Painted eggs

Amy Rider <drider2<-a t->csrlink< . >net> at Slifer House in Lewisberg PA
asked about repairing scratch painted eggs.  I have already had the
pleasure of reassembling one of these treasures.  The eggs are dyed,
not painted, using a natural dye stuff made from onion skins.  The
designs are scratched into the colored egg after the colors have
set.  This is a Pennsylvania German craft and can be surprisingly
beautiful.  I should also mention that the eggs are not blown or
hollowed; they usually rattle around with the dried contents
creating the problem of weight from inside and strain on the repair.
The one I treated was assembled under a binocular microscope using
polyvinyl resin adhesive and interior tape strips made out of gold
beaters skin.  I substituted an inert material of the proper density
to compensate for the weight of the core.  Amy, if you're listening,
call for more details.

Kory Berrett, Objects Conservator
Oxford PA

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:20
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 28, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-20-002
                                  ***