Table Of Contentpinion Man
or Antiquitics
2)
a
Conservation for Common Man
A guide to preservation of Antiquities
By
Ms.J.M.Gandhimathi,
Curator,
Chemical Conservation and Research Laboratory,
Government Museum, Chennai — 600008.
New Series — General Section — Chemical Conservation — Volume Il, 2014
Published by
Dr.T.S.Sridhar IAS.,
Principal Secretary/Commissioner of Museums,
Government Museum, Chennai - 600 008 Conservation for Common Man
Conservation for Common Man
Year of Publication: 2011
Number of copies: 1000
© Commissioner of Museums
Price - Rs.110/-
Cover Design and Book Layout
Ms.J.M.Gandhimathi
Curator,
Chemical Conservation section
Printed by
Tharamani Womens Co-op. printing Society,
No. 46, Peters Road,
Royapettah, Chennai-14,
FOREWORD
PREFACE
4.Introduction
What is conservation ?
Preventive conservation, curative or remedial conservation and restoration
‘Who are conservators ?
Role of Owners of Cultural objects
Principles of Preventive conservation
2,Day-To-Day Conservation
importance of conserving Cultural objects
Identifying the enemies
Factors affecting objects — broad categories
3.Physical Factors
Relative Humidity
‘Temperature
Light
Dust and pollution
5.Biological Factors
Fungus
Insects
Rodents
Hum
ns
alt
14
6.Care of Organic Collections
Care and conservation of Textiles
Care and conservation Wood and furniture
Care and conservation Leather, Ivory and Bone
Care and conservation of Archival Paper documents and manuscripts
Care and conservation of prints,érawings and water colours
Care and preservation of books
Care and conservation Photographs -8/W, Colour and albums
7.Care of Inorganic Collections
Care and conservation Stone carvings and sculptures
Care and conservation of Ceramic and Glass
Care and conservation of Metal - Gold, Silver.Brass,Copper,|ron Bronze
Care and conservation of coins and medals
Care and preservation of removable digital and electronic media
8.Care of Composite Collections
Care and conservation of Oil Paintings
Care and conservation of Archaeological collections,
Care and conservation of Ethnographic objects
9. Prevention from Theft and Disasters
Registration of antiquities
Care of Fire damaged artefacts
10.Consulting Professionals for help
Conservation Section of Government Museum,Chennai
Training and Awareness
18
a7
63
70
w
FOREWORD
Dr.T.$.Sridhar, PhD.LAS.,
Principal Secretary/Cammissioner of Museums,
Goverment Museum, Chennai-600008.
Oss
Archagology is the study of human tistory based on the material remains left behind in
various forms ~ Monuments, Antiquities, Art works, Manuscripts elc., In order to get a clear
understanding ofthe past, iis necessary to preserve these are specimens in a reasonably good state
of conservation, Therefore, the ro'e of conservation in preserving cultural properties becomes
significant. Conservation is the term used to denole interventions — both preventive and curative — that
are applied on antiques so as to extend their fe span and preserve them for the purpose of study,
éenjayment and enlightenment
The Government Museum, Chennai, One of the best and Oldest State Museums in the
counlty was established in 1851, This multi-purpose Museum is located in 16.25 acres of land with
six independent ouidings housing 46 Galeries. The mut-faceled Museum is arganizeo under the
following sections: Archaeology, Art, Anthropology, Numismatics, Zoology, Botany, Geology and
Children's Museum, To preserve the antiquities from destruction, the Chemical Conservation and
Research Laboratory was established in the year 1990. This i the first Slate to have started
conservation acy covering a wide range of objects. Beginning wih Dr. 8, Paramasivam asthe frst
Curator, this laboratory is known forts pioneering work in conservation research and consuitancy not
only for Goverment Departments including Archaeological Survey of India, but also to private
insttuions and individuals. Successive Curators have caried on the initial eforts and continue to
serve the cause of preservation of cultural artefacts. A number of programmes, seminars and
workshops have been conducted by the laboratory over the years. Slating from the year 1976, ithas
been conducting the traning Course on “Care of Museum Objecs’ at Chemical Conservation
Research Laboratory every year during the month of June. It hes trained thousands of conservators
and art lovers in preventive conservation. It hes also provided consultancy services to leading
insttuions such as the Rj Bhavan, Madras High Court, Madras University and several Museums
including Fort Museum in various aspects of conserving the rare objects
The Netional Manustipts Mission italed by the Goverment of India has recognized the
Chemical Conservation & Research Laboratory 2s “Manuscrits Conservation Centre" and authorized
ilo conduct training programmes. Recenly, the Cenlre conducted a two weeks training programme
“Curative Conservation of Paper and Painrleaf Manuscripts rom 16.2.2011 to 28,2.2011. As a folow
up on this native the proposal ofthe Goverment Museum, Chennai to declare Government Oriental
Manuscripts Library. Chennai - a unit of the State Department of Archaeology - as a Manuscripts
Resource Cente [MRC] has been accepted,
Tmt. JW.Gandhimathi, Curator of the Chemical Corservetion and Research Laboratory of
the Museum has been taking keen interest in organizing the various activities ofthe Laboratory with
dedication and professional competence. During the last three years of her Curatorship, the
Laboratory nas conducted several workshops, training courses and exhibitions related to conservation
of cultural heritage. The scheme of treating artefacts ofthe 20 Govemment Museums in the Districts in
2 cyclical order has been revived. Similar, 300 Nos, o Bronza icons repatriated by Districl Museums
to the Government Museum, Chennai have been treated, in many cases forthe fst ime. In order to
equip herself with the Stale of Artin Conservation Technology she was sponsored for the one month
long International training programme “Conservation of Sound and Images’ (SOIMA) conducted by
the ICCROM at New Dethi during November and December 2008. She has partcigated in several
seminars and contributed lectures, papers el.
DDurng the last year (2010), the Govemment of Tamil Nadu organized two major events
1. World Classical Tamil Conference at Coimbatore
2. Millennium Celebration of the completion of Brahadeesware Temple Thanjavur in which the
Department of Archaeology and Museums paricipaled and organized a special exhibition, The
exhibitions consisting of Sculptures, Bronze Objects, Architectural and Anthropological antiquities and
manuscripts, panting and other art works was a gret success. More than 10 lekhs people visited the
extiiton during the event and derived pleasure and benefit. Considering the overwhelming response
‘rom pubic the Government of Taminadu extended the period ofthe exhibition even ater completion
of the main event, to cater othe huge public demand.
This handbook is aimed primarily al art lovers and persons interested in conservation of rare
oxjects. The main objective is to educate the common man abou the essenta's of conservation. tis
nol a book for specialists but a handy guide to thase interested in adopting conservation practices at
home with ited resources at their command. It is expected to be comprehensible tothe layman and
general public who wil nd it useful for carrying out simple treatment for objacts needing immediate
conservation. | hope this book wil be used as source of reference material forthe above purpose.
| wish to compliment the Curator, Tm. JMGandhimalhi as wel as the other staffs
Thiru J.D. Jaganathan, Lab Assistant and Thiru N.Asokan, Technical Assistant who have contributed
signicenty to the cause of conservation in general and who have helped meeting the needs af
conservators, research scholars and genel publ.
ca SLX
16.3201 (T8Sridhar)
PREFACE
Ms.J.M.Gandhimathi,,
Curator,
Chemical Conservation and Research Laboratory,
Goverament Museum, Chennai-500008,
Conservation is no longer the dusting, brushing, scrapping clean and affixing of missing
appendages to the worn out leather puppet or sitching the frayed threads of long forgotten jute
costume in the Museum collection, "t has become a widespread public concem for preserving,
revealing and studying the past’ (Chris Caple 2000). | took charge of the Conservation section with
plezsant hopes of shouldering the innumerable responsbilies lying ahead but | was aghast when an
unwashed coffee flask was sent to the laboralory for ‘cleening’ by a colleague. The conservation
laboratory was an emergency cinic not enly for museum objects but also toils vistors. Anyone wha
got hurt was automatically directed to the lab for first aid treatment! | wondered who the ‘conservators’
are in te eyes ofthe people? What do they expect from us? My quest to find answers for these led
ime to lake the princples of conservaton to them and find thei opinion. To my amazement, |
discovered that most of them knew nothing about conservation which forced me to conduct as many
awareness programs as possible fo advocate its causes. This book is ancther step inthis venture to
demystify heritage conservation and make it mass movement ike those for green conservation
| am oaliged to thank our Principal Secretay/Gommissioner of Museums, Dr.T.S Sridhar,
1AS, for guiding me in every step of attaining this objective whether it was through starting of Heritage
Conservation Ciub at the museum or atending the many trining sessions throughout the country or
ving lecture - demos for trainees in varous Universities and Organizations. He made it clear that
conservation has tobe taken to the students, info ther classrooms, since they would be the guardians
cf our cultural heritage in future, Numerous colege stucents both in the urban and rural areas have
benefited from the practical workshops on preventive conservation through the network of district
Museums in Taminedu, thas been planned to involve housewives, elderly and general public also
through the Heritage conservation club to engage them in the ‘Protect our cuitural heritage
moverment.| wish to thank my family members for their support and tolerance without which | would
nol have found the fie to complete this book. My heartell gratitude to the doyens in the feld of
conservation, my colleagues and special thanks to my conservation laboratory staff
rJ.D.Jeganathan, Mr. N.Asokan, and NVM conservators Mr. Thiunawuikarasu and Mr. Senthil
Chena 800.008 yz
163.2011 (J.M.Gandhimathi)
CHAPTER - 1
INTRODUCTION
| want fo remove these stamps from this album and stck them in a better one before the deadline for
‘he assignment..but they tear when I pull Can you help me. ? pleaded Vinodh, carrying an old, brown
album ited by his Grandpa on his birthday.
This antique ivory sculpture displayed in our ofie lobby has tumed brown and dirty. Can you help in
leaning i asked PRO Mr. Ravindran from Egmore. He couldn't believe when | tod it was not ivory at
all but fake, His boss had purchased it rom Teivan fr a hety prize!
‘Could you please put back these documents together. They are our only evidence to prove that the
100 acres of the land in Vellore were gifted to my great grandfather by the British. isa prime property
but we discovered these documents in an old rusted trunk box ony recently’; Mohammed had come
all the way from Vellore along with his son and a polythene bag ful of bitte fragments of brownish
hhandwntten documents. Bu | cou't help him because the jumble of paper pieces was beyond any
soope for restoration. Even otherwise, the cost and ime to be spent in scrambling the puzzle pieces
would only ourun the cost ofthe prized land which it was supposed to promise
Mr, Ramachandran and Mrs, Viayalakshmi were a lovely couple from Besant nagar. They had two
bundles of palm-eaf manuscripts which were being preserved by the family or several generations.
‘The bundles of Ramayana with ilustraions were well cared fr, cleaned and kop with reverence in the
Pooja room oftheir house. Inspte of ther efforts they had become brite and dull. | explained to them
that it was because of natural ageing process. Any object has to ultimately breakup and tum into ts
elemental form, Buti 8 possile to prolong or extend is lite by observing certain preceutons and
preventive care measures. This is known as preventive conservation We tveated their palmleaf
manuscript in our lab and the couple were grea to have them in a flesole and bright condition right
in ime for Vjayadasami pooja,
We receive a lol of enquires rom people who come wilh diferent kinds of art objects to help them in
‘conserving these treasured items. In most cases the unfortunate condition in which these objects
were, could have been prevented if only certain simple but basic procedures have been adopted by
their owners. Thousands of precious artifacts are languishing in many households because of lack of
awareness about their care and conservation which made me to write this book. My aim is to demyst'y
the word ‘conservation’ and enable an ordinary man with no scientfic or technical knowledge to
understand ts basic principles and apply them for preserving the cultural assets which they value
