“Chantaboon” Woven reed mat with astrological sign of the dog

Objects made of organic materials are particularly vulnerable to degradation over time. This woven reed mat at the Smithsonian, gifted by King Chulalongkorn after its display at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, developed a tear due to the fragility of the century-old plant fibers. Conservation stabilized the damage and improved this delicate object’s longevity.