Christy Mackie
Historic Smithfield
Plantation
Staff Interpreter/ Volunteer Coordinator
1000
Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
p:
540-231-3947 f:
540-231-3006
www.smithfieldplantation.org
I’m forwarding
comments from other conservators that have responded to an inquiry Catherine put
out to a conservator forum.
I tend to agree with
the comments below – and with the comments Darlene sent earlier – if it isn’t a
problem after this many years of being in the house, it’s no more likely to be a
problem than introducing something new.
Lori
Toliver-Jones
Museum
Administrator
Historic
ph:
540-231-3947 fax: 540-231-3006
www.smithfieldplantation.org
From: Cathy
Dean [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 4:28
PM
To: 'Lori
Toliver-Jones'
Subject: FW:
Straw in Museum Settings
Hi
Lori,
Sending along info as
it comes in.
C
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: Straw in Museum
Settings
Catherine,
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!
Marc
American Conservation Consortium,
Ltd.
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,
Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian
Institution
Fellow, American Institute for
Conservation (AIC)