Iron gall ink workshop

Designed around the conservation needs, the three-day programme develops practical knowledge and skills for assessing, stabilising and treating paper archival records affected by iron gall ink, including the Straits Settlements Records. Two overseas conservation specialists, Eliza Jacobi and Claire Phan Tan Luu, will deliver the workshop. Lectures and demonstrations will support substantial supervised practical work and discussion of treatment challenges encountered during conservation practice.

 

The programme aims to strengthen conservators’ capacity to assess treatment options and make informed conservation decisions. Participants will relate practical exercises and case discussions to their daily work, supporting their development of conservation protocols and the training of new conservators and interns.

 

Workshop Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:

• Explain iron gall ink composition and degradation mechanisms, informed by practical ink preparation.
• Assess varying degrees of iron gall ink corrosion and explain the selection of appropriate treatment approaches for conservation cases.
• Carry out examination and testing for iron(II) under trainer guidance and use the findings to inform condition assessment.
• Practise mending with pre-coated tissue and phytate-bicarbonate washing treatments under supervision, relating the methods to case-specific needs.
• Apply conservation strategies and preventive measures to slow or mitigate deterioration of affected records.