Re: Creepy Crawlies!

Bas van Velzen (eland@knoware.nl)
Wed, 20 Nov 1996 15:31:34 +0100

> The best storage I have ever seen for prints was large tupperware (or
>similar) containers. The artist would use a hair dryer on low to blow the
>print
>and container (get all the moisture out) and then burp it. He swears that the
>print will last forever that way - no water damage, bugs, etc. Is there
>something he is missing. Does the plastic adversley interact with the print?
>Just wondering
>
> Ginger in Ohio

Tupperware is known in Europe too and at the Central Laboratory in
Amsterdam (laboratory supporting conservation of works of art) a lot of
investigations have been done into plastics. Tupperware is made of
polyethene, this plastic will turn sticky, smelly and discolour over time.
So I would not use it if I where you. The concept of drying photos and then
putting them in a sealed box is a good one if a stable climate is
maintained ant the box is really air/gastight. These boxes will be costly
therefore.

Bags sold as archival should be good, I think Light impressions know what
they are doing and selling. See also addresses I gave before.

from:
Clydesdale, Amanda
Chemicals in Conservation
second edition 1992
Scottish Society for Conservation and Restoration

Boric acid:
colourless, odourless, white scales or powder

uses:
with borax as fungicide for waterlogged wood, fire proofing for wood, not
approved under UK's 1986 Pesticide regulations (p. 13)

incompatible with:
potassium

handling:
natural or nitrille rubber gloves, respirator or self-contained breathing
apparatus

efects of exposure:
skin: extremely toxic even in small amounts if enters bloodstream (small
cuts, broken skin) may cause dryness, blisters, irritation. POISONOUS
eyes: conjunctivis
inhalation: fever, circulatory collapse, convulsions
ingestion: may be fatal after 3-5- days if large dose, small dose vomiting,
diarrhoea, visual disturbance, pain, convulsions

nice stuff to keep your photos next to eh?? Insects will drop dead from it
or not want to go near. Andthere must be some of it in the air, I do not
know of any research done as to the safety of this compound near photo's
but reading this (and other books) I would not recommend it unless the
plague does more damage than this cure.

Bas

Jonge Eland papierrestauratie
eland@knoware.nl
t +31 20 623 79 89
f +31 20 627 32 23

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