Connecting to Collections Care

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hi Clare,
Congratulations on your new acquisition! Yes, agreed, best to cover to prevent accumulation of dust. Muslin is an option, just be careful not to drag the fabric across the tapestry surface as it tends to have a "tooth" to it, which may abrade fibers. You may also consider using archival quality light weight Tyvek, with the smooth side facing the tapestry.
Best,
Yadin

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hello Clare,

Thanks so much for your question. I am not a textiles expert, so I've reached out to get more information. I will give you my initial thoughts so that you have something to start with, but I will let you know when I have something more solid for you.

Clean muslin sounds like a fine option to me. I would avoid anything too staticky, so the cover doesn't cling to the tapestry. Is the frame painted or decorated in any way?

A soft brush and low suction vacuum might be suitable to gently lift dust, but it depends on the object, the availability of equipment and materials, and your level of comfort. Is that an option that interests you? If so, I can look into that more for you.

Best wishes,

Lisa

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Is the frame original to the piece? If not, was it intended to be framed?

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!

Hello Clare,

Suzanne Quigley responded to your question with the following comments:

5) As [suggested] it is best cleaned of dust with a low suction vacuum, but my experience is that it should be vacuumed through a fine mesh, non-metallic screen.  Both sides.

I hope this is helpful."

Suzanne's first point may tie in with Alyssa's questions, but I will let Alyssa speak to that. I think we are all curious now how the piece came to be framed!

Are you familiar with Orvus, the detergent that Suzanne suggested for cleaning the muslin beforehand? It's available from conservation suppliers, but - based on a quick internet search - possibly also from vendors that cater to quilters, fiber artists, and people who work with horses.

Suzanne mentioned vacuuming through a screen. If you would like some visual guidance on what that might look like, there is a video from the Sustainable Heritage Network that shows vacuuming through a screen. The screen used in the video is PVC-coated fiberglass insect screening from a hardware store, with the rough edges covered by Tyvek (timestamp 3:06). The video also stresses the need for suction control to avoid damaging the object and includes some tips and tricks on modifying vacuum attachments to be suitable for using on collections.

Please let me know if you have questions about any of this. I look forward to hearing more about how others have approached similar situations.

Best wishes,
Lisa

Hello, 

The museum I work at recently acquired a framed tapestry, however the frame does not have glass or plexiglass, leaving the face of the tapestry exposed. I am worried about it collecting more dust while it is stored, I am thinking that it should be covered in some way, but not sure with what material. Muslin? What would be the best way to remove the dust that has already accumulated? 

Thanks in advance!