Shipwreck Doll

 Below are excerpts and images from the Alaska State Museum treatment report for a doll recovered from a shipwreck, posted here to stimulate conversation about the identification of the doll and its treatment options….

Doll recovered from a 1901 shipwreck, possibly made of gutta percha?

Object:  Doll

Materials:  Gutta Percha?

Dimensions:  22cm tall, 11cm wide, 6cm deep, 6.5cm diameter head, rubber is 2mm thick where observed in cross section.

Background Info: Doll recovered from a gold rush era shipwreck in Alaska in the summer of 2012.  Ship sank in 1901, making the doll over 113 years old.  At least five children were known to have been passengers on the ship, and some of them drowned.  The doll seems to be made of gutta percha or another natural rubber product.  Since these materials tend to deteriorate with time, exposure to oxygen and exposure to light, could this be one of the best preserved dolls of its type, given its protection from agents of deterioration between the years 1901 and 2012?

Description:  Hollow doll with jointed arms and head.  The doll’s garments are molded into the material: a vented jacket with a wide collar, a long buttoned shirt (or perhaps a peplum) and short pants that end above the knee.  The brocade rope- like detail suggests a military-style jacket and therefore perhaps a male doll.  Textured socks and shoes with a strap over the top and a flower-like element are molded to the feet.  A small peanut-shaped maker’s mark on the front proper left of the doll’s jacket measures 1.0 x 0.5cm and is difficult to read.  There are at least four, perhaps five letters.  The second letter is most likely a Y or an X but perhaps a K.  The third letter may be an R.  The whites of the eyes of the doll appear to be white paint, and the eyebrows also appear to be painted on.  Other areas of possible paint may be the lips and the hair, but deterioration makes certainty difficult.  The doll has a large hole at the center of the back, much like a squeaky toy (although those were not popular until the mid-20^th century) as well as smaller holes at the back of the head near the neck and a small hole in each arm.

Technology: The doll seems to be made of gutta percha, a plant-derived natural polymer similar to latex or rubber.  It was popular for use in insulating undersea cables, as the properties of gutta percha prevented biological growth in addition to being a good insulator.  This was the case from roughly the 1870’s until the 1930’s when the supply of gutta percha began to dwindle and other polymers rose to take its place.  Another popular use for gutta percha was golf balls or “gutties” starting in the mid-nineteenth century.  Golf balls were formerly made of a hand-stitched leather skin stuffed with feathers known as a “featheris”.  Gutties were cheaper and more durable, as featheries proved useless when wet.  Gutties were observed to fly farther and with more accuracy when they were chipped, nicked and dinged, leading to the invention of the dimpled golf ball.  Today the major commercial use of gutta percha is for the slim peachy-colored “gutta purcha points” used as a fill material for the emptied root canal in dentistry.  Once the root canals are filed smooth, the empty voids are packed with this inert, natural substance and the tooth is filled or crowned.

The manufacture of this doll is described in the 1883 book, “A Practical Treatise on Caoutchouc and Gutta Percha” by Raimund Hoffer.

http://www.archive.org/stream/practicaltreatis00hoffrich/practicaltreatis00hoffrich_djvu.txt

“Among the many articles manufactured from rubber, the production of dolls and toys has become an important branch of the rubber industry, as, on account of their indestructibility and softness, they are especially adapted for children’s toys. These articles have of late been improved so much that, as far as beauty of form is concerned, they may be called small works of art, and, in fact, such figures are at present frequently used for ornaments in rooms.

Small articles of this kind for instance, human figures are pressed from vulcanized caoutchouc in forms of metal, so that the figure is obtained in two halves each a few millimetres thick. These are joined together by a solution of caoutchouc, so that they form a hollow body, and are then burned. But the air inclosed in the figure would expand it so much during the burning process that it would burst. To prevent this a small hole is made in some part of it through which the air can escape, and this, after the burning, is closed by a small cork of caoutchouc dough.

Such figures are also prepared from sheets of vulcanized caoutchouc-mass and by using moulds of type metal. The sheets are cut with a pair of scissors into suitable shapes and lightly pressed into the mould ; this is then closed so that both sheets join together. But before the mould is pressed together tight, a few drops of water are poured into the interior of the article. When the mould prepared in this manner is exposed to the heat of the burning apparatus, the water inclosed in the caoutchouc-mass is changed into steam which forces the sheets apart, so that all cavities of the mould are filled up. When the articles are taken from the mould, which must be done while they are still hot, a small hole is made in them to allow the air to pass into the interior and to prevent them from collapsing while they are cooling off.” (pp 214-216).

 Condition:  The face of the doll is sunken in, with the head no longer completely round.  There is a 2 cm horizontal tear through the doll at the bottom of the shirt/peplum to the PR of center.  If the holes had ever been plugged, the plugs are now gone.  Minor overall abrasions and scratches that might be from wear during use or may be from deterioration post-wreck.  PR check is slightly blackened.  Doll is a pale warm gray color, also may be described as taupe, a grey-tan color.  Small overall pattern of cracks.

Photography:  jpegs before and during treatment, TIFF images after treatment

Treatment:  The doll was found waterlogged, and kept wet from summer 2012 until March of 2013 with occasional changes of fresh water and two changes of distilled water for purposes of desalination.  Loose dirt was brushed from the surface with a small artist paintbrush while still underwater.  In March 2013, the doll was removed from water, photographed, and allowed to slowly air-dry.  Doll was observed for three months, and then packaged in an anoxic environment using a transparent Escal Bag with 8 sachets of RP 3K.  The bag was then enclosed in an outer bag of Escal with an additional 8 sachets of PR 3K.  Hand held heat sealer was used.  Double bagging was done to maximize the integrity of the oxygen-free environment.  Enough excess was incorporated on the outer bag to permit opening and re-sealing if the doll was exhibited in the inner bag.  Anoxic environment was chosen to slow the deterioration of the material from exposure to oxygen.  Artifact will be kept in a box to slow deterioration from exposure to light.

Supplies:

Escal  Transparent ceramic barrier film used in combination with oxygen absorbers to create an anoxic storage environment.  5m x 1m sheet $95 in 2013.

Available from Keepsafe Microclimate Systems (Jerry Shiner)  A division of Object & Textile Conservation Systems Ltd.  9 Oneida Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2E2.   www.keepsafe.ca  1-800-683-4696.

PR 3K  Oxygen absorbers (RP system) with moisture neutral properties (Type K).manufactured by Mitsubishi, used with barrier film to creat an anoxic environment.  Advertised to reduce the oxygen to extremely low levels within hours. 25 sachets $85 in 2013.

Available from Keepsafe Microclimate Systems (Jerry Shiner)  A division of Object & Textile Conservation

Systems Ltd.  9 Oneida Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2E2.   www.keepsafe.ca  1-800-683-4696.

Treatment by:           Ellen Carrlee                    Date:  June 12, 2013

Before treatment January 2013

Wet during treatment March 2013

Doll after treatment June 2013

Doll head before treatment

Doll head wet during treatment

Doll head dry after treatment

Doll legs and feet

Back of the doll, showing hole

Front of the doll, showing costume

Side of doll head, showing seam

Hard-to-read maker’s mark

Doll visible inside anoxic package

Anoxic inner package

Complete anoxic storage double package

Top 10 Projects: March 2013

Egads!  This list gets later every year!  And I have not posted on the blog in a full year.  Time flies indeed.  Here’s what’s up with me and my conservation world here in Juneau, Alaska…

1. COLLECTIONS MOVE

Construction has begun on our new storage vault for the new Alaska State Library Archives and Museum building (SLAM).  They are making the storage vault first (walls are going up right now!) and we are getting ready to move all 30,000+items in the collection and on exhibit out of the building beginning March of next year.  And we have only SIX WEEKS to move everything out.  This is because they need to tear down our building to make way for the rest of the new structure.  Our museum has a staff of only eleven people, so it is going to be an interesting operation to move everything to the new storage vault safely.  To help visualize the logistics, I used my son’s Legos to create a model…

Lego model of collection move logistics

2. LAB MOVE

Did I mention they are going to bust a hole in the basement wall of the museum and create a tunnel to the new storage vault?  Guess whose conservation lab is in the way?  So I will be moving my lab into temporary quarters in the next few months.  This lab has been here since 1976 and I have a LOT of accumulated goodness to move.  Not to mention getting set up in a new temporary space for the next two or three years.  The new exhibits are supposed to open in May of 2016, and of course new exhibits have lots of conservation needs.  Here’s hoping the temporary lab can handle the workflow.

Shipwreck garments drying in lab

3. LOCOMOTIVE

Mining is an important part of the history of Alaska, and we were lucky to receive a donation of an original locomotive from the heyday of Juneau hard rock gold operations.  It was donated by the California State Railroad Museum a few years ago.  It had been significantly altered during its time with the Santa Cruz Cement Company and needs significant restoration, but will be an important part of the new exhibit galleries.

Baldwin locomotive in storage

4. LIGHTHOUSE LENS

Our 3rd order Fresnel lighthouse lens is not in bad shape, but it wil be a delicate operation to move it.  Formerly located within Cape Spencer Light Station in S.E. Alaska from 1925-1974, it was made and constructed by Barbier, Bernard and Turrenne of Paris.

Large, heavy, and made of glass

5. GUTSKIN PhD

I continue to chug along on work for a PhD in anthropology, with a focus on the cultural meanings of internal organs of marine mammals.  Those would include organs like stomach, intestine, bladder, and esophagus from animals like seals, walruses, and sea lions.   Yup’ik, Siberian Yup’ik, Inupiaq, Alutiiq (Sugpiaq), and Aleut (Unangan) cultures all have traditions of making items like rain parkas, sails, windows, containers and drums out of these materials, but they are rarely used today and poorly understood in musuems.  I am hoping to work with Native people to understand the meanings of these materials better.

Roll of bearded seal gut at Cama-i 2013

6. BETHEL

Just last week (March 21-25) I went to Bethel with my 5-year-old son, Carson, to see the Cama-i dance festival and meet the new director of the Yupiit Piciryarait Museum, Eva Malvich.  I had never been to that part of the state before, and was eager to see if there might be possibilities for collaboration between our two museums as I work on the gutskin project.  It was the most amazing experience to be there…the people were just wonderful and I really look forward to going back.  I am heartened that people do seem interested in this kind of project, and it seems that I might have something I can give back with my knowledge of conservation and museum practices.

Yupiit Piciryarait Museum and Cultural Center in Bethel, Alaska

7. MATERIAL CULTURE

In order to begin the gutskin project, I need to write three synthesizing papers for my PhD program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  These papers will give me some background helpful to the dissertation, and are meant to be a survey and analysis of what the anthropological literature says about certain topics I ought to develop some expertise in.  The first of them for me will be about material culture.  The next one will be about Alaska Native relationships with marine mammals, and the third will be about practice theory

Beautiful gutskin basket by Elaine Kingeekuk for sale in the Sheldon Jackson Museum gift shop in Sitka, Alaska

8. BASKETRY AT WOAM

After quite a long haul, I will be presenting a paper at the WOAM conference on the final results of PEG treatments on ancient baskets at the Alaska State Museum.  Dana Senge and I have been working on this topic for quite some time, and will be co-authoring the paper.   WOAM is the acronym for the Internation Council on Museums Conservation Committee working group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials, and the triennial meeting is in Istanbul, Turkey this year.  My husband Scott Carrlee (also a conservator) and I both had terrific experiences doing conservation fieldwork in Turkey in the 1990′s and are really looking forward to showing our son the joys and pleasures of Turkey.

Ancient spruce root basket during treatment at the Alaska State Museum

9. SHIPWRECK TREATMENTS

Hoo boy, all the above would be plenty if it were not for the twenty-odd big totes of wet shipwreck materials awaiting treatment in off site storage.  They froze solid last fall while I was in Fairbanks (leave of absence to take coursework for the PhD) and are just now beginning to thaw.  I have thawed out the five most troublesome ones,  I think, and the materials are in an amazing state of preservation.  The wreck was a gold rush era luxury steamship, and we have leather, textiles, ceramic, glass, rubber, tools, jewelry and more.   I’ve dried out two full suits (jacket/ vest/pants) and numerous other garments, very similar to the ones in the 1902 Sears catalog.  My favorite item so far is an amazing doll about 9″ tall that I believe is made of gutta percha.  The doll is over 110 years old, and in remarkably good condition.  I will be putting it in anoxic storage to slow the deterioration of this material.

Doll, circa 1900, made of gutta percha or rubber

10. EDENSHAW ARGILLITE LOAN

Stay tuned on this one…the Alaska State Museum and its branch in Sitka, the Sheldon Jackson Museum, have loaned several important masterpieces to the Vancouver Art Gallery for a major retrospective exhibition of the argillite masterworks of Haida artist Charles Edenshaw.  The descendants of the artists are involved in the exhibition and catalog, and the artworks will be accessible to many more Haida people than ever before.  However, argillite is a strange material, a carbonaceous shale from a single quarry in Haida Gwaii, the homeland islands of the Haida people.  The quarry no longer produces large pieces, so the number of large artifacts made from argillite are limited.   Argillite is barely stone, and still retains some properties of clay, including being humidity sensitive.  The ability to exapand and contract with changes in humidity is different in different directions due to the bedding plane layers of the material.  When it breaks, the break edges are often crumbly.  One artifact in particular, a large compote, has a diagonal fault line of quartz through its load-bearing pedestal.  After a long and careful decision-making process, musuem staff decided the value of sending the artifacts to be seen by Haida people was worth the substantial risks to the artifact.  I think it was the right decision, but really nerve-wracking for a conservator!

Charles Edenshaw argillite compote

CM Times Vintage Newsletters

Conservation Materials Limited was a conservation supply company run by Doug and Dorothy Adams.  This business was important to the development of the conservation profession, and put out several newsletters which are of interest to us today.  I believe every treatment report should have a “rationale” section in it, to explain choices conservators are making.  Sometimes it is necessary to sleuth out those past choices today, for either research or current treatments.  Here are pdf scans of the old CM Times newsletters, which contain both useful information and are still an interesting read today.  I was looking into this company to date some supplies in my lab (see posting called Dating Conservation Supplies) and thought this would be worth sharing too.  Below the pdf scans is a best-guess timeline of the company.   Corrections or additions most welcome. 

CM Times 1

CM Times 2

CM Times 3

CM Times 4

CM Times 6

ConsMatLtd June 1991

CONSERVATION MATERIALS LTD

1978 (spring): Dorothy and Douglas Adams bought Conservation Materials Ltd and moved to Sparks, Nevada where a shipping distribution center was available.  (source: WAAC newsletter profile on the owners 1986)

1980’s: Located at 240 Freeport Blvd Box 2884  in Sparks, NV.  TELEX 377405 Phone  (702) 331-0582 (from what I understand, telex is like a telegraph-based predecessor of the fax machine)

1989 – Early 1990’s: Moved to 1165 Marietta Way  PO Box 2884.  Still in Sparks, NV.   (702) 331-0582 FAX (702) 331-0588

New labels include NEW FAX number which was mentioned in WAAC newsletter in 1989

1993-95?: Located at 1275 Kleppe Lane #10 PO Box 2884 Sparks, NV.  New address mentioned in Sept 1993 WAAC newsletter

1994, May 20: Douglas Adams died in a car accident, Dorothy continued the business.   Many conconservators wrote their remembrances of Doug in the WAAC Newsletter Vol 16 No 3 September 1994 page 5.

http://cool.conservation-us.org/waac/wn/wn16/wn16-3/wn16-303.html

1996: By now, the business is at 1395 Greg Street Suite #110, Sparks, NV  Phone: (702) 331-0582 FAX (702) 331-0588

1997: Out of business.  Dorothy Adams apparently started a similar business, but sold it in July 1997.

CONSERVATOR’S EMPORIUM

1997:  It seems Conservator’s Emporium bought the stock of Conservation Materials Ltd.  Run by William and Yolanda Foster.  He was a business consultant and she was a chemist.  New address 100 Standing Rock Circle in Reno, NV (Abby Newsletter V 21 #3 Sept 1997)

1999:  Conservation Materials Limited used to make Quake Wax, but rights to the product were acquired in 1999 by Trevco, Makers of Quakehold!  Museum Wax, Clear Museum Gel and Museum Putty.

2004:  Flurry of distlist email rumors about Conservators Emporium being out of business or lagging far behind in their orders.  Owner William Foster writes in July of 2004 to say he has $30,000 in unpaid receivables and the business is struggling.  Sold to MuseuM Services Corporation in 2005.

MUSEUM SERVICES CORPORATION

1968: founded

2005: Peter Mecklenburg of MuseuM Services Corporation announces that it acquired Conservator’s Emporium as of November 1, 2005.  New location is 385 Bridgeport Drive, South St Paul, Minnesota.

2012: Quick check of Museum Services Corporation website on 3/30/2012 still gives their contact info as follows: MUSEUM SERVICES CORPORATION 385 Bridgepoint Way, South Saint Paul, Minnesota 55075 USA Phone: (651)450-8954 Fax: (651)554-9217 E-Mail: info@MuseuMServicesCorporation.com

Top 10 Projects: March 2012

Spring already and I haven’t updated what I’m up to this year!

1. NMAI IS COMING!

The patch on this basket looks just like a basktry start.

Conservators and staff from the National Museum of the American Indian are collaborating with Tlingit weaver Teri Rofkar to link source communities with the conservation of indigenous materials.  The goal is to help change the paradigm for collections care.  With basketry as the focus, they seek to incorporate cumulative history, geography, climate, material harvesting/ processing, indigenous technologies, Native science and living culture into the way museums are caring for and thinking about baskets.  Here at the ASM, staff hope to examine historical and archaeological baskets here with the NMAI visitors and local weavers.  I have so many questions for them!

2. PEG HOME STRETCH

When using high concentrations of high molecular weight PEG, an unexpected benefit is the control of final color that is afforded with combinations of ethanol and warm water to remove excess PEG from the surface.

After years of pondering, experimenting, and collaborating with conservator Dana Senge, the last of our waterlogged baskets are finally undergoing PEG treatment.  These very deteriorated spruce root baskets (thousands of years old) can be successfully treated but it seems that one must choose between a basket that is rather spongy/delicate or brittle/delicate.  Once I get this group finished and can compare the range of efforts, you’ll see a posting on it.

3. TORRENT HOME STRETCH

A satisfying set of silver nitrate tests for chlorides in the sodium sesquicarbonate wash waters.

More than 80 artifacts that were recovered from the 1868 wreck of the Torrent a few years ago, and only a few of them are still in treatment.  I was most thrilled that the slooooow old-school sodium sesquicarbonate treatment I used on the copper alloys appears to have worked.  I compared the wash waters I saved using the silver nitrate test for chlorides, and it does indeed look like we had a peak in chloride removal during the middle of the treatment.  A bronze mountain howitzer has come back from the Texas A&M lab and the loving attention of Jim Jobling and his crew.  They are undertaking electrolysis for two of the portholes, while I did the sodium sesquicarbonate on the other two.  Hoping to give y’all a posting on the comparisons and pros/cons of the two methods.

4. MOLD

Mold on feathers

During Crista Pack’s 2011 summer project, we found mold on a few artifacts.  It was a weird mystery that is described on the “What’s That White Stuff?” weblog, as well as a link to her research paper the subsequent semester explaining what is likely happening.

http://alaskawhitestuffid.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/a-fungus-among-us/

5. NIMBUS

Scott Carrlee cleaning Nimbus on a sunny day in 2004

The museum’s Robert Murray sculpture Nimbus needs its springtime washing.  And Nimbus now has its own Facebook page some clever citizen began recently:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Juneau-Nimbus/341127159252716

There is a plan afoot to work with the artist (Murray) and fabricator (Lippencott) to give Nimbus some TLC.  It could use better positioning on its site, repairs to areas that have a tendency to catch water and rust, a badly needed new paint job, and maybe even reattach the dimensions lost when the sculpture was unceremoniously chopped down with a blowtorch.  Nimbus has a long and chequered history in Juneau, and it’s been a while since the public art/ what is art for/ what does this sculpture mean discussion has taken place.  It is sure to be lively, and the possibility of the artist and fabricator being involved is beyond thrilling.

6. LEATHER DRESSING POSTING

Disfiguring fatty bloom on leather that was treated with a dressing in the 1970's.

There are still folks in Alaska who put leather dressing on their collections.  Stay tuned for a posting aimed at the Alaskan museum collections care audience about WHY we don’t recommend this anymore. 

7. THEATER ORGAN PLANNING

Theater Organ in the State Office Building, Juneau Alaska.

One of the more unusual objects in our collection is a 1928 Theater Pipe Organ made by Kimball.  Theater organs were intended to accompany silent films, and allow a single musician to control an amazing array of instruments from the console: not only the pipe organ, but an upright piano, a percussion section, woodwinds, and “all the bells and whistles.”  You can read more about the organ here:
http://www.pstos.org/instruments/ak/juneau/20thcentury.htm

After various adventures, it was saved and restored by a committee of engaged citizens.  The organ and a custom-built chamber are now in the public atrium of the State Office Building, where organ concerts are performed every Friday over the noon hour.  The organ became part of the Alaska State Museum collection in 1975 in order to protect and preserve it.  The time has come to develop a long range plan for its regular maintenance and tuning, which has happened on an irregular basis for decades. 

8. ICOM-CC ETHNOGRAPHIC NAME CHANGE

Is the title of this working group as much a dinosaur as this wind-up pencil shrpener I won at a WAAC silent auction? (oh c'mon, how would you illustrate this topic!?)

At the 2008 ICOM-CC Triennial Conference, keynote speaker Tharron Bloomfield (Maori) lit the fuse.  I’m copying his quote:  “The term ‘ethnographic’ conservator is at best old fashioned and inadequate, and at worst offensive and racist.  The word ethnographic suggests it is the culture of ‘them rather than us’, it also makes a judgment that one culture is superior to another.  Why are the clothing, weaponry and tools of my ancestors described as ethnographic, while the clothing, weaponry and tools of someone from a European culture not?  It is time for conservators who work with the cultural material to find another, more appropriate name for the material they work with.”  I’ve been a member of the Name Change Committee, and the international discussions have been hugely eye-opening to me.  I think when the committee presents its work and the ICOM-CC working group votes on this name issue, we will be watched with interest by many outside the profession.

9. LITTLE-TRIPLE-A

Pinniped bone specialist Mike Etnier leads the Alaska Consortium of Zooarchaeologists on a tour of some collections at the Burke Museum, including this Upupa epops (hoopoe).

For the third year in a row, I attended the Alaska Anthropological Association conference in an attempt to better understand the field of anthropology and build bridges.  It took place in Seattle, and included behind the scenes tours at the Burke Museum and NOAA’s Marine Mammal Research Collection.  One of my favorite groups of people there is the Alaska Consortium of Zooarchaeologists, who as you can imagine are nuts about bones and not afraid to get their hands dirty.  There are also gems like Dr. Claire Alix, a wood specialist who knows all kinds of amazing information about the kinds of wood that washes up as driftwood on the shores of Alaska, where it comes from, and how long it takes to get there.  There was a whole group of talks about very early explorer/collectors in Alaska, what they were up to, and what happened to their collections.  Here’s an interesting set of numbers to share.  Of 160 authors described in the program, 63% were from academia, 16% were Cultural Resource Management (CRM) archaeologists (in the business of excavating in advance of development according to federal regulations), 12% worked for government, 7% worked for museums, and 2% were Native. 

10. PURSUING A DOCTORATE IN ANTHROPOLOGY

Some ANTH 475 textbooks: Haa Kusteeyi: Our Culture by Dauenhauer and Dauenhauer; Take My Land Take My Life by Mitchell; Engaged Resistance: American Indian Art, Literature and Film from Alcatraz to the NMAI by Rader; and Methodology of the Oppressed by Sandoval.

In January 2012, I was accepted into the PhD program in Anthropology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).  I will be on campus full-time for the Fall of 2012, and hoping to do the rest of the coursework from Juneau.  I’m taking two courses now.  ANTH 606: Mythology and Folklore from an Anthropological Perspective is a UAF course offered in Juneau through videoconferencing with the class in Fairbanks. In fact, there is a small contingent of scholars taking the class here, including Anastasia Tarman Lynch, from the Alaska State Library’s Historical Collections (also pursuing a PhD in anthropology), Zachary Jones from the Sealaska Heritage Institute (pursuing an interdisciplinary PhD focused on ethnohistory) and Daniel Strong, also from the Sealaska Heritage Institute (pursuing an MA in anthropology).  The other class I’m taking is on the Juneau campus, ANTH 475: Alaska Native Social Change.  It is an undergrad class, and taking 6 credits while working full time is nearly killing me, but I think you’ll know why I HAD to take this class when I mention the professor, Lance Twitchell, is Alaska Native himself and is offering perspectives I have never had before in an academic setting.

Collections Labeling: Simple Kit

Collections label kit for small museums

This is the kit I made for a workshop at the Museums Alaska conference in Valdez, September 2011.  The kit is designed for small museums with wide-ranging collections with everything from natural history specimens to fine art, where limited staff must wear many hats.  I made 24 kits, since many things can be ordered in a case of 12, and each kit cost about $50.  The workshop was funded through a grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts.  The kit includes a manual, which can be found at the posting Collections Labeling: Material by Material. Other adhesive choices can be found on the posting Collections Labeling: Alternate Adhesive Testing.

 CONTENTS:

Acetone in dropper bottle (I got the bottle and acetone from Fisher Scientific)

• Used for removing B-72.
• Reagent Grade.
• Hardware store acetone has petroleum distillates, other impurities.  Will work, but may make paper translucent and hard-to-read on dark materials. Could behave unpredictably with B-72.
• Acetone is main ingredient in nail polish remover.  Fumes may be irritating.
• Flammable.

Cotton swabs (Local grocery store)

• Simple Q-tips.
• Think twice about rubbing solvent on the surface of your artifact.

Funnel, mini (I bought these on the internet from Amazon.com)

• For transfer of adhesive into smaller brush bottle, like polish bottle.
• When B-72 dries on tools or jars, it can be soaked in water overnight, and then peeled off.

Needles, assorted (Local fabric store)

• Sharps are good for piercing Tyvek label, but could stab through fibers.
• Blunts or ball points are good for getting in between the weave gently.
• Cheaper needles often have poorer quality “eyes”.

Paraloid B-72 adhesive  (I ordered pre-mixed for labeling from Talas)

• Use to apply the paper label.
• Synthetic acrylic resin: 70% ethyl methacrylate 30% methyl acrylate copolymer.
• Works best no thicker than maple syrup most of the time.  Even thinner is often fine.
• If you want to mix B-72 yourself, Howard Wellman describes how on the SHA website.
• Soluble in acetone, but does not go into ethanol easily.  Ethanol sometimes added to slow drying time.
• If it bubbles, try adding more acetone to your jar of adhesive.
• If the top coat smears the writing, try loading brush well and applying in single thick stroke.
• If it still smears, could try artist acrylic gloss medium as a top coat, applied smaller than barrier coat.
• B-67 is similar to B-72 but in mineral spirits instead of acetone. This is sometimes used a top coat.
• Aquazol is sometimes used to coat or size the label paper first, making the ink less likely to smear.
• B-72 is thermoplastic, so if the lid sticks, running under hot water or using a hairdryer can help get it unstuck.

Pen, Zig Millenium  (I ordered online from MarkerSupply.com)

• Use this pen for writing on tags and Tyvek.
• “Permanent” boasted by many pens often just means waterproof, not lightfast or non-bleeding.
• Dye-based inks often smear.
• Carbon black ink is lightfast: India ink or rapidograph ink.
• Quill pens take practice, can be gloppy, sharp, and may scratch.
• Technical pens are fussy (clog, need cleaning fluid, delicate tip, may scratch).
• IdentiPen also recommended for writing on plastic bags.
• Helen Alten has a good article about testing pens for artifact labeling.

#2 Pencil  (Local office supply store)

• HB pencils are also OK.
• Wonderfully reversible on many surfaces, especially paper, if you don’t press too hard.

Photo Pencil  (I ordered from Hollinger Metal Edge)

• Use these for marking the back of photos printed on plastic.
• If you have a plastic photo, the right balance of sharp/dull regular #2 pencil may work if the plastic isn’t greasy from fingerprints or plasticizers.

Polish bottle with brush lid for B-72  (I ordered online from Amazon.com)

• Nail polish is no good…yellows, cracks, peels, ages poorly, crosslinks.  Remember, how long is it meant to last on your fingernails?
• Correction fluid or Wite Out is also not OK, it peels off too easily, ages poorly, proprietary mix varies widely.
• Nice to buy B-72 already made, but the wide lid container causes it to dry out too fast.
• Use mini-funnel to transfer from bigger container into polish bottle.  Also, if one jar dries out you have a back-up.
• When applying, think of a sandwich made by two layers of B-72 with label in the middle.

Small scissors  (I got these from Fisher Scientific, but McMaster Carr also has them at a good price.)

• Cut your labels into fringe for ease of handling multiple small numbers.
• Rounding the corners makes labels less likely to snag and pop off.
• Sewing scissors work well for this use, too.

Small paper tags  (I ordered these from Amazon.com)

• Don’t use colored string.  Sometimes it runs or bleeds.  Replace with white string.
• Avoid tags with wire, wire edges, or metal grommets around holes…risks of scratching and rust stains.
• If your budget permits, you might want to upgrade to artifact tags from archival supply companies.  However, these are about 13 cents each as opposed to 1 cent each for the Avery brand office-supply variety, which test slightly more alkaline (pH 7-8) than the expensive ones (pH 6-7).  Both come with white cotton string.

Thin labeling paper  (I ordered from Hollinger Metal Edge, sold as “Photo-tex”)

• Interleaving tissue is nice.
• As thin as will go through your printer or photocopier.  Might need to experiment with feed.
• Write the method that will work on your equipment on the cover of the folder you keep paper in.
• Some Japanese tissues may be too thin to print, or may get translucent with adhesive.
• Snipping your list of numbers into fringe helps keep track of tiny labels.
• Manipulation by curling over the fingernail to conform to curves or folding lengthwise for long items.

Thread, white cotton  (Local fabric store)

• Rule of thumb, tie material should be softer than the object, so abrasion will damage the tie and not the artifact.
• Cotton is non-abrasive.  Polyester is a little bit abrasive.
• Don’t use with beads that have glass disease, it may help wick moisture inside.
• “Glide” or other brands of Teflon dental floss OK. Plumber’s Teflon tape is OK.
• Regular dental floss not so good.  Usually made of nylon and ages poorly, becoming brittle and breaking.
• Plastic zip ties usually too rough, and are also usually nylon and degrade, get brittle, break.
• PVC plastic degrades and releases acids.

Tweezers  (I ordered them from McMaster Carr)

• Pointy ones are helpful for manipulating paper labels.

Tyvek, for labeling textiles  (Local office supply store)

• Tyvek is spun-bonded from olefin fibers, an inert plastic.
• Mailing envelopes and home wrap are usually Tyvek and it is OK to use the non-printed, bare areas.
• Needle punch “soft” Tyvek and smooth “hard” Tyvek both OK.
• Alternatives: twill tape, Reemay.  Twill tape sometimes hard to write on without ink bleeding.

White vinyl eraser   (Local art supply store)

• For removing pencil marks.
• Can be helpful for removing tape residues from price tags or stickers as well.

REFERENCES

Alten, Helen “Numbering Museum Collections: Labeling Ethnographic Objects.”  ICOM Ethnographic Conservation Newsletter Number 17, April 1988 pp.18-21.

http://www.collectioncare.org/cci/ccin.html

Braun, Thomas J. “An Alternative Technique for Applying Accession Numbers to Museum Artifacts.” Journal of the American Institute for Conservation Vol 46. Summer 2007. Pp 91-104.

http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/docs_pdfs/ApplyAccessionnos.pdf

Buck, Rebecca A. and Jean Allman Gilmore.  MRM5 Museum Registration Methods 5^th Edition.  AAM Press. American Association of Museums. Washington DC.  2010

 Davidson, Amy, Samantha Alderson and Marilyn Fox. “Assembling an Archival Marking Kit for Paleontological Specimens.” 2006 (and more too!)

http://collections.paleo.amnh.org/34/labeling

 Wellman, Howard “Mixing Resin Solutions.” Society for Historical Archaeology website 2006.

http://www.sha.org/research_resources/conservation_faqs/documents/MixResin.pdf

Collections Labeling: Material by Material

This is the manual included in a kit I made for a workshop at the Museums Alaska conference in Valdez, September 2011.  The 2011 workshop was funded through a grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts.  The kit is designed for small museums with wide-ranging collections with everything from natural history specimens to fine art, where limited staff must wear many hats.  My preferences come from (1) labeling thousands of artifacts while I was a curator at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum and (2) providing outreach assistance to museum staff statewide in Alaska who need easy simple solutions to collections management issues.  In general, I follow the paper label technique described by Thomas Braun in JAIC Summer 2007. The text below is from the little manual I enclosed in each kit.  If you want the little manual, just print out this manual for collections labeling , cut it in quarters and staple it together.  The contents of the kit are listed and explained in the posting Collections Labeling: Simple Kit.   Some adhesive choices are described in the posting Collections Labeling: Alternate Adhesive Testing.

Here's a labeling challenge: a box of muskox fur!

The back cover of the manual includes these questions to help determine the best labeling technique:

1. Will applying this label cause damage such as new holes or dissolving the surface?

2. Will future removal of this label cause damage?

3. Will the labeling materials run, fade, abrade, corrode or age in a way that will damage the artifact?

4. Is the label readable?

5. Is it easy to find the label without having to handle the object a lot?

6. Is it easy to hide the label during exhibition or photography?  Is the label ugly?

7. What will happen if the label gets wet?

8. Is the label likely to come off with normal handling, running, or abrasion?

9. Is there a compelling and urgent reason to remove any existing labels that may be important to the history of the item? 

ANTLER, BONE, IVORY, TOOTH

• Beware, sometimes synthetic materials are made to look like this.  See “PLASTIC”
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery or decorated.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

BALEEN, CLAW, HOOF, HORN

• Beware, sometimes synthetic materials are made to look like this.  See “PLASTIC”
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery or decorated.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

Sometimes the tag is the redundant label on a basket, sometimes it is the only label.

BASKETRY

• Typically, the underside of a basket is labeled and the inside of the lid, if present.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• For baskets with very large elements, like cedar bark mats or bark containers, apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• For baskets with a finer weave structure, do not use adhesive but instead a small hanging tag sewn in between the weave with a needle that may pass through easily.
• Use labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

Redundant label on the folder means less handling for the item itself.

BOOKS and PAPER

• Inside cover and reverse of title page are the common places to mark a book. Writing on the top outer corner means the book doesn’t have to be opened all the way.
• Number is usually applied to the back upper right corner of a sheet of paper such as a document or a print/drawing/ watercolor.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• Avoid labeling in an area that already has information written there (price, owner’s name, signature, etc.)
• Apply number with a #2 or HB pencil, taking care not to press hard enough to make indentations. Write on a firm surface.
• Use a labeled bag/ folder/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling. Insert an acid-free paper bookmark with number in pencil at the top to fragile books.

CERAMIC

• Typically, the underside of a ceramic is labeled unless it is unusually large or heavy, and then a place is chosen low on the “back” side.
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery, painted or decorated. The smooth, hard, shiny exterior of some pottery, called glaze, is made of glass and can be labeled.
• Beware painted surfaces and do not mark or adhere onto them.  Do not mark break edges of sherds.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography. Do not obscure maker’s marks on base.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

It is possible to safely label leather and gut, but I consider it a more advanced skill set and generally recommend a paper tag.

FEATHER, FUR, GUTSKIN, LEATHER

• Feathers of significant size may be labeled on the quill with a small font paper label.
•  Most feather and skin artifacts have delicate surfaces and the removal of an adhesive label will leave a stain.
•  Many feather and skin artifacts are connected to composite objects with other parts that may be labeled instead.
• Some feather and skin items are sewn and a Tyvek label sewn through original stitch holes with white cotton thread may work, using the technique recommended for garments and textiles.
• Stitch each end of the label so minimal snips are needed for removal.
• No new holes shall be made. If no technique above will work, use a paper tag or label the enclosure.
• Taxidermy is typically labeled with a tag around the leg, and also the mount support if present.

I like the collections management solutions offered by labeling a coin holder used for glass beads.

GLASS

• Typically, the underside of a glass vessel is labeled.
• Large beads may be labeled with a tag on a string.
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery or decorated. Do not mark glass that suffers from glass disease (weeping, crizzling, etc).
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography. Small font size on paper label helps.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

I think B-72 loves metal more than any other material.

METAL

• Typically, the underside of a metal item is labeled. If the metal item is very heavy, the “back” may be labeled instead.
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery, rusty, decorated, or coated. Musical instruments are often coated, for example.
• Coins are usually not labeled directly. Edges may be labeled if large enough.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography. Small font size on paper label helps for smaller objects.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat. Avoid artist acrylics and adhesives containing ammonia with copper or alloys with copper such as sterling silver.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.
•  Jewelry may be especially difficult to label, even with tiny font size. Redundant tags are helpful.

Did I mention I love redundant tags to minimize handling?

PAINTINGS

• The back upper right hand corner of a painting is a good place for the number.  Large paintings may be marked on diagonal corners.
• Artworks are sometimes removed from frames, so the back of the painting support is the best location for marking. Select a section of the wooden stretcher or strainer, plain wood if available.
• Avoid touching the back of the canvas corresponding to the painted area. Label the rigid edges or backing board if the support is not visible.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• In addition, use a paper tag attached to the screw eye, D-ring or other hanging hardware. This allows a painting to be identified without excessive handling.
• Collector and exhibition labeling/ marking on paintings has a long and important tradition.  Avoid removing old labels from the backs of paintings.

PHOTOS

• Number is usually applied to the back upper right hand corner, in a non-image area along the edge.
• For paper, apply number with a #2 or HB pencil, taking care not to press hard enough to make indentations. Write on a firm surface.
• For photos made of plastic, use the blue photo pencil.
• Sometimes, the right amount of dullness on a graphite pencil will also work on plastic but care must be taken not to scratch the plastic.  If the plastic has oily fingerprints, plasticizers, or coatings, pencil will not work well.
• Use a labeled enclosure such as a bag or folder as redundancy and to reduce handling.

Acetone damaged all these plastics. Water-based labels often peel off too easily. I prefer tags for plastics.

PLASTIC

• Many kinds of plastic are vulnerable to the solvent acetone used in B-72 labeling adhesive, so this adhesive should not be used.  Some older plastics are sensitive to water-based adhesives.
• It can be difficult to identify specific plastics.  Rubber, vinyl, plastics, and synthetic materials should be marked with great caution as removal can cause damage.
• Adhered labels often pop off of flexible plastics.
• Many plastic items are connected to composite objects with other parts that may be labeled instead.
• For a completely plastic object, the most conservative recommendation is to only use a paper tag with a labeled bag/ box as redundancy.  Enclosures also reduce handling, and many plastics age poorly so the less handling the better.
• Some museums use water-based acrylic adhesive labels, or B-67 in petroleum distillates, but removal of these labels is not risk-free.

This Melvin Olanna marble sculpture (ASM 2000-6-2) is heavy! Don't put the label underneath, or you risk damaging the artwork or yourself looking for it.

STONE

• Typically, the underside of a stone item is labeled. If the stone item is very heavy, the “back” may be labeled instead.
• Locate a smooth area that is not flaking, powdery or decorated. Porous or rough surfaces are difficult to label. Avoid use edges of stone tools.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

Blank Tyvek tag showing loops at the ends that are easy to snip for removal.

 

These are labeled at the inner back of the collar, but a redundant tag on the hangar reduces handling.

 

For rolled textiles, redundant tags are really needed.

TEXTILES and GARMENTS

• For textiles robust enough and large enough to hold a label, a sewn technique with Tyvek and white cotton thread is recommended.
• Garments are typically labeled where a manufacturer’s label might be found, such as at the back of a neck or the waistband.  Labeling diagonal corners is helpful for large rolled textiles.
• Choose a location that can be hidden during exhibit or photography.
• Cut a piece of Tyvek, write the number by hand with a Zig Millenium fade-proof and waterproof pen in the center, leaving room for stitches at each end.
• Use seams and original stitch holes whenever possible. Second best is to pass the needle between the weave without piercing the yarns.
• Stitch the label with a loop through two holes at each end so minimal snips are needed for removal.  Sharp needles work well to pierce Tyvek, while ballpoint needles are less likely to damage the textile fibers.

Each rattle also has its number written in pencil on the pallet that holds it.Redundant paper tags in each dish reduce handling and facilitate locating an item.

WOOD

• Wood items are often painted, varnished or otherwise coated.  Avoid applying a label to those areas and seek out an inner, underside, or back surface that is bare wood.
• Locate a smooth area that is not rough, splintery, or decorated.
• Choose a location that will not show during exhibit or photography.
• Apply base coat of B-72, paper label, top coat.
• #2 or HB pencil may also be used on wood if the number can be applied without denting the wood and if it may be removed again with an eraser. Pencil, however, tends to be harder to read.
• Use paper tag, labeled bag/ box as redundancy and to reduce handling.

Collections Labeling: Alternate Adhesive Testing

 Ellen Carrlee (Conservator Alaska State Museum), Anna Marie Weiss (student, Queen’s University) and Samantha Springer (Conservator, Cleveland Museum of Art)

1. INTRODUCTION:

B-72 is the adhesive conservators recommend for museum labeling of archaeological artifacts.  Postings on labeling basics and suggestions for assembling a labeling kit are also posted on this weblog.  Properly done, the B-72 technique is legible, durable, reversible, and chemically stable.  However, the handling properties of the B-72 technique cause frustration, including unpredictable bubbling and the sensitivity of many inks to solvents in the adhesive.  There is great temptation to utilize other adhesives in pursuit of better handling properties, ease of application, and local availability.  As a follow-up to discussions at the 2010 Alaska Anthropological Association seminar on Collections Curation, several conservators independently tested several popular adhesive alternatives on bone, wood, metal, stone and unglazed ceramic to assess their performance.  Here are our observations, with some notes on our methodology if others want to test more adhesives.  Gallery of images at the end, you can click to enlarge.

2. SUMMARY:

Water-based adhesives had better handling properties for application.  These included ease of cleanup, single-step application, little odor or fumes, and the ability for the water component of the adhesive to penetrate the paper structure and cause it to drape and conform to uneven surfaces easily.  The thicker water-based acrylics and gels (those that were white and thick) also had the advantage of self-positioning easily.  The labels stayed where they were placed and did not move readily when brushed with a topcoat.  The thinner water-based adhesives tended to pool themselves up (from the water tension) when used on metal samples.  Among water-based adhesives, Golden Acrylic Gel had the best application properties of any adhesives tested.  However, many of these properties that are nice for the short-term convenience of the person applying the labels come at a long-term trade off for the best interests of the artifact.  Some corrode metal, some come off easily in moist conditions, and some are hard to remove without damage to the artifact.

Solvent-based adhesives tend to be more difficult to apply.  Disadvantages to the person applying the label include stickiness, more complicated cleanup, possibility of smearing inks or bubbling, disagreeable odor or fumes, poorer ability of the paper label to conform to uneven surfaces, and tendency to slip around when placed and brushed with a topcoat.  Application with adhesive of higher concentration gave a better result in conforming to uneven surfaces and corners staying down, but has sometimes been reported to be associated with bubbling.  Using a different topcoat with a B-72 barrier layer made the labeling process take longer, required more elaborate cleanup, and petroleum-distillate based topcoats were sticky, smelly, drippy and took a long time to dry.  However, the solvent-based adhesives tended to be better for survival of the label and removability without damaging the artifact.  To put it bluntly, the trade-off is: ease of application for the human comes at the cost of optimum preservation of the label and artifact.

3. RESULTS

PARALOID B-72 (ACRYLOID B-72)

B72 (marketed as Acryloid or Paraloid B-72) is a solvent-based acrylic resin.  It was tested in both reagent grade acetone and hardware store acetone.

PROS

• Good aging properties, does not yellow
• Pure formulation
• Good durability in flood or high RH
• Minimal staining after removal
• Readily reversible with solvent
• Hardware store acetone less likely to smear inks (likely due to impurities)
• Reasonably neutral pH around 5-7
• Paper label alone remains slightly flexible, adhesive film cracks a bit

CONS

• Not locally available
• Solvent fumes
• Flammable
• Can be sticky, stringy, require practice to apply
• Acetone can evaporate too quickly to fully manipulate label
• May bubble unpredictably, with no obvious fix that always works
• Hardware store acetone results in mottled look
• Harder to apply on bumpy surfaces than water-based adhesives
• Label does not always self-position well
• Corners of label sometimes lifted, risk for snagging
• Poorer adhesion to wood than other substrates
• Can cause some inks to smear
• Cleanup is not as easy as water-based adhesives

B-72 with Soluvar or Regalrez top coat

Because B-72 is such a desirable barrier layer, alternate topcoats were explored to solve the smearing problem.  Soluvar is made of acrylic resins B67 and F10 in petroleum distillates, used as a picture varnish.  Regalrez is similar, but made of low molecular weight resins in petroleum distillate.  While solving the smear issue, the alternate topcoats caused other frustrations.

PROS:

• Good aging in general
• Pure formulation
• Good durability in flood or high RH
• Minimal staining
• Readily reversible with solvent
• Does not make ink smear the way acetone-based B-72 can.
• Does not bubble
• Reasonably neutral pH around 5-7
• Paper label alone remains slightly flexible, adhesive film cracks a bit

CONS:

• Not locally available
• Soluvar sometimes leaves drips on surface of artifact after applied
• Lingering paint-thinner type odor
• Flammable
• Top coat makes paper translucent or mottled, hard to read on dark surfaces
• 2 step application: B-72, dry, then topcoat
• Soluvar / Regalrez stay sticky for more than 24 hours
• Soluvar yellowed a bit during artificial aging
• Corners of label tend to stick up, risk snagging
• Stickiness of topcoat annoying
• Cleanup is not as easy as water-based adhesives

At the Cleveland Art Museum, conservator Sam Springer reports that printed labels are first given a coating of Aquazol to prevent the ink from smearing.

At the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska, registrar Marnie Leist reports they use B-72 as a barrier layer and art store acrylic as the topcoat.

ART STORE ACRYLICS

Water-based acrylic media including Daniel Smith Acrylic, Golden Fluid Matte Medium, Golden Gel, Golden Self-Leveling Gel, Liquitex Gloss Medium, Liquitex Matte Medium were tested as examples of art store acrylics.  Golden Gel is used by several museums in Alaska.

PROS

• Easy application and cleanup
• Locally available
• Does not bead up as much as Acrysol WS-24 or Aquazol
• Tacky, so label stays put when topcoat added
• Good on bumpy surfaces
• Does not smear inks
• Does not bubble
• Paper label alone remains flexible

CONS

• High pH (alkaline) Measured from 8 – 10 in our tests
• Most contain ammonia
• All can corrode metals, especially copper and Cu alloys (tuned adhesive green)
• Proprietary (impure formulations, can change anytime)
• Yellows with age
• Removal by swelling with solvents, then rubbing off
• Removal can cause surface loss, since it doesn’t dissolve but swells
• In flood/ high RH tended to become gummy and white, sometimes peeled off

RHOPLEX

Because water-based adhesives are more user-friendly than the solvent-based adhesives, conservation-grade water-based acrylic adhesive Rhoplex (also marketed as Primal) 33 or its replacement B-60-A was tested as an alternative to B-72 and art store acrylics.  Rhoplex is often used as a stone and plaster consolidant. Note that WS-24 is a different product.

PROS

• Easy application and cleanup
• Good on bumpy surfaces
• Good aging
• Pure formulation
• Good durability in flood or high RH
• Does not smear inks
• Does not bubble
• Paper label alone remains flexible

CONS

• Not locally available
• Cannot ship in freezing weather (product will be ruined)
• High pH (very alkaline) Measured around 9-12 in our tests
• Can corrode metal, adhesive turned yellow-green on aging.
• Can yellow with age, saw some pink tinting around ink
• Difficult to remove

ACRYSOL WS-24

Because water-based adhesives are more user-friendly than the solvent-based adhesives, conservation-grade water-based acrylic adhesive Acrysol WS-24 was tested as an alternative to B-72 and art store acrylics.  It is sometimes used as a consolidant for waterlogged archaeological bone.  Note that it is also sometimes sold as Rhoplex  or Primal WS-24.

PROS

• Easy application and cleanup
• Good on bumpy surfaces
• Good aging
• Pure formulation
• Does not smear inks
• Does not bubble
• Reasonably neutral pH around 6-7

CONS

• Not locally available
• Can corrode metal (turned green-brown in aging test)
• Can be watery when applied and label slips around
• Yellows with age (more than other adhesive we artifically aged)
• Weaker bond with age
• Difficult to remove from porous surfaces
• Paper label alone is brittle, cracks and shatters easily when flexed

AQUAZOL

Because water-based adhesives are more user-friendly than the solvent-based adhesives, conservation-grade Aquazol (a non-acrylic water based plastic) was tested as an alternative to B-72 and art store acrylics.  It is soluble in either water or alcohol.  It is commonly used as a paintings consolidant.

PROS

• Easy cleanup
• Good on bumpy surfaces
• Good aging
• Pure formulation
• Does not smear inks
• Does not bubble
• Reasonably neutral pH around 5-7
• Paper label alone remains flexible

CONS

• Not locally available
• Falls off readily in flood test
• Messy and sticky to handle
• Gets sticky or falls off in high RH (80%)
• Corroded metal in some tests (adhesive turned green)
• Can be watery when applied and label slips around

AYAF

AYAF is marketed pre-mixed as “PVA Marking Varnish” by MuseuM Services Corporation.  AYAF is a solvent-based polyvinyl acetate (PVA) resin equivalent to the European products Mowilith 50 and Vinylite A.  It is most often used as a consolidant for various materials.

PROS

• Pure formulation
• Reasonable aging properties (not as ideal as B-72)
• Does not smear inks
• Does not bubble
• Easer to apply than B-72, but with many of its benefits
• pH 5.5 still in the OK range
• Paper label alone slightly flexible, does not crack

CONS

• Not locally available
• Not as easy to apply and cleanup as water-based adhesives
• Harder to apply on bumpy surfaces
• Solvent fumes
• Peels off easily in flood test

NAIL POLISH

Fingernail polish is still occasionally seen in obsolete museum practices.  It was tested here with expectation for poor performance to gauge other adhesives against a “known negative.”  I tested Sally Hansen “Hard as Nails”

PROS

• Locally available
• Easy application and cleanup
• Does not bubble

CONS

• Proprietary (impure formulations, can change anytime)
• Yellows with age
• Acidic pH of 2-3
• Strong odor
• Smears ink
• Corners of label tend to stick up, risk snagging
• Paper label cracks, tears when flexed

4. METHODOLOGY

ELLEN CARRLEE (Conservator, Alaska State Museum)

Substrates:

1. Metal: Penny coins dating after the year 2000, fresh from normal use without pre-cleaning.
2. Stone: Dark gray slate from a museum diorama.
3. Ceramic: Plain terracotta flowerpot, had been in outdoor use one summer.
4. Bone: Mammal, mainly beach finds.
5. Tooth: Mammal, from the museum educational collection.
6. Wood: Plain popsicle sticks from craft store.

Adhesives:

B-72 in reagent grade acetone

B-72 in hardware store acetone

B-72 in reagent grade acetone with Soluvar topcoat

B-72 in reagent grade acetone with Regalrez topcoat

“PVA Marking Varnish” (AYAF in alcohol)

Aquazol 500 in ethanol

Daniel Smith Acrylic Medium (at least 10 years old, in the lab supplies)

Rhoplex B-60-A

Acrysol WS-24

Golden Self Leveling Gel

Golden Gel

Sally Hansen “Hard As Nails” nail polish

Abuse:

The tests involved submersion in a vat of water over a weekend (to simulate a flood incident), sealing in a bag at 80%RH for 24 hours, aggressively shake samples of each substrate together in a ziplock bag, aggressive abrasion with a dry toothbrush, and heating in an oven.  pH tested by adding a drop pHydrion pencil in solution to the wet adhesive Insta-check pencil “lead” dissolved in boiled, distilled water (see Odegaard, Carroll, Zimmt 2000).  Strip of pure copper painted with adhesives as a separate test for copper corrosion.  Tested paper label dipped in adhesive alone for durability.

Removal:

Removal techniques tested were dry scalpel removal (also called “mechanical” removal), water on a cotton swab, and acetone on a cotton swab.

ANNA WEISS (conservation graduate student, Queen’s University)

Substrates:

1. Metal: pennies
2. Stone: dark, fine grained stones from Lake Ontario beach
3. Ceramic: terra cotta flowerpot (new)
4. Bone: study samples from local archaeology group
5. Wood: blocks of pine lumber

Adhesives:

B-72 in reagent grade acetone

B-72 in hardware store acetone

B-72 in hardware store acetone with Soluvar topcoat

Aquazol 500 in water

Rhoplex 33 (aka Primal)

Aquazol WS-24

Liquitex Acrylic Gloss Medium and Varnish

Liquitex Matte Medium

Abuse:

The tests involved submersion in a vat of water for two hours (to simulate a flood incident), sealing in a bag at 80%RH for 72 hours, aggressively shake samples of each substrate together in a ziplock bag, aggressive abrasion with a dry toothbrush, accelerated aging in over for 4 days to simulate 12 years, pH testing with pH strips using dried label mashed in water.

Removal:

Solvent removal with cotton swab, poultice or solvent gel, mechanical removal with scalpel, bamboo stick or dental tool.

SAMANTHA SPRINGER (Assistant Conservator of Objects, Cleveland Museum of Art)

Substrates:

1. Metal: brass sheet
2. Stone: smooth fine grained stones from museum campus
3. Ceramic: terra cotta flowerpot (new)
4. Glass: pyrex glassware
5. Wood: pine 2 x 4 scrap wood

Adhesives:

B-72 in reagent grade acetone using Aquazol-coated label

Golden Polymer Medium Gloss

Aquazol 500 in water with B-72 topcoat

Rhoplex WS-24 Acrylic Dispersion (sprayed, reactivated with isopropanol)

B-67 in reagent grade Naptha (petroleum distillate)

B-67 in reagent grade Naptha using Aquazol-coated label

B-67 in acetone using Aquazol-coated label.

For some tests, the “Aquazol-coated label” was first spray-coated with two coats of 12% Aquazol 200 in reagent grade ethanol and allowed to dry.  This is to prevent smearing of the ink.

Abuse:

The tests involved submersion in a vat of water for two hours (to simulate a flood incident), sealing in a bag at 80%RH for 72 hours, aggressively shake samples of each substrate together in a ziplock bag, aggressive abrasion with a dry toothbrush, accelerated aging in over for 4 days to simulate 12 years

Removal:

Solvent removal with cotton swab, poultice or solvent gel, mechanical removal with scalpel, bamboo stick or dental tool.

5. THANK YOU!

Big thanks to our Alaskan museum colleagues and to the folks who discussed this with us on the American Institute for Conservation Objects Specialty listserve.  Apologies if I miss your name, but here’s my best shot: Helen Alten, Barbara Applebaum, Victoria Book, Scott Carrlee, Chris del Re, Dave Harvey, Katie Holbrow, Rick Kerschner, Steve Koob, Marnie Leist, Susan Lansing Maish, Katie Myers, Teresa Myers, Steven Pickman, Dennis Piechota, Monty Rogers, Linda Roundhill, Patrick Saltonstall, Monica Shah, Tony Sigel, Julie Unruh, and Jim Whitney.

Questions? Ideas? Feedback?  Ellen.Carrlee@alaska.gov