Baleen

Margaret Perkins <mperkins [at] mov__vic__gov__au> writes.

>I am looking for information on the conservation of baleen in its
>natural state, not as manufactured into other objects.
>... I also have a "Technical Note" by D.
>McAlpine and J. Camus from the New Brunswick Museum entitled
>"Preparation and Mounting of a Rack of North Atlantic Right Whale
>Baleen" (unfortunately I do not know which journal it comes from)
>which recommends the use of hair conditioner.... "To maintain
>flexibility in the plates and fringe".
>
>Our museum also wishes to mount a rack of baleen and I am a little
>reluctant to recommend the hair conditioner treatment partly because
>I am not sure what the active ingredient is, (there was no brand

Margaret Perkins is correct in questioning the use of hair
conditioner. This is definitely not recommended for the care of
baleen. Baleen is keratinaceous, but it is not hair, and such
cosmetic preparations will ultimately contribute to its weakening
and deterioration (not to mention chemical contamination for future
analyses, stickiness, dust, pests...ick).

Baleen shouldn't need much in the way of care other than that
provided for any sensitive organic object: cool, dark storage, full
support, and freedom from pest attack. That last is especially
important. Baleen plates are always going to be stiff after being
removed and dried; that is their character, not a flaw. By the time
they arrive in a museum, they have usually warped a bit from their
resting position in life; again that is a character to be worked
with, not against. You should, of course, prevent them from warping
further, which might call for more interventive measures, but even
such measures should require the use of techniques no more
aggressive than higher-than-ambient RH. We use baleen plates in
exhibition and education, and have them in our research collections,
and have never needed more than preventive measures and ordinary
pest management measures to keep them in good shape. Save the hair
conditioner for human hair, and give the baleen the care that
sensitive organic objects always need.

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 9:57
                Distributed: Wednesday, January 31, 1996
                        Message Id: cdl-9-57-008
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