Return to Menu of Full Text of Recent Publications
The reassessment we present here is a digest of works on the
collection, conservation, preservation, and care of musical
instruments published in the last two decades. Although much material
of this kind exists in the literature, it is often of a highly
specialized nature and is not readily accessible to every curator of
collections containing musical instruments.
This document comprises an annotated bibliography, providing sources
for and an introduction to 20 key documents on current museum
practice, most of them in the field of musical instrument collections.
In addition to general works on museum philosophy and practice, which
are necessary preliminary reading, this publication deals with
material on the museum environment, storage and display, the ethics
and practices of treatment, the use of musical instruments, and the
making of reproductions. Before examining the bibliography, these
specific categories will be discussed in some detail.
1. The Environment
As with other museum objects, the conservation of musical instruments
begins with attention to the environment. Of the huge bibliography on
the museum environment, a few texts can be recommended to the non-
specialist. Thompson has produced the excellent overview of the
subject that is familiar to museum personnel, while Karp has written
specifically on storage climates for musical instruments. In addition,
the Canadian Conservation Institute produces information of a non-
technical nature for the staff of small, non-specialist museums.
2. Care and Handling
After attention to the environment comes the care in handling that
instruments must receive while in storage or on display. The storage
requirements of musical instruments are not different from those of
many other composite objects and the problems and solutions have
common features. General guidelines on storage materials, conditions,
and operation abound in the literature, those included below being a
few of the more general and complete. The display of musical
instruments has hardly been addressed at all in the literature. This
is primarily because musical instruments pose no unique problems, and
certainly none which have not been encountered in the preparation for
display of other objects. The sensitivities of all the materials of
which instruments are composed are well understood, and guidelines
exist for a variety of display situations.
3. Conservation, Restoration, and Use
Restoration and conservation are by no means equivalent terms although
they are popularly confused with one another; some of the confusion is
the result of the terms in English and in other European languages
having different emphasis. To conserve an object is to attempt to
arrest its deterioration and to preserve it in its most stable state.
In English the museum personnel who do this are conservators.
Restoration, on the other hand, involves the return of an object by
technical intervention to a previous condition. In earlier times, and
still predominantly in private practice, this work was carried out by
a restorer. In museums the term conservator has generally replaced
restorer, implying the application of scientific principles to the
treatment of museum objects, with an emphasis on documentation and
research. The practice of restoring museum instruments for the
purposes of playing in concert deflects emphasis from two of the
central museum functions: preservation and study. Musicians in the
private sector are performing experiments with restored early
instruments and reproductions, both in the concert hall and in
recording and broadcast studios, but museums should be encouraged to
examine their motives carefully so as not to lose sight of their
central purpose. While musicians are concerned with satisfying current
demands for performances of early music on "authentic" instruments,
museums can ill afford to duplicate this effort at the expense of the
collections which they hold in trust. Several texts address the
controlled use of musical instruments in performance and research,
including the CIMCIM Recommendations for Regulating Access.... and the
paper by Watson in the Annotated Bibliography following. It is
impossible in this document to cover all references to the
conservation and restoration of musical instruments. Those included
here provide the reader with a brief view of philosophy and practice
in this field. In this area, the review paper by Karp and the paper on
keyboards by Watson are essential reading. Also included are general
texts on museum ethics and practice because, although emphasis is
often placed on the specific needs of musical instrument collections,
it is obvious that the conservation needs of musical instruments are
in no way different from those of other museum objects.
4. Reproductions and Copies
A satisfying solution museologically is for musical instrument makers
(whose resources and expertise are often misused in the restoration of
original instruments) to make reproductions which can be used in
museum concerts. This fulfills two of the central museum functions of
preservation and education, and does so by utilizing existing
expertise. The argument that the "authenticity" of such performances
will be compromised is specious because the original acoustic and
mechanical characteristics of extant instruments are never known with
certainty. Little has been published on the reconstruction of
historical techniques in the making of musical instruments, and why
this is relevant to museum practice, but several publications discuss
instrument making from a modern perspective.
The intention of this paper is to discuss some aspects of the
preservation of brass instruments in museum collections and to
contrast these with the restoration needs of working instruments. The
author discusses conservation and restoration by quoting from the Code
of Ethics for Conservation. In the specific case of brass instruments,
he argues that the "least possible intervention" might preclude such
standard restoration treatments as polishing, soldering, straightening
and dent removal. The reasons for performing any kind of treatment on
a brass instrument are discussed under the headings of preservation,
display, and performance. The effects of reshaping, soldering and
polishing, three of the chief techniques available to the brass
instrument restorer, are discussed with examples. All three techniques
are detrimental to the physical integrity of the object to which they
are applied. Under strict application of the codes of ethics none of
these techniques should be practised upon museum artifacts. However,
he states that "the Code of Ethics does not dictate the course of
action; it simply guides. The discretion of the custodians of the
artifacts comes strongly into play." There is room for compromise
because each instrument requires a unique treatment protocol where the
degree of intervention must be weighed against such factors as the
historical value and cultural significance. The author concludes by
discussing the use of reproductions versus restored originals. In
order to produce close facsimilies the thickness of the metal, the
alloy, the dimensions and particularly the working technique would all
be critical and would need to show a very high order of precision. He
feels that a faithful copy of an early brass instrument could perform
more "authentically" than an original restored to what approximates a
primary state. As a final word, the unplayablity of some original
instruments does provide a degree of passive conservation!
2. Barassi, E.F. & Laini, M. (eds.), Per una carta europea del
restauro, Societa Italiana di Musicologia, Leo S. Olschki, Florence,
1987. English, French, German, and Italian.
This book contains the proceedings of a conference held in Venice in
1985 specifically addressing the problems of use of musical
instruments, restoration, and the ethical and practical limitations.
Among the many papers on a wide range of musical instrument studies,
including dendrochronology, classification and history, the volume
contains much material of specific relevance to the conservation of
museum instruments. Articles by Arnold Myers, Grant O'Brien, and
Friedemann Hellwig are of particular use in providing essential
philosophical background. In "The Conservation of Wind Instruments"
Myers proposes five categories of instruments -- the currently
replaceable, the superceded, the truly historic instruments, the rare,
and the unique -- and uses this scheme as a key in determining the
extent of restoration and use an instrument might undergo. O'Brien
asks a number of searching questions related to restoration of
keyboard instruments in his article "To Play or to Preserve." His
chief question is: why are we continuing to restore instruments in a
thoroughly thoughtless fashion as if there is an endless supply? He
cites what he terms the "Existentialist Philosophy of Restoration...
if it exists, restore it!" and discusses several examples of
problematical restorations. Copying provides a viable alternative and,
although not advocating the wholesale copying of museum instruments,
O'Brien does argue that the acoustic and musical function that an
instrument has to serve favours the making of copies. In "Der Praxis
der Restaurierung" Hellwig outlines where the discipline of
conservation fits into the scheme of things, and under four broad
headings discusses the maintenance of instruments, research, practical
treatment, and documentation. Of particular interest are the
discussions which occupy the last sixty or so pages of the book. Their
emphasis is in the direction of a code of ethics specifically for
musical instruments, and although this grand work was never achieved,
the discussions go a long way towards focusing the reader's attention
on the many aspects of the use of historical musical instruments.
3. Canadian Conservation Institute, CCI Notes, Canadian Conservation
Institute, Ottawa. English or French.
CCI Notes provide short, easy to assimilate guidelines on many aspects
of the care and preservation of museum materials. None are more than
six pages and most are on one double-sided sheet. Topics include the
following: care of collections; the museum environment, physical, and
biological factors; archaeological and field conservation; ceramics
and glass; ethnographic materials; leather; skin and fur; metals;
paintings and polychrome sculptures; paper and books; textiles and
fibres; photographic materials; other materials; planning for disaster
management; spot tests; and conservation equipment. The Notes are
punched with three holes and come in an attractive binder.
Supplimental sheets or revised notes may be added as they become
available. CCI Notes are distributed free of charge and names and
addresses of requesters may be added to a mailing list.
4. Canadian Conservation Institute, Technical Bulletins, Canadian
Conservation Institute, Ottawa. English and French.
A series of 14 Technical Bulletins give detailed information on the
following topics: relative humidity; museum lighting; recommended
environmental monitors; care of musical instruments (see above);
environmental norms; fluorescent lamps; care of wooden objects; silica
gel; surface cleaning of paper; controlling fungal problems; and
controlling museum pests. Other titles are planned. The material is
intended primarily for the larger museum with staff and expertise,
although the bulletins which deal with care of collections are more
approachable by the museum with limited resources. Of particular
interest is The Care of Musical Instruments in Canadian Collections,
(Technical Bulletin No.4). This publication describes in some detail
the general care and maintenance of a musical instrument collection.
This information is intended not only for the museum which may have
large holdings of musical instruments but also for the smaller
establishment which may have only one or two items. The care of the
collection from the acquisition of the items right through to their
cleaning, care, and maintenance is described and attention is given to
complete and thorough documentation, and to the problems of display
and storage. Lists of suppliers and references are also included. This
little book is essential reading for both specialist and generalist.
Technical Bulletins are available from the publisher free of charge.
5. Comite international des musees et collections d'instruments de
musique, Recommendations for Regulating the Access to Musical
Instruments in Public Collections, Comite international des musees et
collections d'instruments de musique, 1983. English, French, Spanish,
and German.
This document was written by musical instrument conservators and
curators, modified and approved by CIMCIM in 1983, and published in
its final form of 1985 in ICOM News, Vol. 39 (1986), no. 3, pp. 5-8.
It is intended to establish conditions and to demonstrate current
approaches for allowing museum visitors (instrument makers,
historians, musicologists, players, etc.) to physically handle museum
musical instruments. The document deals with the conditions of access,
general protection from damage, measuring tools and techniques, and
the conditions for playing, and also touches upon the question of
copyright. A proposed agreement form between the owner and the client
for access to instruments in collections is appended. The CIMCIM
Recommendations... have proven to be a valuable guide to both public
institutions and to individuals seeking access to historic instruments
for study purposes. The publication is available on request from
CIMCIM in the form of a brochure.
6. Eliason, Robert E. and Hellwig, Friedemann (eds.), "Musical
Instrument Exhibitions in Scandinavia," CIMCIM Newsletter (special
issue), 1986. English.
This is a ninety-page illustrated report from the work of a touring
conference taking place in June 1982, evaluating the then recently
installed exhibitions at Ringve Museum, Trondheim; Musikhistorisk
Museum og Carl Claudius' Samling, Copenhagen; and Musikmuseet,
Stockholm. The evaluations of the exhibitions were done by three
working groups under the following headings: Basic Concepts,
Pedagogical Approach, and Conservation and Security. The report
includes general statements on each museum followed by three chapters
including more detailed descriptions, comments and suggestions
according to the headings of the working groups. Chapter 1, "Basic
Concepts of Musical Instrument Presentation," begins with an
introductory article by this working group's coordinator, F. Hellwig,
touching upon two main types of museum presentation: one which focuses
on the object's material and appearance, and the other exploiting the
visitors' association and bringing out their own experience when faced
with the objects. The various components of a complex museum
presentation are listed and a number of major questions relevant to
the investigation of the three museums are raised. Comments and
answers to these questions are given for each museum. Chapter 2, "The
Pedagogical Approach", headed by F. van Lamsweerde, gives
descriptions, comments and suggestions in one section for each of the
three museums. These include the various exhibitions and their
techniques, audio-visual equipment, additional activities for schools,
guided tours, concerts, publications, etc. Chapter 3, "Conservation
and Security" was coordinated by R. Barclay and it includes general
comments, and suggestions based upon investigation of the three
museums under the headings: Condition of the Instruments, Safety of
the Instruments, Stability of the Materials Used, and Maintenance of
the Instruments. References are provided at the end of each report. An
important feature of this publication is its applicability to musical
instrument museums in general. The three museums surveyed are active,
modern establishments with diverse and interesting collections and the
observations made by the various working groups are therefore of wide
general interest. This issue of the CIMCIM Newsletter provides a good
starting point for any person contemplating the upgrading of an
existing exhibition or even starting from the beginning. Of particular
relevance to this bibliography is the section dealing with
conservation.
7. International Council of Museums, ICOM Code of Professional Ethics,
International Council of Museums, Paris, 1987. English and French.
The Code defines ICOM, the concept of museum, the museum profession
and the governing body. In the second part the following topics are
covered: minimum standards for museums, constitution, finances,
premises, personnel, education and community role, public access,
display, exhibitions and special activities, commercial support and
sponsorship, museum shops and commercial activities, and legal
obligations. Of particular interest to this publication are the
sections concerned with the responsibility of museum staff to their
collections and to questions of restoration of cultural property. As
this is obviously the key document for the museum profession, the
passages relevant to care of collections (Sections 6.2 and 6.3) are
extracted and discussed below in some detail:
- Members of the museum profession should not delegate important
curatorial, conservation, or other professional responsibilities to
persons who lack the appropriate knowledge and skill, or who are
inadequately supervised....
The key issue for musical instrument collections is the practise of
employing private restorers or instrument makers who may not have
professional conservation qualifications or accreditation.
- There is also a clear duty to consult professional colleagues within
or outside the museum if at any time the expertise available in a
particular museum or department is insufficient to ensure the welfare
of items in the collection under its care.
Few musical instrument collections have access to specialist
conservators and it is therefore important to seek advice within the
wider museum profession.
- One of the essential ethical obligations of each member of the
museum profession is to ensure the proper care and conservation of
both existing and newly-acquired collections and individual items...
and to ensure that as far as is reasonable the collections are passed
on to future generations in as good and safe a condition as
practicable having regard to current knowledge and resources.
The exact definition of "good and safe" in this passage is elusive,
but the main emphasis, that of passing on collections to future
generations, is clear. The key element for the preservation of musical
instrument collections concerns "current knowledge." It is thus
encumbent upon custodians of musical instrument collections to examine
closely any process applied to an object under their care which might
either endanger or compromise it in the short or long term.
- There are often difficult decisions to be made in relation to the
degree of replacement or restoration of lost or damaged parts of a
specimen or work of art that may be ethically acceptable in particular
circumstances. Such decisions call for proper co-operation between all
with a specialized responsibility for the object, including both the
curator and the conservator or restorer, and should not be decided
unilaterally by one or other acting alone.
This section is the focus of any discussion on conservation versus
restoration and it is clear that full consultation with qualified
professionals is necessary before any decision to restore is made.
- The ethical issues involved in conservation and restoration
work...are a major study in themselves, and those with special
responsibilities in this area, whether as director, curator,
conservator or restorer, have an important responsibility to ensure
that they are familiar with these ethical issues, and with appropriate
professional opinion, as expressed in some detailed ethical statements
and codes produced by the conservator/restorer professional bodies.
These ethical issues may be studied in greater detail in The Code of
Ethics for Conservation further in this Bibliography.
8. International Institute for Conservation and Getty Conservation
Institute, Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts, International
Institute for Conservation and Getty Conservation Institute, 1956 and
following. English.
The AATA series is one of the most useful publications for
conservators, historians, curators, and other museum personnel. It is
a world-wide bibliography of literature on all subjects related to the
conservation of cultural heritage. The series started in 1956, with
each volume consisting of four numbers and covering a period of two
years. Since 1975 each volume has consisted of two numbers covering a
single year. The heart of AATA is the section that provides references
to well over two thousand articles, monographs, dissertations, and
informal papers dealing with aspects of conservation or with other
subjects of interest to the professional conservator. The bibliography
is arranged by subjects (methods used in conservation) and materials
(of which objects are made). The titles are translated into English
where necessary. Bibliographic references are given in the original
language so as to help trace copies of the publications. The
subsequent abstract of each publication offers a brief introduction to
its contents with hints to techniques, materials, special problems,
history, etc. The professional quality of the abstracts is very high.
Each number contains an author index as well as an extensive list of
publishers and distributors of journals, monographs, etc., giving full
addresses and reference to the abstracts. Each volume carries a
subject index. Of most importance to the specialist in musical
instruments is Volume 28, No. 3, 1992. This volume is a bibliographic
supplement to AATA entitled The Conservation and Technology of Musical
Instruments. It was edited by Cary Karp and contains 955 references to
all aspects of the preservation and conservation of musical
instruments from all cultures. It is prepared the same style as all
other recent AATA volumes. This volume is the musical instrument
specialist's unique link to the greater world of conservation. It is
indispensable as a key to knowledge and experience gathered from the
whole world.
9. International Institute for Conservation -- Canadian Group and
Canadian Association of Professional Conservators, Code of Ethics and
Guidance for Practice, International Institute for Conservation --
Canadian Group and Canadian Association of Professional Conservators,
Ottawa, 1986. English or French.
Several national conservation bodies have produced codes of ethics and
documents on guidance for practice addressed primarily to their own
members. The publication referred to here is one of these, and is
cited because of its similarity to the earlier codes upon which it is
based (most notably the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of
the American Institute for Conservation, first published in 1964 and
most recently revised in 1985) and because it is relatively brief,
clear, and current. The Code of Ethics is simplicity itself, occupying
one page under six headings dealing with responsibility to the
cultural property, respect for it, standards of treatment,
understanding of limitations, contributions to growth of knowledge,
and respect for the integrity of others. The Guidance for Conservation
Practice is more lengthy and is divided into two broad categories: The
Conservator and Cultural Property, and The Conservator and the
Profession. The first category deals with the conservator's general
obligations, preventive conservation, examination, conservation
treatment, subsequent care, emergency situations, and relationship
with the owner. Although the document states that "Preventive
conservation is a primary objective" it also makes clear that
"restoration and reconstruction are means of re-establishing the
cultural value of a cultural property." However, it cautions that this
shall be done "to the minimum extent necessary," "using techniques
which affect the cultural property least," and using "materials which
can be most easily and completely removed without hazard to any
original part." In The Conservator and the Profession the issues of
relationships with other practitioners are spelled out, including such
factors as false information, referrals, references, and conflicts of
interest. Throughout, the guidelines are clear, precise and
unequivocal. In these two sections the conservator's obligations to
both the cultural property and to the profession are codified in very
simple and
straightforward terms. The document concludes with a glossary of terms
and a bibliography. Although this book is intended primarily for the
practising professional conservator, the custodian of collections can
use it to gain valuable insight into the modus operandi of
conservators, and the strictures and limitations placed upon them by
their profession. This may, in turn, help musical instrument
custodians in reconciling their demands upon the profession with what
is ethically and practically feasible.
10 a. International Institute for Conservation - Canadian Group and
Canadian Association of Professional Conservators, Selecting and
Employing a Conservator in Canada (brochure), International Institute
for Conservation - Canadian Group and Canadian Association of
Professional Conservators, Ottawa, undated. English and French.
10 b. Sturman, Shelley, et al., Guidelines for Selecting a
Conservator, American Institute for Conservation, Washington, 1991,
2nd ed. English.
Although both these brochures are directed at conservators in Canada
and the United States, the greater part of their content is
universally applicable. Both documents begin with the question "What
is a conservator?" and describe the few individuals who fly under this
flag of convenience while being neither qualified nor abiding by
professional standards. The first message, therefore, is to be
cautious in selection. Criteria for selection follow including such
factors as abiding by the Code of Ethics for Conservation, providing
references, being open in discussions of methods, techniques and
training, and having membership in a professional conservation
organization. Once selection of a conservator is made, the brochures
give guidelines on what to expect of a conservator, and what not to
expect. Dissatisfaction at any stage in the employment of a
conservator may be referred to the professional body of which the
employee is a member. The American Institute for Conservation brochure
also describes the organization's computerized Conservation Services
Referral System, available free of charge to the general public. There
is a great deal of basic and very useful information in both of these
small brochures, and they document very well the expectations a
custodian of cultural property should have when contemplating its
treatment.
11. Johnson, E.V. and Horgan, J.C., Museum Collection Storage,
ICOM/UNESCO, 1979. English.
Planning for collections storage involves consideration of the mission
of the museum, appropriate physical relationships between storage
areas and other museum facilities, and the amount of space needed both
initially and with attention to collections growth. Storage systems
may be designed to facilitate access to the objects by researchers and
public, or they may favor the safeguarding of objects from
overexposure to handling. Allowances should be made for accessing and
retrieving objects for exhibition, loan, conservation, or research.
Storage should be planned with adequate security from theft, fire,
natural disasters, and other hazards. Environmental factors are
critical to the safe storage of collections. Heating, ventilation, and
air conditioning should maintain a stable environment including, most
importantly, relative humidity levels appropriate to the particular
types of materials in each storage space. Other environmental factors
include dust and other pollutants, light, biological pests, vibration,
and exposure to accidents. Storage systems may be selected to achieve
a careful balance between protection and accessibility. The particular
vulnerabilities of various types of objects suggest the best choice of
boxes, trays, drawers, racks, and open or closed shelves. Storage
structures may be fixed, where space allows, or high-density mobile
systems for use when space is minimal. A high-density mobile storage
system for keyboard musical instruments is illustrated. Other
variables for storage fixtures include metal or wood construction,
commercially made or made by museum staff. This book raises most of
the important questions pertaining to museum storage and provides
excellent practical guidelines. Some of the questions posed have been
addressed by ongoing progress in conservation science.
12. Karp, C., "Restoration, Conservation, Repair and Maintenance," in
Early Music (Oxford University Press), Vol.7, No.1, Jan 1979, pp.
79-84. English.
In this article the author deals with the wide difference that exists
between the repair and refurbishing of modern instruments and the
treatments required of museum material. The philosophical and ethical
foundations of conservation are explored first, followed by practical
sections on what to do or not do. The article begins by contrasting
two viewpoints expressed as follows: "Old instruments are of no use
unless they are played. If in doing so they are damaged one simply
fixes them; should they be destroyed --it will have been worth it" and
"We have an obligation to see that old musical instruments survive
totally unchanged into the undefinedly distant future. Usability in
performance is an entirely secondary consideration." From this comes
the argument that we are not the licensed exhausters of the cultural
heritage, but its custodians. The author describes five ways in which
old instruments can be used, ranging between performance of the music
for which they were intended to "a source of non-specified personal
gratification." In discussing these extremes and all points between,
the author arrives at the conclusion that until we are able truly to
experience early music in its own terms our major concern should be
the survival intact of both the instruments and the traditions they
represent. In the practical sections, the author provides basic
guidelines on the care and treatment of ancient instruments. He points
out specifically the common fallacy of makers and repairers calling
themselves restorers. He therefore counsels consultation with
competent professionals, good documentation, and searches of the
literature. In particular, one should not do, or allow to be done,
anything which will not be removable later. The article concludes with
notes on restoration, repair and maintenance, defining in each case
the extent of the terms and providing examples. This article was
published over twenty years ago but is still regarded as a key
document in the definition of musical instrument conservation.
Everything described here encompasses practical common sense, and
nothing has so far been superseded.
13. Karp, C., "Storage Climates for Musical Instruments," Early Music
(Oxford University Press), Vol.10, No.4, 1982, pp.469-476. English.
Storage is defined in this article as any state in which an instrument
is kept when not in use. The author states at the beginning that
storage climates are not an entertaining subject, but that the topic
does require understanding by anyone concerned with the long-term
preservation of museum objects. The evidence of damage due to the
environment is widespread in musical instrument collections, and
modern artificial climates and intense lighting make understanding and
control of conditions even more essential than before. The storage
climate as it affects museum objects relates basically to control over
light and air. Recommended norms for lighting are dealt with first,
followed by practical advice for measuring illumination and for
reducing it to acceptable levels. The control of atmospheric
conditions is a great deal more complicated and occupies the lion's
share of the article. The author begins by discussing relative
humidity and its effects on organic materials, describing the
properties of wood and the effects of too dry and too wet conditions.
"Comfort" levels for all the components of composite objects like
musical instruments are discussed, including such factors as their
original environment at time of manufacture, mechanical stresses
within their structures, and levels to which they may have
accommodated themselves. The author admits the difficulty of defining
ideals. However, the larger goal of humidity control is the
minimisation of fluctuations, and for this many practical suggestions
are made both for control and monitoring. Humidification and
dehumidification requirements are dealt with and the necessary
equipment discussed. The use of silica gel for controlling humidity in
display cases is also introduced. Reference charts of relative
humidity and absolute humidity are included. The article concludes
with a useful section of further information, including readings, and
sources of monitoring and control equipment. The subject of climate
control and measurement is extremely large and this article can only
provide an introduction, but for the person in daily charge of a
musical instrument collection it gives plenty to work on.
14. Odell, J. Scott, "Musical Instruments," Caring for Your
Collections, The National Committee to Save America's Cultural
Collections, Arthur W. Schultz, Chairman. New York, Harry N. Abrams,
1992, pp 128-137. English.
This book is aimed at private collectors and small museums without
"in-house" access to laboratory facilities and professional
conservators. It gives guidelines and practical suggestions for the
responsible care of most types of collections, and most of the
materials of which artifacts are made. The chapter by Odell on musical
instruments deals with the storage and routine care of a variety of
instrumental types, and warns of the risks which always accompany
restoration of instruments for use in concerts. Specifically mentioned
are increased exposure to accidental damage, loss of original material
and lost evidence of how an instrument was made and used during its
historical life. The author suggests that use of a copy will usually
be preferable to the restoration of an irreplaceable original --
particularly so for many ethnographic instruments and for instruments
which still retain ephemeral original features. "A local musical-
instrument maker or technician may be trained and highly competent to
deal with modern pianos, band instruments, or orchestral bowed
strings, but to possess the experience and skills needed to properly
treat unique or historical instruments is quite another matter... most
are predisposed to make an instrument function well by modern
standards and look as good as possible, an approach that is dangerous
and inappropriate when dealing with historical instruments." Thus, it
"may be wisest to pair the craft skills and specialized knowledge of a
musical-instrument maker with those of an experienced object
conservator to come up with a well-justified proposal...." Musical
instruments have physical requirements identical in most respects with
those of other artifacts made of similar materials, so there is much
that is directly relevant to their conservation in the book's other
eighteen chapters, especially those on environmental control,
furniture, textiles, decorative arts, metal objects, paintings, and
ethnographic materials. An initial essay by Joyce Hill Stoner, "The
Mortality of Things," gives a brief overview of the history of
conservation, and makes an excellent case for basic care and
maintenance as a way of avoiding the need for more intrusive technical
treatments, an approach as valid for musical instruments as for other
historical artifacts. She urges getting more than one opinion when a
major treatment is contemplated; a chapter on "Obtaining Professional
Conservation Services," and appendices listing institutional and
commercial resources (restricted to North America and England) are
helpful guides to finding a competent conservator.
15. Skowronek, M., "Zu welchem Zweck und Ziel, mit welcher Absicht
werden historische Musikinstrumente restauriert?" Colloquium:
Restauratieproblemen van Antwerpse Klavecimbels, ed. J. Lambrechts-
Douillez, Ruckers Genootschap, Antwerp, 1970. German.
This paper addresses the aim, purpose, and meaning of restoring
historical musical instruments. According to the author, in the case
of private collectors, it is obvious that instruments are generally
required to be in playing condition. For public collections which may
never have the means or facilities to restore all their instruments,
every case should be considered individually. One must always bear in
mind that it is better to have an authentic ruin than a falsely
restored musical instrument. Not every instrument should be restored;
there are many cases where far better alternatives like non-
interventive conservation present themselves. In this work criteria
are discussed assessing the condition of soundboards, ribs, cases,
strings, and keyboards before any decision is taken. The better
alternative to restoration is conservation. This should start with an
adequate museum storage with enough space and stable climatic
conditions. In many cases it would be better to spend money upgrading
storage than in the acquisition of more instruments which will further
limit space and the care which can be given. With conservation comes
an understanding of the objects which are our professional
responsibility. Good and bad examples of restoration are given, and
the author argues that while we know more than we did twenty years
ago, we do not know everything. We learn most about history,
technology, and performance practice from unrestored instruments. The
book in which this paper appears represents the proceedings of one of
the first close examinations of the ethics and practices of musical
instrument restoration.
16. Thompson, J., Manual of Curatorship: A Guide to Museum Practice,
Butterworths, London, 1992. English.
The Manual of Curatorship, originally published in 1984, has appeared
in a substantially revised and enlarged second edition. It now runs to
over 750 pages by some 70 distinguished authors and "is for the
practical use of all concerned with the management and administration
of museums. It is a comprehensive reference work for museum
professionals...." The book is divided into five sections: The Museum
Context, Management and Administration, Conservation, Collections
Research, and User Services. Of these, Conservation (pp. 211-490) has
26 chapters,with bibliographies, on documentation, environmental
control and buildings, the conservation and storage of archival paper,
prints, drawings, watercolours, easel paintings, photographic
materials, textiles, leather, wood, ceramics, stone, metals,
machinery, archaeological, geological and zoological materials,
herbarium practice, object handling, storage systems, conservation
aspects of storage and display, pest control, scientific examination
of artifacts, and disaster planning. Security, ethics, code of conduct
for curators, and the planning of new buildings are treated in other
sections of the book. This is a valuable source for any curator and
the publishers claim, quite rightly, that it is the single most
important reference work within the profession. Certainly one would
like to see it in every museum library. There is much that is directly
relevant to the care of musical instruments, although no section
devoted specifically to them. The Preface states that "...the Board
will plan for further revisions at regular intervals by commissioning
new material" and it is to be hoped that the next edition will include
a chapter on the specific conservation, storage, and access problems
presented by musical instruments. In the meantime, this book is an
essential purchase for the custodians of any collection of cultural
material.
17. Thomson, G., The Museum Environment, Butterworths, London, 2nd
edition, 1986. English.
Most injury that befalls historical objects in museums can be avoided
by maintaining safe and stable display and storage environments. This
book describes the effects of environment on the materials found in
museum objects nearly all of which can be found in musical
instruments, and suggests methods of monitoring and controlling
environmental conditions. Discussion of the interaction of materials
with their environment is necessarily dependent upon science. The
first half of the book approaches the subject on a level which assumes
minimal science background, leaving more complex scientific
explanations to the second half. Both sections of the book divide
environment into categories of light, humidity and air pollution.
Light causes surface damage and colour changes due to visible and
ultra-violet radiation. Radiation levels can be measured in order to
prescribe lighting and exhibition arrangements appropriate for both
preservation and display requirements. Variables include natural or
artificial light, colour, angle, diffusion, exposure time, and heat.
Incorrect humidity levels cause damage by provoking changes in size
and shape, chemical reactions and biodeterioration. Each class of
materials requires its own optimum relative humidity level and
fluctuation limits in order to control these effects. Humidity can be
accurately measured in several ways. Air conditioning, humidifiers,
dehumidifiers, and humidity buffers like silica gel are among the
means by which humidity can be controlled. Pollution comes primarily
in the form of particulates and gases. Various filtration systems are
used to remove particulates like smoke and dust. Gaseous pollutants
such as sulphur dioxide are more concentrated in urban areas, coming
primarily from the burning of fossil fuels. They cause damage to most
museum materials. Gaseous pollutants can be removed by water spray air
conditioning and activated carbon filters. The article in Early Music
by Karp, "Storage Climates for Musical Instruments" provides an
introduction to the museum environment with a slant towards musical
instruments. For those who need to study the subject in more detail,
Thompson's book is definitive.
18. Watson, J.R., "Historical Musical Instruments: A Claim to Use, An
Obligation to Preserve," Journal of the American Musical Instrument
Society, Vol. XVII 1991, pp. 69-82. English.
There exist two often opposing views about the use and preservation of
antique musical instruments. According to the first view, it is the
destiny of all musical instruments to play music. Old instruments are
often among the best instruments for playing. According to this point
of view, preservation is accomplished most effectively through
playing. Leaving an instrument permanently silent is thus absurd. The
other view holds that our obligation to preserve old instruments is
served only by protecting them from intrusive restorations and
physical deterioration from use. Historical instruments are, in
effect, primary documents detailing historical instrument making
techniques and technologies. This carries implications about the
usefulness of non-playing antique instruments, and the destructive
effects of restoration and use. Supporting evidence is offered from
the example of keyboard instruments. In a solo keyboard work, a key
near the middle of the range is likely to be struck over two thousand
times in every hour of playing, and with each strike of the key, a
chain reaction of abrasive forces is unleashed. The point of this
article is first to elaborate on the compelling insights as well as
the oversights in each of these views, and to form a responsible
synthesis from them. The article proposes: ...a rationale by which a
minority of representative musical instruments may receive minimally
intrusive restoration and judicious musical use in order to preserve
and exhibit the aesthetic integrity unique to this class of historic
artifacts, and that such restoration and use must be undertaken
without significant compromise to the instrument's physical or
historical integrity as mandated in accepted codes of museum and
conservation ethics. The article concludes: Are the claims to use and
the obligation to preserve old musical instruments mutually exclusive
objectives? Antique musical instruments, especially those retaining
substantial historical integrity, are a non-renewable and diminishing
cultural resource -- an endangered species. If we allow preservation
to be secondary to musical performance, the legacy will be spent, the
species extinct. Based upon the accepted codes of museum and
conservation ethics, our first objective should be to protect the
physical integrity of historical instruments. That is the more long-
term of our dual objectives. To the extent that we can without
significant compromise of physical integrity, we may also act upon a
respect for the acoustical function or 'voice' of musical instruments.
This is to say that these two sometimes conflicting objectives are
hierarchical and not coequal.
19. Witteborg, L. P., Good Show: A Practical Guide for Temporary
Exhibitions, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 2nd edition, 1991.
English.
This is one of the best and most practical publications for exhibit
design and presentation. Although aimed primarily at temporary
exhibitions, most of the material is equally applicable to permanent
displays. Every aspect of staging a display, from the early planning
through preparation, fabrication, illumination, and installation is
minutely detailed. Other issues deal with titles and labels, security,
evaluations, and visitors with disabilities. Of especial interest to
anyone familiar with workshop practice are the extensive lists of
tools and materials, and sources of supplies. The bibliography, like
the supplies lists, is made easily accessible by following the general
scheme of the chapters. Of especial interest to this bibliography, it
also includes solid sections on conservation and environment and the
handling of museum objects. A further appendix on conservation
provides basic guidelines for lighting, environment, and mounting
together with notes on display case design and some materials
considered safe and unsafe to use with museum displays. Perhaps the
most appealing aspects of this book are the many line drawings by
Steven D. Schindler illustrating everything from the use of tools to
the heights and angles of display stands. The more detailed of these
illustrations are essential to the comprehesion of the ideas
expressed, but the more whimsical of them provide a very necessary
relief from what would otherwise be a very heavy text. No matter what
the scope of the planned exhibition, or what specialized field it
deals with, no curator or museum designer should be without this book.
Although not dealing with either musical instruments or conservation,
this book is included here because so many aspects of preparing and
mounting an exhibition have a bearing on the care and security of the
objects.
- It is the responsibility of the conservator, acting alone or with
others, to strive constantly to maintain a balance between the need of
society to use a cultural property, and the preservation of that
property.
To a great extent, destruction of the intrinsic value of musical
instruments by over-restoration results from an inability or an
unwillingness of individuals to share responsibility and expertise.
Preservative or restorative treatment of any object is the province of
a wide range of specialists, from curators and conservators to
historians and instrument makers. Decisions concerning large and
complex treatments which may significantly alter historical objects
should be taken only after extensive consultation with appropriate
specialists.
Butterworth and Co. (Publishers) Ltd., Borough Green, Sevenoaks TN15
8PH, U.K.
Butterworth/Heinemann, 80 Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, Massachusetts
02180, U.S.A.
Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A
0C8, Canada
CIMCIM Publications, Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, Reid
Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square, Edinburgh EH8
9AG, U.K.
Early Music, Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP,
U.K.
Getty Conservation Institute, 4503 Glencoe Avenue, Marina del Rey, CA
90292, U.S.A.
Historic Brass Society, 148 W. 23rd. Street, #2a, New York, NY 10011,
U.S.A.
International Council of Museums, Maison de l'UNESCO, 1, rue Miollis,
75732 Paris, France
International Institute for Conservation - Canadian Group, P.O. Box
9195, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3G9, Canada
Olschki, Leo S., Viuzzo del Pozzetto (Viale Europa), I-50126 Firenze,
Italy
Ruckers Genootschap, Vleeshouwersstraat 40, B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Smithsonian Institution Press, L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 2100, Washington
D.C. 20560, U.S.A.
Robert Barclay, (Coordinator) Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa,
Canada
Friedemann Hellwig, Fachhochschule Köln, Germany
Peter Andreas Kjeldsberg, Ringve Museum, Trondheim, Norway
Jeannine Lambrechts-Douillez, formerly Museum Vleeshuis, Antwerp,
Belgium
Hélène La Rue, Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom
Scott Odell, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
John Watson, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, U.S.A.
Elizabeth Wells, Royal College of Music, London, United Kingdom
Printed copies of this and other CIMCIM publications are available:
Publications and Order Form
Address for further information
This page updated: 31.1.96
GOAL
At the 1986 ICOM Triennnial meeting of the International Council of
Museums in Buenos Aires, a need was expressed by the International
Committee for Musical Instrument Collections (CIMCIM) for a document
addressing conservation and restoration of musical instruments. There
was concern that restorations continued to be undertaken that were
unacceptable ethically; although it was agreed that museum codes of
ethics and other published works already covered this ground, it was
nevertheless felt that curators and restorers of musical instruments
did not necessarily have access to these publications. The present
document has been formulated to facilitate access to relevant
material.
INTRODUCTION
This document supersedes the 1967 ICOM publication Preservation and
Restoration of Musical Instruments, a book which was progressive at
its first appearance in its respect for the original tonal and
decorative qualities of historical musical instruments, and in
discouraging the outright modernization of old instruments. But the
reader today should recognize, as the authors acknowledged in the
preface, that these were provisional recommendations subject to
periodic updating. Since 1967, the science and goals of conservation
have indeed progressed. The often subtle evidence of historical
technologies now known to be found in antique instruments can no
longer be treated as disposable. No longer can we agree to the
replacement of unserviceable components without acknowledging the
evidence that may remain in those parts, such as original tool marks
or the accretions, erosion, or patination that may be evidence of
early patterns of use. Thus, while recognising the value of this book,
we also acknowledge that the time has come for a reassessment.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Barclay, R., "Ethics in the Conservation and Restoration of Early
Brass Instruments," Historic Brass Society Journal, Vol. 1, 1989,
pp.75-81. English.
CONCLUSION
Guidelines for the collection, use, and conservation of cultural
properties have been in place for some time, but it is a mistake to
assume that the publication of codes of ethics, standards of practice,
and similar documents results in an immediate correction of abuses. A
brief review of recent publications on the restoration of musical
instruments will show that unsound practices continue. Indeed, the
appearance in print of an otherwise dubious or unethical technique
gives it an undeserved credibility, especially among those who do not
regularly review the conservation literature. The first principle of
ethical conduct in the treatment of museum objects is best expressed
by a quotation from the Conservation Code of Ethics referred to above:
ADDRESSES OF PUBLISHERS
American Musical Instrument Society, c/o Shrine to Music Museum, 414
East Clark Street, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069-2390, U.S.A.
AUTHORS AND COMPILERS
This document was compiled by the following members of the
Conservation Working Group of CIMCIM: