[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Cetacean skeleton issues

Mon Dec 15 18:55:41 EST 2025

While we’re still on this subject, what is the best way to remove, at least, the surface and oxidised oil/grease from cetacean bones? I used to find acetone worked quite well but then further oil started to see through after a few months!

With all good wishes, Simon 

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

www.natural-history-conservation.com

> On 15 Dec 2025, at 18:58, Aren Gunderson <amgunderson at alaska.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> We managed to clean 55 year old greasy bowhead whale bones for our skeleton now assembled on exhibit. My how-to from the skeleton build book (available here, https://www.theboneman.com/) is attached. Maceration can do it.
> Thanks,
> Aren
> 
> On Mon, Dec 15, 2025 at 5:20 AM Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu> wrote:
> Whale skeletons that have been outside for a century or more still ooze oil. The main hall at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard still has a fine fragrance of it from the whales on display, despite easily that long having elapsed. Part of the experience.
>  Paul Callomon
> Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
> Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
> callomon at ansp.org Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
> President of the American Malacological Society for 2027
>   From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Dirk Neumann
> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 9:17 AM
> To: Vanessa Pitusi <vanessa.pitusi at uit.no>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Cetacean skeleton issues
>   External.
> Dear Vanessa,
>   if it is indeed mould (you would easily recognise this from the powdery spores), you can treat this with 70% EtOH. Otherwise, if it is "just" grease, the question would be if conservation treatment is needed.
>   Especially old whales have a lot of grease in their bones, and even if you would degrease the surface, the remaining grease would ooze out again. Which chemical decreasing, you would probably reduce the scientific value of the specimen, because the chemical agents and decreasing procedure would affect the remaining proteins and lipids that might be useful for future research.
>   With best wishes
> Dirk
>     Am 15.12.2025 um 13:26 schrieb Vanessa Pitusi:
> Dear Dirk,
> Thank you for getting back to me and, mould, what a Christmas present 🙈 All the best,
> Vanessa
>   <image001.png> From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Dirk Neumann
> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 12:49 PM
> To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Cetacean skeleton issues
>   Dear Vanessa,
>   on a quick look, some seems like intense oil/fat staining, but especially on the second picture it looks like if there would be mould growth on top of the greasy surfaces.
>   With best wishes
> Dirk
>     Am 15.12.2025 um 12:29 schrieb Vanessa Pitusi:
> Dear all,
>   I have been going through our cetacean skeletons and have noticed some issues (see photos).
>   Any advice on how to treat such conditions and how long that would take? 
>   Kind regards,
> Vanessa
>   <image001.png> 
> 
> 
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> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
> 
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
>   -- 
> ****
>   Dirk Neumann
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>   Postal address:
> Museum of Nature Hamburg
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
> of Biodiversity Change
> Dirk Neumann
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 – 628
> d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>   -- 
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
> 
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>   -- 
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
> 
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
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> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Aren Gunderson
> Mammal Collection Manager
> University of Alaska Museum of the North
> 1962 Yukon Drive
> Fairbanks, AK 99775
> amgunderson at alaska.edu
> 907-474-6947
> <bowhead booklet bone cleanng.pdf>_______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.