Pacific Silver Cloth

The following is posted on behalf of Nora Lockshin:

    Re: Pacific Silvercloth/other silver scavengers

    The Objects Conservation Dept. (Ellen Howe, Jo Willey, & I) at
    the Metropolitan Museum of Art has recently performed Oddy tests
    (heat accelerated aging on metals Ag, Pb, Cu in presence of
    water vapor) on several scavenger products. The results are as
    follows:

        Pacific Silvercloth: ok for Ag

        Conservation Resources' Microchamber Board: ok for Ag, not
            good (4,5) for Cu or Pb.

        CR's Microchamber Emulsion Paint-on Preservative: ok for Ag,
             Cu, Pb

    I called the manufacturer of Pacific Silvercloth during the
    testing period about a year ago to see if they had test results
    for the usable life of the material under differing
    environmental conditions; they did not.   The cloth base is a
    polyester felted acrylic, available in 15 yard X 64 inch rolls
    for lining drawers or sewing pouches.  Ellen Salzman reports
    that in exhibition cases, she has lined bases with the cloth,
    placed a small fan in the case to encourage air circulation, and
    placed a polished, half-lacquer coated silver coupon in the case
    for observation over the display period.  This has been
    satisfactory in observing the capacity of the cloth.

    I imagine that this method (periodic checking of the coupon
    wrapped in cloth placed with wrapped objects at various
    intervals in the storage system) would be satisfactory for
    materials in storage.

    PScloth:  manufacturer:

        Wamsutta Specialty Products
        Div. Of Springs Industries
        POD 10232
        Rockhill S.C. 29371

    available through Gaylord Bros Library/Archive Suppliers.
    1-800-448-6160).  Conservation Resources published their address
    in the Distlist posting 12/5/96, re: Brass rivets.

    Nora Lockshin
    Thomas J. Watson Library
    Book Conservation
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art
    212-650-2978

Roland Samieske
Systems Librarian
Thomas J. Watson Library
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028-0198
212-570-3935

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:54
                 Distributed: Friday, December 6, 1996
                       Message Id: cdl-10-54-007
                                  ***