Conservation Assessment of the Arnold Family Business Papers

FAIN: PG-50389-08

Brown University (Providence, RI 02912-9100)
Kimberly S. Nusco (Project Director: May 2007 to September 2009)

Hiring a consultant to develop a treatment plan for a collection of business records from the Arnold family of Rhode Island.

The John Carter Brown Library recently undertook a project to arrange and describe the Arnold family business papers, a collection of 18th and 19th century business records of a prominent Rhode Island merchant family. The firms of Welcome Arnold and his son, Samuel G. Arnold, were active in nearly every aspect of economic life in New England, including maritime trade, rum distilling, and textile production, and their records are a rich resource for American economic and social history. An initial examination revealed that improper storage of the papers prior to arriving at the JCB caused severe damage from mildew and pests. Because of the collection's size--over 190 boxes and 250 volumes--as well as hazards posed by mildew and fumigant residue, the JCB seeks to hire conservator Robert Hauser to perform a conservation assessment of the papers and to develop a proposal for systematic treatment that will enable us to preserve and provide access to this important historical material.