Conservation
World War I Service Flag Conservation
This artifact, circa 1917-1918, was created to honor and memorize the Aggies who served in World War I. First hung in Guion Hall in 1918, the flag was moved to the rotunda of the Academic Building in the 1920s, where it remained until the mid-1940s. This flag received conservation treatment by a guest textile conservator in the Libraries’ own Preservation labs through Friends funding in 2018. The treatment stabilized areas of loss, reattached a star, and conducted a comprehensive dry surface cleaning. It was an opportunity for both curatorial and preservation staff to examine the item in its entirety, a rarity due to the constraints of its size being over 12’ wide and 25’ long. The Service Flag is now resides in the Cushing Memorial Library and Archives.
Pilny Oil Painting Restoration
The Friends funded the restoration of Otto Pilny’s Desert Traders painting in 2017. Pilny (1886-1936) was a European painter specializing in the Orientalist genre. While working in Egypt, he was appointed Court Painter to the Ottoman Empire. For many years, this painting, which is one of the pieces donated to the Libraries by Carl C. “Polly” Krueger ’12, hung on the first floor of the Evans Library. In addition to its poor condition, it also had a darkening and yellowing varnish obscuring its vivid colors. After conservation, all areas of flaking paint and abrasion were stabilized and retouched and a clear, UV-protective varnish was applied to protect it from future abrasion, further UV damage, and air pollutants.
Corregidor Muster Flag Conservation
The historic Corregidor Muster Flag is known for featuring a large 'Block T' and hanging over the Malinta Tunnel in 1946 at one of the first Musters held at the end of World War II. This flag was incredibly fragile due to the flaking paint, its size, and the material used to create it. As part of the conservation treatment, the surface was cleaned for particulate soils and fiber dust, which can contribute to accelerated aging. After treatment, the flag was digitized with state-of-the-art equipment to make the image easily accessible for all Aggies and was on exhibit for the opening of the A Spirit Can Ne’er Be Told: Traditions of Aggieland at the Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, where it is now housed. This conservation project was funded by the Friends in 2019.
