Orange Wright Account Book
Object: manuscript account book
Author/Creator: Orange Wright
Date: 1813-1828
Account books are records of financial transactions and obligations, and they are valuable research resources in studying the history of everyday life of common people. They give data on the general costs of goods and services as well as what people were buying and selling across different times and geographic locations.
The original owner of this book, Orange Wright, was a wheelwright, though this book reveals a wide variety of carpentry commissions, including coffins, furniture, wagons, and tubs. The purpose of this treatment was to stabilize the object, enabling ease of handling and use. Focus was placed on balancing a robust structure while preserving original intent. Enabling textual access was a priority in this treatment.
Treatment Overview
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Surface cleaned with soft bristled brush, polyurethane sponges, and low suction HEPA vacuum
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Previous tape repairs were removed as well as the leather spine covering
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Fills and page conjugate stubs were created with mulberry paper and wheat starch paste
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The spine was reshaped, lined, and the boards reattached, emulating the book's original tightback structure