We have several items in one of our collections that have been lined with a white plain-weave cloth using a non-yellowed, soft, waxy-feeling adhesive. We believe the backing was done by a previous owner of the collection sometime prior to the early 2000’s. The adhesive has solubilized a red lithograph colorant. It is unclear if the adhesive was used to impregnate the cloth or solely applied on one side prior to lining.
Hot and cold water, ethanol and acetone do not seem neither soften nor solubilize the adhesive. However, the adhesive is thermoplastic and we have partially removed it with heat through a paper barrier. When removing the paper barrier, strands of partially-melted adhesive come up that look like stringy melted marshmallow. Using a crepe eraser to remove the adhesive works well, but is too aggressive for weakened areas. We are trying to avoid using aromatic solvents. Has anyone ever seen or dealt with this lining material or something similar? Was this type of material sold as a hobbyist product for DIY ‘conservation’? Has anyone else dealt with this adhesive before, and if so, what solvents or techniques were effective? Thanks, Alex Bero and Melody Chen New York University Libraries 70 Washington Square South, Room LL2-25 New York, New York 10012 212-992-9017 [email protected] [email protected] ****** Unsubscribe by sending a message to [email protected] Searchable archives: http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/
