James Monteith (1831-1890) was an American cartographer and educator. His geography textbooks were published widely from the 1850s onward, and provided some of the most readily available reference maps in the nineteenth century. Monteith's first published books were small volumes such as Youth's Manual of Geography and First Lessons in Geography. This particular copy of First Lessons in Geography belonged to Elizabeth Griffiths Smith Hopper (1854-1935), the mother of the American realist painter, Edward Hopper (1882-1967). The copy is in fair condition. The textblock had tears and losses through out, and the edges and corners of the front and back boards were delaminating. 

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Treatment Overview

• The cover and textblock were surface cleaned using cosmetic sponges and a soft brush, avoiding sensitive media. 

• Vulnerable tears and losses were mended using toned mulberry paper and a mixture of wheat starch paste and methyl cellulose. 

• The delaminating corners and edges of the front and back board were consolidated with wheat starch paste, and toned mulberry paper was laid over the exposed board. 

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