The Glass Gallery Fragments: Mounting and Display - Victoria and Albert Museum Página 1 de 2

JULY 1995: NUMBER 16

The Glass Gallery Fragments: Mounting and Display

The Glass Gallery re-opened in April 1994 to great public acclaim. Afterwards two chests of drawers arrived in the Gallery
with a label promising to display a collection of glass fragments. Many months later - and thanks to the efforts of curators,
assistants, conservators and volunteers - these are finally on display for the visitors to enjoy and the scholars to study.

Most of the 1,500 or so chosen pieces are sherds although many are complete: bottles, bowls, tiles, medallions, cameos,
some cutlery, beads. What they have in common is their small scale: the smallest bottle is just over 1cm high and the largest
fragment is approximately 20cm. The earliest pieces are the Egyptian core-formed vessels, about 1500 BC. There are
fragments of early Islamic and Roman glass, and also from post-medieval Europe. The fragments had been mostly either
glued or pinned in trays. Some of the trays were kept in the stores and were only available for research. All the fragments
needed cleaning and many also required conservation. Addie Elliott, Collection Services, carried out the preliminary sorting
and recording of the fragments, taking them to the conservation studio and back to the store. Reino Liefkes, Deputy Curator
of Ceramics and Glass, has been responsible for the final choice and for arranging the display of all but the Islamic section.
This has been the responsibility of Dr Oliver Watson, Curator of Ceramics and Glass.

Many of the pieces show iridescence, resulting from exposure of the glass to aggressive burial conditions in damp soil for
long periods. This is mostly evident in the early Islamic and Roman glass. The layers of iridescent glass are quite friable and
great care must be taken to ensure that they are not disturbed. Members of the Ceramics Conservation Section carried out
all the cleaning and conservation of the fragments and, because of their fragility, the mounting and display. The last stage of
conservation will be the monitoring of the display.

The two grey chests of drawers, 98cm high, were designed by Glasbau Hahn, Germany, the
company which was responsible for all the cases in the Glass Gallery, and constructed from
metal, glass and plastic. The drawers have a complex 'braking' system designed to reduce the
impact when the drawers are being closed and no two can be opened at once. Each chest of
drawers contains eight drawers (95mm high) each sealed with a 6mm sheet of laminated
'white' glass (optically clear) and containing three white plastic trays filling the whole surface
area. The height available for the objects is 72mm. The trays are lined with two 4mm layers of
white Correx and one 9mm layer of white Plastazote. (Fig.1a: note orientation of the Correx
layers.)

A reappraisal of the available mounting methods had to be considered as previous examples

were not appropriate for these objects. As the drawers would generate an unknown amount of
vibration, the development of long-term safe, secure and unobtrusive restraining methods
was required.
(http://www.vam.ac.uk/imag
The mounting procedure was as follows: the fragments were laid out in their final positions in -popup.html)
a tray over paper. A pencil line was drawn around each and, as the fragments were Fig.1a. View of lining. (click
transferred to a lined tray, each accession number was written on the paper. This served as image for larger version)
reference in case the arrangement was disturbed and to double check that all the records were
correct and complete. Nitrile gloves were worn at all times to handle the pieces.

Afterwards the fragments were secured; a variety of methods was devised. Most usually, a nest was cut out of the Plastazote
with a scalpel blade before the object was finally held in place with headless or nylon-headed stainless steel pins of various
thicknesses between 0.3mm and 0.6mm. These were cut, bent and twisted to match the requirements of each object.
(Figs.1b, 1d) The pins were long enough to pierce through to the base of the Correx and had had the tops coated with
Paraloid B48 N to provide protection and a better hold. Where there is contact with a large area of glass or a break edge,
some pins were covered with heat shrinkable tubing (HST). (Fig.1c)

(Click image for larger version.)

(http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/42929-popup.html)
(from left to right) Fig.1b - Fig.1c. Section: embedding and pinning. Fig.1d. Section: pinning threaded beads. Fig. 2. Section:
Correx 'button' and nylon line.

Another method used was to sew the objects into the Plastazote with nylon fishing line (10 lb or 12 lb). A thinned out Correx
'button' underneath the Plastazote acts as anchor and minimises distortion of the foam and eventual movement of the
object. (Fig.2) If the object had a delicate surface the nylon thread was covered with heat shrinkable tubing to diffuse the
pressure. Some small Tassie medallions were embedded and then attached to the Plastazote with a dot of Paraloid B72
applied to the back.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/journal/cons_journal_16/glass_gallery_frag... 31/01/2011
The Glass Gallery Fragments: Mounting and Display - Victoria and Albert Museum Página 2 de 2

Approximately
4,000 pins later,
the trays are in
place and available
for study and
enjoyment. The
display will be
monitored
regularly to ensure
that the vibration
(http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/42934-popup.html) is not causing any
damage and that
the pins are still
securing the
fragments safely.
Photographic
records will also be
kept.

Materials
Correx: ethylene
(http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/42938-popup.html) propylene
copolymer extrusion comparable to corrugated cardboard
Plastazote: crosslinked closed cell polyethylene foam
Paraloid B48 N: methyl methacrylate copolymer dissolved in acetone, 10-25% (w/w)
depending on the pin thickness
HST: polyethylene tubing
Paraloid B72: ethyl methacrylate copolymer dissolved in acetone 30% (w/w)

(http://www.vam.ac.uk/imag
-popup.html)
Fig.3 Close-up of tray. Using
scalpel to cut Plastazote. (click
image for larger version)

http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservation/journal/cons_journal_16/glass_gallery_frag... 31/01/2011