la cura del Patrimonio – mandolini e carte stradivariane

THE MANDOLINS IN THE CIVIC COLLECTIONS OF VIOLIN MAKING

The “Report of delivery to the Municipality by the Cavalli heirs [Aristide and Gherardo, sons of Lelio] of stringed musical instruments to be exhibited in the rooms of the organological museum to be established at the Palazzo dell’Arte” dated 21 September 1958 also included three plucked instruments, specifically:

• an antique mandola of small size – lacking strings – in poor general condition;
• a mandola (Lombard) with a slightly flat shape – light color with alternating brown and natural wood colored streaks – lacking strings – fair state of conservation;
• a mandola (Lombard) with a slightly flat shape – light color with longitudinal grain lines – lacking strings – fair state of conservation.

Next to the description of each instrument, a number added in pencil can be read, corresponding to the current catalog number.

The numbers indicated are 71, 51, 52 in this order.

In the inventory drawn up years ago by the then curator Andrea Mosconi, two other instruments appear indicated as Lombard mandolin inv. no. 49 – Zosimo Bergonzi – and Lombard mandolin inv. no. 50 – anonymous.

There is no document in the records relating to the donation of the instruments inventoried with nos. 49 and 50

RESTORATION GUIDELINES

Before proceeding with the development of a “restoration project”, the instruments had already undergone an anoxic treatment in order to eradicate any possible attack by woodworms.

Cleaning of all instruments was then carried out with both chemical agents and mechanical tools.

Long-tested products were used such as: Agarose, Glucel, small moistened pads and smokesponge.

Subsequently, each instrument underwent consolidation works to secure, with reversible “hot glue”, all the parts that were detached or in a precarious state of solidity.

The missing parts were integrated with “slivers” (long, thin wood fragments cut in the direction of the grain) while the detached parts that were separated due to the natural shrinkage of the wood were consolidated with wooden bridges.

 In order to at least give an aesthetic use to the instruments, it was decided to reposition the parts necessary for holding the strings such as pegs and top nuts.

Finally, plain gut or wound gut strings were installed.

THE MANDOLINS OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI

There are numerous paper templates and drawings, preserved among the Stradivari artefacts and exhibited in the Museum, attributable to the construction of plucked string instruments and specifically mandolins and mandolas.

The large number of such models suggests that the construction of this type of instruments, at least in one period of the activity of Stradivari’s workshop, was not entirely marginal.

Unfortunately, this rich testimony is matched only by a small number of instruments that have come down to us. In fact, there are only two mandolins attributed to the famous Cremonese luthier: the instrument known as “Coristo” dated 1700-10 c., privately owned, and the 1680c. “Cuttler-Challen” preserved at the National Music Museum of Vermillion in South Dakota.

In all likelihood, other Cremonese luthiers dedicated themselves to the construction of plucked instruments. Andrea Guarneri expressed in his second will the desire to leave to his son Giuseppe all the tools necessary for the activity of “liuthier, violin maker and guitar maker”.

In addition to the mandolin by Zosimo Bergonzi, another interesting example is provided by a mandolin with the label Matteo Scolari / made in Cremona / 1799. No historical information is known about the maker.

Patterns by Antonio Stradivari for the construction of mandolas and mandolins

Patterns for the soundboard: mandola (2) – mandolin (4)

Pattern for the soundboard with neck and peg head: mandolin (4)

Pattern for the neck with flat head volute: mandola (3) – mandolin (4)

Patterns for the development of the back of the peg head: mandola (5) – mandolin (1)

PAPER ARTEFACTS CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS

The conservation interventions began in 2013 with the compilation of a condition report noting the different nature of the damage: mechanical, chemical, attack by insects and microorganisms and finally anthropic damage. In 2014 the artefacts were placed in passe-partouts made with conservation cardboard. The ones not on display, stored in cabinets, were sorted into folders which were collected in boxes suitable for their preservation. Conservation works began in 2016 on over 200 paper artefacts. The first phase consisted in the carrying out of preliminary tests and a more in-depth assessment of the state of conservation. In the presence of annotations or drawings, the solubility of each graphic medium was verified in order to safely carry out subsequent operations: the pH value was ascertained and finally the presence of Fe² ions within the inks themselves was checked. Dry cleaning was then carried out using various techniques: washing some artefacts with solutions of deionized water and ethyl alcohol, remediation in the presence of attacks by microorganisms and, finally, deacidification by treating the altered paper characterized by an acidic pH with basic substances in order to obtain neutralization. The tears and gaps were restored with tissue papers and Japanese papers, using wheat starch and methylcellulose as adhesives which guarantee long-lasting bonding, absence of chromatic variations and reversibility. The labels that were present on the front of the artefacts were detached and repositioned on the back using small strips of Japanese paper. This choice was determined by the need to improve the readability of the artefacts. The restoration campaign ended in 2021.

CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS

Dry cleaning: performed with microsuction on the paper artefacts that showed microbial attacks or with soft bristle brushes, latex sponges or rubber powder.

 Solubility test: with the use of deionized water and ethyl alcohol. None of the artefacts gave positive test results.

 Iron-gall ink test: performed with special indicator papers to neutralize any corrosiveness of the ink. Presence of Fe2 ions found on only two artefacts (MS 601 and MS 613).

 pH test: with indicator papers. All artefacts, except two, gave results of pH values suitable for conservation (between 5.5 and 7).

Adhesive tape and glue removal: performed dry mechanically where possible and sometimes with ethyl acetate using a pad.

 Washing: in warm deionized water with various techniques (immersion, on the surface of water, by spray, on a suction table).

 Deacidification treatment: with calcium hydroxide na- noparticles in isopropyl alcohol spray, on exhibits MS 423 and MS 542.

 Disinfection treatment: with ethyl alcohol carried out by spraying or while washing the artefact.

 Iron gall ink treatment: the artefacts MS 601 and MS 613 were treated with calcium phytates in order to eliminate the Fe2 ions present in the inks.

 Consolidation / resizing and drying: the artefacts were reglued with methylcellulose in a 1.5% aqueous solution to restore consistency to the washed paper and make it less reactive to pollutants. They were then left to dry slowly under felt.

Consolidation: with application of methylcellulose in a 2.5% aqueous solution; in some cases Japanese Kozo Na- tural 3 g/m2 veil was positioned for further reinforce- ment.

 Restoration of tears and woodworm holes: Kozo Natural 3 g/m2 Japanese veil and methylcellulose-based glue in a 4% aqueous solution were used. The gaps were filled with Japanese Kami paper of suitable thickness, using Zin-Shofu Japanese wheat starch as adhesive.

 Total lining: with Japanese Kozo Natural 3g/m2 veil and Zin-Shofu Japanese wheat starch-based adhesive, per- formed on a single artefact (MS 518).

 Paper flattening: in order to eliminate deformations, some artefacts were slightly flattened under controlled weights by interleaving with absorbent papers.

ANOXIC DISINFESTATION

Anoxic disinfestation is the only method capable of eradicating any insect infestation. Among the protagonists of the most dangerous biological attacks, there are numerous species of the order of beetles better known as woodworms (Anobium punctatum, Nicobium castaenum, etc.) including the so-called “death clock” beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum), which feeds on wood (“xylophagous”), or other insects such as the silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) which prefers carbohydrates such as sugars or starches to wood, which paper materials and some natural glues are rich in. The anoxic disinfestation treatment requires the artefact to remain in an atmosphere rich in nitrogen (N2) for three weeks, after which the death of all insects present in any life stage is guaranteed: adult, pupa, larva and even eggs. Nitrogen is an inert gas that does not cause any damage to the constituent materials and it is a practical and safe alternative to the use of particularly dangerous chemical substances.

PROCEDURE AND INSTRUMENTATION

The product is placed inside a sealed container (bag), made of thermoplastic material cut to size and fixed at the lateral ends with heat-sealing clamps. Two tap valves are positioned on the surface which will be used to make the nitrogen and air containing oxygen (O2) flow in and out respectively. Once the bag is ready, the compressor takes the air from the environment and sends it to the nitrogen generator which, using molecular sieve filters, separates the nitrogen from the other gases contained in the air. During the treatment, a wireless sensor is placed inside the bag to monitor (measurement frequency 10 minutes) the following parameters: Temperature (°C), Relative Humidity (%), Dew Point Temperature (°C). It is important to remember that the anoxic treatment has a preventive and/or maintenance purpose: it is not possible to guarantee the future absolute absence of attacks by pest insects since the trigger is strictly linked to the conservative environment of the artefacts.

SALA FIORINI – SABATO 28|10|2023

ORE 10.00 – INAUGURAZIONE ESPOSIZIONE

ORE 11.00 – 11.30 – AUDIZIONE
UGO ORLANDI – SUONA MANDOLINO ZOSIMO BERGONZI DEL 1770
RICOSTRUZIONE A OPERA DI TIZIANO RIZZI

ORE 14.30 – 17.00 – GIORNATA DI STUDI
FAUSTO CACCIATORI – CONSERVATORE MUSEO DEL VIOLINO
MICHELA ALBANO – UNIVERSITÀ DI PAVIA
CURZIO MERLO – LABORATORIO DI DIAGNOSTICA APPLICATA Cr. Forma, CISRiC UNIVERSITÀ DI PAVIA
TIZIANO RIZZI – DOCENTE LABORATORIO DI RESTAURO STRUMENTI A PIZZICO, UNIVERSITÀ DI PAVIA
RICCARDO ANGELONI – RESTAURATORE ABILITATO
LUISA CAMPAGNOLO – STUDENTESSA DEL CORSO DI RESTAURO, UNIVERSITÀ DI PAVIA
LUCA ROCCA – RESTAURATORE ABILITATO
FRANCESCA TELLI – RESTAURO LIBRI, DOCUMENTI E OPERE SU CARTA E PERGAMENA