American Beauty, tobacco ad 1895
"AMERICAN BEAUTY" Drummond Tobacco Company, Saint Louis, tobacciana, early Americana clay coated paper adhered to board with petroleum based spray mount. Corners torn but re-affixed with pressure sensitive tape. Paper lifting due to natural expansion and contraction in many areas throughout print causing creases and fractures in the paper. Staining all around border area caused by long term exposure to acidic mat. Mat attached along top edge with permanent, insoluble glue.
Print shown after initial wash and treatment, clay coating has become translucent revealing the dark, splotchy color of the paper underneath. Previous stains have been significantly diminished.
Procedures
Print and board were marinaded in high-evaporative solvent (rubber cement thinner) between sheets of mylar and print was lifted away aided by a long, thin tool. The print was allowed to dry for a few minutes face down. The paper was noted to be in very poor condition with significant hard, black damage from the adhesive which had evenly coated the verso. The black adhesive and a layer of the verso were easily removed by using pressure sensitive tape to strip it off in small sections.Print was washed in water only. Some blistering occurred so the print was impregnated with warm 100 bloom laboratory grade gelatin to address internal structural weakness. Print was allowed to cure overnight.
The gelatin caused the clay coating to lose much of it's opacity causing the print to have a mottled, stained appearance.
Recommend second aqueous treatment to attempt to clean out excess dirt within paper. Secondary treatment consisted of submersion in cold water/saline solution, this lightened the staining slightly but also caused widespread blistering across the surface, front was re-sized again.
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