This parchment deed was comprised of two separate pages and an accompanying wax seal, housed in a wooden box. 

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The housing for this document also required some repair in order to be handled safely, and to provide suitable storage for the document itself. 

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Comprised of a wooden box structure, imitation leather covering and newsprint lining the box required a multi-stage treatment process.

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Firstly, the degraded and already semi-detached box covering was able to be mechanically removed very carefully from the wooden structure in two whole pieces (top and bottom).

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These were cleaned and then lined with a strong tissue and conservation adhesive to consolidate the fragile and flaking material. These two pieces were then able to be re-adhered back onto the box.

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Due to the acidic nature of newsprint on ageing, it was decided that the lining would not provide a suitable surface on which the parchment could sit within the housing.

 

Therefore, a lining of transparent archival polyester was cut to for the inside dimensions of the box, providing a barrier between the parchment deed and the acidic newsprint without dramatically altering the aesthetics of the housing. 

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Finally new hinges were devised for the box to enable safe opening and closing.