Treatment of a Hanging Map

This approximately 142 x 168 cm early 20th century planning map is part of a collection of 27 historic maps of a Swiss city. The map depicts a view from above of a lake, islands, river, forest, settlement groups/names, roads/paths and contour lines. It was printed in a lithographic technique and partially hand-coloured in red, blue, green, and brown. It is lined with a textile backing and wooden rods at the top and bottom of the map to enable hanging.

Brief Condition Report

Since the latter half of the 20th century, the map was stored hanging against a damp wall in a basement of a facility next to a river and suffered mould damage, which was not active at the time of treatment, according to Lumitestor analysis. There are also large areas of water damages and a general yellowing and deformation of the paper. Other damages include oxidative stains, glue flecks, insect fecal stains, a number of tears to the paper as well as occasionally the textile substrate, and creases and scratches laterally across the map from having been handled, meaning rolled and unrolled.

Brief Treatment Report

Because the lining was original and did not appear to be a danger to the object, it was not removed and the object was carefully treated which still attached to the backing and the wooden rods. The map was cleaned verso and recto dry, and the wooden rods were additionally cleaned with a damp cotton swab. Glue flecks and insect fecal stains were removed mechanically. Where possible, areas where the paper had torn were gently released from the textile backing enough to allow space to mend the tear with Japanese paper, and the textile was then re-adhered to the paper. When this was not possible, like for tears not on the edges, adhesive was gently inserted into the tear and under the paper and the area was re-adhered to the textile for support. Sprung tears were locally humidified before tear repair and pressing could proceed. For tears at the edge of the wooden rods, the rods were gently separated, the tear repair was made and the area was reinforced for security, and the wooden rod was closed. Areas where the textile had delaminated from where it was wrapped around the edges of the paper were re-adhered. Losses to the paper and textile substrates were filled with toned Japanese paper. The map was stored wrapped around a 30cm diameter cardboard tube and covered in archival paper.