The Rocque map of London 1749 – Transportation, Preservation, Installation and CELEBRATION!

By Lisa | April 18, 2013

Imagine a finely engraved map of London, circa 1749. The map is comprised of separate sheets that are mounted 8 across and 3 down. The 24 sheets are printed on cotton rag paper and mounted on coarsely woven linen. The map has been repaired, mounted, and framed by professional conservators. Though the conservation work was done over 20 years ago, the work is in-line with current best practices and the map has lovingly been cared for by the owners in the intervening years.

Lovingly cared for by Keith and Betty Stewart. Paper signs stating " PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH" did the trick since 1996. — Lovingly cared for by Keith and Betty Stewart. Paper signs stating ” PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH” did the trick since 1996.

Fast-forward to this year (2013). The map owners, Keith and Betty Stewart, have generously agreed to donate the map to the University of Cincinnati Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library. An amazing map, in good condition, that matches the collection development priorities of the institution. Plans are made to have professional movers relocate the map, UC’s preservation department confers with the Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM) on the best way to transport and frame the map, CAM recommended framers are employed to reframe and add protective glazing to the map, and wall space has been cleared and prepared to hang the map. A good plan, what could go wrong?
Perhaps I didn’t mention that the map is in two section of 6’ x 6’6” and is moving to the top floor of a university building that opened in 1928. With no freight elevator, multiple staircases all with a clearance less than 6’, and narrow doorways there is basically no way to get the map to the floor in its current condition – framed and stretched.
So with heavy hearts the Preservation Librarian, Holly Prochaska, and Preservation Lab Conservator, Kathy Lechuga, removed the map sections from their stretchers, rolled them up, collapsed the pair of stretchers, and gingerly hand carried the treasure up to the 800 level of Blegen Library. Below is a photo narrative of the process and the happy result!

Now at UC - Removing Beva film originally used to stretch the map over the stretcher. Beva is heat activated – the film was in excellent shape and easily released using a tacking iron. The same existing Beva film was later used to re-adhere the map once moved. — Now at UC – Removing Beva film originally used to stretch the map over the stretcher. Beva is heat activated – the film was in excellent shape and easily released using a tacking iron. The same existing Beva film was later used to re-adhere the map once moved.

Beva film was adhered to both the front and back of the frame. Kathy Lechuga releasing the Beva from the front after the back was released.

Holly Prochaska getting ready to roll, literally and figuratively. With the map released from stretcher, the linen backed sheets are rolled onto a supportive structure for transport.

After the map was removed, the muslin lining was removed from two sides of the stretcher –the right side and the bottom. Then the stretcher was unscrewed, top right and bottom left and collapsed, forming a large right triangle. This made the stretcher small enough for transport without disassembling the whole frame.

Now that we have the process down, let’s do it again! The same process was completed for the second map panel. Total time to remove the map and collapse the frames – approximately 6 hours.
Once the map sheets were transported to the 800 level of Blegen, home to the Archives and Rare Books Library, we began the process of putting them back together.

Putting the muslin lining back on the frame.

Getting ready to re-adhere and re-stretch the map.

Carefully placing the stretcher on top of the map.

Using tacking irons, the Beva film was reactivated and the map was re-adhered to the muslin lined stretcher. The original Beva was in most cases reactivated, very little new Beva film was necessary.

Light tension was employed to reduce some of the sagging in the map wrought by gravity. However, because the map was adhered to a sturdy linen using animal glues (how the map was originally purchased by the Stewarts in 1958) the map was not flexible and could not be brought taut.