Paper and Water

IMPORTANT NOTE: The book bears the imprint of the (former) Fachbuchhandlung Siegl GmbH, Munich, Germany and its old ISBN. As this bookdealing company has stopped to exist after the sudden death of its proprietor, both the German and English version are now distributed by Verlag Dr. Christian Müller-Straten, Munich, Germany.

Revised edition of the compendium for conservation professionals involved in the preservation of paper artifacts in archives, libraries and fine art museums. The global team of experts explain the principal interactions between paper and water, a topic of primary importance for every conservator working with paper artifacts and other cellulose-based materials. The work integrates knowledge from the different disciplines of paper engineering, conservation science and conservation practice, and includes video animations on DVD. It will serve as the reference book for anyone collecting, handling, storing and preserving paper objects.

The work integrates knowledge from the different disciplines of paper engineering, conservation science and conservation practice, and will serve as a textbook in a rapidly expanding profession that has virtually no customized education literature.

Water is present when paper is made. It contributes to its deterioration and serves many essential functions when deteriorated paper is treated by conservators. Drawing on paper industry and science research, Paper and Water examines the relationship between paper and water. Throughout the book, theoretical information concerning basic principles that underlie the interaction of paper and water is presented in close association with practical information that informs the reader about mechanisms that govern conservation procedures.

Topics discussed in the book include: structure and properties of dry and wet paper; structure and properties of water; paper production steps relevant to the interaction between paper and water; influence of humid climate conditions on the deterioration of paper; principles of aqueous deacidification; preparation and use of aqueous solutions, methods of treating paper with water, as well as factors influencing their effectiveness; mechanisms of drying paper during its production; methods of drying paper in conservation; historical and ethical dimensions of aqueous treatment in paper conservation.

Taking its inspiration from undergraduate and graduate science education textbooks, and tested widely through use in workshops with students and specialist professionals in both Europe and USA, this book is highly illustrated to make learning an efficient and pleasurable experience. Visual material exclusively produced for this publication includes video animations, laboratory videos, and key references which appear on an accompanying DVD