Objects Up Close Virtual Series
Folk Binding: The Joseph Stidham Diary
A ropemaker and wire weaver from Wilmington, Delaware, Joseph H. Stidham (1788–1870) was also an active diarist who bound his own notebooks using whatever materials he had at hand. From offcuts of leather pants to scraps of cloth and recycled paper, Stidham made utilitarian and charming covers for his diaries. The pages within are often held together with colored thread, stick pins, and wax. This presentation by Luke K. Kelly, Fellow, Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, will examine the conservation treatment of one of Stidham’s journals from the collection and discuss the importance of preserving idiosyncratic “folk bindings” and their value as artifacts.
Additional Details
Institution or Organization name - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
