Restoration & Repair
Byxbe's etchings are at least fifty years old and some have been damaged. I remind myself they were designed to be inexpensive souvenirs of Estes Park and Colorado. Tourists took them home, may or may not have had them framed, and may or may not have cared for them.
I have no background in art restoration but thought I would try my hand at what looked to be a simple fix.
The etching shown below was in a frame when I got it and the seller stated it showed "moderate foxing". Looking at it closely, I thought the marks looked more like places where tiny insects had gotten between the glass and the paper. They died and released oils that oxidized darker over time. The fact that all the nails holding the etching firm in the frame were rusted suggests a wet environment where bugs might be an issue.
I have no background in art restoration but thought I would try my hand at what looked to be a simple fix.
The etching shown below was in a frame when I got it and the seller stated it showed "moderate foxing". Looking at it closely, I thought the marks looked more like places where tiny insects had gotten between the glass and the paper. They died and released oils that oxidized darker over time. The fact that all the nails holding the etching firm in the frame were rusted suggests a wet environment where bugs might be an issue.
This is the full size etching after I took it out of the frame.

Click the image to open a larger picture and in the upper left you will see several of the ugly marks.
This is a closeup of some of the damaged area

This picture was taken before I did anything to try and remove the stain.
This is after I scraped the paper with a sharp knife

I didn't try to cut anything. I held the blade perpendicular to the paper and pulled it back and forth.
The spots lightened considerably but when I looked at the back side of the etching I can see that the two largest stains came all the way through.
I need to see if I can find some kind of material that will color match. I think I will try that before attempting to bleach the stain.
The spots lightened considerably but when I looked at the back side of the etching I can see that the two largest stains came all the way through.
I need to see if I can find some kind of material that will color match. I think I will try that before attempting to bleach the stain.