Anobia

We have a problem with an old, historic farmhouse, dating from 1703.
It has shingle roofing, no heating and plenty of open areas
connecting directly to the outside. The farmhouse is furnished with
household equipment of the 18th c. (and some 19th c.) and with
pre-industrial farming tools. It serves as a museum.

The wood of the building itself as well as of the museum objects is
infested with anobia (wood boring  insects). We have not yet
identified the insect exactly. We are quite helpless with the
situation. There is no way to make the building tight to the
outside, because it is all original construction. And as there are
so many possibilities for future insect attack to re-enter the
building, we wonder if anything can/should be done at all. Treatment
of the museum items does not seem to make sense, as the infestation
will spread back onto the objects from the building.

Does anyone have a creative idea how to deal with such a situation?
Would it make sense to paint all wood (if this is possible at all)
with some kind of poison? If so, would this harm the historic wood?
Is there a way to treat the objects and add some repellent? But
then, what about the building? We would be very grateful for any
suggestions,

Karin von Lerber and Joachim Huber
Prevart GmbH
Oberseenerstr. 93
CH-8405 Winterthur, Switzerland

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:71
                 Distributed: Friday, February 20, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-71-013
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