Conservation, Mounting and/or Framing of Paper Based Archival Material

The National Army Museum (NAM) wishes to appoint a conservation company (‘the conservator’) to conserve and/or mount 259 paper based objects and other associated material in preparation for their display in the museum in Autumn 2016.

Expressions of Interest in this work is requested from suitably qualified and experienced contractors by 21st August 2015. It is beneficial, though not essential, for the conservator to hold accredited status (PACR - Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers).

To inform this tender process, the objects have had initial condition assessments and treatment recommendations made by a paper conservator. These reports give a picture of the extent of the treatment required. Tenders may be made based on these assessments, their recommendations and the associated photographs of the objects themselves (to be included with the tender document). Alternatively or in addition to this information the objects may be viewed in-situ at the NAM store in Stevenage, Herefordshire by prior appointment.

Summary of condition assessments:

1. Of the 259 objects,137 require conservation and mounting and/or framing and 122 require mounting and/or framing only.

2. The NAM uses four categories to classify the condition of an object: good, fair, poor and acute. Of the 137 objects requiring conservation; 14 were classed as being in good condition, 72 were thought to be in fair condition, 25 were deemed to be in poor condition and 26 were considered to be in acute condition.

3. The extent of treatment thought to be required is measured by three criteria: low, moderate and extensive. Of the 137 objects requiring conservation here; 18 were thought to require a low level of treatment, 93 a moderate level and 26 an extensive level.

4. The estimated time required to conserve and (where applicable) mount and/or frame the group of 137 objects (requiring conservation) was 658 hours.

5. Of the 259 objects 171 require mounting on a card backboard, 68 require mounting within a card window mount and 20 require no mounting following conservation. 83 objects also require framing in addition to mounting.

6. The time required to mount and/or frame the group of 122 objects that do not require conservation has been estimated to be 131 hours.

The conservator will be responsible for:

1. The conservation, mounting and framing of the objects (following discussion and approval of all treatments by the NAM).

2. Full documentation - written report and photographs - relating to the treatment of each object (sent to the NAM on completion of the project).

3. Packing for transport back to the store using materials provided by the NAM.

It is anticipated that the objects will be conserved off-site at the appointed conservators studio.