
Elizabeth Fagg-Shuttlewood ACR ACR
Projects
About Me
Elizabeth Fagg-Shuttlewood ACR, BA (Hons) Conservation (books and Paper)- I am a accredited library and archive conservator with over 27 years of experience. I have worked in in both private and institutional settings.
I manage Archaic Treasures conservation studio which provides conservation and restoration treatments to museums, libraries, archives, rare book sellers and private clients.
The studio offers a wide range of treatments upon books, maps, prints, watercolours, drawings, photographs, archival material and manuscripts; on paper, vellum and parchment. With experienced in treating complex, oversized and rolled items.
I offering a range of both preventative and interventative treatments, from minimal (addressing storage and environment) through to full treatments which include conserving and restoring appearance, mechanical function and supporting greater opportunities for safe use.
Retaining original materials and any historical, cultural and religious evidence is always at the forefront of any treatments proposed.
I work within the ethical framework laid out by Icon in the 2014 Code of Conduct and to British Standards.
Highly skilled and experienced in providing a wide range of treatments to both bindings and paper. Including a wide variety of conservation board re-attachment methods. As well as restoration techniques involving full leather re-backs with gold tooling. I very am experienced in a wide variety of paper conservation treatments including washing, deacidification, buffering, chelating.
I also carry out collection surveying; condition reporting, and documenting.
Experienced in disaster recovery, I managed the disaster recovery of a water damaged library; from the initial damage assessment, planning work flow, freezing, drying, and full restoration treatment of 96 severely damaged and mouldy books.
I have lots of experienced in managing conservation for mass digitisation projects. I worked at Wellcome Collection on several large projects including The Adamson Collection, which involved the consolidation of over 200 watercolours; early manuscripts (recipe books) and pre-1900 books, which involved conservation and designing bespoke supports. The largest project I managed is the project to digitise of 1209 oil paintings, from early conception meetings, surveying, condition assessing, planning work for, minor treatment, through to handling and transporting to photography, for digitisation. Theses project involved working to tight deadlines.
You can read about one of my projects through my article published in the Book and Paper Gathering (2021). Titled ‘A Gargantuan Challenge’.
My clients include: The London Metropolitan Archives, The Wellcome Trust, Leeds Castle, Chatham Historical Dockyard Trust, Sittingbourne and Kemsley light Railway, Francis Iles gallery, Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, Chatham Historical Dockyard Society, St Mary the Virgin Newington, The Fleur De Lis Heritage Centre, The Faversham Society, plus many private clients and sellers of rare books.
Client Testimonials
As a result of a water leak, about 100 volumes of old books in my family collection (the majority 17th and 18 h century) were water damaged. Worse, mould set in furiously and many of the books became heavily infested and incrusted in the worst cases.
I found Archaic Treasures by chance and it was a lucky chance. Liz Fagg-Shuttlewood took in my precious books and treated them as her own. She froze them, stabilized the situation and over the course of the next year repaired them all. It was a horrendous task involving soaking and treating thousands and thousands of pages individually. She also repaired and restored much of the leather covers and bindings. In short she worked miracles. I would recommend her to anyone!”
Mr Norman
Private library custodian‘Liz’s strengths lie in her long experience of conservation practice: this is evident in her methodical and measured treatment approach, with excellent pitch to accommodate client needs and the requirements of clients and stakeholders. She is clearly operating in a comfortable sphere of conservation practice that comes from experience but is not at all afraid to accept challenges in terms of complexity or format. She seeks solutions by investigation, innovation and ingenuity, referring to colleagues and reference sources extensively to inform her decision making. A natural communicator, Liz’s engaging and approachable manner is wonderful and must make colleagues and clients alike feel comfortable and trusting of her skills, abilities and integrity. Liz is everything a conservator should be: meticulous, methodical and object-focused; this combined with an approachable and accommodating positive attitude make her a proficient and able practitioner in the book and paper sector’
Victoria Stevens ACR & Marianne Davy Bell ACR
ConservatorLiz is a very supportive member of the team and I receive glowing feedback from all levels on the success of the project being her can-do attitude. She owns her projects & makes empirical decisions.
Emma Duggan
Conservation manager Wellcome CollectionLiz’s tenacity was exactly needed for this project! While writing a new Collection Emergency Plan we defined that time would be of the essence and if protective measures could be made in advance they could be fitted easily and timely, allowing us to move onto the next item.
Emma Duggan
Conservation manager Wellcome CollectionA note of praise, on the conservation of your work for me. The Hogarth has been wonderfully returned to being a functioning book. Your lifting of the stains from the “courtship and Matrimony” series was more than I hoped. What I most admire though is you approach. Being able to scale the needs of very different clients, whilst absolutely maintain the ethics of the profession, is not a widely- held ability.
Marble Hill house
Museum ManagerOur 12 volumes of Hasted’s History of Kent, which were in dire condition, have been restored to a pristine state by Elizabeth Fagg-Shuttlewood.
The Faversham Society
Archive and MuseumWe certainly are impressed, we had never thought that the plans could look so good. The quality of the conservation work is excellent. We will defiantly recommend you to others.
Liz Fuller
Chairman of the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light RailwayThe books that required binding are of considerable age and where in a very sorry state. The work done returned them to the attractive original style of binding of that ere. This has not only improved their appearance, but has conserved them for research and examination by future generations. The cost is very reasonable and was the winner in competition with other similar companies. In all ways an excellent job.
Chatham Dockyard Historical Society
Society stewardsTraining
B. A Hons Book and Paper Conservation at Camberwell College of Arts
Gels and Chelators for stain removal from paper. Wellcome Trust.
Bleaching for the bewildered. ICON
Use of vacuum in paper conservation. ICON
Bookbinding. London College of printing.
Work History
Conservator at the Wellcome Institute, London Collection care (preventative and intervention), disaster preparation, managing large digitisation projects.
Conservation Officer. Public Records Office (Part time). Preparation of a large collection of documents for digitisation.
I manage Archaic Treasures conservation studio which provides minimum and full conservation treatments and advice, to small museums, institutions and private clients. The studio offers a range of book, vellum and paper conservation treatments working on early manuscripts through to contemporary works. I deal with all aspects of the business from marketing, initial client contact, object assessment, treatment proposals, negotiations, conservation treatment & documenting.