Toning paper as a repair material: its application to three-dimensional organic objects

Summary Japanese paper, used in conjunction with starch or cellulose-based pastes, has been increasingly used in the last decade for the backing and repair of a wide range of organic artefacts in The British Museum. Various methods of toning/colouring paper have been trialed, assessed and employed, including watercolours, acrylic paints, powder pigments in various media, and hot and cold cellulosic textile dyes. It was found that different mlouring methods confer specific properties to the paper, providing characteristics that can be used in particular conservation applications. Methods and treatments are illustrated by case studies that include the use of coloured papers in the repair of three-dimensional artefacts.