May 2, 2021

Preserving Masonic History: Artifacts and Miscellanea

 By T.S. Akers
 
Scottish Rite caps on display in the McAlester Scottish Rite Temple

This is the second post in a two-part series on properly caring for Masonic history. In the first installment, the basic steps for preserving books, records, documents, and photographs were addressed. This installment will deal with the artifacts that comprise the material culture of Freemasonry, which can range from textiles to metals and porcelain, with just about everything in between.
 
Preserving Artifacts and Miscellanea
 
Atmospheric Conditions 
 
There are certain atmospheric conditions that need to be maintained when storing and displaying artifacts of a wide range of composition. Again, if you are comfortable, they are comfortable. As previously discussed with paper items, the best temperature setting remains 70°F with a variation of plus or minus 2°F. The target relative humidity is 50 percent, but 30 to 55 percent is an acceptable range. A relative humidity below 30 percent is too dry for vellum and similar materials (think leather), metal corrodes at 55 percent, and mold grows at 65 percent. One method for reducing the relative humidity in a space is to run the heater to reach a stable atmosphere. A small hygrometer can help with monitoring conditions in storage areas as well as display cases.

Where to Buy: 
 
Housekeeping is a vital aspect to be considered with artifacts storage and display. Textiles and other items produced from animal skins are prone to attracting pests that can cause great amounts of damage to the items. Spaces need to be kept clear of the human detritus that can lead to bug infestations. Items stored and displayed should be checked regularly to ensure no pests have made their way into them. Sticky traps are especially useful to help identify what sort of pests are around. An easy way to eliminate bugs from a wool garment for example is to place it in a freezer for around 72 hours. Mothballs should be avoided altogether as they are also toxic to humans. Repeated and prolonged exposure to the fumes from mothballs could result in cataracts as wells a liver and kidney damage. Cedar wood is of course an age-old remedy for keeping moths at bay, but it does this through the release of oils, which can negatively impact textiles should they come in physical contact with the wood for an extended period.
 
Storage 
 
Storing assorted artifacts is like storing documents, in that archival materials should be employed, but there is also the need to build mounts in containers to ensure that no damage occurs. Archival boxes come in a variety of sizes to meet differing needs, but there are also some other options. Plastic tubs can be employed, but only safe plastics such as polypropylene should be used as others can off-gas volatile acids. Storage containers should be lined with acid free tissue paper.

Polypropylene can be identified by these symbols

Where to Buy:
 
When storing textiles such as aprons and garments, care should be taken to avoid creating creases in the object. If a garment needs to be folded for storage, use acid free tissue paper to stuff the item so creases are more like rolls. Aprons should be stored flat and can be stacked if a buffer, such as acid free tissue paper or unbleached muslin, is placed between each apron. If hanging garments, be sure to pad the hangers to reduce stress on the garment. Garments that have long hung on simple wire hangers usually exhibit a major stress crease where the weight of the garment has pulled it down. Headwear may require that it be stuffed with acid free tissue paper to best maintain its shape. Never seal any of these items in plastic bags, such as those used for “wedding dress preservation.” Textiles need to be in environments with some air movement.
 
An example of a hanger that has been padded and then covered with muslin

Flags present their own difficulties when it comes to storage and storing them flat is not always feasible. The best solution here is often to roll the flag over a muslin covered cardboard tube. Gaylord Archival has an excellent resource on rolling and storing flags.
 
 
For fragile items, such as porcelain, foam inserts should be cut and placed into storage boxes to ensure the piece is secured against any movement that could lead to damage. A polyethylene foam that will not off-gas should be used for creating such inserts.

Display
 
There are a multitude of display techniques available. In general, the same concepts used in storing artifacts should be applied to displaying them. Ensuring that the item does not become damaged is the key. For example, a display case with a wood bottom should be lined with unbleached muslin to provide a buffer between the wood and the artifacts within. Foam rings, wrapped in muslin, can be used to mount bowls in a position to see any interior decorations and secure them from potential movement that could lead to damage. To prevent creases from forming in the sleeves of garments, they can be stuffed with acid free tissue paper. The rule to live by is, do nothing to an item that cannot be reversed, be it regarding display or storage.
 
A porcelain bowl resting upon a "donut" style mount
 
Light exposure is one of the most important factors to take into consideration when displaying artifacts. There are a few exceptions though, light poses no threat to stone, ceramics, and metals. When items are displayed, fluorescent lights should be fitted with UV filters (LED bulbs are the optimal choice). No items should ever be displayed where direct sunlight will fall on them. Solar shades, which can block up to 99% of UV rays, or drapes should be used to cover exterior windows in display spaces. To monitor any potential fading of items, textile fading cards can be employed. These cards feature wool cloth dyed in a blue scale and work by placing the cards where half is exposed to the light conditions in the display space.
 
Where to Buy:
 
Solar shades in the windows of the upper gallery of the McAlester Scottish Rite 
 
Conservation and Restoration 
 
The nature of the material culture of Freemasonry is that some of it remains in use, longer after it was produced. This is part of the traditions of the Fraternity and care should be given to these items so that they last for future generations. Cleaning and repair of certain regalia items should be standard practice.
 
Regarding cleaning textiles, some will mention using a “reputable dry cleaner.” Accidents can happen at any dry cleaner, so it may be best to consult a conservator if an item is extremely delicate. Some items can be handwashed using an extra gentle cleanser, such as Orvus WA Paste. Gently going over an item with an inexpensive garment steamer is the easiest way to bring textiles back to life. Additionally, minor sewing repairs to garments to stabilize them, such as securing linings or braids, is perfectly acceptable.
 
A British Hussars tunic with replaced toggles and repaired braid

Masonic aprons are a common artifact that many will encounter. They also can be some of the most delicate and are made of a variety of materials including leather, velvet, satin, cotton, silk, or any combination thereof. Silk aprons are incredibly difficult to maintain, as silk shreds or shatters as it ages. Additionally, there is weighted silk, which was widely popular in the nineteenth century. Weighted silk is created by chemically treating the silk to make it heavier, a process which damages the silk, causing it to deteriorate at an expedited rate. Silk items can be stabilized with backing materials and sometimes with a net overlay. When dealing with silk that exists in a precarious state, a conservator should be enlisted.
 
Masonic jewels are another common item found in collections. As they are quite likely to be worn by many successive generations, they should be properly maintained. Replacing worn out ribbons and suspension links should be done as needed. This will help to ensure that jewels with multiple parts are maintained together. Major repairs, such as enameling, plating, or any items that require soldering should be performed by a competent jeweler. Light polishing is fine for these items that will continue to be used.

A Past Grand High Priest jewel, before and after restoration

Handling 
 
Just like with handling documents, handling artifacts is often best done with an ungloved hand. As stated in the previous post, a gloved hand lacks the tactility of an ungloved hand, which can lead to accidents that might cause damage to an item. Before handling any items, hands should be washed thoroughly and dried completely. Do not apply any lotion and remove any jewelry.
 
Additional Resources 
 
While this has been an overview of basic principles, there are several resources available that may answer specific questions and provide more detail on particular topics.
 
Available online:

 
 

Books:

Exhibits for the Small Museum: A Handbook
by Arminta Neal
ISBN: 0910050236
 
Great Exhibits!: An Exhibit Planning and Construction Handbook for Small Museums
by Beth Hansen
ISBN: 9781442270763

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