page cleaning

ConversazioniBook Care and Repair

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page cleaning

1cbellia
Apr 25, 2017, 11:15 am

I have 16th century book printed on vellum with an old oil spill. Any deas on how to clean it. i don't think the oil penetrated the vluum.

2lilithcat
Apr 25, 2017, 11:30 am

I have found one suggestion to "rub the vellum surface thoroughly with a dry cleaning pad or white eraser", and another to "use pounce or fine grade pumice in muslin stockings or a 'footsie' in a circular motion to clean the surface and remove any grease or marks".

The sites I found those at were both about preparing vellum for painting, but I imagine they would hold for general cleaning of oil as well.

Frankly, your best bet might be to find a book conservator and ask her!

3pmackey
Apr 26, 2017, 9:34 am

>1 cbellia: Oil spill or not, I'm green with envy. I have to confess, though, that old books would be wasted on me because I don't have the resources to maintain them. I think the oldest I have is from circa 1850s/60s, a collection of Starks sermons my brother gave me.

4cbellia
Apr 26, 2017, 5:17 pm

Thanks for the advice. I will try the white eraser. The spill seems as old as the book. I'm afraid the pumice will remove the copy as well as the oil. I'll report my successas soon as It occurrs

5cbellia
Apr 27, 2017, 11:24 am

to pmackey: repairing and maintaining antiquarian books is a nice hobby. Think of yourself as the latest caretaker of the bok and try to pass it on in good condition.

6pmackey
Modificato: Apr 27, 2017, 12:34 pm

>5 cbellia: I do try to take care of the books I have for some future generation. I just don't have the facilities or resources to collect really old books and manuscripts. I feel guilty because much of my library is in boxes in the basement. So, I just have to live vicariously through you!

7papyri
Apr 27, 2017, 8:36 pm

If you are looking for conservation information you may want to check out CoOL (Conservation Online).

It is a freely accessible platform providing information and resources for those working to preserve cultural heritage worldwide.

Vellum is more difficult to clean or repair than paper and less forgiving if you make a mistake. If you are not a professional, you are probably better off not messing with it or reach out to a professional conservator for the work or advice, especially if it is something of value.

8cbellia
Apr 29, 2017, 4:01 pm

thank you for the referral to coCl. A very helpful site. After reading some long articles It convinced me that by task is better left to a professional. But I will keep reading.

9varielle
Mag 12, 2023, 11:24 am

Resurrecting because today I acquired an old book bound in white vellum. It’s generally dirty with some sticker residue on the spine. What’s the best way to freshen it up with out damage?

10mr.philistine
Mag 16, 2023, 4:25 am

>9 varielle: Dry eraser and whole milk techniques discussed on the GMD forum here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/332259#7510449

Since the above post does not specify which creature produced the milk, a Google search suggested sheep milk to be the most nutritious milk.

Sheep milk contains about one-third more energy than cow or goat milk. It has double the protein and much more of the right kinds of fats, vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc while being lower in sodium. It has more than twice as much Vitamin C, and double or triple the other essential vitamins. Importantly, it also has more folic acid (folate).

The fat globules in sheep milk are smaller than those in either cow or goat milk so the milk is more homogeneous. The smaller fat globules are often more easily digested and less likely to cause high cholesterol.
Source: https://bellwetherfarms.com/simple-faqs/why-is-sheep-milk-yogurt-good-for-me-wha...

11Andy_Dingley
Mag 16, 2023, 11:01 am

16th century vellum books should only be cleaned by experts.

If you are not an expert, you should become at least approximately one before touching it. Practice on other vellum first.

12varielle
Mag 17, 2023, 2:09 pm

I used the dry eraser and it looks fine. I’ve ordered some of the British Museum’s leather book dressing to keep it that way.