This partial label from the back of an antique frame was completely obscured by years of dirt and grime. The top photo shows the label has been wetted with distilled water, I forgot to take a photo before this but you can still see that it was impossible to make out any detail on the label. The water softens the adhesive used to stick the label to the frame (a hide gum type glue) and it is easy to remove from the frame, although it's very fragile.
The label is carefully removed and placed on a piece of long fibre tissue paper which provides support, it is then put in a tray and distilled water is used to soak the label and slowly clean it. This is repeated several times with some hydroxen peroxide also being added in one of the water baths.
The last photo looks much better in reality, and some more cleaning will bring out more of the detail, but we can now at least read the label, the maker was John Kesson at 28 Diamond Street, (Aberdeen), active in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
