SPPC 1992 Bristol
1992, Bristol:
- Authigenic minerals within vertebrate fossils from the Wealden, Isle of Wight. Jane Clarke.
- The conservation of the Sedgwick Museum Quaternary Hippopotamus skeleton. Caroline Buttler.
- Helping with the jigsaw! How preparators can help conservators. Chris Collins.
- Rubbers, resins and replicating Baryonyx. Lorraine Cornish.
A review of preparation techniques used in the Geology Conservation Lab at Bristol Museum. David Hill.
- Preparation, art or science? David Hill.
- Westlothiana: seeking evidence for the earliest amniote. William Lindsay.
- Preparation of the A303 ophthalmosaur. Richard Twitchett
The conservation of the Sedgwick Museum Harrington (Quaternary) hippopotamus skeleton.
Buttler, C. J.
The Barrington hippopotamus skeleton has been on display at the Sedgwick Museum in Cambridge for over 60 years. During a recent loan to the National Museum of Wales, the opportunity was taken to clean the specimen and carry out conservation work including consolidation, renewal of some mounting bolts and the crowning of a broken canine. Techniques and materials were chosen to minimise damage and maximise the possibility of future reversal.
Authigenic minerals within vertebrate fossils from the Wealden, Isle of Wight.
Jane Clarke
The presence of authigenic minerals, deposited in the voids of vertebrate bones during diagenesis, can be used by preparators and conservators as indicators when deciding on the
treatment of an individual specimen. A pathway can be drawn for each specimen which traces the different diagenetic environments through which the bone has passed, and hence
indicate the present condition of the bone itself, whilst the presence of apatite crystals and some forms of pyrite in the voids indicates complete disintegration of the bone.
Clarke, J.B. 1994. Authigenic minerals in vertebrate fossils from the Wealden Group (Lower Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight Geological Curator 6(1): 11-15.
Preparation of the A303 ophthalmosaur.
Richard Twitchett
The preparation of vertebrate specimens for display or sale often leads to the destruction of important taphonomic information. For example, a huge variety of organisms (from
nematode worms to fish) may utilise a rotting carcass and leave traces on the bones. These are rarely preserved at time of burial, and if present are seldom retained by preparators.
Bones covered in iron oxide are especially susceptible to loss of surface detail as the matrix is harder than the fossil. Application of the Waller Method allows full removal of the iron
oxide without losing any of the taphonomic information preserved beneath.
Twitchett, RJ. 1994. Preparation of a disarticulated Ophthalmosaurus skeleton to retain important taphonomic details. Geological Curator 6(1): 7-10.
SPPC 2009 Bristol
2009, Bristol (SVP, SVPCA and SPPC meeting):
Adhesives, choice and reason:
Adhesives, choice and reason, Velson Horie
Adhesives, choice and reason, Amy Davidson
Adhesives, choice and reason, Chris Collins
Adhesives, choice and reason, Suzanne Henssen
The case for Paraloid B72 as an adhesive, consolidant and gapfiller, Nigel Larkin
Amy Davidson, Senior Principal Preparator
Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History New York, NY USA
Here she will focus on the history of one specimen of Shuvuuia deserti from its retrieval from the Gobi in 1994, preparation, discoveries in the lab, analysis, exhibition, accidental damage and recent repairs in 2009. The use of Butvar B-76 (polyvinyl butyral) and cyanoacrylates on this specimen will be reviewed, as well as the use of archival housings as an alternative to adhesives.
Suzanne Henssen Freelance Fossil Preparator
Henssen PalaeoWerkstatt, Goch, Germany
www.palaeowerkstatt.de
In her presentation she gives an overview about the challenge to properly conserve sub-fossil material and the use of polyethylenglycol as a specialised solution. Based on an example of a mammoth tusk which was found 2005 in Switzenand, she explains the correct treatment after discovery, conservation with polyethylenglycol and how it is presented in the exhibition. A review follows of some of the oldest results that have been achieved about 30 years ago by using the polyethylenglycol method.
The case for Paraloid B72 as an adhesive, consolidant and gapfiller
Nigel Larkin, Natural History Conservation
www. natural-history-conservation. com
Depending on the material requiring remedial conservation, the methacrylate co-polymer Paraloid B72 can be a very good choice. Not just because it has proven stability and great reversibility but because of its versatility. It can be used straight from the tube as an adhesive, or mixed to the exact consistency required for use as an adhesive or consolidant -with a variety of solvents. With the addition of a suitable stable filler it can also be usefully applied as a gap-filler.
Using just one product in these different ways on the same specimen has its advantages. In the immediate term, it bonds very well to itself. It will also remain stable: if you use more than one product on a specimen you really cannot be sure of the long-term stability of the chemical cocktail you are creating.
The West Runton Mammoth Conservation Project will be presented as an example posing particular problems, along with some other palaeontological challenges.
The consolidation of Pleistocene Mammals from the North Sea between the British Islands and The Netherlands
Dick Mol, Research associate, Natural History Museum, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
he southern Bight of the North Sea between the British Islands and the Netherlands is extremely rich in remains of Pleistocene and Early Holocene mammals, both terrestrial and marine mammals. These remains are trawled from the seabed by fishermen trawling for flatfish. Most of these remains, tons and tons have been brought every year ashore by the fishermen, are in good state of preservation. The remains originate from the entire Pleistocene (2.6 million -11.500 BP) and their state of preservation depends on their geological age. Those from the Early Pleistocene are heavily mineralized and produce a highpitched sound when tapped on with a hard object. Those from the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene are barely mineralized. These fossils need a special treatment to keep them in good condition for research and museum purposes.
Dick Mol from the Natural History museum is collecting the by-catches of the fishing trawlers in the harbors of the Netherlands as well as doing his own expeditions on the sea to collect the fossils from well-known localities.