[Nhcoll-l] Recommendations on jars for displaying fluid specimens

[Simon Moore]

Hi Dakota,

If you’re going to tilt jars or lie them on their backs, then you will either need to use perspex-type jars (in which you cannot put alcohol as it softens the polymer!) or you must find an effective sealant  The silicone sealants are good but they must ideally have ‘flowable fluid’ on the sealant tube. The other silicones are too dense to make an effective seal for this purpose.
The only problem with this method is that (once it has set - 8 hours) the sealant is difficult to reverse - I have tried a range of likely solvents and the only one that is effective is chloroform!  Even that takes about 48 hours, so if anyone (out there) can suggest a better reversing agent, then this would be most useful to know about.

Practice using the sealant (you’ll need a spatula to spread it evenly around the sealed area) first as you have about 1 hour before the lid becomes more difficult to remove.

With all good wishes, Simon

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,

www.natural-history-conservation.com



> On 23 Jul 2021, at 23:46, Dakota Rowsey <drowsey at asu.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am putting together a small exhibit for our vertebrate collection and am interested in placing a small number of fluid-preserved specimens out on display. I am looking for recommendations for jars that both protect the specimens while on display while also making them more viewable at a variety of angles without distortion of the sides of the jar or obstruction from the lid. The specimens are relatively small and can fit in a 16 fl. oz. jar. Thank you in advance!
> 
> Sincerely,
> Dakota Rowsey
> 
> -- 
> Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D. (he/his)
> Vertebrate Collections Manager
> Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections
> Arizona State University Biocollections
> 734 W Alameda Dr.
> Tempe, AZ 85282
> (480)727-5870
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