[NHCOLL-L:2164] plaster cast (cleaning/gluing/sealing) inquiry

[Kate Wellspring]

Dear all,

I would very much appreciate any and all advice on the cleaning/repair/sealing (if necessary?) of plaster casts (of ichnological--invertebrate trackways, in this case--specimens). A researcher here has recently inquired about: 

"plaster Protichnites & Climactichnites casts in our collection.   Many of the plaster casts are covered in dust, broken, and uncoated/sealed.  Please advise me as to the optimum method for cleaning gluing, and sealing these casts.  We want to make molds of them once we're done, as they represent the only known "type" specimens for these two taxa - the originals were lost."

Anyone have experience in this realm? Please let me know if I may provide anymore details.  

Much obliged,
Kate Wellspring
______________________________
Kate Wellspring, Collections Manager
Pratt Museum of Natural History
Amherst College
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 542-2326