monitoring of parchment of constitutional documents; analysis of paint on a copy of the Constitution which was damaged. |
