Restoring pieces of history - Adi Granth to Tagore portrait

A portrait of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore dating back to the early 1940s had become dull and lifeless. The colours had faded with cracks and stains visible on the surface. But the canvas has got a new lease of life.

This has been made possible by the Indian Conservation Institute-Lucknow (ICI-L), which claims to be the largest centre for restoration of manuscripts and tomes in India.

The ICI-L received the 61 cm by 75 cm oil painting in a shabby condition from a private collector. Beginning with its photographic documentation, the technical staff cleaned the painting with a soft brush using a solvent to undo the yellowing effect of varnish over the portrait.

Further, the paint layer was consolidated with the help of heat seal adhesive. All the cracks were filled up carefully. A protective layer of varnish was applied over the portrait, restoring it to its original glory. Even the name of the painter and its commissioning date Oct 2, 1944, became clearly visible.

Full report here Sify

337-year-old book to be reprinted

Collectors of rare books will soon be able to lay their hands on a facsimile copy of 17th century book India and Persia by British cartographer John Ogilvie. It is being reprinted by the authorities of the Asiatic Society here.

Published in 1673, the book, which is a part of the Library of the Asiatic Society, is the only known copy in India, said Nirbed Ray, publication secretary of the Society. While the condition of the original had deteriorated owing to effects of age, the reprint would probably be available in March, nearly 337 years after it was first printed.

The book has unique artwork and maps from India and Persia. It provided the merchants of the East India Company valuable information on India and the Gangetic plains, Mr. Ray said.

Full report here Hindu

Saving the past for the future

In the basement of the University of Mumbai's Fort Campus library, a towering Gothic-style cathedral to knowledge built by the British in the mid-19th century, half-a-dozen people are hard at work.

Some are hunched over computers and a state-of-the-art scanner. Others busy themselves in an air-conditioned laboratory, surrounded by fumigation units, bell jars of chemicals, trays of clear liquids and metal drying racks.This is the institution's rare books restoration project, which aims to return ancient and hard-to-find works to their former glory, so the scholars of the future can learn from those of the past.

Everyone involved shares the same enthusiasm for the task - making damaged books fit for another 100 years. "Future generations should know what our history is," said Kirti Joshi, an assistant conservator, wiping her hands on a white apron. "To do so we have to preserve it. The 2.5 million rupee project began early last year and is nearing completion.

So far 100,000 pages - or around 300 books - have been digitised to UNESCO standards and 88,000 pages cut, cleaned, laminated with chemical-free Japanese tissue paper and rebound in red leather covers with gold-embossed lettering.
 
Full report here  Independent

Saving the past for the future

In the basement of the University of Mumbai's Fort Campus library, a towering Gothic-style cathedral to knowledge built by the British in the mid-19th century, half-a-dozen people are hard at work. Some are hunched over computers and a state-of-the-art scanner. Others busy themselves in an air-conditioned laboratory, surrounded by fumigation units, bell jars of chemicals, trays of clear liquids and metal drying racks.

This is the institution's rare books restoration project, which aims to return ancient and hard-to-find works to their former glory, so the scholars of the future can learn from those of the past. Everyone involved shares the same enthusiasm for the task - making damaged books fit for another 100 years. "Future generations should know what our history is," said Kirti Joshi, an assistant conservator, wiping her hands on a white apron. "To do so we have to preserve it."

The 2.5 million rupee project began early last year and is nearing completion.So far 100,000 pages - or around 300 books -- have been digitised to UNESCO standards and 88,000 pages cut, cleaned, laminated with chemical-free Japanese tissue paper and rebound in red leather covers with gold-embossed lettering.
Those involved want to extend the project, hoping that if money is found, 500,000 books from the university's 800,000-strong collection can be saved.
Full report here