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Project Case Studies

Kent County Register of Wills

The Lab received a Register of Wills from Kent County, the Kitty Knight Questers sponsered the repair of this county document. Since the volume's binding had been so severely damaged over the years it could not be salvaged. Instead, the Lab staff cleaned and repaired the paper and then rebound the volume.

A record of wills from 1781 to 1790 in Kent County came to the lab in poor condition
The book was loosely contained between its two covers, made of coarse linen or burlap over board. There were partial remains of a paper label on the front cover. The book's spine was completely detached. The book's pages were detached from their original sewing.
After the pages are brushed and drycleaned, Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste are applied with tweezers to tears or weak areas to improve the documents' strength
Apply Japanese tissue mends to the paper.
Following treatment, the pages of the register of wills are now flat and intact
After tears are mended, the loose pages are sewn back together as they originally appeared before the spined detached from the book.
Sewing on tapes
Finished sewing
After the text-block of the book was mended, the book was recased into its repaired cover
Finished book
Inside view of finished product

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© Copyright January 22, 2019 Maryland State Archives