AW2

Can anyone provide some background information on
a resin called MS2A or AW2?. My understanding is that this
product was developed as a modern day varnish, a sort of
gum dammar copycat. In what way is it more preferable to use
than dammar, and is it still available?

    **** Moderator's comments: From Feller, Stolow, and Jones. On
    Picture Varnishes and Their Solvents (1959. Sorry, I don't have
    the new edition here):

      "Badische Anilin and Soda Fabrik's Resin AW-2, a resin in the
       range of viscosity similar to dammar, has long been under
       investigation at the National Gallery, London. This resin,
       based on polycyclohexanone, was also available from Howards
       of Ilford, England (Howards and Sons, Ltd., Canada) and was
       designated Resin MS-2. Without an added plasticizer the resin
       is extremely brittle.... Hydrogenated forms known as MS-2A
       and MS-2B have been produced, but all of these proprietary
       resins have been with withdrawn from the market at one time
       or another."

Mark Vine
Conservation Resources
England

                                  ***
                 Conservation DistList Instance 10:105
                   Distributed: Friday, May 30, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-105-005
                                  ***