conservation

research & diagnosis

forms

General Condition Form for glass

The General Condition Form (GCF) for glass records, in a standardised manner, general signs of degradation and, in particular, damage resulting from glass instability. Together with Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, and in consultation with other museums such as the Rijksmuseum and Corning Museum of Glass, restorer Mandy Slager has developed a clear method for recording the conditions of glass and points of attention for preventive conservation. They did so to support knowledge exchange through a standardised classification method and therefore produced it in English.

The form was designed in collaboration with the IT and documentation specialist at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and incorporated into Conservation Studio, the web-based conservation documentation tool that integrates with The Museum System (TMS) collection management software. Conservation Studio stores specialised conservation information and keeps it accessible through a direct link to the collection records for individual objects.

The GCF for glass is available in printed form and may be completed on site in pencil. It also integrates into other collections management systems, either as a form or through the transfer of its fields. Most fields use predefined options, some offer choices through a drop-down menu, and others let users add brief notes.

Standardisation also makes it possible to track changes when monitoring an object’s condition over time, which is an important function of the GCF when used with Conservation Studio or another documentation system.

A user guide has been written for Conservation Studio users to help them fill out the form. Although not every suggestion and explanation in it is relevant beyond this specific context, the guide is, on the whole, interesting enough to include on this platform.

The form covers many different types of damage and includes fields for general information about the object and the date and details of the inspection. A general section identifies damage, ranging from scratches, cracks and breaks to missing parts and dirt. Another section focuses on signs of atmospheric degradation. The form also records the techniques and methods used to obtain the findings. Suggestions for further research or conservation follow the findings. Users can also add mappings, photographs, research reports and other documents. A separate field covers information that cannot be entered elsewhere. Future versions may include additional fields for characteristics specific to archaeological glass.

This form is designed to document damage to glass. However, other materials that may also be present in composite objects require separate documentation. At various institutions, such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, every material has its own condition report form. Future versions of the GCF could therefore include additional forms for other materials.

Some sub-fields of the GCF, such as the one for stained glass, have not yet been tested and may require adaptation.

The form does not provide space for recording the production techniques. A separate form was designed for that purpose (see making techniques).