[Nhcoll-l] Cleaning amber

[Neil Clark]

Mineral oil isn't very good for amber although I sometimes photograph amber immersed for short periods of time in Johnson's baby oil. If it is an organic amber-based oil, then it may be slightly acidic with succinic acid, and may affect the plastic vial without damaging the amber. It may be worth just placing the amber in a glass vial. The dissolved/decomposing plastic may affect the immersion oil and the oil should be replaced, or just wiped off. Does the oil have a similar refractive index as the amber? We don't store out amber in oil and it has lasted for over 100 years, although some of the samples that have been exposed to light more, show some surface cracking. We are getting a 17th century amber goblet restored in Poland (Malbork Castle) that has survived pretty well, except for the mechanical damage caused by careless handling in the past.

Neil

Dr Neil D. L. Clark
Curator of Palaeontology

The Hunterian
University of Glasgow
Gilbert Scott Building
Glasgow G12 8QQ

E-mail: Neil.Clark at glasgow.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)141 330 3599
Website: www.glasgow.ac.uk/hunterian

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 _________________________________
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Rhian Russell [rhian.russell at gov.ab.ca]
Sent: 18 June 2012 20:50
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Cleaning amber

Hey all,

We have some amber in our collection that was stored in vials and immersed in some sort of oily liquid. We were thinking it may be mineral oil? Whatever it is, it seems to have eaten through some of the plastic vials, and it’s quite messy.

Has anyone experienced this, and have any idea how to clean it off without damaging the amber? Should it even be removed?

Cheers,

Rhian Russell
Conservation Technician
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology,
Box 7500, Drumheller, Alberta T0J 0Y0
Phone: (403) 823 7707 Ext. 3306
E-mail: rhian.russell at gov.ab.ca<mailto:rhian.russell at gov.ab.ca>

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