Questions Regarding The Swanson Marginalia From "The Definitive JTR" Documentary

[Phil Carter]

Lighting

Hello all,

I do not know whether this has been discussed before or nay, but ask something that may be pertinent to the faded pencil annotations.

Do we know under what lighting conditions the book was whilst under display at the museum? The strength of light used? The distance from the light source to the display? Whether the displayed article was under a specific type of glass or material that is designed to protect pencil writing on paper from fading over time? Do we know whether the covered book was left at an open page each day of display?

Whether any of these answers can help I do not know. All I do know is that many museums have specific lighting etc as questioned above for protection of their artifacts.

I also believe, though am not sure, that room temperature and humidity is also taken into consideration.

I thank you for your considerations and hopefully comments upon this subject.

best wishes

Phil

[Paul]

Hello all,

I do not know whether this has been discussed before or nay, but ask something that may be pertinent to the faded pencil annotations.

Do we know under what lighting conditions the book was whilst under display at the museum? The strength of light used? The distance from the light source to the display? Whether the displayed article was under a specific type of glass or material that is designed to protect pencil writing on paper from fading over time? Do we know whether the covered book was left at an open page each day of display?

Whether any of these answers can help I do not know. All I do know is that many museums have specific lighting etc as questioned above for protection of their artifacts.

I also believe, though am not sure, that room temperature and humidity is also taken into consideration.

I thank you for your considerations and hopefully comments upon this subject.

best wishes

Phil

Yes, I do know how the book is displayed. The Crime Museum takes extreme care of its artefacts. In this case the book is in a protectivecase and only the endpaper notations are on display, thus the marginal writings would not fade as a consequence of the book being on display. That writings have faded due to two decades of the book being opened and closed to that page, hence the acetate being put in place. There are absolutely no grounds that I know of for suspecting that the book has suffered in any way whilst it has been in the custody of the Crime Museum.