Conservation Project: Costume Accessories, Gloves and Wristlets

In most cases, gloves are paired together and positioned wrist to finger tip to maximize available space. Placing one glove face up and the other face down allows both sides to be shown, and this increased visual accessibility reduces the need for handling. Gloves are contained within lined and padded trays made from archival board. The trays are not only handling devices, but also serve as safety catches if parts become loose or separated.

Custom inserts were placed inside the gloves to support their shapes and allow the gloves to be easily lifted out of the tray. The inserts are covered with materials appropriate to the situation, such as cotton knit when friction is required, a low friction silk to pair with leather gloves, or the smooth surface of Tyvek for sliding over heavily textured weaves.

See photos of gloves in their custom mounts.