Renewing the Past: Pressure Mounting a Large and Severely Fragmented Silk Flag

Abstract

A large silk flag from the War of 1812, owned by the City of Toronto and held at the historic site museum of Fort York, was treated at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) from 2011 to 2012. Several challenges were posed by the powdering condition of the silk, the extreme degree to which the flag was fragmented, and its large dimensions. In addition, the flag had previously been stitched between net and taped into a rudimentary pressure mount. Re-treatment was indicated for both physical and esthetic reasons. Image analysis was used to digitally separate the old restoration fabrics from the flag. This provided a much clearer picture of the flag's true condition before treatment. The previous restorations were reversed and the flag was encapsulated in net and pressure mounted using contemporary conservation grade materials and techniques. The rigid support consisted of an aluminum honeycomb panel covered with cotton flannel, needle-punched polyester, cotton display fabric, and custom-dyed cotton compensation fabric. A UV-filtering acrylic was selected for the glazing due to its anti-static, abrasion-resistant, and anti-reflection properties. Temperature and relative humidity sensors were incorporated into the mount, enabling continuous monitoring of the microenvironment within.