Happy 2004!
I need some advice about glass beads.
I am treating a large Berlin Work embroidery depicting a medieval love
scene and made of wool, silk floss, silk chenille, and glass beads
which include small blue beads. These are all cracked and a number have
already broken off. All the other beads appear as new. There does not
appear to be any powder formation to indicate chemical instability. The
beading threads are in good condition.

The embroidery has been to Indonesia and back in the first half of the
20th century so it has had the full tropical experience in combination
with the full Northern European version as far as uncontrolled climate
goes.

The embroidery needs wet cleaning and the dyes are stable in water and
washing solution: it's just the blue beads which are a worry. As a
test, some broken beads have been soaked in water and allowed to dry
naturally. Despite my prodding and pressing, they did not break up,
perhaps because any tension had already been released by the first
break. Or does water have no effect on the cracking?

Any ideas about or experience with wet cleaning cracked beads?

Jennifer Barnett
historical textiles research & consultation
Oude Looiersstraat 65-67
1016 VH Amsterdam
Netherlands
tel/fax ** 31 (0)20 427 18 27
[log in to unmask]