[NHCOLL-L:5029] RE: Labeling rocks and fossils

[Pellegrini, Rodrigo]

Thank you all very much for your input, suggestions and extra info.

I do not intend to draw this discussion longer, but I interpreted the following passage as not making certain types of correction fluid unacceptable (from Segal, T. 1998.  Marking in The New Registration Methods, R.A. Buck & J.A. Gilmore, eds.  Page 81.  American Association of Museums, publishers):
"Use a white primer or white numbers over the clear base coat on dark objects." (look under "Geological Specimens")
White primer sure sounds a lot like the correction fluid that has been in use at the New Jersey State Museum for years (long, long before I joined the staff), which is neither Liquid Paper nor Tipexx. It is a water-based compound,  Puja brand (just in case you were wondering).

Don't misinterpret this reply; I am not arguing the practice is or should be acceptable. I'm just stating that, despite having already read the chapter in The New Registration Methods, it still seemed to me like, depending on the chemistry of the correction fluid and the nail polish, the practice still hadn't been contra-indicated for geological materials.

Clearly, I'm looking for something better. Thanks to your collective knowledge and provided references, I now have found a much more acceptable practice.

Lastly, we have been using Pigma pens to write the numbers probably for just as long as we have been using the Puja correction-fluid. So thankfully, we've been doing at least that right!

All the best,

Rodrigo Pellegrini, MA, MS
Registrar, Natural History Bureau
New Jersey State Museum
PO Box 530
Trenton, NJ 08625-0530
USA

Voice: (609) 292-5615 (office)
       (609) 826-3924 (laboratory)
       (609) 826-5449 (storage)
Fax: (609) 292-7636
E-mail: Rodrigo.Pellegrini at sos.state.nj.us
www.newjerseystatemuseum.org
From: Demouthe, Jean [mailto:JDemouthe at calacademy.org]
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 6:32 PM
To: Pellegrini, Rodrigo; 'NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu'
Subject: RE: Labeling rocks and fossils


White-out and similar compounds are unacceptable on any type of specimen.  Most will either become brittle and flaky with age, and some will react with the specimen, even if covered with clear varnish.



Just because geologic specimens are often sturdier and appear to be less chemically sensitive than biological materials, there is no reason to use substandard collection materials in their labeling and conservation.



I suggest you look at Segal, T. 1998.  Marking in The New Registration Methods, R.A. Buck & J.A. Gilmore, eds.  Pages 65-93.  American Association of Museums, publishers.



There is a list of barrier materials for base coats in Table 4 (page 89).  For geological specimens, most people use either B72 acryloid or PVA (polyvinyl acetate).



Jean DeMouthe





Dr. Jean F. DeMouthe

Senior Collections Manager for Geology

California Academy of Sciences

55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park

San Francisco, California 94118

jdemouthe at calacademy.org

(415) 379-5258









-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Pellegrini, Rodrigo
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 12:11 PM
To: 'NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu'
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:5018] Labeling rocks and fossils



Dear colleagues,



My museum has used a water-based correction fluid as a base layer to label catalog numbers onto our rock and fossil collections for many years (and later coated said number with nail polish). I'm well aware that such labeling is not the best practice for most other collections, but it is still generally accepted for rocks and fossils as far as I know (something akin being described as such in "The New Museum Registration Methods," Buck and Gilmore, Eds.)



I haven't heard of anything new on the subject, but was curious what those of you that have geological collections under your care use.

I'm quite frankly tired of rehydrating dried-up correction fluid bottles that were never opened, and feel something like acrylic-based white paint might be better.



Any ideas? Suggestions? Info I should be aware of? I would much appreciate any help and to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic.



Best wishes,



Rod



Rodrigo Pellegrini, MA, MS

Registrar, Natural History Bureau

New Jersey State Museum

PO Box 530

Trenton, NJ 08625-0530

USA



Voice: (609) 292-5615 (office)

       (609) 826-3924 (laboratory)

       (609) 826-5449 (storage)

Fax: (609) 292-7636

E-mail: Rodrigo.Pellegrini at sos.state.nj.us

www.newjerseystatemuseum.org




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