Academic thesis

Anne-Marei Hacke: Investigation into the Nature and Ageing of Tapestry Materials Back
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Overview:  
 
Photograph illustrating model and historic tapestry weave constructions.
Abstract: The study and conservation of tapestries are of vital importance to the preservation of our heritage. Colour fading and metal thread tarnishing are the most obvious signs of tapestry deterioration, yet the degradational processes affecting the tensile properties of the fibres are the determining factors for the lifetime of a tapestry on vertical display.
In 2002 an international project on the Monitoring of Damage in Historic Tapestries (MODHT), funded by the European Union, was set up with the overall objective of investigating and evaluating fibre damage with minimum impact, as described in Chapter 1.

The work for this thesis was conducted within the context of the MODHT project and included studies on natural dyestuffs, wool and silk fibres and metal threads.
Samples of historic tapestries, dating from the early 15th to the 17th centuries, were
studied along with model tapestry fabrics produced to mimic historic tapestries in terms of dye sources, dyeing recipes, wool and silk yarn specifications and fabric structure, detailed in Chapter 2.
The analytical techniques utilised in this thesis are described in Chapter 3 and comprised Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD).

Chapter 4 investigates the applicability of a non-extractive method, ToF-SIMS, for the identification of natural dyes and highlights the potentials and drawbacks of the technique. The analyses were generally successful for dried films of dyebaths and
dyes on a paper substrate but less so for dyed textile fibres.
The complex influences of dyeing processes and accelerated ageing, as well as natural ageing, on the mechanical properties, fibre morphologies and surface chemistry of wool and silk were studied, Chapter 5.

Particularly interesting results involved the degradative versus protective effects of metal ions and the assessment of the extent of surface sulphur oxidation on wool as a potential marker of damage with direct implications for tensile properties.
Chapter 6 focuses on metal thread classification, composition and corrosion.

Additional studies dealt with the influence of wool and silk deterioration on corrosion formation and the adsorption of detergents on metals.
Documentation established a variety of extremely rare and intricate metal threads with double and triple layers of silver and silvergilt filaments. New evidence was produced for a combination of rolling and cutting during the manufacture and, for the first time, leaf gilding was unambiguously identified in metal threads.

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Images of double wrapped metal threads
Details:
  • academic institution: University of Manchester
  • kind of theses:  Dissertation
  • main Tutor:  Dr. Jim Tate
  • assistant Tutor:  Prof. Franz Wortmann
  • date:  2006
  • Language:  Englisch
 
Contact:
 
Anne-Marei Hacke
marei.hacke@[Diesen Teil loeschen]gmail.com

 
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full-text thesis  academic theses in english
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Creative Commons Lizenzvertrag This work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 Germany License.
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) 10.5165/hawk-hhg/100
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