LACE Parchment Workshop​
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Instructor: Abigail Quandt, Head of Book and Paper Conservation, The Walters Art Museum (Retired)
 
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The LACE Parchment Workshop was hosted at the SUNY Buffalo State University. The week-long course was led by Abigail Quandt, Head of Book and Paper Conservation at the Walters Art Museum. The curriculum and practicum involved the following: 

Day 1

Morning Lecture 1: Terminology, skin structure, and manufacture of parchment

Morning Lecture 2: Use, reuse, and damage throughout history 

Practicum: Examination of parchment 

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Day 2 

Morning Lecture: Deterioration of parchment and treatment methods 

Practicum: Surface cleaning, humidification and flattening

• Surface cleaning

  • Dry cleaning: cosmetic sponges, vinyl erasers, eraser crumbs, etc. 

  • Poultice cleaning: methylcellulose (2% and 5%), Laponite (5%), Gellan gum (4% low acyl and 1% high acyl)

• Humidification and flattening: 

  • Pinning and clipping, using magnets, blotter stack​

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Day 3

Morning Lecture: Parchment repair methods 

Practicum: Demonstration and practice of common repair techniques

• Techniques

  • Parchment lacing ​

  • Sewing thread 

  • Zipper technique 

• Repair materials

  • Parchment patches 

  • Goldbeaters skin 

  • Remoistenable tissue - 1:1 MC/ WSP

• Adhesives​

  • Gelatin (6-8%, liquid and mousse)​

  • Aquazol 500 (10% in ethanol)

  • Klucel G (4 % in water and 2% in ethanol)

  • Wheat starch paste 

  • Isinglass​​

Day 4

Morning Lecture: Mounting and housing parchment books and artifacts 

Practicum: Hinging and mounting 

• Paper hinges, thread mats, false margins

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Funds were generously provided by the Winterthur/ University of Delaware Dr. Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Award.