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Author Topic: Anyone Have A Clue?  (Read 426 times)
Deb D
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Anyone Have A Clue?
« on: Wednesday 14 May 08 01:20 BST (UK) »

I'm attaching a composite scan of an old lithograph (I think?) which has recently come into my possession.  It's too big to scan all in one go, so this is a partial copy, although the entire picture is here, I've just left out the backing card, which is quite dilapidated, and appears to have been taken out of a book of some sort. 
My grandmother had it rolled up inside an ancient piece of "Contact" (eek) (with the backing paper still on) ...which actually seems to have protected it a bit, although there are quite a few age spots on it. 
What I'd like to know is ... is it worth trying to get it restored, or conserved?
NB The only thing I've done, as far as adjusting or changing anything, is to play with the brightness and contrast a bit.  The original is looking a little grey and indistinct in places.

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Cheers
Deb


* grandmas_litho_sm.jpg (398.9 KB, 1000x1148 - viewed 179 times.)
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 02:05 BST (UK) »

Deb,

I think your best bet would be to take it to an art shop.  A search of the web only turns up one copy of this in the Morris Collection at Trent Univ.  But if yours is from a book, as you suspect, it probably doesn't have much intrinsic worth.

Charles West Cope (1811-1890) was a prolific artist.  Lots about him on the web.

Nick
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Deb D
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 02:09 BST (UK) »

Hi Nick -
Ooooh! Must look both those up!
Thanks for getting back to me  Smiley
Cheers
Deb
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Deb D
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 02:12 BST (UK) »

Ermmm on second thought, perhaps I should clarify ...
The print appears to have been mounted, in (serious) antiquity ... not sure whether the backing board is contemporary.  I don't know whether that makes any difference?

Cheers
Deb
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 04:40 BST (UK) »

Hi Deb  Smiley

It's really up to you to decide whether it's worth having it restored or conserved - as Nick says, it's probably not of much monetary value.  Conservation would cost probably a few hundred dollars/pounds.

If you wanted to tidy it up yourself, use a very soft brush (such as a large makeup brush) to remove dust etc. from the surface (both back and front).  If the print is curled, you can humidify it by placing it in the oven!

To do this, obviously leave the oven turned off!  Place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven, then put your print (rolled up or however it lies naturally) on a rack above the tray, with perhaps a towel or teatowel underneath it to protect it from anything that might transfer off the oven rack.  Shut the door and leave it for a few hours, checking every now and then.  It should start to slowly uncurl and relax back to a flat piece of paper.  It might not go completely flat.

When it's humidified as much as it's able, take it out, place it between some clean paper or cotton cloth, put a folded towel on top, then a flat weight of some sort (a couple of heavy books).  Let it dry for a day or two.

Hope that helps

Prue  Smiley
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 04:48 BST (UK) »

Now, that's interesting, Prue...I shall endeavour to place that in my hard drive for future reference Cheesy

Cheers,
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 05:17 BST (UK) »

I should have mentioned that you don't want the weight in that last stage to be too great - just enough to hold the paper flat.  And try to get untextured/finely textured cloth or paper to put the picture between, otherwise the weight may push the texture into your object (another reason for not having too much weight).

Did that make sense?  I feel like I'm babbling!  Must be afternoon tea time...
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Paper and Photograph Conservator
I live in NSW, and am researching:
BALFOUR (Derry) – BIGG (Kent) – BONSALL (DBY, NTT, CHS) – BRISBANE (Fife) – DANKS (STS) – DOBSON (BRK) – FRANCIS (ESS) – GOODE (HAM) – HAYNES (Cork) – INGRAM (MDX, SOM) – LANGWORTHY (Jersey, DEV) – MCKAY (Fife, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray, Inverness) – MORRISH (LND) – NANCARROW (CON) – OGILVIE (Moray, LND) – STRATHDEE (Banff) – SWAN (Fife) – WOOD (LND)
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 06:28 BST (UK) »

Useful bit of info for me to store in my grey matter too thanks Prue  Grin
Have lots of old posters haven't looked at for many moons.

mare
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Deb D
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 06:31 BST (UK) »

Thank you so much, to everyone who's posted replies!

Much appreciated (and will certainly have a go at straightening out the old print - heaps of thanks for the instructions)

Grin

Deb
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #9 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 07:30 BST (UK) »

You're welcome, everyone  Smiley

Mare, just be careful with any glossy posters (or any glossy papers) as they tend to stick to things when they get damp.  Gentle humidification as described should be OK, though.

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Paper and Photograph Conservator
I live in NSW, and am researching:
BALFOUR (Derry) – BIGG (Kent) – BONSALL (DBY, NTT, CHS) – BRISBANE (Fife) – DANKS (STS) – DOBSON (BRK) – FRANCIS (ESS) – GOODE (HAM) – HAYNES (Cork) – INGRAM (MDX, SOM) – LANGWORTHY (Jersey, DEV) – MCKAY (Fife, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray, Inverness) – MORRISH (LND) – NANCARROW (CON) – OGILVIE (Moray, LND) – STRATHDEE (Banff) – SWAN (Fife) – WOOD (LND)
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 08:36 BST (UK) »

You can get a perect original for $65 before you go out and spend much money.

http://www.snellsoftware.com/fineimpressionsgallery/Code/ShowDetails.asp?l=1&n=06070

Rog
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Deb D
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #11 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 13:38 BST (UK) »

Ooooh!

Thanks, Rog ... I did have a quick look around, but wasn't able to find either the Morris Collection, or the (relevant) Trent University ...

Meanwhile, my research did inform me that this is either an "etching" or an "engraving".  I'm insanely curious as to why on earth my grandmother hoarded - and for some reason, so valued - this thing!  I mean ... we knew she was a dotty little old lady ... but ... Huh

Incidentally ... can anyone explain to me why the artist's signature on this, looks more like that of Arthur Stockdale Cope, than of his father Charles West Cope?
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Deb D
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #12 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 13:45 BST (UK) »

By the way, Prue M: -

Do you use warm water, in the tray in the oven?

Huh
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #13 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 21:36 BST (UK) »

Just cold water, Deb  Smiley  You're not after steam, but rather water vapour - the invisible kind  Smiley

I might add that if your items are small enough and you have a rack that will fit, you can use the same technique and place objects into a plastic tub or tray, with wrung-out wet teatowels in the bottom.  You have to have a way of lifting the object up above the teatowels, so some kind of rack is necessary.  Use a lid, sheet of glass, or even cling film to seal the top and you have a humidity chamber.
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Paper and Photograph Conservator
I live in NSW, and am researching:
BALFOUR (Derry) – BIGG (Kent) – BONSALL (DBY, NTT, CHS) – BRISBANE (Fife) – DANKS (STS) – DOBSON (BRK) – FRANCIS (ESS) – GOODE (HAM) – HAYNES (Cork) – INGRAM (MDX, SOM) – LANGWORTHY (Jersey, DEV) – MCKAY (Fife, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray, Inverness) – MORRISH (LND) – NANCARROW (CON) – OGILVIE (Moray, LND) – STRATHDEE (Banff) – SWAN (Fife) – WOOD (LND)
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Re: Anyone Have A Clue?
« Reply #14 on: Wednesday 14 May 08 21:40 BST (UK) »

i must say... wow what a great picture,
i knew before scrolling down and reading the text it was the funeral of Chares the 1st
which is just what the artist wanted
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