"...just a topic for conservation and feed back."  "...no lectures about
calling conservators."

Assume the position and imagine the flame.

"Consider the possibility," Jack said, with a tight grin, "that a
misinformed curator, too cheap to call in a conservator, and too short of
time to reference the literature may have over done some leather dressing
and that what looks for all the world like white mold is fatty spue.

"You could have removed the spue and reduced the reservoir of fat with a
reasonably safe solvent such as VM&P naptha.  But, No!  You had to
compound the problem with saddle soap!

"One of these days, you should live so long, you'll learn that good
advice, early on, is cheap at half the price.  However, given the way
you're going now, you'll likely end up becoming a museum director."

Jack C. Thompson
Thompson Conservation Lab.
Portland, OR

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On Thu, 14 Mar 1996 [log in to unmask] wrote:

> We have in our collection leather bridles, halters, reins, saddles,
> saddlebags and so forth that have a white "bloom," which I'm assuming is
> mold. It wipes clean, and I've used basic saddle soap which also removes
> the film. The items are stored in a climate controlled HVAC building, but
> I'm wondering if there isn't enough air circulation. Has anyone else had
> this problem?
> Please, no lectures about calling conservators. This is just a topic for
> conservation and feedback.
> Thanks.
>