Historic Costume Preservation Workshop

From Fiber Analysis Lab

Last Wednesday, several of us were able to make a field trip to Vassar’s Chemistry Department for a Fiber Analysis lab. Stuart Belli and Edie Stout generously offered to lead a lab with us. Prof. Belli began with a brief but very enlightening introduction to the principles of chemistry behind the instruments we would be using. After our weeks of working with our garments, we all had many questions in mind, and Prof. Belli’s talk and handouts helped greatly to answer many of those questions.

Next, we headed to the lab where we could use the infrared spectrometer. Each of us had a chance to work with the instrument and the computer that guides it. We tried several swatches for which we knew the content, and then we tried some unknown samples and compared them. This instrument is very helpful for non-invasive analysis of fiber types.

Then, we headed to yet another lab to use their new handheld XRF, which is what all of these pictures show. This instrument is also entirely non-invasive, and allows for the detection of heavier elements, particularly metals. We used this instrument to test several garments that we had brought along in a suitcase (wrapped in acid-free tissue and carried level, of course – they asked us if we were planning on staying for a while!). The sequins from one dress were identified as copper. The beads on another were identified as zinc. The metallic organza trimming the neckline of one dress was identified as copper.

From Fiber Analysis Lab

It is important to explain what I mean when I say that both of these instruments are non-invasive – that means we don’t have to damage the garment by cutting out a sample to test. We can just insert a section of the textile right into the infrared spectrometer, or point the “ray gun” of the handheld XRF right at our garment. Other techniques for fiber analysis, from burn tests to microscopy, require that a sample is taken from the object.

We’re all eager to go back and use our new found skills with these instruments to work on our fiber analysis for other garments in the collection. Prof. Belli and Ms. Stout have encouraged us to come back and work on our own. We hope to schedule times that we can come in pairs or small groups, so that those who learned how to use the instruments can share their new knowledge with those who were not able to attend the initial workshop.

We want to send a big Thank You to Prof. Belli and Ms. Stout, not only for leading this wonderful lab in the first place, but also for sharing our excitement over this whole process, and for making us feel confident that we can work on this kind of analysis on our own.

From Fiber Analysis Lab

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College reunite pieces of a bustle ensemble, #1992.001

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a dress, perhaps from the 1930’s, #2001.020

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a bustle cage with a patent from the 1870’s.

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a dress from the collection.

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a bodice, #2010.002

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a bodice, #2001.077, and discuss how it may not be as old as we originally thought.

Scroll down for part 2.

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine a dress, perhaps from the 1930’s, #2001.153.

Students examine a very small bodice from the late 19th century, #2001.165.

scroll down for part 2

Before our first workshop, we decided it was important to do a quick inventory and catch up on exactly what objects were in what boxes or drawers. We also took this as an opportunity to sort through some of the collection, taking boxes that had somewhat random contents and moving some objects to different boxes to have similar objects together.

With only a few tables to spread out on, this proved to be a daunting task. We sorted objects into different piles, but quickly ran out of space for more categories, and tried to put as many objects away as possible to make more room for new sorting piles.

Object locations were entered into the database, and we worked on making an “index” for each box or drawer – a metal ring with an index card for each object. Each index card has a photograph and a brief description. This gives a quick visual reference of what is in a given box or drawer.

Our initial goal was one box/drawer an hour, but this was unrealistic for many of the larger boxes. It was hard for some of us to move quickly through a box once we had unearthed some particularly interesting objects and got caught up looking at the details.  Although “a box an hour” became our mantra, we still didn’t manage to get through all the boxes in one week. That means that our inventory process will be continued now with our more thorough cataloging process, and we’ll just have to sort out similar objects as we go.

This sorting will be on going throughout the semester. As we work more with the collection, hopefully the most logical system for organizing the collection will become apparent. Should objects be stored by period? By occasion? By fiber type? By object type? Once we have better information in the database about exactly what we have, we’ll be in a better position to decide on our ultimate sorting system.