Storage of bone

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but regards the bone flute: There
are still some facts missing here. If there is a decision to be made
on how to store the object, particularly at what temperature and RH,
then there has to be some agreement on what problems the storage is
supposed to be solving.  Likewise for any "conservation activity."
It seems to me that the riskiest part is over, that is, air drying.
If there is a fear of efflorescence, then, as I understand it, a
reasonably stable RH should prevent problems, whatever reasonably
means.  To be more fussy would mean analyzing any water-soluble
salts present to determine what the safe RH range is.  The exact
need for conditioned silica gel vs. other buffers or the type of box
needed is still to be determined based on the environment of the
space in which the thing is kept.  The question of "conservation
activity," which I take to mean the application of some kind of
consolidant should have little in this case to do with analysis;  it
sounds like no such treatment is called for because the object is
not deteriorating!

B. Appelbaum

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:73
                 Distributed: Friday, February 27, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-73-001
                                  ***