I can understand the conservator's caution, but as a collection manager you also have an obligation to try to preserve the historical and scientific integrity of the objects (the vials of essential oils). Opening and emptying the vials means you would intentionally damage the historic and research value of the objects. Before taking a step that drastic, you might want to consider proceeding more cautiously:

1. First, examine the vials and their seals. What materials are they made of? How stable are these materials?
2. Is there any evidence than any of the vials are leaking?

3. If there is no obvious evidence of leakage, set up a monitoring program to detect leakage either in storage or on exhibit. For example, you can do this by weighing the individual vials, measuring the level of fluid in each vial, and documenting the vials with color images.

4. If possible, determine what sort of oil is in the vials. Some oils are more volatile than others, some more corrosive than others.

5. Evaluate how the vials will be used. For display only? For research purposes? Can they be isolated in an exhibit case or storage in case they do later start leaking?

--John

John E. Simmons
Museologica
128 E. Burnside Street
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
[log in to unmask]
303-681-5708
www.museologica.com
and
Adjunct Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
University Park, Pennsylvania
and
Instructor, Museum Studies
School of Library and Information Science
Kent State University

On Tue, Jul 5, 2016 at 11:41 AM, Jack, Emily <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Does anyone have advice or experience related to handling plant essential oils? A donor from our university’s chemistry department is bringing a collection of antique scientific equipment that includes about 30 vials of essential oils (e.g. oil of sage, oil of rosemary, lemon, bergamot, etc.)

We’ve spoken with conservators who suggested emptying the vials, based on evidence that although the chemicals inside the vials may be inert, they can nevertheless emit vapors which may be corrosive to other materials in storage or display.

When we told the donor, her response was that the vials are sealed/frozen shut and cannot be emptied.

We’d be grateful for any advice/insight regarding this situation.

Thanks!

Emily

---
Emily Jack
Digital Projects and Outreach Librarian
North Carolina Collection Gallery, Wilson Special Collections Library
CB #3930, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27514-8890
(919) 962-4331
www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/gallery.html

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