The Brut Chronicle: Revived and Reconstructed

Deborah Howe, Collections Conservator, has been published in the latest issue of The Book and Paper Group Annual, a publication of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Book and Paper section.  Deborah's article describes her study and conservation of the Beeleigh Abbey Brut, also known as the Dartmouth Brut Chronicle and the ensuing considerations and solutions for its rebinding.

The Dartmouth Brut Chronicle is a history of Britain from 1377 to 1419 and was written around 1430.   Dartmouth's Brut was significant as it arrived in a 16th century stationers binding, which is unusual for the type of manuscript it is.  Deborah analyzed the manuscript's binding and through collaboration with faculty and other scholars determined a method of repair and binding that was sympathetic to the time period the Chronicle was composed yet maintained the physical flexibility needed for active classroom use and put minimal stress on the quires.

The article may be found in the Book and Paper Group Annual, 34 (2015) p. 50-56.

Preservation Services Closed December 24 - January 4

Preservation Services, the Digital Production Unit, and the Book Arts Workshop will be closed from December 24 until January 4.  

For your pleasure we offer links to our most popular blog posts in 2015:

The ABCs of Digital Preservation

The Dartmouth Brut: Conservation, Authenticity, Dissemination

Digital Production Roundup

Hiking Beaver Brook Trail in Winter

The Making of a Multi-color Linoleum Block Squid 

Structural Intervention: Treatment of Albums from the Iconography Collection 

American Institute of Conservation 43rd Annual Meeting

The American Institute of Conservation recently held its 43rd annual meeting in Miami, Florida 
from May 13 - May 16, 2015.

The AIC Web site states their mission:

 “As the only national membership organization in the United States dedicated to the preservation of cultural material, the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works plays a crucial role in establishing and upholding professional standards, promoting research and publications, providing educational opportunities, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among conservators, allied professionals, and the public.”

Annual meetings are structured for both general and specialty sessions. The general session talks target broad areas of interest and information on current conservation concerns, while the specialty sessions aim for more detailed talks in the specific subject areas such as: objects, paintings, electronic media, photographs, and book and paper. This year’s theme was “Practical Philosophy- Making Conservation Work".  I was fortunate to have my abstract - "The Brut Chronicle: Revived and Reconstructed", accepted for presentation to the Book and Paper group. The topic of my paper was based on a treatment I had done for the Brut manuscript, which was acquired by Rauner Library in 2006. The presentation covered the history of the manuscript, the conservation options, and how my interaction with scholars and its intended use informed the eventual treatment, and then details on the final outcome. Preparing for the talk was a lot of hard work and I relied on the help of my colleagues for input and critique. In the end it went well and I am pleased with having been able to share my ideas and treatment with the book conservation community.

Deborah Howe: The Brut Chronicle: Revived and Reconstructed

 As a side note, I was able to go on a behind the scenes tour of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.  It is an incredible house with beautiful gardens and I would highly recommend a visit there if you find yourself in Miami.

Written by Deborah Howe.

Howe at AIC

Deborah Howe, Collections Conservator, will be presenting at the AIC's 43rd Annual Meeting in Miami, FL, on May 14.  Deborah's talk, The Brut Chronicle: Revived and Reconstructed, will address the process of rebinding a medieval manuscript for twenty-first century use.

"The Dartmouth Brut: Conservation, Authenticity, Dissemination"

The Dartmouth Brut (Rauner Codex MS 003183) is the focal point for the latest issue of Digital Philology:  A Journal of Medieval Cultures, edited by Professor Michelle R. Warren, Professor of Comparative Literature.  A conference on the Brut was held in 2011 at Dartmouth College and the presentations are reprinted in the journal, including the photo essay, "The Dartmouth Brut: Conservation, Authenticity, Dissemination" co-authored by Deborah Howe, Collections Conservator, with Professor Warren. If you have ever wondered about the considerations that go into conservation treatments this essay highlights the types of problems to be solved and the collaborative decision making that guides the conservator's treatment solution.

The article in the Fall 2014 issue may be found at: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/digital_philology/toc/dph.3.2.html

The digital copy of the Brut may be found at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/digital/collections/manuscripts/ocn312771386/index.html

Congratulations Deborah!

Barb Sagraves

Head, Preservation Services