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PACKING ANTIQUE GLASS
From:
Hinson, Richard <rhinson@mfah.org> Subject: Ancient glass Hey
world,
I have a question about the proper storage of ancient glass.
I have about two dozen pieces of fist-sized glass, cups, bowls, decanters with
4 to 6 inch necks, and very small bottles in storage. Currently, I have them in
cardboard trays with foam dividers separating five to six of the pieces. I want
to build individual supports for each of the objects to make it easier to transport
for installation within the museum. I'm not certain if this is a good idea. Now
when we install one of these objects, we either take the entire tray, with all
of the objects, to the gallery, or remove the object from the tray and carry it
in a small box with cotton or polyester padding to protect it. I would rather
have all of these objects in their own support so the box would be handled, not
the object.
Does anyone out there have any experience with this type
of glass? It is so thin and fragile, I get a little nervous each time we are asked
to install one of these objects. Having the objects in better housing would help.
Richard Hinson
Chuck Agro <cagro@earthlink.net> Re:
Ancient glass Mr. Hinson, During several museum relocations I have
had to transport and/or prepare for storage many individual, fragile, glass items
similar to those you have described. A method that I have used and that has been
accepted by objects conservation at the various institutions is as follows: prepare
a section of archival cardboard tube that would allow 2" or greater at both
top, bottom and per side of the largest dimension of the glass object. Cut the
tube section along the long axis so that you have two halves of the tube, or two
"U" shaped sections. Depending on which is better for the piece you
would then either fill the two sections of the tube with Esterfoam and contour
cut both sections to hold the item, then line the contour with Tyvak. One of the
sections should be the primary hold cavity and should also have twill tape tie
downs at several points. The other section would then cap or hold the glass in
place when the tube is closed. The top and bottom of the tube would both be capped
and the tube would have a velcro closure. This could then travel and be stored
upright but should be opened flat. These two directions should be marked.
If
the glass is extremely thin then archival cardboard guillotines can replace the
foam contour locking the piece in place at the base and at several locations.
The guillotines would be cut so that the piece again rests in one half of the
tube and the second half locks it in place when closed. Everything else remains
the same. Best of luck and happy holidays. Chuck Agro MOBIUS,
LLC
85 North Fifth Street
Brooklyn, N Y 11211
T: 718-387-2203
F: 718-387-4533
Cellphone:
347-728-5212
Email: chuck.agro@mobius-nyc.com This email has been
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Artemis
Fine Arts <artemisfas@yahoo.com> Re: Ancient glass Frankly Richard
I am suprised. You are the head prep at MFAH / chair of Pacin. You should be dispensing
advice. But if this does not insult your acumen, what about small FC boxes that
have exploding sides (velcro closure / gaffer tape "hinge" on bottom).
Inside the box is a block of charcoal esterfoam. The pieces could be cavitied
in that block. The block could have a "hat" on top for "up"
g-force suppression. Anyhoo, you probably already considered this option. It would
take about 2 hour per for fabrication. Eric @ Artemis
From: David
Bogosian <david.bogosian@mobius-nyc.com> RE: housing your glass vessels Dear
Richard, I thought the attached diagram (Click
here for drawing) would be helpful. The tube design was a specific response
to a requirement for equal pressure in 360 degrees.
Your choice of tube or
standard box, full foam interior or blocks, cap combinations, hinge and lock devices
is subject to your own needs,
budget etc. Good luck,
David MOBIUS,
LLC
146 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Tel: 718-302-0323
Fax: 718-302-0328
david.bogosian@mobius-nyc.com
From:
Brent Powell <Brent.Powell@ngv.vic.gov.au> RE: Ancient glass Richard,
Have
dealt with this at the Nelson-Atkins (Roman Glass) and currently dealing with
here at the NGV (Venetian Glass). Basically I would suggest doing the cavity pack
either out of ethanoic or polyester foam and use that cavity for structure only.
Allow approximately 1 inch or 20 mm spacing between the cavity structure and the
object. This space is then filled with Dacron or Fiberfil and lined with parsilk
or a fine weave broad cloth. This allows the fragile object just to sit in the
cavity and have the cushion overall structural support supplied by the filling.
You can adjust the filling to allow the best fit needed. For necks or appendages
you just need to allow for that shape in the cavity or create a simple wrap roll
of cloth and fill to be placed between the neck and the foam structure.
This
way you can handle the box all you want through out the building or is excellent
for transport. It is a good all around solution for multiple needs.
I have
even shipped ripe tomatoes to my relatives Fed X this way and they arrived undamaged.
Happy
Holidays to All,
Brent
Manager Art Services
National Gallery of
Victoria
180 St. Kilda Road
Melbourne Victoria 3004
AUSTRALIA
Telephone:
61-3-8620-2157
Facsimile: 61-3-8620-2540
Mobile: 0418-557-298
Email:
brent.powell@ngv.vic.gov.au
From: Jeffrey Wright-Sedam <upny@uamail.albany.edu> Subject:
Thanks to PACIN...Ancient glass Just wanted to thank PACIN and friends for
the recent and facinating subject of Ancient Glass. I work in a small contemporary
museum and we just don't often face these kinds issues often. Great subject! Thanks
to all those professional folks out there who took the time to share their "tricks
of the trade"
Happy Holidays.
Jeffrey Wright-Sedam
Preparator
University Art Museum
Fine Arts Bldg. Rm. 101
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12222 t. 518-437-3762
f. 518-442-5075
e. upny@albany.edu
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