The impact of manufacturing and conservation on silver leaf tarnishing in gilt leather

Marie Radepont (1) , Céline Bonnot-Diconne (2) , Laurianne Robinet (1) , Sylvie Thao (3) , Claire Pacheco (4) , Muriel Bouttemy (5) , Elise Delbos

1 CRC - Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation
2 2CRC - Centre de Conservation et de Restauration du Cuir
3 CRCC - Centre de Recherche pour la Conservation des Collections
4 C2RMF - Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France
5 ILV - Institut Lavoisier de Versailles

While the removal of corrosion products from silver surfaces without damage is not possible for gilt leather, improving our knowledge of the tarnishing of silver leaves and how to prevent it is essential. Silver tarnishing is common, generally localized, and, in extreme situations, total blackening of the silvered areas may occur, affecting the readability of the decors. In some cases, this degradation may be related to conservation interventions. This research investigates the role of the materials and environment interacting with the silver leaf, considering two stages in the life of these decors: manufacture and maintenance, including conservation.

Mots clés: tarnishing; silver leaf; gilt leather; burnishing; cleaning; atomic absorption spectroscopy; lubricants; py-GC/MS

Domaines: Chimie analytique; Matériaux

Marie Radepont, Céline Bonnot-Diconne, Laurianne Robinet, Sylvie Thao, Claire Pacheco, et al.. The impact of manufacturing and conservation on silver leaf tarnishing in gilt leather. ICOM-CC 18th Triennal Conference, Sep 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark. ⟨hal-02634934⟩