This leather-covered photograph case from Eisenhower National Historic Site holds a hand-painted silver gelatin portrait of Mamie Eisenhower, former First Lady. The gilt brass frame rests in a recessed red velvet support, and the lid exterior is lined with red silk.

 

The object was very delicate prior to treatment with losses throughout the leather covering. The interior silk lining was significantly deteriorated with many broken and lost colored weft strands. 

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Treatment steps included: carefully cleaning both the exterior and interior surfaces, adhering the loose leather covering, creating replica leather to fill areas of loss, realigning and adhering the deteriorated silk fibers, and a fixing a stabilizing fabric overlay to hold the fragile silk in place