Dear All,

Thanks so much for the coal tips.  My concern with using real coal was that 
it would somehow react poorly to the metal of the scuttle (which is copper, 
I believe) or send dust into the museum environment.  Have those who use 
real coal noticed any deterioration?

I will definitely consider the DIY solutions suggested and be following up 
on some of the contacts.  Unfortuantely I checked Barnard (we use their 
food, too) and they don't seem to have coal (unless I missed something).

Thanks!
Catherine

Catherine E. Dean
Curator of Collections
APVA Preservation Virginia
204 West Franklin St.
Richmond, VA 23228
804-648-1889 x313
FAX: 804-775-0802
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randy Hees" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: Fake Coal?


> We use real coal for our coal scuttle.  Our coal is bituminous "fire 
> place" coal purchased from a local charcoal dealer (his primary business 
> is selling high end charcoal to restaurants.)
>
>
>
> Coal varied by region.  Here in California our coal was likely imported 
> from Liverpool as ballast on wheat ships.  In the Midwest or east you 
> should consider anthracite hard coal instead.  It would be cleaner and 
> would probably be more accurate for domestic use.
>
>
>
> Depending on the year you are representing you could even paint the 
> anthracite blue aka blue coal, an early branding, with radio ads on some 
> of the "shadow" tapes.  I have found a report of a railroad locomotive 
> using anthracite painted white for a publicity stunt. "Phoebe Snow, Her 
> dress stays pearly white because she rides the road of Anthracite"
>
>
>
> Depending upon the quality, coal can be a bit "greasy" but the stuff we 
> have isn't.
>
>
>
> We do need to wash it annually to get the dust off.  We simply rinse it in 
> the sink in our catering kitchen then let it air dry.
>
>
>
> If you were concerned with coal dust it would be easy to simply use spray 
> shellac or lacquer to seal the dust in.
>
>
>
>
> Randy Hees
>
> Patterson House at Ardenwood Historic Farm
>
> City of Fremont, California
>
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