Analysis is an important part of conservation because identifying specific materials in an artifact helps us better understand how an artifact degrades, its history, and much more. For La Isabel, we were interested in learning more about two specific materials: wood and fibers.

Transition into the next steps of this conservation project which involve looking more closely at La Isabel’s history, structure, and condition.

This week “in the Land of Submarines” we’re focusing on documenting the Japanese submarine Nishimura 3746. Previously we talked about its history and our initial assessment of the hull. All this activity is in preparation of moving the sub onto a custom cradle and to a new home.

Welcome to the second installment of our miniseries on Nishimura 3746, a Japanese midget submarine. We’re deep diving into an on-going project to resupport this one-of-a-kind vessel.

The first step in a project to assess the condition of La Isabel, a Jábega boat, a traditional fishing trawler from Málaga, Spain. It was built in 1925 and came to The Mariners’ Museum and Park in 1933 not long after the Museum opened.

Nishimura no. 3746, a Japanese midget submarine built in 1940. There were only four of these submarines ever built, only two of which were built by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and it is the only surviving example of its kind.

Electrochemical treatment set-ups need constant attention in the “wet lab” and outdoor tanks, and environmental conditions in dry object storage also require our steadfast attention.

The agents range from everyday environmental issues to unlikely, but devastating, events. It’s important to remember, and you’ll see it as we go through the list, that often these agents work together.

When salt gets into things it’s not meant to get into, it almost always causes problems, but the nature of the problem varies by material: organics (like wood, leather and cloth), metals (like iron and copper), and other inorganic materials (like ceramics, glass and stone).

Details on the paper treatment and common conservation techniques for a print that came to the lab due to its fragile condition.