Tobacco leaves

Howard Wellman <wellmanconservation [at] comcast__net> writes

>A client has acquired a "hand" of tobacco leaves (the dried bunch of
>leaves, still attached to the stalk), and wants to display them
>hanging as if still in the drying barn. ...
>
>Does anyone have suggestions for consolidating or otherwise
>stabilizing what is basically an intact dried botanical specimen
>that is going to be displayed with no other modifications?

Perhaps one should consider Parylene as a coating and preservation
material. Parylene was demonstrated by the Getty some years ago at
one of the AIC meetings.  It formed a thin, invisible, pore-free
coating that could preserve things like feathers and brittle paper,
and impart them some strength for handling.

I believe that they showed a Parylene-coated butterfly wing, and the
coating was strong and invisible.  Reversibility was a problem...

On the other hand, maybe one could eventually replace the tobacco
leaves??

Size of chambers for coating could also be a problem--usually
Parylene is used for small items.  There are a number of Web sites
about Parylene, and it is currently used for things like coating
medical devices and printed circuit boards for use in extreme
conditions.

Tom Chase
Chase Art Services


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:34
                Distributed: Thursday, February 2, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-34-005
                                  ***