1849 Queen's Charter

1849 Queen's College Charter

 

Relating to alterations to professors terms and salaries

 

 

Have just completed the housing for this project for Catriona Mulcahy, ArchivIst UCC.

 

Comprising two collections of vellum Charters from University College, Cork ( previously Queens College ). The vellum had been folded and subject to handling and soiling over a long period.

 

The first set, ( 760mm x 1020mm ) comprised five vellum charters with an attached wax seal. These had been folded and stored over a long period in a small container. Relaxation and flattening between blotters and using a drum method over a period of two months returned the vellum to its original shape. Surface cleaning where possible enhanced the finish. The large wax seal is attached to the charters by a braided multi stranded cord in a complex knit designed to highlight any interference or tampering. This was left in situ and remains intact. The constant presence of the seal and the protection of it, complicated the conservation process.

 

Housed in a custom made unit, the vellum is held between four mylar strips on an acid free mount.

This is then housed in a folder made of 5mm acidfree elephant millboard bound in Morocco goatskin and archival Library buckram.

The wax seal is in a custom housing of fome-core board with Polyzote padding

 

The second collection is slightly larger in overall size, ( 815mm x 1010mm ) and comprises 10 vellum charters. These required longer relaxation and flattening as the vellum had set in its previously folded state.

A similar binding and housing was produced, with the same problems regarding protection of the wax seal.

 

 

 

Unit half opened

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fully opened displaying wax seal

 

Mucros Conservation Bookbinding, Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Tel: 064-6670151

 

Ennis Town Commissioners Minute Book

 

 

 

Minute Book Conserved for Civic Reception in

Clare County Council

 

 

 

Old spine Linings

Ennis Town Commissioners Minute Book  was required for a civic function in Ennis on Friday 22nd February. Irene Franklin, Archivist, Clare County Council had the volume delivered to us in   the bindery in Muckross House.

 

The volume required overall dry cleaning using smoke sponge, cotton wool and erasers. The first few section and the last sections were loose and in need of paper repairs. We toned Japanese tissue  and commenced tear and spine repairs.

 

Old index tabs were removed as these had been crudely attached at a later stage. After sewing the volume was lined with Japanese tissue and Aero Linen.

 

Repaired Volume

 

 

 

As the volume had no binding we rebound in a similar style to its original . Acid free elephant boards were laced in under linen joints. Rebound in an Acid free Archival calf  spine with Heritage buckram sides and Archival calf lettering piece blind blocked.

We managed to complete the project and delivered it back to Clare County Archives in the tight time frame window required.

Mucros Conservation Bookbinding, Muckross House,Killarney,Co. Kerry, Ireland. Tel : + 353 (0)64 6670151     

The Great Book of Ireland

Conservation work on the Great Book of Ireland

 

 

The vellum manuscript, which  has been described by Mary Robinson as a modern day Book of Kells, has been acquired by UCC  and is now safely housed in Special Collections. I have been involved in book conservation in UCC for about 10 years, and in conjunction with Cronan O'Doibhlin and the archivists, have been preparing this volume for its relaunch

Careful housing, handling, future exhibitions, digital imaging and long term safe storage are issues, as well as condition reports and conservation treatments.


Cronan O'Doibhlin, Conservator Paul Curtis,
Seamus Heaney, President Michael D. Higgins


Over the past few months I have been working on digital imaging, ( using the  talents of David Davidson ) and controlling  the  display conditions leading up to the launch in UCC on 18th January.
The Great Book of Ireland , which comprises the original work of nine composers, 121 artists and 143 poets, is a handbound vellum manuscript with original artworks, poetry and calligraphy.

Bound using Irish vellum in goatskin, over elm boards hewn from a tree planted by W. B . Yeats in Thoor Ballylee.

Three literature Nobel Laureates, Samuel Becket, Seamus Heaney and Derek Walcott feature.

It was produced in Dublin between 1989 and 1991.

President Michael D. Higgins marked the acquisition at a special ceremony in UCC, attended by many of the original poets and artists.

With original pieces by Louis le Brocquy, with Samuel Beckett's last ever handwritten contribution receiving particular attention.



Head of Samuel Beckett by Louis le Brocquy

 Mucros Conservation Bookbinding, Muckross House,Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland, Tel: 064-6670151

The Irish Light

Peter Cox - The Irish Light - Irish Landscape Photographs

The Irish Light volume with Slipbox

Killarney based photographer Peter Cox published his first book of landscape photography in late 2012.

The Volume is divided between his stunning landscapes and seascapes of Ireland.
Using Kickstarter he funded a limited edition collection of 50 volumes. Handbound in blue Italian calf with buckram sides with silver embossing, and silver tooling on the spine.

Completed Volume

The volume is housed in a buckram bookbox with a Peter Cox original seascape image on the side.
Completed in Early September the collection
sold out prior to launch.
Peters work is available to view in his High St, Killarney, Gallery

Mucros Conservation Bookbinding,Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry,Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0) 64 6670151

Gaelic Manuscript

Cín Lae – Gaelic Mauscript

 



Page prior to repair



We carried out extensive conservation repairs on this manuscript, normally housed in special collections, UCC. Upon completion of  repairs the un bound manuscript was returned for digital imaging.

The diary is an account of the Irish Confederate Wars from the outbreak of rebellion in 1641 until Feb. 1647, written by Tarlach O Mealláin.

Once conservation repairs were completed  the diary was scanned and is now available online on the website - Irish Scripts on Screen.

Rebinding of this manuscript is scheduled for 2013

Mucros Conservation Bookbinding,Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry,Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0) 64 6670151

The Glucksman Floods

The Glucksman Floods

Paintings vault storage immediately after flood

Due to the unprecedented rainfall in November 2009, the Glucksman Gallery housed in the grounds of UCC, Cork, was badly flood damaged in the lower levels and basement .The gallery’s collection was stored in a vault which ended up under several metres of water. Over a 72 hour period a team  of conservators   - all of whom dropped everything and arrived at  a few hours notice ,worked to save the precious artworks, a mixed collection of oils and watercolours. Mucros Conservation Bookbinding handled the paper based items, over 90 pieces and managed to save  90% of them. 



Emergency Conservation on site

 
The oil paintings were all saved by the efforts of conservators from the private sector and the National Gallery. This collection is now re framed and housed in a new safe depository in the Glucksman Gallery.



Gallery re-opening

 
In 2010 President Mary McAleese reopened the gallery and

paid tribute to the disaster team that responded to the crisis and saved the collection.

Bill Clinton presentation Volume

Frank McCourt - The Teacher Man

We were brought on board  to create and design a leather bookbox to contain Frank McCourts  The Teacher Man. We bound Solander boxes in quarter goatskin leather, raised bands on the spine, gold tooling. A personalised inscription page in handmade paper on the inside of the box. 

These were sent to America and presented personally to benefactors by ex American President Bill Clinton at a fund raising dinner in New York. Bill launched the Frank Mc Court Chair in Creative writing, which will based in the University of Limerick, Ireland.

Professor Don Barry, President of University of Limerick presents President Bill Clinton with a commemorative issue of Frank McCourt's Teacher Man at the launch in New York of the Frank McCourt Chair in Creative Writing at University of Limerick

Mucros Conservation Bookbinding, Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Tel: + 353(0) 64 6670151