As a conservator, I concur with Janice Klein, it is best not to use nail
polish.  The "chemicals" (in general) that most nail polishes contain are
toluene, which should not be used without a respirator, and the resin
itself is cellulose nitrate, which cross-links and becomes insoluble
(irreversible) over time...it will yellow, will become brittle, and chances
are you will loose the number you have inked onto it.

I assisted with the AAM session on labeling in Atlanta, and with Terry
Seigal's (sp?--sorry Terry) chapter in "New Registration Methods," and ran
the MAAM daylong workshop on Numbering in Cape May, NJ.

For Diana Baber, in addition to all the references individuals have posted
so far, I'd also like to turn you to an excellent web-site put out by the
Museum Documentation Association, a group based in the UK.  This web-site
is excellent, and covers labeling of most materials, and should be on any
bibliography on  numbering: http://www.open.gov.uk/mdocassn/labels.htm


Perhaps some of you noticed in my posting earlier this weekend (digest 14)
that mentions I will be offering a series of day-long courses in New
England/New York:

'Object Numbering:  Accession Labeling for Museum Objects and Cultural
Artifacts', a curriculum which introduces the methods, tools, and materials
for safely applying collection accession labels to all types of cultural
objects.

The workshop focuses on low-cost practices and solutions, and contains a
hands-on component.  Enrollment for the workshops will be limited in order
to provide adequate supervision for the hands-on portion. Each workshop
participant will receive a notebook of reference materials including
supplier lists and instructional information, product samples and tools.

Object Numbering:  Accession Labeling for Museum Objects and Cultural Artifacts
Registration fee:  $35.00
Dates/Locations:

May 10 at Hildene, Manchester, Vermont
May 12 at the St. Albans Historical Society Museum, St. Albans, Vermont
September 11 at the Bethel Historical Society, Bethel, Maine
September 14 at location TBA in Washington County, Maine (Lubec)
October 20 at the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts
spring 2001, Date and Time TBA in Western NY
Possibly more in 2001...

If I can be of any help feel free to contact me, but all of the literature
so far mentioned on the list basically covers it!

Lori van Handel
Williamstown Art Conservation Center

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