An Ounce of Preservation: A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs

By Craig Tuttle

This book is a comprehensive guide to the environmental conditions that damage documents and photographs, and the appropriate preventative measures. There are also instructions to clean and repair items, locating and working with a conservator and arrange document and photograph collections. There is an extensive appendices that provides a descriptive list of recommended products, where these products can be obtained and sources to contact for additional information. This edition has been extensively revised from the original 1995 publication, and includes new information to assist readers preserve their family papers and photographs. It remains the first and only publication on paper and photo preservation written specifically for the layperson.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Craig Tuttle
• Release date: Nov 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463361207

Craig Tuttle

Born and raised in New York, Craig Tuttle holds a B.A., M.A. in History and a Certificate in Archival Management from New York University. He also has a Masters in Library Science from Rutgers University.Mr. Tuttle has more than 30 years of experience as an archivist and has specialized in paper and photograph preservation. He served as Project Archivist for the Fiorello LaGuardia Mayoral and UNRRA Papers; University Archivist at the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University; Archivist for the City of Tampa, Florida, and Head of Archives and Special Collections at Fayetteville State University. Mr. Tuttle has also served as an Archival Consultant for the Thomas Edison National Historical Site, Brevard County, Florida, and the Block Drug Company.Craig has been a guest on numerous television and radio programs including Home Matters, Personal fX, Super Collectors, and the Heloise Show. He has also been featured in USA Today, Home Journal, Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times), and in magazines such as Family Circle and Good Housekeeping. Mr. Tuttle has been listed in Who’s Who in America since 2013.Craig Tuttle is semi-retired and lives in Florida near his two children.

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Introduction

The origins of papyrus (invented by the Egyptians) and parchment (attributed to the Sumerians) date back several millennia. Both materials were the principal media used by ancient societies to record laws, events and other information. Many of these documents have survived in remarkably good condition due to environments in which they were stored and because they were made from highly durable components.

Papyrus was produced by using the leaves of the papyrus plant. The leaves were laid in a crisscross pattern and each layer was pounded with a wooden mallet to bind them together. When complete, they formed a strong sheet. While papyrus leaves were plentiful, the process to produce these sheets was time-consuming and required skilled labor. The production of parchment was also a laborious and highly skilled process and, unlike papyrus leaves, supplies of animal skins were limited and expensive. Consequently, papyrus and parchment could only be produced in small amounts which confined their use to important documents.

Papyrus (Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Parchment, 1809 (Photograph courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, DC)

In 105 CE, an official in the Chinese Imperial Court developed a process to make paper. Its importance was immediately recognized and for seven centuries, the Chinese kept papermaking a closely guarded secret until Arab merchants travelling in China learned the secret and passed the process on to others when they returned home. Papermaking businesses were established in the cities throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The first European paper mill was established in 1075 CE near Xativa, Spain. In the centuries that followed, papermaking mills were built in Italy, France and other countries throughout Europe.

Paper provided societies with a high quality writing medium that was easy to produce and inexpensive. Moreover, it could be manufactured in large quantities in a comparatively short amount of time. It is no exaggeration that the evolution of governments, businesses, education, sciences and the arts would have been impossible without paper. Further, it stimulated the expansion of government bureaucracies, commercial and cultural enterprises, and educational institutions.

The movable type printing press, invented in 1453, made it possible to mass produce books, journals and newspapers which, in turn, encouraged the growth of literacy among the aristocracy, merchant and artisan classes. This situation created a huge demand for paper that compelled papermakers over the years to constantly develop new methods and machinery to meet this demand. By the late 1830s, paper manufacturers had mechanized most of their operations which enabled them to satisfy public demand. However, they found themselves faced with a new problem: a chronic shortage of linen, the principal material used to produce paper. Cotton, a secondary source of fiber, was too costly to be used in large quantities. Various alternatives were considered and discarded until paper manufacturers discovered that wood fiber was an excellent alternative. Furthermore, it was inexpensive and abundant.

Paper manufacturers developed methods to expedite the processing of wood fiber and substantially increase the yield. Unfortunately, these methods also resulted in the production of a low-quality paper. Ironically, universal education and the resulting growth in public literacy greatly contributed to the decline in the quality of paper.

Manual Papermaking

This process required workers to use a wire screen encased in a wooden frame (known as a mold) which was immersed in a vat of slurry (a watery mixture of linen and cotton fibers). Vat men moved the mold around in the slurry until there was a uniform layer on the wire screen. The excess water was drained and the wet paper pressed flat between sheets of absorbent fabric. Afterward, the dried sheets were coated (sized) with animal gelatin or starch which bound the fibers to inhibit ink absorption.

Printed on linen paper in 1774, these book pages have kept their pristine white appearance and strength. (Photograph courtesy of the author)

Pulp Production

There are two principal processes used to pulp paper:

The thermomechanical process uses steam heat to soften wood chips. These chips are ground between serrated metal disks to help separate the cellulose fibers in the wood. This method produces extremely short fibers and retains lignin, a wood-based impurity that facilitates paper acidity. After the pulp is washed, chemical agents such as optical brighteners are added to enhance the appearance of the paper. Thermomechanical pulping is primarily used to manufacture low-grade paper used in newspapers and advertising circulars.

The Kraft (chemical) process uses huge vats called digesters which contain a sodium sulfide solution that converts the wood into pulp and dissolves lignin. Once this phase is completed, the pulp is washed and then whitened with a peroxide-based bleach. Calcium carbonate and other chemical agents are used to enhance the appearance and texture of the paper. This process is primarily used to manufacture moderate- to high-quality paper used to produce books, securities and currency.

Paper manufacturers also use variations of these two processes to remove the lignin in wood, facilitate production and improve the yield. The quality of the paper depends on the particular methods used in its production.

Paper Manufacturing Process

Pulp is blown through large tubes onto a constantly moving and vibrating wire screen that removes most of the excess water in the pulp. This process is accelerated by vacuums located underneath the screen which draw out the water and produce continuously uniform layer. The pulp then passes through a series of presses and rollers that result in a smooth surface paper. The sheet travels through another press that coats both sides of the paper with a synthetic resin that inhibits ink and water absorption, minimizes surface abrasions, and enhances the print quality. Lastly, the sheet passes between highly polished rollers (calendar press) that burnish the paper with a gloss or mat finish. The paper is then wound onto huge spools that are sent to be cut and packaged.

CHAPTER 2 - Understanding Inks

Introduction

Ink originated as a writing medium in ancient Egypt and China about 3000 to 2500 BCE. Egyptian scribes used carbon ink on papyrus while the Chinese applied the ink to panels of woven silk. Carbon and, later, dye-based ink were also used by Mediterranean peoples on papyrus, wood slates and, to a lesser extent, parchment and vellum. Ink-makers were well-respected tradesmen, and often exclusively employed by royalty, civil authorities and the wealthy.

With the increased use of paper, there was a corresponding demand for writing and print inks. Ink-makers attempted to meet this need by inventing new ink formulas, and developing methods to expedite and increase production. Other innovations included improving ink stability and drying speed, and expanding the range of color print inks. Ink production continued to be a cottage industry until the early 19th century when businesses began mechanizing ink production and developing a sophisticated system of distribution. Mechanization also made it possible to employ semi-skilled and unskilled workers. As a result, these businesses were able to offer customers a wide variety of colors at a low price.

Below is a description of the various types of inks and their resistance to adverse environmental conditions.

Writing Inks

Pigment-Based Inks – Made from red clay, bromine and other minerals, these inks were used to produce a variety of color inks. Carbon ink (India ink) was the most widely used pigment-based ink. It dries quickly and is still popular with artists and calligraphers. It was originally produced from fine powdered lampblack (carbon), water and shellac, and then thickened with gum Arabic and an animal-based glue. Carbon ink is extremely resistant to fading but can blotch and/or smear when exposed to excessively high levels of temperature/relative humidity.

Dye-Based Inks – These inks were developed in the Middle East about 2000 BCE and produced in various colors by blending the juices of vegetables, fruits, squid, octopi and cuttlefish. Gum Arabic and animal glue was added to increase the ink’s viscosity. Dye-based inks have a moderate resistance to high climate conditions and sun/artificial light.

Chemical-Based Inks – Invented in the 4th century, iron gall ink was widely used until the early 1930s. The ink was a mixture of gallic acid (derived from oak galls), ferrous sulfate, water, gum Arabic and animal glue. As a liquid, iron gall ink is black in color but dries to varying shades of brown due to inconsistencies in their production. By the 19th century, iron gall was produced commercially but many households still preferred to make their own ink. These home-made concoctions varied widely in their consistency and acidic content. In some cases, the ink dried to a light brown and overtime would entirely fade. Conversely, the ink dried to a dark brown eventually burn through the paper. In between these two extremes are documents with varying degrees of acidity. Iron gall ink is highly susceptible to excessive light, and high levels of temperature/relative humidity.

Synthetic Inks – These inks are used in ballpoint, fountain and felt-tip pens, and contain artificial dyes, resins and other agents that produce their color, viscosity and drying speed. Ballpoint pen inks are engineered to dry instantly when applied to paper while fountain and felt-tip pen inks dry seconds being exposed to the air. Ballpoint pens and felt-tip pens are also available with pH-neutral ink.

Dyes and resins have a strong resistance to excessive light and other adverse environmental conditions. PH-neutral ink, which is made with highly stable ingredients, has an