[Nhcoll-l] Skull ideas

[Dee Stubbs-Lee]

Hi Gali,

I like seeing specimens boxed whenever possible. I say this for three main reasons: 1) if your researchers need visual or hands-on access to the specimens outside of the cabinets, boxes or trays allow for safer handling; 2) any additional layers of “packaging” (ie- the box) may help to buffer the specimens against environmental swings, dust and pests; and 3) if any fragments do break loose from the specimen, they will be caught within the box, cutting down on any confusion as to which specimen was the source of the fragment. It’s best to fit the boxes out with custom mounts or at least Ethafoam bumpers to minimize movement within the box. It is relatively straightforward to make custom sized boxes or trays out of acid-free cardboard, which may help to minimize your space requirements.

I’ve attached a photo of a box / mount I made for a subfossil walrus skull as an example. This one was quite fragile -  boxes may not need to be as elaborate as this.

Dee


Dee A. Stubbs-Lee, MA, CAPC, FIIC
Conservator
New Brunswick Museum
277 Douglas Avenue
Saint John,
New Brunswick,
Canada
E2K 1E5
(506)643-2341
Dee.Stubbs-Lee at nbm-mnb.ca<mailto:Dee.Stubbs-Lee at nbm-mnb.ca>
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From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Gali Beiner
Sent: December 10, 2023 7:45 AM
To: NHCOLL-new <Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Skull ideas

Dear All,

As basic as that may seem, I'm looking through ideas for storage of mammal skulls (equids, camelids and such) on shelves (in a compactor system) that will both save space and enable reasonable access for researchers in comparative (modern) collection. Boxes are one option, but do tend to take up a lot of space, so before deciding on any solution (or combination of solutions) it will be good to hear what you have seen and/or done in your own collections.

What have you been pleased with in this type of storage? Trays? Foam supports? Other supports? Perhaps separators between skulls sitting directly on a padded shelf? These skulls mostly include both cranium (maxillae) and mandibles - mandibles are detachable.

May light prevail over darkness - my wish for 2024,

Gali

--
[https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fa%2Fmail.huji.ac.il%2Fuc%3Fid%3D0B5B3I3QnN7dsSzNkbGlLNDNGWG8%26export%3Ddownload&data=05%7C02%7Cnhcoll-l%40mailman.yale.edu%7C581f7e05efd84b63f52f08dbfa4a98ac%7Cdd8cbebb21394df8b4114e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C638378970575405869%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=c4kycC7OHIuUc6z0yUy9Oj8%2BrdAClw4S8RhZk3ZIGiI%3D&reserved=0]Gali Beiner (ACR)
Conservator, Palaeontology Lab
National Natural History Collections
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Berman Building, Edmond J. Safra campus, Givat Ram
Jerusalem 91904, Israel
Fax. 972-2-6585785
gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il<mailto:gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il>
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