Conserving geological, palaeontological and osteological specimens for the new Thinktank museum in Birmingham.
Nigel Larkin recently undertook a large project for the new "Thinktank" Museum in Birmingham. This included the cleaning and conservation (and some remounting) of a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate fossil specimens from small, delicate, spiny Moroccan trilobites to a large, fragile and decrepit three-dimensional ichthyosaur skull. He also cleaned and conserved several osteological specimens including, for example, a delicate tenrec skull, various deer and bird skulls, an alligator skull and a sectioned Indian elephant skull, plus some corals.
Details of materials and treatments used on these specimens are given below, as examples of our work.
| Specimen description | Conservation notes |
| Sectioned elephant skull | Was extremely dusty, dirty and yellowed. Dust, dirt, fibrous plant material and paint were removed with compressed air, then skull swabbed gently with synperonic'N, at 3% in water. Tooth and zygomatic arch both loose and were therefore secured with Paraloid B72 adhesive, after application of PB72 consolidant 20% in acetone (W:V). All PB72 is reversible with the application of acetone. Paint and putty from previous display use was removed carefully with a scalpel. |
| Sand dollars, two blocks | Old labels and glue stains removed with acetone, and specimens cleaned with carefully applied compressed air. |
| Pentacrinities slab, in sections | A pneumatic engraving pen was used to remove aged and deteriorating fillers in the center of slab, and old surrounding fillers. The sections were joined with Paraloid B72 after edges were consolidated with 10% Paraloid consolidant in acetone. Gap filler applied between the slabs is PB72 consolidant at 20% in acetone mixed with glass beads at the ratio 3:1 beads to resin. New surround made with Jesmonite acrylic resin (standard A) with glass fibre cloth, painted with acrylics. |
| Trilobite slab | Delicately cleaned with compressed air. |
| Menes fish | Removed some old fillers with a pneumatic engraving pen and airabrasive (compressed air and sodium bicarbonate). Stable fillers and adhesives in central area of specimen were left in place. New surrounding support made up with Jesmonite acrylic resin (standard A) and glass fibre cloth, painted with acrylics. |
| Corals X 2 | Cleaned with compressed air, followed by brushing with synperonic'N' 3% in water, rinsing, and thorough drying in a fume cupboard. |
| Coelocanthus | Paint, dirt and dust removed with gentle compressed air. Delaminating crack treated with consolidant (10% & 20% Paraloid B72 in acetone (W/V)) and PB72 adhesive. |
| Ichthyosaur skull and lower jaw | Cleaned with gentle compressed air. Shine taken off aged consolidant by carefull swabbing with small amounts of acetone. Some areas of messy old adhesive removed with scalpel and pneumatic pen. Repairs were made with Paraloid B72, including re-adhering broken pieces of bone and loose teeth. Some areas were strengthened with plaster of Paris to make the whole specimen more structurally sound. Plaster was painted out with acrylic paints. |
| Trilobite | Cleaned carefully with low compressed air. |
| Trilobite | Cleaned gently with compressed air on low setting. Specimen looked grey and lacklustre, difficult to see detail. So a thin consolidant (Paraloid B72 in acetone at 10% W:V ratio) was carefully applied to the specimen to bring out the detail, but not to the matrix. The three loose spines found in a bag with the specimen were not re-attached as it was not clear which spines they were originally from, and there was the risk more spines would be broken off in the process. |
| Trilobite | Cleaned gently with compressed air. Specimen looked lacklustre, was difficult to see detail. So consolidant (Paraloid B72 in acetone at 10% W/V ratio) was carefully applied to highlight the specimen. |
| Jaguar skull | Swabbed with synperonic'N' at 3% in water. Old glue removed with scalpel. Dirt, paint and pen removed with compressed air and a very low sodium bicarbonate powder mixture. |
| Albatross skull | Dirt swabbed off with Synperonic'N' 3% in water, glue removed with scalpel. |
| Alligator skull | A great deal of old glues removed with a scalpel. Surface swabbed with Synperonic'N' 3% in water. Paint, dirt, ingrained grease/dirt removed with airbrasive (compressed air and very low powder setting (sodium bicarbonate)). Teeth re-adhered into sockets with Paraloid B72 adhesive. This specimen was incredibly dirty from handling, and took 2 days to clean. Disposeable gloves should always be worn when handling osteology specimens. |
| Tenrec skull | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. |
| Opossum skull | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. |
| Colobus monkey skull | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. |
| Roe deer | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. |
| Dolphin skull | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. |
| Fallow deer skull & lower jaw | Cleaned with synperonic'N' at 3% in water, some very light airabrasive cleaning (very low setting of sodium bicarbonate) and removal of paints/glues with scalpel. Repairs made with Paraloid B72. |
| 13 assorted sea shells | Paint, remains of old labels, and a lot of stubborn old glue from a glue gun was removed with a scalpel and with acetone. |
| Human skull | Paint, dirt, dust, fibrous plant material and soil residues removed with compressed air and wooden tools. |
For more details about what we can do for you, or for a quote, please contact:
enquiries@natural-history-conservation.com
We are members of the United Kingdom Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works