Managing Risks: what are the agents of deterioration?

The original 16th century binding protecting this book used boards made of hardwood. These were replaced in the past with paper based-boards, probably because the wood was severely damaged by furniture beetles (Anobium punctatum). The larvae of furniture beetles, will attack wooden book boards, shelving, frames and compressed paper. In the case of this book they didn’t just eat the wood but also the paper, and the damage is still visible in the loss of parts of the text. Treatment to eradicate the beetle can include heat for wooden items, and anoxic solutions or freezing.

Woodworm or the common furniture beetles lay their eggs in cracks or crevices in wood. When hatched the larvae tunnel and gnaw their way through the substrate until they emerge as adults during spring and summer, through circular exit holes. Woodworm prefer damp, dark conditions with little air circulation.

This grammatical and lexical treatise is a composite manuscript produced in England in the medieval period. The variation in the format of the quires indicate it is a group of different texts. Typical of medieval manuscripts, it has been rebound and repaired over the centuries. Currently it is in an 18th century binding, which has been repaired twice in the 20th century.

The pages of this manuscript are made from parchment. This material while long lasting, is very susceptible to fluctuations in temperature and humidity; the resulting effects are seen here with the badly distorted folia. This can cause further damage with the loss of media on the surface, particularly pigments used for illumination or decorated lettering. The distortion also allows easier ingress of airborne dust. Control of the environmental conditions is essential where parchment manuscripts are stored, exhibited and read.

This notebook contains copies in Latin of well-known discussions on physics and cosmography. It was attributed to an otherwise unknown student, Emanuel Ferdinandus De Figueroa, when catalogued into the collection; however, the reason for the association is not recorded. As Figueroa’s name does not appear in the manuscript, it now also suffers from the risk of disassociation.

This manuscript is suffering from mould damage which has caused extensive staining of the pages and destruction of the paper support at the front of the notebook. This type of damage is caused by high humidity coupled with low air flow. Mould damaged material needs to be handled with care to avoid health related risks, and the treatment involves removing active mould in a biological fume cupboard. The damaged paper requires re-sizing to return strength and flexibility, and repairs to losses and tears.

This is a Vulgate Bible with commentaries by Nicholas of Lyra. It is printed in Gothic type by the printers Johannes de Colonia, Nicolaus Jenson et socii. Jenson’s typefaces have had a lasting influence on modern typography.

Extensive tidelines visible on each page indicate the book has been wet, possibly flood-damaged. This has caused mould damage which is evident in the pink coloured staining. In addition the iron-gall ink annotations have bled and are washed out. The reduction of surface sizing has also caused physical loss of paper and media in more badly damaged areas. The calfskin leather binding dates from the 18th century, and does not display any signs of water damage. The start of the text block is missing which suggests it may have been too badly water damaged to be included when the book was rebound.

This book of poetry by an anonymous female poet was originally attributed to Mary Barber (c.1685-1755) a minor poetess to whom Swift was a generous friend and patron. The book was bought from the bookseller Nassau Massey, 84 Patrick Street, Cork in 1903 for 30 shillings by Professor Dowden of Trinity College Dublin.

The historical information available for this book referred to it as suffering ‘severe damage by fire’. The damage to the bottom left of the spine and text block does resemble fire damage but no charred or burnt edges are evident. These may have simply broken away over time but the discolouration is peculiar and akin to damage caused by a liquid, possibly an acid. The damaged covers and paper is weak and prone to fragmentation.

This is one of a collection of 54 volumes of Roman inquisitional records held in the Manuscripts and Archives Research Library. The record displayed is the sentencing in 1628, imposed on Thadeus Donsleve O’Farrihy, a priest from Tuam, for, amongst other failings, not believing in the Virgin Birth; and on the facing page, his adjuration to preach according to the Roman Catholic Apostolic Creed.

The iron gall ink is in an advanced state of deterioration, causing discolouration, fracturing and losses to the paper support. This chemical damage will continue, eventually leading to complete loss of the text. Stabilising conservation treatment will be necessary to arrest the deterioration.

This small format ‘pocket’ manuscript, a product of Southern England, is a book of hours with additional material including a calendar of holy days, selected Psalms and a Service for the dead. Written in iron gall ink by a single scribe, the parchment folia displays decorated borders with blue, red and gold among the colours. There are also fully illuminated pages and historiated initials throughout, produced to a high standard. No longer in its original binding, the manuscript is contained inside an 18th century blind-tooled tanned leather cover.

The illuminated folio on 7v depicts the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury (1118-1170), featuring armed soldiers and St Thomas kneeling at an altar. The image has been aggressively defaced by scraping the surface of the parchment; the motivation for this act of vandalism is unknown. Unlike the ink, which is firmly attached to the parchment, the colour pigments and metals sit on the surface and are more easily erased.