Bringing Hawaii’s Royal Past to Life: Restoring a 19th-Century Scrapbook of High Society and Politics

Bringing Hawaii’s Royal Past to Life: Restoring a 19th-Century Scrapbook of High Society and Politics

Honoring King Kalākauas Legacy at Kuros Workshop

At Kuros Workshop, we dont just restore items—we bring history back to life. A recent project took us on a journey to conserve a 19th-century scrapbook from the time of King Kalākaua, when Hawaii was a flourishing, sovereign kingdom filled with royal traditions and cultural exchanges.

A Window to History: The Importance of a 19th-Century Scrapbook

This scrapbook holds over 100 precious pieces—invitation cards, letters, and more from the late 1800s. As we handled these historical treasures, we knew they told a powerful story that was best preserved together. Rather than separate the items, we chose a holistic preservation method to safeguard this irreplaceable piece of Hawaiian heritage.

Why This Scrapbook is a Piece of Living History

This collection is a direct link to Hawaiis royal past, containing rare items like invitations to King Kalākauas 50th birthday jubilee dinner and letters from Japanese diplomats. Together, they capture a chapter of Hawaiis history when it was an independent kingdom, culturally vibrant and diplomatically engaged.

King David Kalākaua, The Merrie Monarch

ʻIolani Palace

King Kalākauas Legacy: A Cultural Renaissance

The reign of King Kalākaua marked a time of cultural revival and political tension. By conserving these documents, were preserving a snapshot of Hawaiian history, when the kingdom was fighting to maintain its sovereignty before Hawaiis annexation in 1898.

One of many pieces from the scrapbook ready to be cleaned

Cleaning has begun

The Art of Preservation: Meticulous Care for Every Detail

This scrapbook required thoughtful, careful restoration. Many items were adhered with hide glue that caused damage over time, so we took special care using precise tools to safely remove and clean each piece.

Removing the hide glue

All hide glue has been removed

Patience and Care: A Steady Approach to Conservation

Week by week, we dedicated time and care to restoring each item in the collection. Our deliberate pace allowed us to fully appreciate the historical significance of every piece we worked with.

Scrapbook Before
 
Scrapbook after

 

A New Life for a Historical Treasure

After nearly a year of restoration, the scrapbook has been fully preserved. Each piece is now mounted on acid-free paper and housed in archival-quality pages, creating a collection that will be enjoyed and studied for generations to come.

A new scrapbook 

Protective slipcase covering

Why Physical History Matters

In a digital world, conserving physical items can sometimes be overlooked. But by restoring this collection, were preserving more than just objects—were preserving the tangible connections that future generations will have to their past.

Connecting Hawaiis Past with Its Future

At Kuros Workshop, our mission is to keep history alive. By preserving items like this scrapbook, were ensuring that Hawaiis rich past continues to inspire and inform future generations.

Have Something to Preserve? Lets Work Together!

Do you have a cherished book, a family album, or personal letters you want to preserve? Were here to help protect those special memories. Get in touch with us anytime—wed love to chat about how we can keep your history safe for generations to come."