Thursday 28 July 2011

Conservation Work on the Anaglypta Wallpaper

Natalie, a conservator from the Sir Sandford Fleming Conservation program has been volunteering numerous hours this summer to conserve our anaglypta wallpaper located at the back staircase. As many of you know, we completed Part A of Stage II of the HVAC Retrofit this winter ($1.8m to date), adding central air and humidification to the Art Deco Bedroom Suite, the Art Gallery and part of the third floor. Using closet spaces and the fireplace flues to run the duct work, etc. to ensure the work did not compete with or destroy our original finishes, construction crews negotiating the stairway with fan belts, and piping contributed to some of the wear and tear the natural aging process of the anaglypta has seen over the last 94 years.



In these photos you will see Natalie applying a syringe full of adhesive to consolidate some flaking that has occurred on the anaglypta around a window frame. This damage, and areas of loss, have been sustained over the years, due to an exposure to moisture, accumulative damage simply due to opening and closing windows for approximately a century. Once the adhesive is dried, the cracks will be flattened out with the use of a heated spatula which will relax the painted surface of the anaglypta ( the pink colour). Natalie will fill the areas of loss with a home-made paste, a recipe that consists of paper fibres and methyl cellulose adhesive, creating the same texture and density of the surrounding wall paper. The walls are then cleaned with a 90 : 9 : 1 solution of water, mineral spirits and orvus paste, followed by a rinse. Once dry, Natalie will colour match to the pink walls and infill the areas that have been consolidated.



Monday 25 July 2011

Parkwood is blogging

Hello, since this is the first post, we have turned to one of our most popular archival items, the family home movies, to entertain you. Parkwood boasts a unique collection of artefacts; consisting of original furniture, textiles,decorative arts, that belonged to the McLaughlin Family, providing our guests with a genuine view of the lifestyle that being a Canadian autobaron afforded.  Along with this awe-invoking collection of approx. 3000 items, the Parkwood archives holds approx. 15,000 items of correspondance, receipts, records, photos and of course 27 home movies dating from 1925 through the 1940s. These wonderful documents of the past have proven to be gems in terms of primary research resources, but also an audience favourite when we have been able to showcase them.
The video is of Eleanor (Billie) McLaughlin marrying Clarence Churchill Mann at Parkwood in August 1930.
The receiving line and marquette tent look eerily similar to any of the current summer Saturdays on the property, but those with a keen eye will likely spot Eleanor's sisters and nieces among the bridal attendents.

Enjoy the link