Re: Climate-control environment for paintings

["Ashley McGrew" <AMcGrew@getty.edu>]

Hello All,
Regardless of what material you choose for the backboard (we use
stainless steel) there is one material that is coming into common use
that is worth checking out. It is metal foil tape. Most common is
aluminum foil 2" wide with a very stable acrylic adhesive. Since it is a
foil it provides an excellent vapor barrier and it forms to fit into the
rabbet better than say - marvelseal combined with an appropriate double
sided tape used by some folks.
I've seen a 3M version in Museum use but I have also heard that the
same type tape commonly found at your local building supply has
comparable characteristics.
As always, with any material you intend to use in proximity to art
objects it is advisable to buy by the batch and then have it oddy
tested.   
This is really nifty stuff and can achieve a seal approaching properly
heat sealed marvel seal. I have used in numerous settings. If you or the
conservator(s) at your museum have any questions please don't hesitate
to call.
Good luck,



T. Ashley McGrew
Lead Preparator
J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive 
Los Angeles, CA  90049-1687
Phone 310-440-6424
Fax 310-440-7741
amcgrew@getty.edu

>>> <NYConsnFdn@aol.com> 08/09/06 11:28 AM >>>
There is SO MUCH  already done on this!  Check out for instance: 

JAIC 1997, Volume 36, Number 2, Article 1 (pp. 95 to 107) ... FRAME AS
THE 
PRIMARY HOUSING LAURENT S. G. SOZZANI ABSTRACT&mdash;This article
describes an 
economically designed microclimate vitrine for panel paintings, which
can be 
easily produced in-house with minimal aesthetic compromise to the
paintings. The 
design uses the picture's frame as the primary ...
45260 bytes 

Even if not using Sozzani's specific design, the basic design factors
are 
there.

http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/  is the searchable online AIC Journal.

And,  wasnt  there a microclimate vitrine design in one of the  PACIN 
publications from late 80s/ early 90s?

Best wishes

John

John Scott 
New York Conservation Foundation
www.NYCF.org