Hi folks,
We have a taxidermied polar bear which was recently looked at carefully after years behind 'glass'. One - yes, just one - empty dermestid casing was found on it. A local conservator thinks we should have the object treated for insects and tested for arsenic/mercuric salts before we do anything restorative. I have mixed feelings about the need for the arsenic testing since the object will be going back on exhibit out of visitor access and I would assume that any reputable taxidermist would be cautious about handling old mounts during the conservation process. However, I'd appreciate some viewpoints about this. Also, barring other visible signs of infestation for 4 years or more, should we subject the mount to some undisclosed form of 'insect-proofing'? Or...are we inviting trouble? I'd like to know what methods are going to be used to 'insect-proof' the mount before we give the go-ahead even if it is deemed the responsible thing to do. Any viewpoints or suggestions? Comments? Many thanks in advance. Telephone or email me directly if you'd prefer. Shirley S. Albright Manager, Technology and Museum Information Systems New Jersey State Museum 240 W. State St., 14th floor PO Box 530 Trenton, NJ 08625-0530 (office) 609.292.6331 (fax) 609.292.7636
