Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Summer Internship in Library Materials Conservation, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle 2. Survey Invitation – Glazed Brick Reliefs from Babylon (Ishtar Gate, Processional Way, Throne Room facade) 3. RE: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test 4. RE: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test 5. Survey on lighting recommendations in the use and display of paper-based objects. 6. Reviewing books for the JAIC 7. RE: Microscope for media ID through glazing 8. RE: Canvas Stamp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Leith Calcote Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 6:43 AM Subject: Summer Internship in Library Materials Conservation, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle Message: Internship in Library Materials Conservation, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, WA With generous funding from the Mellon Foundation, the University of Washington Libraries is pleased to offer a 10-week summer internship open to qualified applicants. Individuals from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply and affiliation with the University of Washington is not required, but please note that we are unable to sponsor a visa for this internship. Application deadline is Monday, February 2, 2026. This is a full-time (40 hours per week) summer program. Duration is 10 weeks, with exact dates to be arranged between June and September 2026. The internship provides a $8,000 stipend. We are looking for interns who: Have good hand skills and attention to detail. Are interested in pursuing a career in the conservation of library materials. Have some previous experience with sewn book structures. Are actively preparing for a graduate level conservation program. Have a portfolio of work to share that includes examples of bookbinding, artwork or other hand crafts, and/or other conservation experiences. Working mainly under the supervision of the Senior Conservator of Books and Paper, the intern will have the opportunity to perform a range of conservation treatments on rare books, manuscripts, and other archival and special collections materials on paper. The intern will develop skills in treatment decision making, prepare condition and treatment reports with appropriate photo documentation, and gain additional experience in conservation treatment. The intern will also have the opportunity to learn about other aspects of the work of the preservation department as desired. A discussion will take place before the internship to help align the projects to the intern's skills and interests as much as possible. For additional information, or to apply, see: https://lib.uw.edu/about/employment/students/summer-conservation-internship/ <https://lib.uw.edu/about/employment/students/summer-conservation-internship/> To ensure consideration, applications should be received no later than 5:00 pm (PST), Monday, February 2rd, 2026. ------------------------------ Leith Calcote Senior Conservator for Books & Paper University of Washington Libraries Seattle ------------------------------ 2.From: Laura Görke Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 6:44 AM Subject: Survey Invitation – Glazed Brick Reliefs from Babylon (Ishtar Gate, Processional Way, Throne Room facade) Message: Dear all, I am a master's student in archaeological conservation at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. I am currently researching glazed brick reliefs from Babylon (Ishtar Gate, Processional Way, and Throne Room facade) for my thesis. As part of my research, I am seeking insights from conservators, curators, and anyone who has experience studying and working with this material. My survey aims to gather object-specific information, with a focus on conservation concerns. The survey is anonymous, unless you wish to provide your contact information for follow-up, and all responses will be treated confidentially. https://samgu.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0ieDPA7l7GNwAZM <https://samgu.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0ieDPA7l7GNwAZM> Thank you for contributing your expertise to this project! Best regards, Laura Goerke University of Gothenburg, Sweden M.S. Conservation of Cultural Heritage Objects, specialising in archaeological materials ------------------------------ Laura Görke Conservator Ahrensburg Germany ------------------------------ 3.From: Gerhard Eggert Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 6:44 AM Subject: RE: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test Message: In 'The Oddy-torium' project, many conservation materials were Oddy-tested in Stuttgart following the most recent British museum protocol. Included are some acrylics which might work for your purpose. For a full list, please have a look at bit.ly/Oddytorium. ------------------------------ Gerhard Eggert Professor Emeritus Institute of Conservation Sciences Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design Germany ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 12-16-2025 10:31 From: Claire Curran Subject: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test Hello, We are in the process of creating a sealed display and storage enclosure for a gold-plated brass record. I have attached a schematic that illustrates the enclosure. The client chose acrylic sheet for all three layers and a through acrylic bolt/rod. Later additions to this diagram include acrylic washers adhered to the interior sides of each outer sheet of acrylic to secure/immobilize the record within the enclosure, resulting in the appearance of the record floating. In this way the record only makes contact with the through acrylic rod and the washers on either side of the record. We are running in to an issue with finding an adhesive to adhere the rod and washers to the acrylic sheet that passes the Oddy Test. While we are open to using solvents for adhesion, given the health risks, we are hoping to avoid this. Can anyone recommend an adhesive for acrylic that is safe for use in a sealed enclosure? Thank you! Claire ------------------------------ Claire Curran Objects Conservator ICA-Art Conservation Cleveland United States ------------------------------ 4.From: Mark Anderton Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 11:09 AM Subject: RE: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test Message: Hi Claire, I had an acrylic adhesive, Tensol 12, Oddy tested in 2023 by CMAS as it had been used by an external mount maker and this passed as suitable for permanent use. It's a methyl methacrylate monomer dissolved in solvent - presumably dichloromethane and 2-phenoxyethanol according to SDS documentation. However, you would have the same consideration of ensuring you have the appropriate RPE and/or LEV extraction whilst working with Tensol 12 as you would with an acrylic solvent, e.g. dichloromethane. Also, as this is a sealed enclosure I would recommend allowing an adequate time for the solvent and any VOC's to off-gas before you place the object inside it. At National Museums Liverpool we would specify 4 weeks, however I appreciate time-scales on projects don't always allow for this. Please find the details of the Oddy test results below, and the report attached. Let me know if you have any questions. Result usability Publish Test Type Rating Regular retest TEST NUMBER Brand Name/Line Manufacturer (M) Supplier (S) Category Proposed use Material/Composition Colour Reference Ag (P/U/F) Cu (P/U/F) Pb (P/U/F) pH Fugitive dye? Test Company Test Job No. NML Sample Ref Date (end of test) Testing Valid Oddy Test P 0662 Tensol 12 Manufacturer - Bostik, Supplier - Amazon ADHESIVE SHOWCASE MOUNTS Solvent-based adhesive, methyl methacrylate monomer in solutiont - presumably dichloromethane and 2-phenoxyethanol according to SDS documentation. Clear Clear P P P CMAS J2996 29/11/2023 Kind Regards, Mark ------------------------------ Mark Anderton Preventive Conservator National Museums Liverpool Liverpool, England, United Kingdom [email protected] ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 12-16-2025 10:31 From: Claire Curran Subject: Recommendation for an adhesive for acrylic that has passed the Oddy Test Hello, We are in the process of creating a sealed display and storage enclosure for a gold-plated brass record. I have attached a schematic that illustrates the enclosure. The client chose acrylic sheet for all three layers and a through acrylic bolt/rod. Later additions to this diagram include acrylic washers adhered to the interior sides of each outer sheet of acrylic to secure/immobilize the record within the enclosure, resulting in the appearance of the record floating. In this way the record only makes contact with the through acrylic rod and the washers on either side of the record. We are running in to an issue with finding an adhesive to adhere the rod and washers to the acrylic sheet that passes the Oddy Test. While we are open to using solvents for adhesion, given the health risks, we are hoping to avoid this. Can anyone recommend an adhesive for acrylic that is safe for use in a sealed enclosure? Thank you! Claire ------------------------------ Claire Curran Objects Conservator ICA-Art Conservation Cleveland United States ------------------------------ 5.From: Maria Witkowska Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 11:09 AM Subject: Survey on lighting recommendations in the use and display of paper-based objects. Message: Dear All, I am a student of art conservation and restoration (speciality: conservation and restoration of books, prints and antique leather) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. As part of my MA thesis, I am conducting a survey focused on the analysis of professional practice and the implementation of lighting recommendations in conservation. Its aim is to examine actual conditions related to the display and storage of paper-based objects, to identify major challenges, and to outline possible directions for future solutions. I would really appreciate if you consider completing the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_fxLrF7kY13iQ8xpTvOWS14BX1AVuqHsHjktKK7zsmqPY3A/viewform?usp=dialog <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_fxLrF7kY13iQ8xpTvOWS14BX1AVuqHsHjktKK7zsmqPY3A/viewform?usp=dialog> Completing the questionnaire will take approximately 15–20 minutes. Thank you! Maria Witkowska ------------------------------ Maria Witkowska student of art conservation (books, prints and antique leather) Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw ------------------------------ 6.From: Rebecca Rushfield Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 11:09 AM Subject: Reviewing books for the JAIC Message: Are you interested in joining a pool of book reviewers who can be called upon to review recently published books for the JAIC? Are you interested in reviewing a foundational conservation publication (which may or may not have been reviewed in the JAIC when first published) in terms of its relevance for today's conservators. If you are, please contact Rebecca Rushfield, Book Review Editor at [email protected] <[email protected]>. To join the reviewer pool, please let us know your general areas of expertise and the topics you would be interested in reviewing. To review a foundational text, please let us know which book you are interested in reviewing. ------------------------------ Rebecca Rushfield Conservation Consultant Freelance/Private Practice/Self-employed/Independent Flushing NY ------------------------------ 7.From: Steven Prins Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 5:04 PM Subject: RE: Microscope for media ID through glazing Message: Hi Emily, Your observation regarding the recommended Dino Lite is a common bug in handheld digital microscopes: their magnification and focus do not correspond in a linear manner as one expects from experience with mechanical optical microscopes. And their focal distances tend to be short, certainly less than vitrine scale and often less than the depth of common frame glazing. Following on what George said, you might benefit from reframing the question by defining what magnification and focal distance you need. Keep in mind the basic optics we all know from personal experience: magnification and working distance are generally inversely related, the higher the power the shorter the distance, to see something better we move closer to it. Make sure to check minimum working/focus distance on any scope you consider, as that is where you are going to want to have the greatest flexibility. Gawain's charts you referenced rely on 60x and 150x magnification. Start there and see what kind of working distances you can find with different types of scopes with different magnification. (Thanks Gawain) Also consider fixed magnification instruments, which will eliminate the zoom issues while still allowing for magnification multiplication. A 6x objective provides 60x magnification with a 10x ocular and 120x with a 20x ocular. Or as Amscope likes to do it on their measurement scopes, you can achieve 25, 50 and 100x magnification with a 10x ocular by interchanging objectives, which is in fact the better way to go optically (https://amscope.com/products/h2510-5m?variant=40347596193967 <https://amscope.com/products/h2510-5m?variant=40347596193967>). Combined with a c-mount camera you can also digitally enlarge images on your computer. With the proper adapter the camera on your mobile device can also be used to enlarge the optical image on instruments with longer working distances. There are a lot of monoculars (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1631494-REG/opticron_30176_8x20_gallery_scope_roof.html <https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1631494-REG/opticron_30176_8x20_gallery_scope_roof.html>) and loupes (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1626175-REG/adox_60715_precision_loupe_10x.html <https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1626175-REG/adox_60715_precision_loupe_10x.html>) available with magnifications of 6 - 12x that might work for you. For microscopes, a good place to start looking is: Edmond Optics <https://www.edmundoptics.com/p/45x-microscope-10-x-30-scope/4388/>. Hope that helps. Looking forward to hearing what you find out from your own research. Best wishes to all from sunny Santa Fe, ------------------------------ Steven Prins Santa Fe, NM ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 12-15-2025 11:10 From: Emily Cloutier Subject: Microscope for media ID through glazing Hi Gawain, thank you for the suggestion, that model definitely looks like the Cadillac version of digital microscopes! I took a quick peak at the specs, and it looks like the working distance is still pretty short for higher magnification. For example, at 150x the working distance is less than 1/4". Have you tried it with framed works yet? It looks great for lower magnifications though. BTW I have your amazing process ID charts on the corner of my desk. It is incredibly generous of you to share them freely and I, for one, am very appreciative. Thanks again! Emily ------------------------------ Emily Cloutier Conservator - Art on Paper and Photographs Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal Montreal Canada ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 12-02-2025 11:44 From: Gawain Weaver Subject: Microscope for media ID through glazing Hi Emily--I did this for a museum collection survey and used a Proscope HR2 with a 400x lens (I used a 400x lens because I needed to differentiate Cibachrome from dye coupler prints, which needs the additional magnification). I had to remove the clear plastic tip that was made to keep the subject at a distance that was in focus. The distance from the front of the glazing to the surface of the print took the place of the plastic tip. It also had a lens that could be focused. The Proscope line is discontinued (and mine just failed after 10 years), but I just purchased a Dino-Lite Edge Plus AM8517MZT (US$1399!), which also has a plastic tip that helps with setting the focus distance, so I'm guessing that it will be able to serve a similar function. While this unit is 8MP and 10x-220x, there are lower resolution options from Dino-Lite that are somewhat more affordable. Gawain ------------------------------ Gawain Weaver Photograph Conservator Gawain Weaver Art Conservation San Francisco Bay Area Free Process ID Charts: http://gawainweaver.com/processID <http://gawainweaver.com/processID> Original Message: Sent: 12-01-2025 12:14 From: Emily Cloutier Subject: Microscope for media ID through glazing Hello all, I am looking for some kind of portable microscope (digital or analog) with a longer depth of field. Basically, I am looking for something that would allow me to examine framed graphic and photographic works through glazing, mostly for media identification. I have a couple of pocket microscopes that are great, but the subject has to be up against the microscope to be able to see anything, so even a 1/4" gap + thickness of the glazing is enough to make them useless with framed works. Has anyone solved this problem? Thanks! Emily ------------------------------ Emily Cloutier Conservator - Art on Paper and Photographs Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal Montreal Canada ------------------------------ 8.From: Steven Prins Posted: Wednesday December 17, 2025 5:05 PM Subject: RE: Canvas Stamp Message: Belatedly, Heather, I wanted to say that your prejudice is neither exclusively American nor unfounded. Colormen in Europe began stamping their prepared canvases by the mid 19th Century, even before they were being industrially manufactured. The fact that you were able to identify it as a tax/duty stamp is, I think, a profound testament to the amazing breadth and depth of knowledge, not to mention generosity, of our professional community. Still haven't had any word on Alex Katlan, the American pioneer of canvas stamps. Hope he is still with us and doing well at this special time of year. Happy holidays everybody. ------------------------------ Steven Prins Santa Fe, NM ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 11-08-2025 19:41 From: Heather Galloway Subject: Canvas Stamp Dear All, Thank you for all the resources. I find a rather humorous that as an American I was thinking of Colourman's stamps when it is an import duty! Again, thanks for all the suggestions. Best, Heather ------------------------------ Heather Galloway Conservator, Fellow Galloway Art Conservation 1305 W 80th St. Suite #225 Cleveland, OH 44102 ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 11-08-2025 12:34 From: Ian Primrose Subject: Canvas Stamp Heather, The word above 2J8 is LINENS, and is likely a Duty Stamp. I have attached a similar example (look at the sideways mark below the 80), taken from the National Portrait Gallery, London, resource - British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950, subsection - British canvas, stretcher and panel suppliers' marks, Part 1, 1785-1831. Hope this helps, Ian Primrose Restorer Original Message: Sent: 11/7/2025 3:32:00 PM From: Heather Galloway Subject: Canvas Stamp I have an unlined British painting in my studio from 1822 that has a repeated canvas stamp that is difficult to read. The artist worked in London. The stamp is topped with a crown and the bottom appears to read "2J8" but most of the image did not take well to the linen. I'm attaching an image of the clearest impression in the hopes that someone might recognize it. Thanks, Heather ------------------------------ Heather Galloway Conservator, Fellow Galloway Art Conservation 1305 W 80th St. Suite #225 Cleveland, OH 44102 ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
