[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] consolidation of fluid preserved fish tails

[Dirk Neumann]

Dear Esther,

as these are structural damages of the bone matrix (i.e. fracture of the fin-bearing caudal fin-ray bones), these can hardly be "repaired". Moreover, with weak specimens from the 19th century, I would be careful with the tissue matrix (as the cell membranes usually are already weak or even damaged. Exposing these membranes to higher concentrated alcohol or other chemicals could increase the osmotic damage.

It would be worth considering to stabilise and protect the caudal fin with a densely woven, fine fabric, that is added to the specimen independently from the wrapping. You can also consider to stabilise the wrapping by adding some slim PE-cushioning in the outer layers of the wrapping (e.g. parts of the thick PE-foil you use for sealing the specimens - the foil is not too rigid and would not introduce additional risks of mechanical damage of the caudal fin.

For storage while on loan, you could consider to send more of "your" alcohol along with the loan (you can add 30ml pre welding and 1.0 l total alcohol volume under A189).

Hope this helps
Dirk


Am 25.11.2025 um 14:13 schrieb Esther Dondorp:
Dear colleagues,

Does anyone have experience with the restoration or consolidation of fluid-preserved specimens, in this case specifically partially torn caudal fins of 19th-century fish preserved in ethanol?  The goal is to stabilize the specimen so it can be sent out on a museum loan.
Is restoration in such a case even possible? If so, would introducing any materials or chemicals risk causing unwanted reactions within the preservation fluid?

Are there alternative methods that do not involve adhesives or similar substances?

Many thanks!

Esther Dondorp
Senior Collectiebeheerder
[https://naturalis-public-media-assets.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Naturalis-mail-signature/logo.png]<https://naturalis-public-media-assets.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Naturalis-mail-signature/logo.png>





+31648704107 - +31648704107
esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl<mailto:esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl> - www.naturalis.nl<https://www.naturalis.nl/>
Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden
Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
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.



--
****

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<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann@webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20251126/4c6d76ce/attachment.html>