Conservation: Virtual Lab: The William Small Collection
In the spring of 2001, the RSM received an important collection of First Nation’s artifacts that had been on display for years at a small hunting lodge in northern Ontario. These artifacts had been collected in the 1880s by William Small’s grandfather while surveying for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Saskatchewan and Alberta (then the Northwest Territories).
When the collection arrived at the RSM, and was unpacked shortly afterward, it was immediately obvious that the artifacts were extremely special. The bright colors and elaborate beadwork were fine examples of craftsmanship. The artifacts would have been powerful symbols of the status of those who had earned the right to carry them.
It was also evident that the collection needed conservation treatment. The first step was to assess the condition of the artifacts, to document problems, and to determine appropriate treatments.
Moccasins
There were two types of moccasins in the collection. One was of typical Blackfoot design and beadwork colours, with a tall, stand-up cuff. The second had a short cuff with a bifurcate (split) tongue, similar to Lakota and Assiniboin moccasins. Both pairs had tears around the openings and holes in the soles from wear. They were also very dirty.
Each pair had been nailed through the soles to a wooden strap. The rusty nails needed to be removed to prevent them from further discoloring and distorting the hide in surrounding areas. This also made it easier and safer to work on the moccasins and later, to exhibit them.
For the most part, the beadwork on the moccasins was dirty, yet in very good condition. There were, however, areas where beads were loose or missing. All the beadwork needed to be carefully cleaned and the loose sections re-attached with a stable and reversible acrylic glue.
Maces
There were three maces in the collection. Two had double-pointed stone heads with rawhide wrapped around the wooden shafts. One had decorative beadwork and the other was undecorated. They both needed a thorough cleaning but they required careful handling because the stone heads were loose. The more decorated mace had some missing and loose beadwork, which after cleaning was stabilized with acrylic glue.
The third mace was much more decorative, with a carved bison horn head, fancy beadwork and braided horse hair wrapped around the wooden shaft. Unfortunately, it was in very poor condition. Some of the beadwork was loose and in danger of being lost. The braided horse hair had also become loose. The beads were re-wrapped and firmly secured to the wooden shaft to prevent any accidental loss. The horse hair was cleaned and re-braided.
Gun Case
The hide gun case was originally decorated with fringes, beadwork, and feathers. The fringes had become extremely fragile and dry, having lost much of their oils over time. When the gun case was first moved, a number of broken fringes were found underneath. The beads were dirty, and some were loose. The feathers had long since become detached from the case and had been placed inside it.
During cleaning and handling more of the fringes were broken. These were re-attached in their original location using Japanese tissue paper and acrylic glue. Normally these backings would be painted to match the original material, but in this case the color of the Japanese tissue paper was already a close match.
The fringed cuff on the top of the gun case had torn away, making stabilization critical. This fringed cuff was carefully humidified so that it would lie flat, and then sewn to the body of the gun case through the original holes.
Where the original holes couldn’t be seen or were missing, the cuff was sewn through a backing of Japanese tissue paper.
The feathers were not cleaned because of their extremely fragile condition. They were simply put in a zip-locked polyethylene bag, so as not to get lost, and then placed back into the gun case.
Cleaning Beads
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Most of the artifacts in the collection were decorated with elaborate beadwork. Over time, a layer of dirt and grime had accumulated obscuring the colors and patterns. The first step in cleaning beadwork was to determine what the beads were made of and their condition. Through experience with other beaded artifacts and the use of a microscope, we could see that the beads were glass and in good condition. Therefore a solution of ethanol and water was applied using a cotton swab. |
Stabilizing the Horsehair Wrapping
The horsehair wrapping was in very poor condition. Parts of the braiding needed only to be tightened while others needed to be taken apart and re-braided. The horsehair was also extremely dirty and needed to be cleaned prior to further treatment.
A solution of distilled water and a weak detergent was carefully applied and removed with a cotton swab. The luster of the hair improved noticeably after cleaning.
Next, the braiding at the end of the shaft needed to be tightened. Each braid was pulled tight using tweezers and the ends were tied back with black thread to hold the braids in position. The black thread was then covered by the beadwork, which would be re-wrapped around the wooden shaft.
The remainder of the horsehair covering was in worse condition and required far more time. Starting from the middle band of beadwork the hairs were pulled tight, working around the wooden shaft to ensure that all the braids were pulled evenly. Occasionally, the horsehair braiding was attached to the shaft using acrylic glue or tied into place with black thread.
At mid-shaft, the original braiding was all but lost. The horsehair was only loosely wrapped around the wooden shaft requiring some re-braiding. Using tweezers, each of the braids were re-woven in the original manner, pulled tight, and then finally tied into place.
Re-braiding became more difficult at the end of the shaft because the hair had broken, causing it to be of different lengths. When the last of the horsehair was in place it was tied down using black thread. The earlier temporary ties were cut away and the excess adhesive was removed using acetone swabs.
Preparing for Storage and Display
Because of its fragile condition, the collection should be handled as little as possible. Therefore, a combination storage and display mount was designed for each of the artifacts to minimize stresses and provide even support.
The moccasins were padded out to a more natural shape using acid-free tissue paper. A foam block was shaped to fit inside the heel and then covered with fabric. The tall-cuffed moccasin needed a higher foam block inserted into the ankle area to support the cuffs. They were tied into position around the form using cotton thread.
The maces were mounted on a foam bed that had been contoured to support the shafts and heads. The entire foam block was covered with the display fabric, and the shafts of the maces were tied to the block with thread to prevent any shifting during handling.
The gun case was first padded out to a more natural shape by inserting a specially carved block of foam inside the opening. It was only possible to insert the foam about half way, since a previous repair had sewn shut the opening. This padding is important, as sharp folds will eventually cause the hide to weaken and split. However, the previous repair appears very old and is considered part of the history of the gun case. Therefore, the repair was not undone. The gun case was set into a contoured foam bed that had been covered with the display fabric.
When the artifacts returned to storage after temporary exhibit, they remained on their cushioned supports.
For further information contact the Museum Conservator