An unfolding exhibition—conservation and registrar perspectives

Abstract

Summary In 1999 The National Trust, in conjunction with the Grolier Club of New York and the Royal Oak Foundation of America, arranged an exhibition entitled Treasures from the Libraries of National Trust Country Houses’. 128 books were selected from a large number of properties and brought together at central collection points before travelling to New York. Planning took two years, involving both those on the NT staff and external advisers and conservators. There were many problems in bringing together material from so many places, ranging from the logistics of carrying out condition assessments to dealing with the attendant changes in environment; documentation proved difficult at all stages. Two items of particular sensitivity required special attention throughout the process. Working in two continents also proved to be problematic and made verification of environmental data difficult, which placed an extra burden on the conservators setting up the exhibition.