Sarah,

I would suggest you look in the Ei Compendex (Engineering Index).  This is
an on-line database of journal articles covering a wide range of engineering
and industrial research including textiles and textile related topics.
Since the journals are from the industry they can become very complex very
quickly, but I was often able to understand enough.  The articles would
probably cover manufacture, characteristics, and possibly degradation, but
not conservation.

Access to the database is by subscription (for quite a lot of money I'm
sure.)  I would suggest asking the area branches of the public library to
see if any of them subscribe.  If not, your best bet will be a university
library, if you can use it.  A university library is also the most likely
place to find the journals themselves.

Good Luck,

Rebecca Tinkham






>From: Sarah Lowengard <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Textile Conservators <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: available or existing research in contemporary textiles
>Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 14:56:08 -0400
>
>I am about to begin a project involving some late 20th century/early
>21st century industrial and experimental textiles. The group is varied
>in technique, material and projected uses.  With the exception of
>polyester, the materials used are not those regularly encountered by
>most textile conservators --or, at least, not as a principal component.
>The "oldest" of the lot was produced about 12 years ago.
>
>As background to this study, I am looking for sources of information
>about behavioral characteristics or predictions of behavior over time,
>anecdotal or documented descriptions of deterioration or longevity and
>other catalogues of long-term care strategies. I am especially
>interested in the relationship between production technqiues and
>preservation.  I have checked most of the standard art conservation and
>textile industry databases with (predictably) few results.
>
>Can anyone suggest relevant publications I might not have seen?  Has
>anyone compiled a bibliography recently that she would be willing to
>share with me?  Would anyone who has worked on these classes of textiles
>be willing to talk to me (off-list or on)?
>
>I do recognize that literature and experiences might be either extremely
>general or extremely specific and am willing to work through that myself.
>
>Thanks very much
>
>Sarah
>
>Sarah Lowengard
>[log in to unmask]
>New York City

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