Abstract

Remoistenable tissues are used to repair local tears and loss areas on moisture-sensitive objects, including those carrying copper green-containing pigments or iron gall ink. Gelatin, isinglass, cellulose ethers, starch ether and synthetic adhesives such as Aquazol^® and Paraloid™ B72 were found to be suitable adhesives to prepare the remoistenable light-weight tissue repair paper. These remoistenable tissues are activated either with water, water/solvents or solely solvents. The choice for a suitable adhesive is influenced by its ability to form an adhesive film, by its concentration, by the flexibility of the tissue-adhesive preparation, by its transparency and by the adhesive swelling ability that enables its activation. Minimum and maximum adhesive concentrations, a range of light-weight tissues and activation methods are presented. A swelling test for adhesive films is discussed that allows evaluation of the activation process. The Berlin tissue was favored as tissue support, and a mixture of wheat starch paste and methylcellulose or gelatin were found to be suitable adhesives. Funori and JunFunori^® did not evidence sufficient activation for this use.