[NHCOLL-L:278] Shell Collection

[Karin Scott]

Hi

I took the museum's shell collection under my wing not so long ago and I was wondering if you all might have some advise.
  
First a little background might help: The collection stems from the late 1800's up to the 1940's about.  The researcher left the museum and due to a lack of funding and being inland the department was closed and the collection packed and stored.  Part of the collection was exhanged for bird eggs with another museum (1970's) and most of the data except for what is left on the cards with the specimen are gone.
 
Scientifically speaking the collection is not that valuable anymore but it can and is still used for, comparison purposes.  It is a huge collection comprising of national and international shells.  Seeing that we no longer have a shell department and is located inland the collection will remain a static one.  

I had the shell club of Pretoria come and sort through the collection and put them in family catagories.  I was told that my shells have "Baynes(sp?) disease" and that I should do the following to clean and then protect the shells.

I should put the shells in a 50% Household bleach 50 % water solution for at least a day (24 hours) and then in clean water for another day (24 Hours) Let them dry and then rub mineral oil on the shell (Do not submerge the shel in oil).

I have been doning this and have now finished about 4 of the smaller families ± 2000 shells.  (not even 1/4 of my collection).  

I would like to enquire if there is something else I should do or if you think this is sufficient.

Please keep in mind that money is an option (as it is everywhere else) and that there is no way that I can do anything to keep the correct temperature and humidity in the shell collection.

Thanks for the help

Karin

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Miss Karin Scott
Collections Manager: Archaeozoology
Northern Flagship Institute
Museum of Natural History (Transvaal Museum)
P.O. Box 413
Pretoria
South Africa
0001

Tel: 27 12 322 7632
Fax: 27 12 322 7939
E-Mail: Scott at tm.up.ac.za
Web: http://www-tm.up.ac.za
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