Accumulation, adherence or embedding of extraneous matter.
Acid / Matt Burn
:
Alteration to a work on paper caused by lignin containing acidic materials in contact with the artwork.
Active infestation
:
A colony of one or more species actively living and breeding within or on an object. Can be: carpet beetle, clothes moths, silver fish, termites, furniture beetles, cockroach, ants, house flies. Variable: Immediate attention needed.
Artist intent
:
Present condition over which the artist/maker has authority that is intentional or unintentional.
Blanching
:
Milky areas in paint or varnish.
Bleeding
:
Suffusion of a color into adjacent areas, often caused by moisture or solvents.
Broken glass
:
Vitreous material shattered, cracked or chipped.
Bronze disease
:
Greenish flaking or bubbling, damp condition of surface bronze.
Buckling
:
Disruption causing ripples or ridges.
Burn Mark
:
Blistering and/or charring of a surface as a result of fire or other open heat source.
Chalking
:
Pigment turned to powder.
Chip / Fracture
:
Small loss(es) of material e.g. paint, ceramic, veneer, gesso.
Cleavage
:
Separation and lifting of media from the support layer .
Crack
:
Short fault in the body of an object.
Crackle Impact / Cracklure
:
Cracks in radiating circles caused by a blow, can also be caused by tension variables, changes in relative humidity or thickness of primer
Cracklure
:
Network of cracks caused by the shrinking of the medium.
Crease
:
Line or mark made by folding or wrinkling.
Criselling
:
Network of fine cracks on the surface, caused by condensation and dissolution of some of the silicates found in glass.
Cupping
:
Aged paint, loosened by cracking, with edges curling to create cup-like formations.
Cut
:
A straight separation caused by sharp slicing action.
Dent
:
Concave depression in surface(s) or substrate caused by blow or pressure.
Dishing
:
A distortion in the canvas of a painting caused by unequal tension around the stretcher
Edge damage
:
Damage in and confined to the perimeter of an object.
Element (s) broken
:
Forcibly fractured-separted or loose pieces that are extant with the object and could be reattached.
Element (s) missing
:
Elements or portions of any object not with the object at the time of preparing this report. May be stored elsewhere, found later or missing
Element (s) separating
:
Portions of an object that have become unstable or loose.
Embrittled
:
Canvas/Support has become perceptibly fragile to the point of snapping, crumbling or breaking.
Faded / Bleached
:
Losses of brightenss of brilliance of the color(s). UV damage.
Fingerprint / handling marks
:
Marks left behind from handling and may be permanent.
Flaking
:
Serious cracking causing paint and/or ground layer to dislodge from the support.
Flight hole
:
Holes created by wood-boring insects.
Fold
:
Bent or doubled over on itself that can lead to cracking, breaking or fragmentation of image layer or surface
Foxing
:
Reddish-brown 'stains' believed to be caused by metal particles in paper being attacked by micro-organisms.
Frass
:
A powdery residue left by insects; generally associated with flight holes. Old frass may be visible when object is moved or has been transit.
Fraying
:
Raveled or worn spot indicated by the separation of threads, especially on the edge of a fabric.
Glaze damage
:
Surface loss.
Gouge
:
A groove, indentation or cavity resulting from an object pressing or cutting into the surface without completely penetrating the support.
Graffiti
:
Foreign substance applied to an existing object.
Hole
:
Open or hollow loss, other than a puncture
Larvae / eggs
:
Observed presence of insect eggs.
Lifting
:
Areas that have lost adhesion and are no longer firmly fastened to the surface, but are still there.
Loss
:
Areas of paint, finish or surface which have lost adhesion or are missing.
Mold / mildew
:
Any of various fungal growths that dissolve, stain, or degrade the host material.
Mount damage
:
Some mounts are original to objects and damage should be recorded: e.g. mounted ceramics or pedestals for some sculpture.
Normal wear
:
Evidence of previous use/not original condition.
Odor
:
Distinctive smell emanating from the object.
Old impact damage
:
Evidence of previous damage left untreated.
Oxidation
:
A chemical reaction of oxygen with another material. Metallic oxidation (rust, copper and brass corrosion), organic oxidation of leathers, woods, textile fibers, etc. are most frequently associated with furniture.
Particulates
:
Very small particles on the surface or the interstices of an object such as dirt, dust, fibers
Perforation
:
Hole/puncture created by a sudden blow to the surface/substrate, can be man-made or a result of natural hazard impact.
Previous restoration / conservation
:
Evidence of previous repairs/treatments.
Pull
:
Mechanical distortion to one or more threads in textile.
Residue (s)
:
Animal, vegetable/mineral or man-made substance adhering to surfaces ---may be old or new.
Scratch
:
Loss of media by marking the surface with something sharp.
Shattered
:
A severe condition where object is in many pieces/contorted and should not be handled without complete documentation of circumstances, notification of all parties concerned before further decisions are made.
Shrinkage
:
Reduction on size from original dimension.
Slipped hinge / Faulty Attachment(s)
:
Articulated fastener that is loose or broken.
Smear
:
Limited adherence of patriculate matter.
Spalling
:
Freeze / thaw damage to some stone over a period of time.
Split
:
A continuing break and parting of material.
Stain
:
Discolored appearance caused by a foreign substance, uneven aging or micro-organisms.
Stretcher marks
:
A crease or line of cracks in the ground or paint layer of a painting, caused by the support touching against the stretcher.
Substrate unstable
:
Joints may be loose. Mainly caused by temp/rH changes over time, leading to expansion and contraction of secondary woods and damage to surface coatings.
Tarnish
:
Oxidation, darkened surface of silver.
Tear
:
Rupture in support layer resulting from variable stresses or strains.
Tide line
:
Staining in a uneven line, cause by partial immersion of item in water or capillary action.
Transference
:
Presence of pigment or other material carried over to the surface of the object.
Upholstery damage
:
Materials degraded.
Warping / Bowing
:
A structural distortion of the support that may have become twisted, turned or bent is no longer flat or in plane.
Water Damage
:
Staining, planar distortion, finish damage, loosening or other damage caused by contact with water or high RH.