WEST POINT DIPLOMA

A client brought us a historic family diploma on parchment that was in very poor condition. Parchment is made from animal skin (primarily sheep, calf and goat skin) and has been used for centuries to record important documents, including diplomas and certificates. Hence, the use of the term “sheepskin” to refer to a diploma.

This particular diploma had been exposed to severe water damage which caused pronounced buckling and staining. Parchment is highly sensitive to water and changes in humidity and frequently buckles when exposed to moisture. In addition, there was a major loss of the parchment in the upper left corner, but luckily most of the loss was in the outer margins and only a small amount of imagery was lost.

In order to address these condition issues, we first cleaned the document to remove the dirt and mold that had accumulated over time. The document was then very carefully flattened and lined it to a Japanese plant fiber paper backing for support. The losses of parchment were filled and carefully toned to match the vellum.

After our treatment, the West Point diploma was framed with museum grade materials. A humidity chamber was created within the frame to limit the vellum’s response to potential changes in humidity.

As for the frame, we cleaned the dirt and grime, removed the old overpaint, and cast new ornamentation for the pieces that had fallen off. The resulting frame brightened to complement the new life brought to the painting. The restored diploma and frame were returned to the client and will be cherished for generations to come.