Specialized in Object and Library & Archive Conservation
Student Exhibition
Report Summary
As conservator for the student exhibition I was responsible for providing the students with conservation considerations on the objects they chose for display, and ultimately treating said objects. The students selected eight objects in total for the exhibition, three of which required treatment. The following focuses on the three objects that were treated.
Owner: Penn Museum (see the object on their website)
Accession #: 33823
Object: Spondylus shell
Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 x 2 cm
Owner: Thai Government
Accession #: SAM-1976-1-86 | SAM-1976-1-87
Object: Bangle | Crucible
Materials: Copper | Ceramic
Dimensions: 6.5 cm Dia | 7.5 x 11 x 5 cm
Consulted:
Penn Museum Conservation Department
Student Exhibition Curators
Report Date: 01.19.2022
Treatment Images
Spondylous Shell
Red spondylus shell. The underside is mostly white with a red rim around the outer edges save for the bottom edge. “33823 / 3503a” written in black on the underside near the deepest part of the arch. “33823” written in gray on the underside near the end of the white area before the red rim. “3503a / 33823” written on a sticker label adhered to the white area on the underside. The spikes on the shell are broken and lost. It is unclear if this was intentional removal, wear, or both. There is surface dirt on the deepest areas of the underside of the shell.
Bangle
Object is one of two rings, each has one surface flat and one surface convex, allowing the rings to fit as one bangle. Knobs are 0.5 cm and there are 26. The flat surface allows the two bangles to fit together as one bangle. The design consists of a circle with round “knobs” on the outer edge. The object is stable overall. The bangle is missing a portion due to sampling for scientific analysis. One of the knob designs is lost. Shiny copper can be seen in the loss cross section. There is a layer of dark green corrosion product on the surface of the object. In areas where this dark green layer is not present, a dark brown layer is visible. This is likely a layer of heavily tarnished copper. The object was broken and previously repaired with an adhesive. A white surface discoloration is present on one side of the loss. Adhesive used in previous repair fluoresces bright green in UV light (368nm).
Crucible
The object is a light gray porous ceramic crucible fragment likely used for metal manufacture. The fragment is in three pieces. This portion of the crucible contains the spout for pouring out heated materials. While the ceramic is light gray overall, the coloration varies and includes medium grays, purple grays, and tan grays. One break edge on the smallest piece exemplifies a concentration of the medium gray coloration. One side of the smallest piece has “298/790” written on it in black.
The object is overall stable and is in three pieces. The surface is rough overall, especially along the break edges. All three pieces were previously adhered. The largest and second largest pieces remain adhered with a thick, hard, light tan adhesive. There is adhesive residue on a portion of the longest break edge on the largest piece, likely the same adhesive used in the previous repair based on color. There is also adhesive residue on the break edge of the smallest piece where it was previously adhered to the largest piece, which is currently detached. This is evidence that the adhesive failed previously. The smallest piece exhibits cracking on the side with the writing. Adhesive does not fluoresce in UV light (368 nm).
Treatment Summary
Spondylous Shell
The label was too brittle to be removed with mechanical action so I poulticed it with 5% methyl cellulose in 1:1 ethanol and reverse osmosis water. I let the poultice sit for 5 minutes before using mechanical action with a micro spatula to remove the label in one piece.
Bangle
I conducted solvent testing and the adhesive proved insoluble. I consulted with the student curators for their desired aesthetic treatment of the adhesive. The students wanted the objects “as authentic as possible”. The object was left as is, it’s appearance unchanged.
Crucible
I undid the joins using an acetone solvent chamber. I cleaned the break edges with acetone and mechanical action. I re-adhered the pieces with 50% B-72 bulked with microballoons toned to a sympathetic gray to. The student curators wanted no further aesthetic touches.