Thermolignum system

A costume and textile collection at one of our museums is going to
be put through the thermolignum process, to be treated for moth
infestation.  One of our concerns is the presence of plastic
decoration/detailing present on some of the costume and accessories.
This includes things such as buttons, sequins, boning in corsets,
parasol handles, bag handles etc. which in the majority of cases it
will not be possible to remove from the object prior to treatment.

Has anyone had experience of putting a costume/textile or
mixed-media collection through the thermolignum process?  What
criteria did you use to determine what was suitable/unsuitable to
undergo the treatment process? In particular, how were objects that
involved plastic dealt with?

Samantha Taylor
Assistant Conservation Officer
Tyne and Wear Museums
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:2
                  Distributed: Thursday, June 19, 2003
                        Message Id: cdl-17-2-023
                                  ***