Displaying tapestries

Mark H. Esser <esser [at] bc__edu> writes

>I am interested in information and opinions on the idea of using a
>large display case, with a self contained environmental control
>system, for the exhibit of tapestries....
>...
>An obvious concern is that such a display case would be an eyesore.
>...
>... Has it been done anywhere else?  How would we locate
>someone with the expertise to construct it?

Mark may be interested in visiting the site of Rothstein Vitrinen
GmbH who have developed a range of glass show cases which are
frameless thus allowing a visitor full visibility of the tapestries.
Joints are 45 deg. mitred and filled with acid free silicone.  All
doors are hinged as this offers the best tightness for microclimate
control. This system can offer a BSRIA tested air exchange rate of
0.2 changes per day for dust proof cases and 0.1 air changes for the
vapour tight cases which also include for a tray to accept Artsorb
or Silica Gel.

In a church museum in the town of Padderbohn, Northern Germany there
is a wall mounted showcase displaying a tapestry 8 metres high x 6
metres wide x 500mm deep with a solid glass frontage of two hinged
doors.  Each door is made of two pieces of glass 4 metre x 3 metre.
The case is easily opened by one operative as the door is locked by
means of a magnetic locking system at the top and bottom of the
doors.

Rothstein have recently developed a very useful air conditioned (
fully climatised )show case which allows the conditioned air to
trickle and drop gently through the case from the top box.  Blowing
cooled air into a case could cause damage to artifacts

Rothstein have recently built a case such as this for an Icon held
within a the Bazylika Mariacka in Gdansk, Poland.  Another site is
at Goettingen Cathedral where there will octagonal case containing 8
individual cases which fully climatised.

More information on Rothstein cases can be obtained from
<URL:http://www.rothstein-group.de/> or
<URL:http://www.conservation-by-design.co.uk/> who are the UK
distributors for Rothstein.

Philip Charnock



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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:48
                  Distributed: Friday, March 24, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-48-019
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