One of the crucial steps in conserving the 1608 "Trevelyon Miscellany" was to strengthen each of the manuscript's nearly 300 double-sided leaves. To do so, conservators used a skilled technique called paper splitting in which the front and back of a single sheet of paper are literally split apart. Paper splitting is practiced in only a few institutions in North America, and the Folger was among the first to use it here.
To prepare for paper splitting, support sheets are adhered to both sides of the paper with a gelatin adhesive. After the glue has set, but while the core of the paper is still moist, the support sheets can then be carefully pulled apart, splitting the core of the paper. In these images, former Folger head of conservation Frank Mowery splits a Trevelyon manuscript leaf that shows the embroidery pattern for a cap. A trailing edge of the support material is left unseparated, so the two halves can later be realigned.
Following this delicate process, the two halves of the paper are dried and reassembled with a sheet of Japanese paper sandwiched between them. The Japanese paper at the core is attached with an adhesive that is soluble only in cold water. After it dries, the support sheets can be removed in a bath of very hot water, dissolving the gelatin adhesive, but not the core adhesive.
The Folger conservation staff is currently working with Preservation Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on research to develop a paper-splitting machine. This specialized device would still require a highly skilled conservator, but it would work more quickly than the traditional manual method and, equally important, would not require the use of exterior support sheets.