<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 https://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" findaidstatus="completed" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-ViU" url="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/822"/><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper type="filing">Smith, Christine, Conservation  files</titleproper><titleproper>Christine Smith Conservation files <num>MSS 16289</num></titleproper><author>Sharon Defibaugh</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/logos/uva-sc.jpg" xlink:show="embed" xlink:type="simple"/></p><p><date>2020</date></p><address><addressline>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</addressline><addressline>P.O. Box 400110</addressline><addressline>University of Virginia</addressline><addressline>Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110</addressline><addressline>URL: <extptr xlink:href="https://small.library.virginia.edu/" xlink:show="new" xlink:title="https://small.library.virginia.edu/" xlink:type="simple"/></addressline></address></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2026-03-05 17:53:14 +0000</date>.</creation><langusage>English</langusage><descrules>Describing Archives: A Content Standard</descrules></profiledesc></eadheader><archdesc level="file">
  <did>
    <repository>
      <corpname>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</corpname>
    </repository>
    <unittitle>Christine Smith Files Concerning Conservation of the Wills of George Washington and Martha Washington</unittitle>
    <unitid>MSS 16289</unitid>
    <unitid type="ark">
      <extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/822" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref>
    </unitid>
    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/resources/922</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="whole">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">2.69 Cubic Feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">6 document boxes, 1 flat box</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1945/2016" type="bulk">1945-2016</unitdate>
    <langmaterial id="aspace_0dc7f2ff180883036c481c592d65cc07">Materials are in English.</langmaterial>
  </did>
  <accessrestrict id="aspace_242d2ceda30c0173a99776a0c54d1dde">
    <head>Conditions Governing Access</head>
<p>The collection is open for research use.</p>  </accessrestrict>
  <acqinfo id="aspace_7790b3cdac122c555e98c61bc3ed6a72">
    <head>Provenance</head>
<p>Donated by Christine Smith, 20 February 2017.</p>  </acqinfo>
  <arrangement id="aspace_3742611edeeaa05b277ac3e3630983fa">
    <head>Arrangement</head>
<p>These files are arranged in two series, Paper Files and Slides (Boxes 1-5)  and Audiovisual Materials, Born-Digital Materials and Microscope Slides (Box 6).</p>  </arrangement>
  <bioghist id="aspace_08d39dce04b8d7e5a394142dc3aefb48">
    <head>Historical Note</head>
<p>Christine Smith, a conservator working for Conservation of Art on Paper, Inc. (CAPI), wrote an article in the "Winterthur Portfolio A Journal of American Material Culture" (Volume 38, Number 4, Winter 2003) describing the history of George Washington's last will and testament and the various treatments that it has undergone. Smith not only describes her contemporary treatment of the documents but also the pioneering conservation treatment of the wills of both George and Martha Washington by William W. Berwick, restorer of manuscripts, Library of Congress.</p>  </bioghist>
  <scopecontent id="aspace_8e65d7fd0ad80ccf39ec3cb81f5a7b32">
    <head>Scope and Contents Note</head>
<p>The Christine Smith Conservation files (1945-2016; 2.69 cubic feet)  concern the conservation of the wills of George Washington and Martha Washington.  The files contain slide photographs of each page of each will, usually with additional detail photos. Each set of before-treatment slides represents the wills as they appeared in 1998, approximately nine decades after manuscript restorer William Berwick preserved them; the after-treatment slides document the appearance of each will in 2003.</p><p>There are also photocopies of materials concerning each manuscript's preservation history, including damage during the Civil War, early restoration attempts, storage formats, and exhibition histories.</p><p>For George Washington's will, there bits of the will paper and ink (for future microscopy studies), nine microscope slides of the will's materials, specimens of the translucent paper that Mr. Berwick used to tack together the split sheets prior to silking them, the inlay/mounting paper that he used, and the double-sided mat housings that Christine Smith used. For Martha Washington's will, there are specimens of the inlay paper and silking crepeline.</p><p>Other materials included were specifications and papers concerning the new case built to house George Washington's will in 2002, written documentation on the restoration of both wills, papers about an exhibition of the wills held at Mt. Vernon, and audiovisual materials documenting or publicizing the restoration of the Washinton wills.</p>  </scopecontent>
  <prefercite id="aspace_cdd05ec60e365e2917a318a8d4562090">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>MSS 16289 Christine Smith Conservation files, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.</p>  </prefercite>
  <controlaccess>
    <subject source="lcsh">Historic preservation -- Virginia.</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="sh2008113521" source="lcsh">Wills -- United States</subject>
    <genreform authfilenumber="300128371" source="aat">slides (photographs)</genreform>
  </controlaccess>
  <dsc><c01 id="aspace_2c9f72f7bebecbe24d32d1e2f4c2722c" level="series"><did><unittitle>Paper Files and Slides</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86252" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180581</unitid><langmaterial><language langcode="eng">English</language></langmaterial></did><c02 id="aspace_0c21475d6204581a983a115b0bd2bf2d" level="file"><did><unittitle>Case built for George Washington's Will - Papers and Specifications</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86254" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180583</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">2002</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_76e6c97ee8504f2dd892a7044f569a1a" label="Manuscripts [X031747168]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_0b98b2a1a77f4b5c008ca76718abc924" parent="aspace_76e6c97ee8504f2dd892a7044f569a1a" type="folder">1</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_b9d7d7b985ae74165b0f799a0cab1e61" level="file"><did><unittitle>Conservation  of Art on Paper, Inc. Notes on Project</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86255" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180584</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">1998-2003</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_05117543e632c89e837e1c59ede38ab5" label="Manuscripts [X031747168]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_3eacc8a25fa73007f7cb715a8e602bce" parent="aspace_05117543e632c89e837e1c59ede38ab5" type="folder">2</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_c41200008ee99aa33afbc9c9c4c8bab7" level="file"><did><unittitle>George Washington Miscellany</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86256" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180585</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1945-2009</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_3424ad99e9f7d0bf104803038ec85630" label="Mixed Materials [X031747168]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_f8c9e504dde2787295efe2c6d8882b29" parent="aspace_3424ad99e9f7d0bf104803038ec85630" type="folder">3</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_5968ec63522116eb6ae2933c5df297ba" level="file"><did><unittitle>Last Will and Testament of George Washington - Written Documentation</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86257" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180586</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">5 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1961-2016</unitdate><langmaterial><language langcode="eng">English</language></langmaterial><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_e0915c0899ebe6fb7f7e60ffd4e4cb9d" label="Mixed Materials [X031747168]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_5f9f026ad7372186da5baf6cbf6ca100" parent="aspace_e0915c0899ebe6fb7f7e60ffd4e4cb9d" type="folder">4-8</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_bc37de3cf7735cf9c699b9d678d245ba" level="file"><did><unittitle>Mats Purchase to Rehouse George Washington's Last Will and Testament</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86258" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180587</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">2000-2006</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_60d5e4055497ffbae050187d0ac00652" label="Manuscripts [X031747168]" type="box">1</container><container id="aspace_e405f611838148a3c7ddba7227721e53" parent="aspace_60d5e4055497ffbae050187d0ac00652" type="folder">9</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_8ce285bc382d8c0d3bd1e8d19caaddcd" level="file"><did><unittitle>Mt. Vernon Exhibition</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86259" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180588</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">1998-2002</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_732067ae2e3b9dff02d11897cf9929fb" label="Manuscripts [X031747169]" type="box">2</container><container id="aspace_0df4f1cf9be5ea1a943e7db2fb8e03d4" parent="aspace_732067ae2e3b9dff02d11897cf9929fb" type="folder">1</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_0629d95983e61b423d3d09a3fb0a10ad" level="file"><did><unittitle>Printed Material</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86260" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180589</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">1998-2001</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_3ff2e362d040d4ba1f1ca4d9b5cfe746" label="Text [X031747169]" type="box">2</container><container id="aspace_00593a63f1cdd553ad9041841f1c04e9" parent="aspace_3ff2e362d040d4ba1f1ca4d9b5cfe746" type="folder">2</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_5053fcfd1b895421879b1b5c6d9a6601" level="file"><did><unittitle>Slides documenting the work on the wills, duplicates</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86261" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180590</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">5 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Letter) = 0.4 cf" id="aspace_06a08b0c5145d2e83c42370867a11fdb" label="Slides [X031747169]" type="box">2</container><container id="aspace_982213936293fff416b9c1a4eaa7621e" parent="aspace_06a08b0c5145d2e83c42370867a11fdb" type="folder">3-7</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_4b7ce840a4dc7f04c0093cb2be23cfc5" level="file"><did><unittitle>Photo Documentation of the Conservation Work on the Last Will and Testament of George Washington , Part 1 of 2</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86262" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180591</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 Volumes</extent><extent altrender="carrier">Three ring photograph storage box.</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container id="aspace_d0c5d6ff0d666f2098cd8c49006f0ca1" label="Slides [X031747170]" type="box">3</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_94112d04e4c348673f0880e16f840108" level="file"><did><unittitle>Photo Documentation of the Conservation Work on the Last Will and Testament of George Washington, Part 2 of 2</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86263" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180592</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 Volumes</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container id="aspace_b51253921f624bfebcd9b40455f37e97" label="Slides [X031747171]" type="box">4</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_b688cf0d7822c9a9fda847db70de8806" level="file"><did><unittitle>Photo Documentation and Written Documentation of the Conservation Work on the Last Will and Testament of Martha Washington</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86264" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180593</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 Volumes</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container id="aspace_ff716ca42a310ed7898448ad51111f43" label="Mixed Materials [X031747172]" type="box">5</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_62d0dfa7b1c71428dfcc4569408048ab" level="file"><did><unittitle>Materials removed from the George Washington and Martha Washington Wills during the 1999 Treatment at Conservation of Art on Paper, Inc. (CAPI)</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86288" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180617</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 folder(s)</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">1999</unitdate><container altrender="Oversize Flat Box (Small, OS S)=0.44 cf" id="aspace_72571b9845fc3c095e0427770be31adc" label="Mixed Materials" type="Flat_Box">OS Box S-112</container><container id="aspace_b217b7d218be33fa58f485ce6510dd8a" parent="aspace_72571b9845fc3c095e0427770be31adc" type="Oversize_Folder(Within_an_OSBox)">1 [X031747175]</container></did></c02></c01><c01 id="aspace_50a3f3a72301ba2b380bf6342b4dd049" level="series"><did><unittitle>Audiovisual Materials, Born-Digital Materials and Microscope Slides</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86253" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180582</unitid><langmaterial><language langcode="eng">English</language></langmaterial></did><c02 id="aspace_cefc16f5e50f22bcaba33f116fd6c2aa" level="item"><did><unittitle>Audiocassette National Public Radio Morning Edition</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86265" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180594</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 Cassettes</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">1999 August 16</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_e1f78c2e21776945a0d2b6e10c7e6b15" label="Audiocassettes [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_fde2be733822dcb5727f1b7aa8593f99" level="item"><did><unittitle>"The Last Wills and Testaments of George and Martha Washington" [Conservation] on 4 Compact Disk-R</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86266" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180595</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">4 items</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_d5275cf99c30823979cc07e12bbd9fd1" label="CDs_(Compact_discs) [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_e34c14cee4e04a35af706c7a9a2a2644" level="item"><did><unittitle>"George Washington Remembers" - Washington reflects about his early days in the French and Indian War, narrated by Roger Mudd</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86268" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180597</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 items</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">2004</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_fb864acdfb6f7357a2cd196964964431" label="DVDs [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_fb2b2e5a76f391e19f9bd305d4e5f0dc" level="item"><did><unittitle>"George Washington's Will"  on Discovery Channel</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86270" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180599</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 Cassettes</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">2001 February 22</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_e95f6ac3646f7d277b318c0b71912911" label="VHS_(Videocassettes) [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_a66820c86631bc719206b87daa93c28d" level="item"><did><unittitle>"George Washington's Will" on Hearst-Argyle Television, Washington, D.C.</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86271" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180600</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 items</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">2001 February</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_05ebddbc3abdec672085e763fb2ee213" label="VHS_(Videocassettes) [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_e08713655c531bfbc22f06c7d0be18df" level="item"><did><unittitle>"George Washington's Will" on Channel 8, Washington, D.C.</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86272" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180601</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1 items</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation">2001 February 21</unitdate><container altrender="Document Box (Legal, half-width) = 0.25 cf" id="aspace_def5da19a15d9c09c301b193d034cdeb" label="VHS_(Videocassettes) [X031747173]" type="box">6</container></did></c02><c02 id="aspace_5f8129e9a3546be1a322dea13d3a8899" level="item"><did><unittitle>Microscope Slides on the Conservation of Washington's Wills</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/86273" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/archival_objects/180602</unitid><physdesc altrender="whole"><extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">9 items</extent></physdesc><unitdate datechar="creation" type="inclusive">circa 1998-2002</unitdate><container id="aspace_3711343de6a30a81abbd7b373b96c638" label="Slides [X031747174]" type="Artifact">1</container></did></c02></c01></dsc>
</archdesc>
</ead>