![]() ![]() When only one or two creases must be removed, an isopropyl alcohol mixture may be applied with a cotton swab directly to creases. An even safer method is to flatten the document by hand and then attach it to a suction table with polyester strips, which are easy to remove once the document has dried. Once the document has been thoroughly moistened, clips may be used to stretch if out. If the entire document requires flattening, document restoration experts may choose to place the document in a humidity chamber. Today, gelatin or other animal-based products are often used to mend tears in parchment and vellum.įlattening curls and creases. ![]() Traditionally, vellum and parchment document restoration involved hand stitching any tears. Parchment and Vellum RepairĪlthough writers in the Middle Ages praised parchment and vellum as capable of lasting a thousand years, damage sometimes occurred. ![]() The United States Constitution is written on parchment, for instance. These materials were known to be durable, so they were reserved for the most important documents. Business disaster recovery companies must be cognizant of these properties when providing parchment and vellum document restoration, as explained below.īoth parchment and vellum are prepared by removing skin from hair stretching skin against a frame and alternating between scraping, wetting and drying to create a smooth, durable writing surface. This means parchment often reacts to changes in humidity and is not waterproof. Leather is tanned and limed, while parchment is just limed. Some steps in leather and parchment/vellum preparation are the same (removing hair, for instance), while others are unique. (Calf in Latin is vitulus.) Just as calfskin leather is categorized as a superior form of leather, vellum is the highest quality of parchment. Parchment was originally any animal skin that had been readied for writing, while vellum referred specifically to “paper” made from calfskin. Animal skin will not have visible fibres.Most people have heard the terms vellum and parchment, but few know that these writing surfaces were originally made of animal skin. Is there a variation in opacity? A variation in opacity, but not in thickness, is evidence that it may be animal skin.Īre there creases or tears? If so, place a magnification loupe along one edge and look for paper fibres. Is there a variation in colour? If there is, it is supporting evidence that it is animal skin, though a variation in colour alone is not strong enough evidence to determine that it is not coated paper.Ĭan it be flexed easily? Vellum and parchment are stiffer than coated paper. Is there a grain or are hair follicles visible? If so, it is vellum or parchment. How can we tell the difference between animal skin and coated paper? Some polymer coatings may have a sheen, or cause the paper to be stiff and inflexible, producing similar qualities to parchment and vellum. Polymer coatings are used to achieve physical characteristics, water resistance, and to prevent ink from feathering. There are many types of coated paper, which include clay coatings and polymer coatings. As parchment is usually created from the skins of full-grown animals, the grain is more pronounced due to larger hair follicles and there may also be evidence of old scars and discolouration. Vellum typically has a finer grain, fewer flaws, and fewer colour variations. How can we tell the difference between vellum and parchment? Finally they are cut out of their frames and are trimmed and shaped. ![]() Once dry, the skins may be made smooth by scraping with a pumice stone and dusted with chalk powder. The skins are then stretched on a wooden frame, and while wet, are scraped with a knife a second time. The skins are removed from the vat and placed fur side up on a convex surface, and the fur is then scraped off. Both parchment and vellum are made by soaking the skins in lime and water for a week and a half while stirring the vat a few times a day. ![]()
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