Hi,

I am assuming it is cotton, based on the context and appearance, but no formal fibre analysis has been done.

Dee

Dee Stubbs-Lee, CAPC, MA

Conservator / Restauratrice

New Brunswick Museum/

Musée du Nouveau-Brunswick

277 Douglas Avenue

Saint John, New Brunswick

E2K 1E5

Canada

(506)643-2341

From: Textile Conservators [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Polly
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2016 1:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: effect of past dry cleaning on blood stained textile?

PLease confirm fiber content.

From the photos it appears to be cotton and your comment about a "starched" feel would support this.

On 02/03/16, Dee Stubbs-Lee<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I’m an objects conservator, so I would like to get an opinion from the textiles specialists on the list.

Our museum has a WW1 military uniform shirt associated with a soldier who was killed in action at the Battle of Passchendale on October 30, 1917. It is not absolutely clear whether or not it was the shirt worn on the day he was killed, but that is the presumption.

Prior to coming into the collection in 1963, the shirt had been commercially dry cleaned, and it arrived in my lab in a folded state with the dry cleaner’s paper band still in situ. The curator asked me to unfold and examine it in preparation for study by a visiting researcher. Upon unfolding, we discovered several areas of reddish brown staining. The stains fluoresce purple under examination with a UV light, suggesting they are possibly blood stains. Given the battle history context of the shirt’s provenance, the possible blood stains are of great interest to the curator.

Can anyone advise on what if any effect the dry cleaning may have had on the possible blood stains? The dry cleaner’s tag notes that the “Sanitone” process was used to clean it. A quick Google search shows that process has been in existence since the 1930s, but I haven’t been able to find any specifics about it. The fabric feels slightly stiff upon handling, so I am wondering if it may have been starched by the dry cleaner as well.

Are there any care and handling recommendations applicable to this shirt beyond the normal preventive conservation standards? If the artifact is to be exhibited, what is the safest way to ease the creases? Is steaming with distilled water safe given the historic blood stains we want to preserve and dry cleaning history? Anything else we should keep in mind?

I have attached photos.

Many thanks,

Dee

Dee Stubbs-Lee, CAPC, MA