About this project
The Landis Brothers Kayak was one of several constructed by Henry K. and George Landis to be used on their adventurous trip down the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers in the late 1880s. The Landis Valley Museum delivered the kayak for conservation treatment so that it could eventually be displayed.
What we did
The kayak was dry cleaned using soft natural bristle brushes and vacuumed to remove a heavy layer of dust and organic debris. All interior framing members were cleaned using a dilute detergent solution in solvents. The exterior surfaces were cleaned using aqueous gels to reduce deeply embedded grime. The damaged wooden structural members were realigned and adhered using reversible adhesives. The painted canvas was consolidated using a reversible thermoplastic resin which permitted areas of lifting paint to be relaxed and set down using heated micro spatulas. Inserts were reproduced where large areas of loss had occurred on the outer skin using molds take from the remaining textured surfaces. The fills were toned and inserted. However, the client requested that the repaired areas were to provide visual integration, but not be made invisible as they were not part of the original material.
