RCAF WD POSTER
Paper Conservation and Mounting
February - June 2016
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Found during construction at the Canadian Museum of Aerospace Defence, five WWII propaganda and recruitment posters arrived into Algonquin College for conservation. Selected for this extra curricular project, my classmates and I documented, conserved and mounted these posters for display in an 2017 exhibit entitled Handle With Care.
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At 92 x 51 cm, this project was a major undertaking. Missing a further 15 cm along the proper right side, this poster was mounted on an acidic backing board, water stained, and had numerous punctures and losses across its length. Full significance and condition assessments were completed per the museum's request.
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Treatment Pathway
Removal of surface dirt using soft bristle brushes, Wishab sponges, Staedler block erasers and granulated eraser
Acidic backing board mechanically reduced using a scalpel, leaving final 1-2mm to be separated during bathing
pH and colourfast testing
Bathing in warm distilled water to soften adhesive, separate and remove backing board
Successive baths in distilled water to remove soluble dirt and reduce staining where possible
Affixed to Kozo Kurotani Japanese paper secondary support with wheat starch paste, then dried
Losses infilled with Japanese tissue, and colour matching missing elements using acrylic latex paint
Create a bespoke compression sling mount using Mylar and acid free mat board
Documentation completed
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Total Time: 59 hours
