Just wondering, is there an advantage to using nitrogen to inflate the them? It is now being used for tires the molecules are larger than oxygen and so the pressure stays up longer and it does not hold moisture (so rot is lessened). It might be worth it for a conservator to look into it. Scott -----Original Message----- From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marc A Williams Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:47 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] preserving PVC toys I am not an expert with PVC, but with that caveat, I'll put my 2 cents in the ring. If you do not at least slightly inflate them, they will become too brittle with time to ever inflate, thus will be essentially uninterperatable. Keeping them inflated may require periodic introduction of air. Most plastics are slightly permeable (yes, even Plexiglas), but very slowly. However, over years/decades, air probably will be lost. I would think that zip-lock type plastic bags may be better than boxes. Boxes are not even close to air-tight, and any volatiles given off by the PVC may be able to leave the boxes and affect other objects. The scavengers may or may not get them first. Second, you can see the Dalmatians without having to open the box/bag, which will release anything inside. I don't know the full pluses or minuses of the zeolites or scavengers with PVC. My gut says it is good to use them, but I would double-check this. Degradation of PVC should be slowed by colder temperatures. The general rule is half the deterioration for every 10 degree C (18 degree F) temperature drop. Thus, 1/2 the speed of deterioration at 54 degrees as at 72 degrees, 1/4 at 36 degrees, and so on. Thus, cold storage may be best, but again, I would verify this with a specialist if possible. Hope this helps! Marc American Conservation Consortium, Ltd. 4 Rockville Road Broad Brook, CT 06016 www.conservator.com 860-386-6058 *Collections Preservation Consultation *Conservation Assessments & Surveys *Low-Tech Environmental Control *Moisture Management Solutions *Collections in Historic Structures *Conservation Treatment of: Furniture Painted Wood Horse-Drawn Vehicles Architectural Interiors Marc A. Williams, President MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ariel Weinberg" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:15 PM Subject: [MUSEUM-L] preserving PVC toys > Hi, folks, > > We recently accessioned two inflatable PVC Dalmatians, which I have been > tasked with packaging for storage. Bearing in mind that PVC is > inherently unstable over the long term, what is the best way to package > them both to preserve the dalmatians as long as possible and to protect > other objects stored nearby from damage? > > - inflated or deflated? > - wrapped or unwrapped? > - in paper or plastic containers? > > My current plan, based on a variety of reading and research (green- eared > Barbies, etc), is to keep them inflated, enclose them in archival Paige > boxes, and put zeoliites or other scavengers in the box, and of course > keeping them in climate-controlled (to the best of our ability) storage. > > Any other suggestions or experiences would be welcomed! > > Thank you, > > Ariel Weinberg > Assistant to the Curator of Science & Technology > > MIT Museum, Building N52 > 265 Massachusetts Avenue > Cambridge MA 02139-4307 > tel: 617-253-3378 fax: 617-253-8994 > http://web.mit.edu/museum > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed > information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail > message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should > read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read > "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).