This beautiful, large and rare map, (‘Plan of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead’ by John Wood, engraved by W.Murphy, Edinburgh, 1827) required treatment to improve its appearance, stabilise its condition and to ensure the heavy undulations did not return.
While the map would have benefitted from the removal of its original stiff and soiled linen backing, this would have been a labour-intensive treatment. The map was soon to be re-sold and with this in mind, a more minimal treatment to improve the maps’ condition was agreed.
Treatment
Dry surface cleaning, humidifying to relax undulations, provision of a custom, conservation-grade storage roll of appropriate width and with a protective wrapper.
Before Conservation
Map showing extensive surface dirt and undulations from storage on a narrow roll.
After Conservation
The cleaned map lies flat after pressing.
Raking light view
Zoe Finlay Paper Conservation 