Often, a conservation treatment aims to make the best of a bad situation!  The silk lining of this early 20^th century coat is one such “bad situation.”  Here, the coat is half opened so you can see the interior where the lining is virtually shredded; probably due to chemical degradation. It has been covered in a new, translucent covering fabric in a treatment called “encapsulation.”  The outside of the coat (the “shell”) is in good condition and you’ll be able to see it in a future exhibition, but there’s not much we can do to fix the lining. You won’t see the inside when it is dressed on a mannequin, so we chose encapsulation to preserve and protect what remains of the original lining.  The encapsulating fabric (here, a translucent polyester organza) is sewn over the lining following original stitch lines to prevent any abrasion on the fragile original and to protect and contain the pieces. 

Image Credit: Cape, United States, early 20^th century, brocade, velvet, fur, lace, Gift of William Mack, 1943.25.