Documentation et caractérisation de l'état de dégradation de peaux de mammifères: évaluation d'un corpus conservé au Musée d'histoire naturelle de Neuchâtel par Goetz (2016)

Anne-Catherine Goetz, Documentation et caractérisation de l'état de dégradation de peaux de mammifères: évaluation d'un corpus conservé au Musée d'histoire naturelle de Neuchâtel, Mémoire de Bachelor: Haute Ecole Arc Santé et Conservation-Restauration, Neuchâtel, 2016, oai:doc.rero.ch:20161115142353-AC

URL (RERO DOC Digital Library, Open access)

Résumé:

La taxidermie est l’art de mettre en forme une peau animale en lui donnant l'apparence de la vie, tout en assurant sa conservation. Cela va de la préparation de la peau de l’animal jusqu’à son montage. Le choix et l’application des méthodes de préparation de la peau sont des étapes primordiales et déterminantes, car ce sont elles qui vont conditionner la stabilité du spécimen sur le long terme. Une grande part des peaux conservées dans les musées d’histoire naturelle sont dans un mauvais état de conservation. Dans les pires des cas, la perte des spécimens est totale. Leur dégradation entraîne la modification des données qualitatives et quantitatives nécessaires à leur étude. Ils perdent ainsi leur rôle scientifique et de ce fait, la valeur pour laquelle ils sont conservés dans les musées. Cette étude a pour objectif d’évaluer l’état de dégradation d’un corpus de 17 peaux plates (non montées) de mammifères, conservées au Musée d’histoire naturelle de Neuchâtel. Pour ce faire, nous avons d’abord effectué un examen visuel des spécimens à l’oeil nu, puis des fibres de collagène avec la microscopie optique. Nous avons également déterminé les méthodes de préservation des peaux grâce aux observations macroscopiques, mais aussi au moyen d’analyses par spectrométrie de fluorescence X et par spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier. L’ensemble des résultats, couplés à la détermination de la température de rétraction des spécimens, nous ont permis de déterminer les mécanismes et l’état de dégradation de chaque peau et de les corréler avec leur méthode de préparation. Au terme de l’étude, nous avons établi que 47% des peaux étudiées sont dans un état de conservation inacceptable. De plus, 40% des spécimens ne peuvent plus faire l’objet de traitements aqueux, au risque de subir une dénaturation complète. Ils sont également très sensibles à des taux élevés d’humidité. Au vu de ces résultats, nous avons brièvement rappelé les conditions de conservation adaptées à de telles collections. Celles-ci ne font toutefois que ralentir leur dégradation. Les résultats montrent donc l’importance de poursuivre les recherches dans le domaine de la conservation des spécimens d’histoire naturelle, afin de trouver des solutions pour leur stabilisation et leur conservation sur le long terme.

Abstract:
The taxidermy is the art of shaping an animal skin to give it the appearance of life, while ensuring its preservation. This goes from the preparation of the skin to its mounting. The choice and application of skin preservation methods are essential and decisive stages, because they will influence the stability of the specimen in the long term. A large share of skins stored in museums of natural history are in poor condition. In the worst cases, the loss of the specimens is total. Their deterioration changes the qualitative and quantitative evidences for their study. They lose their scientific function and therefore the value for which they are stored in museums. The aim of this study is to assess the state of degradation of 17 flat skins (unmounted) of mammals stored in the Museum of Natural History in Neuchâtel. For this purpose, we first performed a visual inspection to the naked eye and collagen fibers with optical microscopy. We also determined the processing techniques of skins through macroscopic observation but also using X-ray fluorescence analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All the results, coupled with the determination of the shrinkage temperature allowed us to determine the mechanism and the state of degradation of each skin. They are then correlated with their processing technique. At the end of the study, we found that 47% of the skins are in an unacceptable state of preservation. Furthermore, 40% of the specimens can no longer be subject to aqueous treatment, without the risk of a complete denaturation. They are also very sensitive to high humidity. Given these results, we have summarized storage conditions adapted to the preservation of such collections. However, they only slow down the deterioration. The results show therefore the importance of further researches in the field of preservation of natural history specimens, to find solutions for their stabilization and preservation in the long term.

Caractérisation des effets de la chaleur sur des cuirs de tannage végétal et développement d’une stratégie de restauration par voie enzymatique par Izquierdo (2015)

Izquierdo, Eléonore, Caractérisation des effets de la chaleur sur des cuirs de tannage végétal et développement d’une stratégie de restauration par voie enzymatique, PhD thesis, Université de Cergy Pontoise, 2015. 

URL / PDF (HAL)

Resumé:

L'exposition à la chaleur, notamment lors d'incendies est particulièrement dévastatrice et dans le cas d'objets du patrimoine elle entraine la destruction de tout ou partie de ces témoins du passé. Notre étude porte sur les effets de la chaleur sur le cuir, matériau largement présent dans les collections patrimoniales. A ce jour, aucune méthode de restauration permettant d'inverser les effets de la chaleur n'a été développée. Le premier objectif de notre étude est d'évaluer les effets d'une exposition à une chaleur sèche par une caractérisation systématique d'échantillons avant et après exposition à la chaleur. Des échantillons modèles, issus d'une même peau de veau de tannage végétal connu, ont été utilisés et caractérisés à différentes échelles structurales par un large ensemble de techniques physico-chimiques et biochimiques avant et après chauffage.Au-delà du brunissement et de la rétraction visible du cuir, la chaleur induit de nombreuses altérations au niveau de la structure du matériau, notamment, une perte de masse, une fonte des structures cristallines, une augmentation de l'hydrophobie ainsi qu'une rigidification. Une partie de ces changements sont attribués à l'agrégation protéique mise en évidence par cette recherche.Le second objectif était de développer une méthode de restauration innovante basée sur l'utilisation de molécules biologiques afin de respecter la nature de l'objet. Des enzymes de type protéase, capables de rompre les agrégats protéiques ont été utilisées. Un des défis est d'apporter suffisamment d'eau, nécessaire pour l'activité de l'enzyme, sans mouiller le cuir pour éviter tout dommage supplémentaire. Plusieurs supports d'application de la protéase ont été testés. Avec une émulsion enzymatique les résultats obtenus ne mettent en évidence ni coloration, ni rétraction et dans certains cas un gain de souplesse est observé. Des résultats encourageants ont également été obtenus dans le cas d'un cuir de veau historique (XIXe siècle). Des mesures complémentaires ont fait attribuer ces propriétés principalement à l'émulsion elle-même, cependant des mesures à plus long terme semblent mettre en évidence un effet positif de l'enzyme sur le gain de souplesse. Sous réserve de nouvelles caractérisations à des temps plus longs, le traitement élaboré pourrait constituer un nouveau support de restauration par voie biologique.

A comparative study of Roman-period leather from northern Britain by Douglas (2015)

Douglas, Charlotte R., A comparative study of Roman-period leather from northern Britain, MPhil(R) Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2015.

URL (University of Glasgow Theses)

Abstract:

This thesis draws together all of the data on Roman-period leather from northern Britain and conducts a cohesive assessment of past research, current questions and future possibilities. The study area comprises Roman sites on or immediately to the south of Hadrian’s Wall and all sites to the north. Leather has been recovered from 52 Roman sites, totalling at least 14,215 finds comprising manufactured goods, waste leather from leatherworking and miscellaneous/unidentifiable material. This thesis explores how leather and leather goods were resourced, processed, manufactured and supplied across northern Britain. It considers the potential of inscriptions and stamps to provide insights into the leather trade. It also considers the contribution that the study of footwear might make to our understanding of the demography of Roman settlements, shedding light in particular on evidence which suggests that military communities may have been more diverse than previously thought, and that there were women and children living on the northern fringes of the empire long before the Antonine Wall and its civilian communities were established.

Classification of finishing tools in Greek bookbinding by Sarris (2010)

Sarris, Nikolas; Classification of finishing tools in Greek bookbinding: establishing links from the Library of St Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt. PhD thesis, University of the Arts London (2010).

URL (UAL Repository)

Abstract:
The thesis examines the decoration of Greek bookbinding, through the study of the leather-covered bindings from the monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, Egypt.
The manuscript collection is remarkable for the variety of binding styles that represent mainly Greek but also other bookbinding traditions, including Georgian. Syrian and Eastern European. The examination of the decorative motifs tooled on the leather covered bindings aims to identify the style and characteristics of bookbinding at the monastery. Moreover, links between and evidence for specific bindings and the manuscripts they contain are established by grouping them and relating them to specific binders and bookbinding workshops. The workshops of the monastery are examined in parallel with groups of bindings that were imported into the monastery. The extent to which the trade in books and the circulation of binding techniques between the monastery and the west was a reflection of the relations of the monastery with its dependencies is also explored.
Rubbings of the approximately 5500 tool impressions on the 1195 decorated bindings have provided the core research material. They have been identified, classified and organized into a descriptive electronic database. Imaging techniques have been developed to compare the scanned impressions, which permitted the identification of impressions of the same finishing tools. Based on the identity of their decorative tools and on the process of comparison of their structural features, a number of the bindings have been ascribed to a total of 70 specific workshops, whose dates and origins are explored. 16 of these workshops - nine from the monastery of St Catherine and seven from elsewhere, which produced bindings imported to the monastery, are discussed analytically. In addition to that, 40 original bookbinding finishing tools were discovered at the monastery during this research, which have provided invaluable material for our understanding of the tooling methods and particularities of decorated book covers at the monastery.
The largest corpus of finishing tools used on Greek bindings to date has been compiled to provide a reference tool which will aid future research on Greek bookbinding.

Toward the standardization of use-wear studies: constructing an analogue to prehistoric hide work by Wiederhold (2004)

Wiederhold, James Edward; Toward the standardization of use-wear studies: constructing an analogue to prehistoric hide work. Master's thesis in Anthropology, Texas A&M University (2004).
URL (OAKTrust)

Abstract:

This thesis is a use-wear study that deals with microwear on stone endscrapers used on one worked material: animal skins. The first part of the study defines and describes the process of rendering freshly skinned pelts into functional leather or rawhide products, addressing confusing terminology found in the literature as well. Problems with past use-wear experiments dealing with animal skins are also confronted and explained. The second part of the study examines endscrapers used to flesh and dehair bison hides and compares the use-wear traces left on the tool edge by each activity. This suite of characteristics is then compared to those found on an assemblage of Clovis-age scrapers from the Gault site in central Texas.

Evaluation of Consolidants for the Treatment of Red Rot on Vegetable Tanned Leather by Mahony (2014)

Caitlin Carol Mahony, Evaluation of Consolidants for the Treatment of Red Rot on Vegetable Tanned Leather: The Search for a Natural Material Alternative, Master of Arts Thesis in Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials, Los Angeles, University of California, 2014.

URL / PDF

Abstract: 

Inspired by an interest in finding both a natural material alternative as well as a successful treatment approach to powdering leather surfaces on a Native American object, a comparative study of two novel treatment materials and two established consolidants for leather with red rot was undertaken. Natural material consolidants have been demonstrated to be preferred by tribal members for use on materials other than leather. One of the materials tested as a potential consolidant was neri, an aqueous mucilage most commonly extracted from the roots of the aibika plant that is used in the traditional production of Japanese paper. The other material selected was chitosan, the main derivative of the natural polymer chitin, which has recently been applied in treatments of archaeological silk and paper. The performance of these potential materials as leather consolidants was compared against the performance of established modified organic consolidants, i.e. mixtures of Cellugel and Klucel G with the acrylic wax SC6000. The study focused on evaluating each material's consolidation performance, the visual and physical changes observed on the leather, and the chemical stability of the consolidant following heat and light aging. Although neri proved to have excellent chemical stability, it is not recommended for leather due to unavoidable water content and unsatisfactory working properties. Though chitosan had no adverse effects towards the appearance and feel of the leather, it is not recommended as a consolidant until further research is conducted on its chemical stability. The Klucel G with SC6000 mixture had great application properties but the wax component is questionable due to the opacity change of the aged wax. Cellugel demonstrated the most desirable properties in performance and chemical stability; therefore it was selected as the consolidant for the treatment on the Native American object. Experimental results indicate that the natural materials evaluated may be recommended as alternatives to synthetic consolidants following additional research.

Alterations within the structural hierarchy of parchment induced by damage mechanisms by Thomas (2009)

Katherine Thomas, Alterations within the structural hierarchy of parchment induced by damage mechanisms, PhD Thesis on Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, 2009.
URL / PDF (ORCA)

Abstract:

Collagen plays an important role in many biological tissues, including skin, which, once dried and treated, forms parchment and leather. The structural alterations that occur in collagenous materials due to X-ray radiation damage, fluctuation of relative humidity, and mechanical deformation (with a special focus on historical parchment) are the focus of this thesis. The primary aim of this thesis is to investigate major structural changes to collagen within parchment when exposed to inappropriate levels of relative humidity during conservation treatments, and cyclic-humidity during long-term storage in archives, museums and libraries. This study led to the discovery that each parchment sample reacted to the application and removal of moisture in a different way, indicating the fundamental need to treat individual parchment documents as in-homogeneous materials. This thesis investigates the changes that fibrillar collagen undergoes and describes the creation of computational models capable of reproducing the X-ray diffraction patterns for collagen. Previous structural models have been created that sufficiently account for native collagen, however, models created as part of this thesis succeed where previous models have failed in explaining the X-ray diffraction patterns collected from damaged collagen. This study provided the opportunity to contribute towards a large-scale international collaborative project on the hugely important historical resource, the Domesday Book. X-ray diffraction was used to provide unprecedented analysis of Domesday Book samples, providing a structural survey at a molecular level. This analysis produced the conclusion that the majority of samples displayed the presence of collagen axial structure, and were generally of a degraded state as a consequence of the method used to source them the samples were scrapings from the surface, which was less intact than the bulk of the parchment.

Experiments in Cuir Bouilli by Levin (2014)

Samuel James Levin, Experiments in Cuir Bouilli: Practical Trials of Medieval Leathercraft,  BA Thesis on Archaeology, Wesleyan University, 2014.

URL / PDF

Abstract:

This thesis pursues an experimental investigation of cuir bouilli, a particular form of hardened leather used as armor in medieval Europe. In this exploration, I have produced a sample group of 30 distinct varieties of cuir bouilli. These samples represent the most commonly theorized and scientifically grounded production methods of this historic medium. Using a series of armor specific tests, broadly encapsulating the abuse of arrow fire, blunt force trauma, and slashing, I have measured the performance of each cuir bouilli sample. The data gathered from these tests can be used to infer physical properties about each sample, revealing the essential effects of each hardening method. Moreover, these tests indicate how cuir bouilli might have functioned in actual armor use. They demonstrate strengths and weaknesses of each variety, offering reasons for their eventual abandonment in certain contexts and the roles they might have continued to play in others.

Die Lederwaren-Industrie in Offenbach am Main und Umgebung von Hager (1905)

Hager, Ludwig; Die Lederwaren-Industrie in Offenbach am Main und Umgebung, Dissertation zur Erlangung der akademischen Doktorwürde einer Hohen Philosophischen Fakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Heidelberg (1905)
URL (InternetArchive)

A comparative study on surface treatments in conservation of dry leather, with focus on silicone oil by Ludwick (2012)

Ludwick, Lena, A comparative study on surface treatments in conservation of dry leather, with focus on silicone oil, BA/Sc thesis, Goteborg, Göteborgs Universitet, 2012

PDF

Abstract:

In the museums, private collections and historical houses, there is a wealth of leather artifacts, in various need of conservation. The treatment options, however, are few, and all with their drawbacks. This thesis aims to evaluate silicone oil as a surface treatment for dry leather, in comparison to two other treatments, Klucel G and British Museum leather dressing (BML). The study shows that the silicone oil treatment yields satisfactory results, and the literature and previous studies have indicated superior long term characteristics. Klucel G gave less than satisfactory results, but has better long term characteristics than the BML, though the BML also had satisfactory direct results. The chemical composition, tanning and deterioration of leather are also described The properties and chemical composition of the silicone oil treatment are reviewed and discussed. The treatment consists of three components: the silicone oil, a cross-linker and a catalyst. They create an internal scaffolding in the cell wall, stabilizing the cellular structure. The biggest drawback of the silicone oil treatment is that it is non-reversible, and that has to be factored in to any decision made to conserve an object. The ethical implications are discussed, and the decision whether or not to use the silicone oil treatment should be done on a case-to-case basis, weighing in all factors.

The boot and shoe trades in London and Paris in the long eighteenth century by Riello (2002)

Riello, Giorgio; The boot and shoe trades in London and Paris in the long eighteenth century, Doctoral thesis, University of London (2002)

URL

Abstract:

This thesis examines the evolution of pre-industrial shoemaking in London and Paris between the 1680s and the 1850s, treating this period as a whole. The relevance of these two cities is based on the international role they played in the clothing sector. Both cities not only dominated national manufacturing, but were able to influence the standard of production and European fashion. My research aims to construct a comparison of the two productive centres leading to a contrasting study of pre-conditions, strategies and influences in shoemaking. The starting point is a broad view of the 'regulative framework' of the sector: the importance of the raw material market (leather and textiles) and the role of guilds, their organisation and their control of the market. A chapter dedicated to consumption explores the relationship between the London shoe market and the influence of Parisian fashion. The interest in consumption is motivated also by the debate on what economic and social historians consider to be 'mass production' as the other face of 'mass consumption'. A chapter dedicated to retailing tries to link consumption to production. My research is then focused on a study of the organisation of production in the two cities. Different typologies of producers are related to different consumer choices showing how new consumer practices and retailing facilities re-shaped production. Finally the link between fashion changes and marketing techniques (for instance the use of sizes, brands or the distinction between right and left shoes) is a fruitful field of comparative research. The last two chapters of the thesis focus on the first half of the nineteenth century. Particular attention is dedicated to the importation into England of large quantities of women's shoes from France. The crisis that the London sector faced after 1815 explains a series of changes in the market and in the role played by the British metropolis in directing the sector. Very different appears to be the Parisian case, where provincial producers flourished only after the mechanisation of the sector. By the 1850s mechanisation meant the beginning of a new phase in the trade.

El gremio cordobés de guadamecileros y su producción durante los siglos XVI y XVII por Alors Bersabé (2012)

Alors Bersabé, Teresa Mª;  El gremio cordobés de guadamecileros y su producción durante los siglos XVI y XVII, Tesis doctoral en Patrimonio, Departamento de Historia del Arte, Arqueología y Música, Universidade de Córdoba (2012)

URL / PDF

Mumien in Museen von Bigna Ludwig (2006)

Bigna Ludwig, Mumien in Museen. Aspekte zu Besitz, ethischem Umgang, Konservierung und Ausstellung am Beispiel einer peruanischen Kindermumie aus den Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim, Diplomarbeit Institut für Restaurierungs- und Konservierungswissenschaft Fakultät Kulturwissenschaften der Fachhochschule Köln, 2006

URL

Kurzzusammenfassung:

Die Fragestellung zum ethisch korrekten Umgang mit Mumien in Museen, insbesondere bei Konservierung, Restaurierung, Lagerung und Ausstellung, wurde der Methodik der Angewandten Ethik folgend untersucht. Die Sichtweisen der unterschiedlichen Disziplinen, die einen beruflichen Umgang mit Mumien haben, wurden dargestellt. Eine ­Entscheidungsfindungsstrategie wurde entwickelt, die dem Konservator/Restaurator hilft, ein adäquates Maßnahmenkonzept zu erstellen. Als Grundlage diente das niederländische „Decision-Making-Model“ aus dem Bereich der Konservierung moderner Kunst. Die praktische Umsetzung der erarbeiteten Entscheidungsfindungshilfe erfolgte anhand einer peruanischen Kindermumie aus den Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim. Mit Hilfe der entwickelten Strategie wurde ein Maßnahmenkonzept erstellt. Vorgeschlagen wird eine passgenaue Lager- und Ausstellungsstütze aus biokompatiblem Material, hergestellt mittels rapid prototyping. Material und Technik kommen aus der Medizin und berücksichtigen somit das ehemalige Menschsein der Mumie.

Abstract:

Different professional disciplines are dealing with mummies in museums. They have different professional interests and different opinions about the correct way to deal with mummies. It’s important not only to know the ethical guidelines of one’s own profession but also to look at the situation from different points of view. Furthermore it was considered to be helpful to have a strategy for decision-making in conservation. The dutch “Decision-Making-Model“ for conservation of contemporary art was adapted to mummies in museums. It was then applied to a peruvian child mummy from the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen in Mannheim, resulting in a conservation concept. Proposed was a storage and display mount fabricated with rapid prototyping technique from biocompatible material. This method is used in medical surgery and thus is taking account of the mummy’s original humanity.

Goldleder zwischen 1500 und 1800 - Herstellung und Erhaltung, Schulze (2010)

Andreas Schulze, Goldleder zwischen 1500 und 1800 - Herstellung und Erhaltung, Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Geisteswissenschaften im Studiengang Kunsttechnologie, Konservierung und Restaurierung von Kunst- und Kulturgut, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden, 2010

PDF1 / PDF 2

Zusammenfassung

Für die Entwicklung geeigneter Strategien und Methoden zur Erhaltung von Kunstund Kulturgut ist die detaillierte Kenntnis der ursprünglichen Herstellungsverfahren und der verwendeten Materialien eine unverzichtbare Voraussetzung.

Im Falle des Goldleders gerieten diese Kenntnisse gegen Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts vollständig in Vergessenheit. Die Wiederentdeckung der Herstellungsdetails war das Hauptanliegen der vorliegenden Arbeit. Dazu wurden 27 Quellenschriften zu den verschiedenen Aspekten der Goldlederherstellung aus Spanien, Italien, den Niederlanden, England, Frankreich und Deutschland ausgewertet. Der Schwerpunkt lag dabei auf der Blütezeit des Goldleders vom Beginn des 16. bis zum Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts, wobei aber auch einige mittelalterliche Quellen zu den frühen Anfängen oder Vorläufern des „klassischen“ Goldleders mit einbezogen wurden.

Die gewonnenen Informationen wurden durch ein Nachvollziehen der Handlungsanweisungen für alle Herstellungsschritte des Goldleders in der Praxis überprüft und mit den erhaltenen Goldledertapeten im Schloss Moritzburg, aber auch mit bereits abgeschlossenen Untersuchungen anderer Stücke verglichen.

Eine weitere wichtige Zielrichtung dieser Arbeit bestand darin, die aus den historischen Quellen sowie der Untersuchung des vorhandenen Goldlederbestandes zu gewinnenden materialspezifischen und herstellungstechnischen Erkenntnisse sowohl für die Entwicklung komplexer Erhaltungsstrategien als auch für konkrete Konservierungs- beziehungsweise Restaurierungsmethoden nutzbar zu machen.

Abstract

A detailed knowledge of the original techniques of manufacture and of the used materials is essentially for the development of suitable strategies and methods for the preservation of cultural heritage.

In the case of gilt leather these skills had been lost completely at the end of the 18th century. The aim of the presented work was the rediscovery of the lost knowledge.

For this purpose 27 written sources about the different aspects of gilt leather production from Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Germany had been analysed. The emphasis of these researches was placed on the period of flowering of gilt leather between the beginning of the 16th and the end of the 18th century. Nevertheless some medieval art technological sources to the early roots or predecessors of the “classical” gilt leather have been included into account.

The results of these researches have been verified in practice by the reconstruction of the historic descriptions for all steps of gilt leather manufacture and compared also with the results of the scientific examination of the original gilt leather wallhangings of Moritzburg castle and similar objects.

Another important aim of this work was it, to use the rediscovered art technological knowledge, which could be obtained by the examination of the historic sources and of the original objects, for the development of complex strategies and concrete methods for the conservation-restoration of gilt leather objects in general.

Die Kollagenmatrix archäologischer Funde im Vergleich zu künstlich gealterten Ledermustern historischer Gerbverfahren von Bernhard Trommer (2004)

Bernhard Trommer, Die Kollagenmatrix archäologischer Funde im Vergleich zu künstlich gealterten Ledermustern historischer Gerbverfahren, PhD Dissertation, Fakultät für Werkstoffwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnologie der Technischen Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (2004)
PDF

Abstract:

Ausgangspunkt der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit bildet eine Recherche historischer Leder- und Gerbarten. Die Quellen wurden auf ihren technologischen Wahrheitsgehalt überprüft. Dazu wurden über 30 Rezepturen historischer Gerbarten entwickelt und halbtechnisch erprobt. Im Ergebnis entstanden Referenzleder, welche analysiert und experimentell auf ihr Alterungs- und Abbauverhalten untersucht wurden. Die klassischen Methoden der Lederprüfung, die Elektronenstrahlmikroskopie (SEM/ EDX), die UV- und FT-IR-Spektroskopie, RP-HPLC- sowie die DSC-Analyse wurden für die Untersuchung der Referenzleder benutzt und weiterentwickelt. Die Erkenntnisse aus Recherche, technologischer Rekonstruktion, Simulation und Analyse wurden an archäologischen Lederfunden evaluiert. Das Alter der untersuchten Funde umfaßt eine Zeitspanne von 100 bis 3.300 Jahren. Bei der Wahl der Objekte wurde auf ein unterschiedliches Fundortmilieu Wert gelegt, um die Auswirkungen typischer Standortbedingungen auf die Ledermatrix zu erforschen. 

El uso de la piel animal como soporte para obra gráfica original por Martínez Garcia (2006)

Martínez Garcia, Óscar Juan; El uso de la piel animal como soporte para obra gráfica original, Tesis doctoral, Departamento de Dibujo, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (2006)
URL / PDF

Resumen:

Desde los albores de la humanidad, los cueros y pieles animales han sido utilizados por la práctica totalidad de las civilizaciones, tanto en utensilios de todo tipo, como dentro del campo de los objetos que podríamos denominar artísticos. La presencia de este material en el arte ha sido, sin embargo, secundaria y tangencial, pero es precisamente aquí donde la presente tesis centrará su atención, tratando de aportar nuevas perspectivas para los cueros como soportes artísticos dentro del mundo del grabado y la estampación. Para lograr tal objetivo, la investigación se ha dividido en cuatro grandes bloques aparentemente independientes, pero que al mismo tiempo se complementan para avanzar hacia una comprensión progresiva de las posibilidades plásticas que el soporte que nos ocupa puede ofrecer al estampador. El primero de ellos versa sobre las características generales del soporte, su histología, composición y curtido, así como los posibles problemas e inconvenientes que pueden surgir durante su manipulación. En el segundo apartado se analizan diferentes manifestaciones artísticas que han tenido al cuero como soporte para su realización, dividiéndolas entre Arte sobre piel, aquel en el que el cuero sirve como receptor de la obra, y Arte en piel, cuando el material que nos ocupa deja de ser un mero receptáculo para pasar a convertirse en parte constituyente de la obra plástica. Finalizados estos dos apartados eminentemente teóricos, la investigación se adentra en el campo de experimentación práctica, la cual está a su vez dividida en dos apartados. En el primero, se lleva a cabo una catalogación de diferentes tipos de cueros según su respuesta a la impresión con diversos procedimientos y técnicas de grabado y estampación (xilografía, calcografía, punta seca, transferencia y estezado), analizando los resultados obtenidos de manera objetiva para dilucidar qué pieles son las idóneas para avanzar en nuestra investigación. Por último, el apartado final de la presente tesis.

Abstract:
From the beginnings of humanity, leather and animal skins have been used by the vast majority of civilisations with a practical purpose, but also in the creation of objects that could be called artistic. Nevertheless, these materials have been present in Art in a secondary and tangential way. This thesis will focus its attention on this aspect, trying to furnish new prospects to the leather as an artistic support in the engraving and printing fields. For achieving that objective, the research has been divided into four main sections, apparently independent, which all together go forward to a progressive understanding of the plastic possibilities offered to the engraver by the object under consideration. The first of these sections turns on the general features of the support, its histology, composition and tanning, as well as the eventual problems and issues that could arise during its manipulation. The second one analyses several artistic manifestations having used leather as their main support. These will be split into two main groups: Art on leather, where the material is the holder of the work itself and Art of leather, where the material under study is not a mere receptacle any more but a constituent part of the plastic work. Concluded these two eminently theoretical sections, the research goes into the field of plastic experimentation, divided itself into two new sections. The first of them will classify the leathers according to their printing response to different engraving and printing methods and techniques (i.e. xylography, etching, dry point, embossing) analysing the results in an objective way in order to identify the best materials for the research. Finally, the very last section of the thesis is completely dedicated to the creation of a project for an original plastic work reflecting the conclusions obtained during the research and using the leathers not only as a support for the pieces, but as one of their creative elements. As a complement to the theoretical development of the work, all the printing samples using the different techniques have been included in an attached document. The statistical tables elaborated with the analysis of the results obtained during the cataloguing process have also been attached.

Impact of freeze treatment for insect eradication... by Vonderschmitt (2005)

Vonderschmitt, F.; Auswirkungen von Gefrierbehandlungen zur Schädlingsbekämpfung auf die physikalischen Eigenschaften von Schafsleder in unterschiedlichen Gerbungen, Diplomarbeit vorgelegt dem Institut für Restaurierungs- und Konservierungswissenschaft der Fachhochschule Köln (2005)
URL

Zusammenfassung: 
Als Alternative zu den bekannten chemischen Schädlingsbekämpfungsmethoden warden seit den 1970er Jahren im musealen Bereich auch tiefe Temperaturen angewandt. Dabei herrscht eine verwirrende Vielzahl unterschiedlichster Gefrierverfahren. Für die vorliegende Diplomarbeit wurden daraus zwei ausgewählt an deren Beispiel im experimentellen Teil der Arbeit untersucht wurde, inwiefern durch eine Gefrierbehandlung die physikalischen Materialeigenschaften von Schafsleder in unterschiedlichen Gerbungen beeinflusst werden. Zudem wurde geprüft ob die beiden Verfahren das Material unterschiedlich beeinflussen und ob eine wiederholte Gefrierbehandlung bei Objekten aus Leder ratsam ist.

Title in English: Impact of freeze treatment for insect eradication on the physical properties of sheep leather in different tannings.

Abstract:  
Low temperatures are chosen as an alternative to chemical insect eradication in museums since the 1970ies. Nowadays a great variety of freeze treatments is in use. Therefore two of them were chosen in this thesis to be tested for affecting physical properties of sheep leather with different tannings. The next step was to control whether they do affect physical properties of sheep leather differently from one another. Finally the use of multiple freeze treatment of items made of leather is discussed.

Skin processing technology in Eurasian Reindeer cultures by Klokkernes (2007)

Torunn Klokkernes, Skin processing technology in Eurasian Reindeer cultures: a comparative study in material science of Sàmi and Evenk methods – perspectives on deterioration and preservation of museum artefacts, PhD thesis, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, The School of Conservation (2007)

From the Introduction:
Being comfortably dressed and surviving the cold winters in the Eurasian arctic and sub arctic depends entirely on the clothing you are wearing. Maintaining body heat and being able to work up a sweat without the subsequent formation of icicles on the skin requires a material that insulates, yet breathes, and that is available to the indigenous peoples inhabiting these regions. This has been achieved through many generations by the use of reindeer skin and the ability to transform, through skin processing, raw reindeer skin into comfortable, serviceable, and yet beautiful clothing.
Skin processing in Eurasian reindeer cultures represents an important craft and economic activity essentially related to the women’s sphere. Skin processing has not been thoroughly described in the available literature, and the knowledge is not easily accessible from the artefacts themselves. As this project was taking shape, the importance of understanding the practical methodology of skin processing was recognized as a significant part of the study. In order to obtain this information, people who were familiar with the technology of skin and fur processing and who were willing to share their knowledge were contacted, mainly through local museum institutions. Their knowledge is interesting, not only from a technological or preservation point of view but also from a cultural and social point of view, as it conveys the history of past generations.

Challenges Concerning the Conservation of Fur by Mackert (2003)

Katharina Mackert, Pelz - Schadensbilder und -ursachen sowie Beiträge zur Restaurierbarkeit geschädigter Haarkleider, Diplomarbeit vorgelegt dem Institut für Restaurierungs- und Konservierungswissenschaft der Fachhochschule Köln (2003)
URL / PDF

Zusammenfassung:
Mit dieser Arbeit, die am Deutschen Ledermuseum in Offenbach am Main angefertigt wurde, wird ein Einstieg in die Problematik der Konservierung und Restaurierung von haarkleid-geschädigten Pelzobjekten geschaffen. Zu dieser Gruppe zählen insbesondere jene Objekte, die unter einer Schädigung durch Insektenfraß, an Haarbruch, Haarlässigkeit oder Pelzverlust leiden. Einleitend wird eine grundlegende Materialkenntnis vermittelt. Ein exemplarischer Schadenskatalog gibt sodann eine Übersicht über die häufigsten, haarkleidspezifischen Schäden. Nach der Erörterung der möglichen Schadensursachen wird eine Anleitung zur Erfassung der Schäden sowie des Materials und seines Erhaltungszustands geboten. Den konservatorischen Empfehlungen für Pelzobjekte folgt schließlich eine Wiedergabe des aktuellen Stands der Pelzrestaurierung. Abschließend werden die Vor- und Nachteile der bisher angewandten Maßnahmen diskutiert und deren Optimierbarkeit oder/und neue Lösungswege angedacht.

Title in English:  
Challenges concerning the conservation of fur.
Abstract:
This diploma work is based on research conducted at the German Leather Museum in Offenbach/Main. It serves to provide a discussion of the problems conserving and restoring fur materials whose hairs are damaged, especially those where the damage results from insect attack, from brittleness and breakage of hairs, hair slip or loss of fur. The work begins with a basic introduction to the material. This is followed by a collection of illustratory defects in order to provide an overview of the most frequent, fur-specific ones. After a discussion of their possible causes, information is provided which will be of use in the recording of the various defects, the materials and their condition. A discussion pertaining to the conservation of furs is then followed by information regarding the current level of knowledge of their restoration. In a debate on the pros and cons of methods previously used possible alternative solutions are discussed.