From the Conservator's Bench: Preserving Ephemera
One of the most challenging aspects of museum work is preserving ephemera – those items that were not intended to last long. The word ephemera derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Many printed documents, like newspapers, posters, and postcards, were intended to be read immediately and then thrown away. Some utilitarian objects, like soap dishes, combs, and matchbooks, or even traditional materials like ceramic pottery and arrowheads, where intended to be used for a short while and discarded when damaged.
A primary function of museums is to preserve objects for posterity. We expect our grandchildren's grandchildren to bring their grandchildren to see the same wonderful objects that we can view and appreciate today. But ephemeral objects are often made of materials that deteriorate quickly, presenting special challenges to preservation. So why would Gilcrease Museum take on the responsibility of preserving a temporary object?
A perfect example is the recent acquisition of a letter written by Horace Greeley — presidential candidate, congressman, editor of several influential publications — and an outspoken advocate of westward expansion. He made famous the term "Go west, young man, go west." In the Gilcrease letter, generously donated by Caroline Czeukusch Johnson, Greeley writes a personal letter to R.H. Treadway on New York Tribune letterhead and advises the recipient to "…locate on the Arkansas River, at its Rocky Mountain tributaries..." for its plentiful food and shelter for cattle, timber and good soil.
The year was 1872, the year of Greeley's death, and the writer would never have expected his brief note would become an exciting document for researchers at a museum in Tulsa; a museum that reveres the American West that he longed to see settled, in a metropolis along the same tributary that cuts across the Western region that he thought was fertile territory.
The paper is a standard letterhead quality paper of the period, when wood pulp had just replaced cotton and linen rag as an economical alternative. Paper made of wood pulp has high acidity and low flexibility. A thicker but similar recipe to modern newsprint, wood pulp paper turns brown and falls apart as easily as last week's newspaper left out in the sun.
The Greeley letter is brown and spongy, the paper creases have become complete tears, and there are large losses at the corners and edges. An intense conservation treatment will be necessary to stabilize the paper so that it does not continue to deteriorate, mend the tears and reattach disconnected sections, and make it accessible for viewing.
Look around at the items that you'll never throw away. Among them, is there a child's drawing, a ticket stub, or a newspaper clipping? Made to last just a little while, these artifacts of your life will inevitably deteriorate, but you can extend their life by placing them carefully (don't use glue or tape) in an acid-free and buffered scrapbook or in an archival polyester sleeve, both available from art supply stores. You may also want to make a digital scan and print it on cotton rag paper — an archival version will last decades beyond the life of the original, preserving the memory, if not the artifact.
Ephemera are a special challenge, but the extra effort can be worthwhile.
If you have questions about artistic techniques or preservation, you can ask Victoria Book Lupia, our chief conservator. Send questions to: GMConservation@utulsa.edu.