Message in a bottle

A client has unearthed a message in a bottle that was buried in the
foundations of the Almeida Theatre in London. As it is a clear glass
bottle the enclosed document appears to be a tightly rolled bleached
looking parchment. The date is just visible 1837, all other details
are faded or hidden. The bottle has a ground glass stopper which has
been sealed with an unknown substance. Does anyone have an idea on
opening these types of bottles without breaking them. The client
wants the document out and as a conservator it is clear to me that
the document needs to be stabilised.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:2
                  Distributed: Thursday, June 19, 2003
                        Message Id: cdl-17-2-013
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