3 CONCLUSION

Cohesive fills in skin products were easily made and applied in these examples using standard conservation materials and techniques. A caveat must be made in the use of these types of fill materials on appropriate skins and leathers. The fill materials should be used on skin artifacts that are stable and in relatively good condition. The fill materials cited, when used properly, will aid in increasing the aesthetic continuity of the skin artifact by filling an area of loss.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author would like to thank the many individuals who were consulted and gave generously of their time, advice, and expertise: Ellen Pearlstein, Brooklyn Museum, for support and critical review; Leslie Ransick-Gat, conservator in private practice, for her understanding, support, and guidance; Toby Raphael, National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center, for his critical review, which yielded many insights; Paul Storch, Minnesota Historical Society, for his many suggestions and ideas; Gwen Spicer, conservator in private practice, for treatment ideas and help; Judith Levinson, American Museum of Natural History, who was instrumental in introducing BEVA 371 solution and microspheres as a fill material; Lisa Kronthal and Samantha Alderson, American Museum of Natural History, who supplied their selfless support; Alex Allardt O'Donnell, conservator in private practice, for her time and expertise with leather conservation; Christine Giuntini, associate conservator, Metropolitan Museum of Art, for fun fur and dye information; and Gregory Young, conservation scientist, Analytical Research Laboratory, Canadian Conservation Institute, for shrinkage temperature information and expertise. Special thanks go to Maria Berman, Colleen Brady, Michaela Neiro, Nathan Otterson, Eugenie Milroy, and my past and present staff at Give Me a Break Conservation Services, Inc.