Regarding marking leather:

According to Dudley & Wilkinson's MUSEUM REGISTRATION METHODS (3rd ed.,
1979),

"The number is applied in paint or ink on a smooth, inconspicuous surface
... It can be placed on the back side or under the front, under a
flap....  Unless the leather is rawhide, however, or an extremely stiff,
nonporous leather as was used for fire buckets, it may be damaged by
solvents should numbers marked in paint or ink ever have to be
removed....  For buckskin and rawhide, a laundry marker may be used....  For
flexible leathers, a cloth label may be attached by stitches passed
carefully around and underneath the thread with which the object has been
constructed, provided that the existing stitching is strong enough to
withstand such manipulation.  Cloth labels can also be attached to
linings or to the underside of maker's labels.....  Or they may be looped by
sewing their ends together around an appendage such as a strap or belt
loop.  Or the number may be placed on metal decoration or hardware...."
(pp. 60-61).

As for materials, the labels should be acid-free paper tags (or 100% rag) or
cotton or linen tapes.  As for marking on the labels, suggestions include
medium pencil on paper tags, or for cloth tags, permanent ink or
ballpoint pen.  Some even type the number on (having first taped the
label to a sheet of paper so it can be put into a typewriter). As for
paint, there are lots of choices: oils in vermilion, cadmium red, Venetian
red (red resists fading), or white or black.  You might also use
acrylics, which dry faster but don't last as long and need to be sealed
with a protective overcoat.  You could even use ink in place of paint. (pp.
48-50).

I hope that helps.  Of course, a professional conservator is your best
bet here.

Regards,
Doug


........................
Doug Lantry
University of Delaware
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On Wed, 17 Jan 1996, GOLDSWORTHY, Shirley wrote:

> Is anyone working on costume collections willing to share info.
> I am curating a costume collection at the Museum of Victoria and currently
> registering and cataloguing boots and shoes.  Does anyone have some advice
> on the best method for putting registration numbers of leather?
>
> My Email is: [log in to unmask]
>