A new FMEA-based approach to the condition assessment of historic textiles: CVPR method

Museums preserve artifacts of different types, structures, historical value, and processes of deterioration. The state of preservation of these artifacts and the identification of intervention needs are determined through a condition assessment. This process necessitates consideration of the specific types of deterioration of textile materials used in textile artifacts. The limitations of using structured condition assessment forms for general collections of textile artifacts, each with its own unique deterioration process, should not be overlooked. It is also thought that the varying levels of experience of the conservators might influence their approaches during the evaluation process. The aim in this study is to develop a systematic and objective evaluation method, taking into account the unique deterioration processes of textile artifacts and the limitations of general evaluation forms. The proposed method is based on a structured approach via failure modes and effects analysis to assess deterioration in textile artifacts and prioritize conservation needs. The conservation value priority ranking method offers the possibility of progressively identifying and simultaneously evaluating several deterioration parameters. Pareto analysis has been used to prioritize textile artifacts requiring intervention and provided information about their deterioration frequencies. The deterioration spread graph (the area covered by deterioration on the artifact) has enabled the creation of a database for periodic inspections of the objects. The priority range chart will help in planning conservation in the short, medium, or long term. The proposed method was applied to 25 textile artifacts at the Harbiye Military Museum in Istanbul, Turkey. The data were analyzed, and the results are presented.