The Conservation of Featherwork from Central and South America

Feathers have played major functional and emblematic roles in many cultures. It is important for conservators and curators to realize that featherwork requires a deep understanding of the birds selected, the technical approaches taken toward the manipulation of feathers, and how the condition relates to the meaning of the work. Accurate and comprehensive recording is essential and this volume presents a feather identification and condition template for recording feather features and conditions together with case studies of documentation and subsequent conservation treatment.

Feathers have played major functional and emblematic roles in many cultures. It is important for conservators and curators to realize that featherwork requires a deep understanding of the birds selected, the technical approaches taken toward the manipulation of feathers, and how the condition relates to the meaning of the work. Accurate and comprehensive recording is essential and this volume presents a feather identification and condition template for recording feather features and conditions together with case studies of documentation and subsequent conservation treatment. This book is an essential reference guide for all those working with ethnographic collections

Introduction

Judith Levinson

1 An introduction to the examination, documentation, and conservation of featherwork

Ellen Pearlstein

2 Introduction to the case studies

Ellen Pearlstein

3 Feather identification and condition template

Ellen Pearlstein

4 Conservation of an Ashaninka headdress

Colette Badmagharian

5 Conservation of a Karaja feathered headdress

Betsy Burr

6 Conservation of a Shapra headdress

Lesley Day

7 Conservation of a Huichol hat

Tom McClintock

8 Conservation of an archaeological feather plume

William Shelley

9 Conservation of a Karaja skirt/ belt

Heather White,

Introduction

Judith Levinson

1 An introduction to the examination, documentation, and conservation of featherwork

Ellen Pearlstein

2 Introduction to the case studies

Ellen Pearlstein

3 Feather identification and condition template

Ellen Pearlstein

4 Conservation of an Asháninka headdress

Colette Badmagharian

5 Conservation of a Karajá feathered headdress

Betsy Burr

6 Conservation of a Shapra headdress

Lesley Day

7 Conservation of a Huichol hat

Tom McClintock

8 Conservation of an archaeological feather plume

William Shelley

9 Conservation of a Karajá skirt/ belt

Heather White

• By (author) Ellen Pearlstein

"Overall, The Conservation of Featherwork from Central and South America presents a strong argument for theimportant role that comprehensive technical documentation plays in conservation. It is also a useful reminder about the contribution that conservation makes to other related fields with respect to information on the materials, structure and use of objects. The comprehensive overview provided by the first chapter on the examination, documentation and conservation of feathers is welcomed, as is the good number of references included throughout the book. So, too, is the feather identification and condition template, the application of which is well illustrated through the case studies. Although conservators who work with feathered objects will find this book to be a valuable resource, it has an even broader application within conservation with respect to its focus on standardized technical documentation and the contribution of the template to this end, as well as its exploration of intangible cultural evidence and how it can be affected by conservation choices." Journal of the Canadian Association for Conservation, Vol 42 pp45-46
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Overall, The Conservation of Featherwork from Central and South America presents a strong argument for the  important role that comprehensive technical documentation plays in conservation. It is also a useful reminder about the contribution that conservation makes to other related fields with respect to information on the materials, structure and use of objects. The comprehensive overview provided by the first chapter on the examination, documentation and conservation
of feathers is welcomed, as is the good number of references included throughout the book. So, too, is the feather identification and condition template, the application of which is well illustrated through the case studies. Although conservators who work with feathered objects will find this book to be a valuable resource, it has an even broader application within conservation with respect to its focus on standardized technical documentation and the contribution of the template to this end, as well as its exploration of intangible cultural evidence and how it can be affected by conservation choices.

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