A Personal Review of Adhesives for Textile and Leather Conservation: Research and Application

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

CCI Newsletter, No. 27, June 2001

A Personal Review of Adhesives for Textile and Leather Conservation: Research and Application

by Zenzie Tinker, Conservator, Victoria and Alberta Museums

[Excerpted from Conservation News 71 (March 2000), pp. 50-51.]

The CCI is an institution renowned for its conservation research and communication skills, so it was with high expectations that I joined 30 or so participants for this workshop. The participants, of varied conservation disciplines, were predominantly North America-based, but there were also conservators from Brazil, Mexico, Sweden, Estonia, Switzerland, France and ltaly. I was the only UK-based conservator.

On our first morning we were greeted with an enormous ring binder containing samples and information, and a daunting-looking programme. We were ably led by Jane Down, Senior Scientist responsible for the adhesive research undertaken by the CCI over the last 20 years. Her first talk, which explained the results of the well-known CCI adhesives testing programme, greatly enhanced my understanding of this complex report. Some of the vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer (VAE) adhesives have tested quite well, but can be problematic. The CCI is examining these problems and Jane's second talk, entitled Towards a Better Emulsion Adhesive for Conservation, comprised a preliminary report recently published by the CCI on the effects of modifiers on pure VAE.

An overview of adhesives for the support of textiles was given by Ela Keyserlingk, retired Senior Textile Conservator and Project Manager at the CCI.

Carole Dignard, Objects Conservator at the CCI, gave an overview of adhesives for the treatment of skins and leather.

Case histories formed a valuable part of the programme and were presented by both CCI staff and participants. Many illustrated the importance of cross-discipline approaches. Janet Mason, CCI Objects Conservator, detailed the treatment of an 1870s fur-trimmed cape. Nancy Pollack, a private conservator from the US with a paintings background, talked about treating an artist's paint-smeared overalls. Celine Bonnot-Diconne, Conservator at ARC Nucleart, Grenoble, presented the treatment of an early sealskin kayak and illustrated an air pressure-controlled syringe that administers minute amounts of adhesive, useful when treating delaminating surfaces.

During 14 hours of practical sessions we experimented with our huge range of adhesive samples and backing materials (which had taken CCI staff and interns many weeks to assemble). The benefits of hands-on experimentation cannot be over-emphasised. Sometimes the pace felt relentless, particularly with the innumerable leather samples, but while we grappled with our sausage skins and shared our observations, a good rapport was established between co-participants and workshop leaders.

The programme was well balanced between scientific research, object-based talks and workshop sessions. The combination of textile and leather worked well. Some of the practical sessions felt rushed and would have benefited from more formal discussion. This became evident only during the final session's evaluation of the adhesives we had used. Inexperience in using some of the adhesives meant that there was a danger of inaccurate conclusions regarding their characteristics being formed - something which may have been avoided had discussions been led by conservators familiar with the use of each particular adhesive. Overall, however, there was excellent exchange of information and experience.

The organisers sought our opinions of the workshop and have already expanded their programme to five days, allowing more time for workshops and discussion. A lecture on the mechanics of adhesives and the bonds they form has also been added. The workshop was probably one of the most stimulating conservation events that I have attended due to the openness and enthusiasm of all involved. The huge amount of information that I came away with has already proved a valuable reference.

I am grateful to the V&A Conservation Department for financing my trip - the travel costs made attendance prohibitively expensive for many UK conservators. It is with this in mind that the CCI and the V&A have been discussing the possibility of bringing the workshop to the UK. Following a similar format, we would combine the CCI's experience with adhesives and of running such workshops with a more UK/European emphasis, in terms of materials and past adhesive use. It is hoped that this will be possible in Spring 2002.