Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. RE: Mold on wooden furniture 2. New publication | Conservator's Cookbook 3. RE: REPOSTING: The Mariners' Museum and Park seeks two full-time conservation science fellows funded for two years through an IMLS Leadership Grant for Museums ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Christian Mueller-Straten Posted: Thursday December 12, 2024 7:42 AM Subject: RE: Mold on wooden furniture Message: Hi Jennifer, the large oversize piece of furniture is a 19th cent. Dutch style cupboard. Depending on the wood, these cupboards are surface-treated with wax or shellac. Mold on these surcfaces is generally unsual, all the more as the location is in an office since decades. You have added that you have little ability to control the environmental conditions in the space, unfortunately. Even if the cupboard is not a museum object, there must be (historical, legal, emotional) reasons to use this furniture in an office. So, if you want to keep the cupboad in place, you have to find the reasons for mold infestation - old or new. Was there a water damage recently? An open window during a rainy night? Is the cupboard placed too close to a wall (no air circulation behind)? Is there a personal reason to work in humid atmosphere? Is the infestation induced from the cupboard inside? Sometime people store food in office cupboards and forget them. Your case does not only concern the cupboard itself, but also other parts of the room, the wall behind, textiles, documents etc. Depending on the type of mold, it may also effect human health. It seems to be time to turn this case away from cleaning to conservation and preventive health care. Best Christian ------------------------------ [Christian] [Mueller-Straten] [Researcher, Publisher, Art Historian] [Owner] [Verlag Dr. Christian Mueller-Straten] [Munich] [Germany] [0049-89-839 690 43] [https://www.museum-aktuell.de] ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 12-11-2024 14:28 From: Jennifer Waxman Subject: Mold on wooden furniture Thank you to everyone who replied. We will vacuum with a brush and Hepa filter like we do for book/paper material and test a small area with a light isopropyl solution before attempting to deactivate. I should have mentioned that I have little ability to control the environmental conditions in the space, unfortunately--the large oversize cabinet is stored in a human occupied office area and I believe has been in the same location for decades (objects are out of my purview but mold remediation is not!). If the cabinet was in collection storage, adjusting environmental controls would be an obvious step to take. Instead we will have to find more suitable climate controlled storage for it. Much appreciated! ------------------------------ Jennifer Waxman Head of Collection Management Tulane University Libraries New Orleans LA (504) 598-2985 ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 12-11-2024 10:09 From: Julia Campbell-Such Subject: Mold on wooden furniture Hello, Just chiming in to agree that water will not help mold on wood- instead I would suggest you brush the surface directly into a vacuum with a hepa-filter. Then, wash the brush with soap and water, label it 'mold only' and don't use it for anything else. Ethanol will deactivate the mold as well as isopropanol but, as mentioned, often furniture finishes are sensitive to alcohols so definitely test a small area first. As you know from your experience with paper, the best solution is to control the humidity in the space and prevent more growth. I also recently learned that mold does not have to be alive to cause allergic or toxic reactions, so keep that in mind as well. There's a pretty good resource on mold remediation of objects from CCI here: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/technical-bulletins/mould-prevention-collection-recovery.html <https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/technical-bulletins/mould-prevention-collection-recovery.html> Good luck! Julia. Julia Campbell-Such (she/her) Assistant Conservator, Frames T 416.979.6660 x6261 AGO.ca <http://www.ago.ca/> | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/AGOToronto> | Instagram <https://instagram.com/agotoronto/> Original Message: Sent: 12/10/2024 8:11:00 AM From: Valeria Cocchetti Subject: RE: Mold on wooden furniture Molds should not be removed with a damp cloth but only with Dry cleaning. The only solvents that kill molds are 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water.. so do some tests to verify that solvent mixture is not harmful to the surface finish of the furniture ------------------------------ Valeria Cocchetti Conservator Florence Original Message: Sent: 12-09-2024 10:26 From: Jennifer Waxman Subject: Mold on wooden furniture Hello, I am an archivist working in a library and archive with majority book and paper collections but the occasional piece of furniture or object has made its way into our collection. I have recently discovered active mold on a 19 century Dutch style carved wooden cabinet. The carvings are intricate and the cabinet as expected has storage spaces with doors and drawers. While me and our Conservation Librarian are confident in mold remediation for book and paper material, neither of us have experience with wooden objects. Aside from gently wiping down this piece with a damp cloth, are there any other actions I can take to clean this piece of furniture? Are there any solvents that are safe to use for molder mediation on wooden furniture? Thanks, Jennifer Waxman Jennifer Waxman | Head of Collection Management Tulane University Libraries – Tulane University Special Collections ------------------------------ Jennifer Waxman Head of Collection Management Tulane University Libraries New Orleans LA (504) 598-2985 ------------------------------ 2.From: Laura Chaillie Posted: Thursday December 12, 2024 11:45 AM Subject: New publication | Conservator's Cookbook Message: The Conservator's Cookbook: Solution Preparation for the Heritage Professional (ISBN: 9781032489780) is now available for preorder. The Cookbook is a collection of practical, step-by-step guides outlining how to prepare various solutions, adhesives, gels, and other mixtures used in heritage conservation. While conservators learn the chemical rationale of solution-making during their training, the actual process of preparing these compounds can be neglected or eventually forgotten. This "cookbook" provides a non-exhaustive and adaptable resource, compiling practical recipes from across heritage conservation literature into a single volume. Drawing from techniques used in furniture, paper, paintings, textiles, and other conservation specialisms, each "recipe" in the Cookbook begins with a short summary of key chemical ideas, before relating step-by-step instructions. The solutions range from simple dissolutions (adhesive resins), to more complex cleaning systems (utilising surfactants, chelation agents, and enzymes) and gelled carriers. Each "recipe" is followed with collections of technical data which help to bridge the gap between chemical understanding and practical application. The Cookbook also provides important notes on health and safety and laboratory best practice, addressing some common misunderstandings and encouraging more sustainable approaches. Intended for the experienced professional and conservation student alike, The Conservator's Cookbook is a crucial reference work that provides a starting point for practical experimentation and interaction between different conservation specialisms. Additional information and table of contents can be found through Routledge website <https://www.routledge.com/The-Conservators-Cookbook-Solution-Preparation-for-the-Heritage-Professional/Chaillie/p/book/9781032489780?srsltid=AfmBOor-WZkgbOLh5_Ze44D3sDPxYEf_QfHiO1UfMqSNFBEt51ENEKrs>, where it is now available for discounted preorder; it is also already available at the usual book suppliers like Brown Books / WH Smith / Amazon etc. Best wishes for everyone to have a brilliant festive season! ------------------------------ Laura Chaillie Objects Conservator London Museum London ------------------------------ 3.From: William Hoffman Posted: Thursday December 12, 2024 1:09 PM Subject: RE: REPOSTING: The Mariners' Museum and Park seeks two full-time conservation science fellows funded for two years through an IMLS Leadership Grant for Museums Message: Date Correction: It should be 2025 -- Will Hoffman Director of Conservation & Chief Conservator (757) 591-7768 [email protected] <[email protected]> The Mariners' Museum and Park 100 Museum Drive Newport News, VA 23606 <https://www.marinersmuseum.org/?utm_source=Email%20Signature%20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mariners%27%20Landing%20Page> <https://www.marinersmuseum.org/> <https://www.facebook.com/marinersmuseum> <https://www.x.com/marinersmuseum> <https://www.instagram.com/marinersmuseum> <https://www.youtube.com/@themarinersmuseum> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mariners-museum/> ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 12/9/2024 2:31:00 PM From: William Hoffman Subject: REPOSTING: The Mariners' Museum and Park seeks two full-time conservation science fellows funded for two years through an IMLS Leadership Grant for Museums The Mariners' Museum and Park seeks to hire two full-time conservation science positions for two years funded through an IMLS Leadership Grant for Museums. The successful applicants will join an expanding conservation research program housed within the well-equipped 20,000 square-foot Batten Conservation Complex. Please see the link below to learn more about the laboratory's equipment, research, and publications. https://www.marinersmuseum.org/conservation-science-research/ Start date: On or before April 1, 2024 Salary: $55,000 base plus benefits and conference travel funding. Project Description: The primary focus of the fellowships is to contribute to fundamental research and help improve the treatment of waterlogged organic artifacts such as those recovered from wooden shipwrecks. During burial, historical ships spend centuries submerged in a marine environment often surrounded by sulfur-reducing bacteria. Over time, these organisms produce hydrogen sulfide which reacts with the organic materials onsite, forming compounds which can severely damage wooden artifacts after they are dried. Therefore, extracting sulfur compounds from wood prior to drying is critical to help mitigate the potential for long-term debilitating issues. Through previous research funding from a National Center for Preservation Technology and Training grant in 2023, initial background research and preliminary sulfur extraction tests via chromatography on cellulose coupons were conducted with promising results. To build off and expand this foundational work, The Mariners' Museum is offering two fellowships with one centered on chromatographic techniques and the other on scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both positions will work in tandem under the direct supervision of Research Scientist, Dr. Molly McGath and Senior Archaeological Conservator, Elsa Sangouard who are overseen by Director of Conservation and Chief Conservator William Hoffman. Application: Fellowship applicants at a minimum must have a master's degree with at least two years of research laboratory experience preferred. For the chromatography-focused placement, experience in organic chemistry, sulfur chemistry, or related topics is preferred whereas for the SEM-based fellowship, preference will be given to those with a background in materials science or related fields. Cultural heritage related experience is also preferred for both fellowships. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. To view the full position descriptions and apply online, please visit https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/24e8c7be-a360-49cf-9d2a-270ee0d1e142/The-Mariners-Museum-and-Park In addition to a cover letter and CV, please include at least one reference letter from a supervisor familiar with your work experience. Application Deadline: January 24, 2024 About the Mariners' Museum and Park: The Mariners' Museum was founded in 1930 with the goals of collecting, preserving, and sharing the world's maritime heritage with the community. Since then, the institution has grown to become the steward of a world-class collection of over 32,000 items, including three dimensional objects, paintings, and art on paper. The museum is also home to a vast maritime library housing over 110,000 volumes and 3 million pieces of archival material. Along with its own holdings, the museum is the repository of nearly 210-tons of artifacts recovered from the wreck site of the American Civil War ironclad USS Monitor. The Mariners' Museum is situated on a 550-acre Park whose trail and lake serve as a beloved community resource. Sincerely, Will Hoffman ------------------------------ William Hoffman he/his/him Director of Conservation and Chief Conservator The Mariners' Museum and Park Newport News, Virginia 757-591-7768 ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. 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