Polymers and natural history specimens

I am preparing a presentation on polymeric materials used in the
conservation of natural history museum specimens. Given the limitations
of time and audience patience, I have further narrowed the topic to
those materials which have historically been used in the preparation of
fossil specimens, casts and exhibit mounts, and why they were used, and
with what results.

I'm not asking anyone to do my homework for me, but I am interested in
collecting information on great and not-so-great adhesives,
consolidants, coatings, gap fillers, molding and casting compounds, and
other materials which have been used. I'm also interested in pinpointing
the emergence of rigid and flexible mold-making, the use of expanding
foams as casting agents, and the great failures of the past. The history
of materials and techniques in this field is scant, but what there is is
very interesting and has shaped both the way things are done today and
some public perceptions about fossils and life in the past.

If you are aware of pre-1960 published references to fossil exhibit or
preparation technology in any journal or discipline, or if you just have
accounts that you would like to share, please let me know. Thank you for
your time and consideration.

Sally Shelton
Director, Collections Care and Conservation
San Diego Natural History Museum
P.O. Box 1390
San Diego, California  92112
619-232-3821
Fax: 619-232-0248

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:78
                 Distributed: Thursday, March 23, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-78-010
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