Condition Reporting
After the textile has been photographed, the next step in this process is to complete a condition report. A condition report is a written and visual description of an object’s appearance, it’s state of preservation, and any damage, at a particular point in time. The information is captured in a standardized document, that allows collection staff to gather the same information in every instance. You can see an example of a blank report here. Condition reports can be conducted on an object when it first enters a collection, when it is going on exhibit, or when it is part of a project like this.
To begin, the textile is laid out on a flat, clean, well-lit area. The tools on hand may be a magnifying glass, a flashlight, a pencil, a paper copy of the condition report form, and a laptop for recording additional information and for access to the museum’s digital collections database.
Next, the collection staff member observes the overall object.Does the object appear to be extremely fragile? Extremely fragile object require extra care and consideration when being manipulated, and this fragility is flagged and special handling needs are noted in the condition report.
Then, the staff closely inspects the object. Are there parts or segments that are folded or closed? If these areas cannot be opened easily they are never forced open. Instead a note is made in the report. Are there any stains, spots, chips on buttons, missing pigment, holes, pulled or frayed threads? All of these are examples of damages that are looked for. Are there any previous repairs? Both the size and location of the damages are recorded.
After a condition report is completed, the textile is placed back on its roll. This is done by laying the storage tube at one of the textile, pictured here.Holding the end of the textile to the side of the tube firmly but gently, the staff member begins rolling the tube down the textile, winding the textile around the tube as it goes. Once the entire textile is wound around the tube, a layer of acid-free tissue is tied around it to protect it, as seen here.
By doing a condition report, the collection staff will immediately notice any damage that has occurred. This allows staff to keep track of the physical condition of the object, and apply any necessary conservation measures to ensure the stability of the object. These reports also help staff monitor the overall health of the collection.
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- Textiles Photography Project Jessica Nelson