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Highlights in this issue

The Treatment of Mail on an Arm Guard from the Armoury of the Shah Shuja: Ethical Repair and in situ Documentation in Miniature

Simon Metcalf, Senior Conservator, Metals Conservation

The treatment of this particular piece of armour illustrates how structural repairs, needed to preserve the object, can be undertaken without compromising historical information or future examination.

Digital Weightlifing and the Conservation of Large, Heavy Objects

Athanasios Velios, RCA/V&A Conservation, PhD student Alan Cummings, Royal College of Art, Pro-Rector

Few conservators would list weightlifting as an important area for professional development. Unfortunately, on the archaeological sites of Ancient Greece the demands on the conservator may indeed stretch to this Olympic pursuit. Architectural fragments can weigh hundreds of kilos and be of very complex shape.

Four Terabytes and Counting

Helen Shenton, Deptuty Director, Collection Management (Preservation), British Library

The British Library is big. It is the largest cultural body in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's firmament.  It has just started designing a 'Digital Library System'.

Colour Changes for the V&A Facade

Boris Pretzel, Materials Scientist, Conservation Science

In the mid 1980's the V& A started investigating how industrial cleaning processes might be adapted safely to clean the facade. It's carving and statues had become totally obscured by thick black surface accretions and soiling.