[lace] Re: Kate's Gown on Display
"Princess Grace's dress having darkened" I haven't seen all the posts Adele refers to as I am in digest, but received hers. I think all natural light colored textiles yellow or darken unless treated again to whiten/lighten, but that weakens fibers. Different things, from processing, assembling, wearing, cleaning, and storing factor into that, but no doubt they turn away from their white of origination. Silk and wool are even worse for it, and a white silk blouse or wool coat, will knowingly come back more yellow and darker with each drycleaning, because of the chemical process and heat (even if fresh solution), in addition to time and air, oxidation, etc.. I think the non-acid tissue is as much about eating away at fold lines and all related deterioration, than even in the yellowing, because of the acid (as the name states), but Jeri can address that in more detail, as I have never stored things in an acid paper. Best, Susan Reishus - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
Re: [lace] Re: Kate's gown on display
Hi Everybody: > As far as lighting, they > cannot turn it up, as it would age the dress, as per typical museum standard. > I think that a smaller light could have been set where the head was but again, > it would damage the dress. Maybe they could have the same amount of candlepower (or lumens or however museums measure lighting) coming from two or more different angles. I think that would lessen the creepy overhead spotlight effect, but it would still keep the total light exposure the same. I think the word "horrible" has a traditional meaning that references the eerie creepiness that pricks up the hairs on your arms rather than the meaning we have today that is more like "really bad". And "dreadful" has a similar other-worldly aspect. Perhaps the Queen was using the words that way - even the BBC said it was eerie. And I chime in with Jeri in that it would be a good idea to seal away some of the original fabric, so that it could be laid out beside the original for future comparison. It is interesting that we usually think of natural fabrics being lightened by the sun, but Jeri reports Princess Grace's dress having darkened. Perhaps it was stored in non-buffered tissue paper? I have to say, too, that I once endured a rather long rant from an embroidery instructor, on how bad colour reproduction is in books. She raved on and on, and then hauled out the books to show us what she meant. I was baffled - I had seen those same pieces, and I thought they were quite faithfully reproduced. I mentioned that to her in private, and a few months later she told me, rather sheepishly, that she had mentioned what I said to her eye doctor - and it turns out her late-middle-aged eyes had been affected by a problem where she has trouble seeing colours printed on glossy paper. If it had been me - well, I don't have a very good memory for colour, and I'd just have assumed my memory was at fault. Adele North Vancouver, BC (west coast of Canada) - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] Re: Kate's gown on display
The media states (at least in the US) that she doesn't like to be called Kate? I agree that it is the "headless" perspective, that is off-putting. A mannequin would look dowdy and a facsimile of her head would distract from the dress unless a wax reproduction (which would not be good to put the dress on), or stylized (which wouldn't represent tradition). For what displays I have done, I would have floated the veil off to one side and hanging back from the dress, showing the profile. Some would complain they don't see all of it, but it would clearly show more than half and be a stylish display, not a re-creation of the Princess. I note that the bodice is made poorly through the bosom. I thought someone fitted Catherine poorly, but note that the same lack of smoothness is on the mannequin, also. As far as lightening, they cannot turn it up, as it would age the dress, as per typical museum standard. I think that a smaller light could have been set where the head was but again, it would damage the dress. Best, Susan Reishus www.SusanReishusDesigns.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
