For the
bulk of our beds, we use the hard foam packing peanuts, not the soft foam
ones. We have one or two demonstration/hands-on beds with real straw.
Sabrina Henneman
Collections
Registrar
Genesee Country Museum
From:
Museum discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Marc A Williams
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 3:08
PM
To:
[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Straw in Museum
Settings
The answer to your question is yes and
no. This is a generic problem with collections preservation
advice - that is it both specific to the particular situation, and there are
always exceptions. The advice to remove "all organic materials from the
house" would include textiles, wood, paints, finishes, paper, and so
forth. You would have to remove the wooden structural architectural
framing, moldings, flooring, upholstery, drapery, carpeting, furniture, wall
surfaces, paintings, and the like. Hopefully, this was just an oversight
on the part of the conservator performing the assessment. It was a
conservator, wasn't it? Realistically, such advice can not be followed,
as there would be very few collection objects and architectural
structure remaining in the house.
There are several relevant factors in
your example. One is that the straw has been present for a number of
years. The risk of insect problems, particularly introducing new insects
to the collections, is greatest in the first few years. After that point
if there is no damage, leaving existing materials in the collection may be
even safer than newly-introduced materials. Second, it is true that
straw is a poor nourishment medium for many species of both insects and
rodents. It also is of low risk for mold and mildew infestation.
Third, mice and other rodents will use any available fibrous material for
nesting. I have seen numerous instances of fiberglass insulation in
ceilings and walls being used by mice for nests. One would think that
this would be at least unpalatable or at worst harmful to rodents, but
apparently not. Polyester probably would not fare any better (BTW,
polyester is an organic material, and by the assessment decree, should be
banned from the house). In the absence of direct information to the
contrary, it would seem that the straw is not more of a nesting risk than any
of these synthetic materials. The better alternative is to implement
strategies that prevent, or at least discourage, rodent presence in the house
as a whole.
My personal opinion, although not
informed by examination of your specific circumstances, is that if you have
not had problems to date, you are not likely to have them in the future.
Good luck!
American Conservation Consortium,
Ltd.
4 Rockville
Road
Broad Brook, CT 06016
www.conservator.com
860-386-6058
*Collections Preservation
Consultation
*Conservation Assessments & Surveys
*Environmental
Monitoring & Low-Tech Control
*Moisture Management
Solutions
*Collections in Historic Structures
*Collections Care Grant
Preparation
*Conservation Treatment of:
Furniture
Painted Wood
Horse-Drawn Vehicles
Architectural Interiors
Decorative Objects & Folk
Art
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 -----
Sent:
Thursday, October 08, 2009 1:35 PM
Subject:
[MUSEUM-L] Straw in Museum Settings
Dear
Listers,
One of our historic sites is
presently wrestling with the issue of a straw mattress in their historic
house interior.
The straw has been in place for
many years and thus far not (to my knowledge) caused any problems, and the
staff like to use the “crunchy” feel of the mattress as a teaching moment,
giving children and school groups a tactile experience of how one aspect of
life was different in the 19th
century.
They have received a
recommendation as part of a conservation assessment to remove all organic
materials (including the straw in the mattress ticking) from the house,
which would also have been my first response as
well.
However, a board member also
consulted a colleague in a university entomology department at the nearby
university, who did some research and concluded that because the straw is
“non-nutritive” it would likely not harbor any bugs other than perhaps mites
(which would hopefully be a non-issue, because the beds are not used).
I said I would check with the
list to see if anyone has had any direct experience with pest infestation in
straw mattresses, bales, etc. I’m also concerned that (leaving aside
insects) straw might also harbor mice or other animals that use the straw as
a nesting material.
Also, has anyone found a good
replacement for straw that would have that same tactile feel and look?
As always, budget is a major issue. Elsewhere we use polyester
fiberfill, but obviously that would feel nothing like straw.
Thanks!
Catherine E.
Dean
Curator of
Collections
Preservation Virginia
804-314-5049
FAX:
804-648-5880
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