Adhesive for ceramics

Larry Hutchings <history [at] infolink__morris__mn__us> writes

>Can someone recommend an adhesive for ceramics? The artifact (a
>bowl) is significant for our collection, and was broken when an
>exhibit mount failed

At risk of sounding boring, we'd recommend (again) Paraloid
(Acryloid) B72 for most ceramics. Clean, easy to use, stable and
reversible, we have not found a substance to match this acrylic
copolymer for consolidating or joining artefacts from fossil teeth
to fragile flower specimens, mummy bones to modern art. Dissolved in
acetone to form a viscous solution, it provides an excellent
adhesive that is non-staining and easily cleaned up or reversed.
Some conservators like to add a small amount of other solvents (e.g.
toluene) to slow down the evaporation rate or to prevent stringing,
but we have never found the handling qualities to be enough of a
problem to justify the extra toxicity of the other solvents. Happy
sticking,

Helena Jaeschke

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:43
                Distributed: Thursday, October 31, 1996
                       Message Id: cdl-10-43-007
                                  ***