Connecting to Collections Care

A framed print in our collection has self adhesive "bumpons" at the back lower corners of the frame, presumably applied by the commercial framer before the print's donation in the early 1990s. The frame has been stored flat on an ethafoam-lined, metal shelf for many years, but during a recent inventory a curator found that the brown bumpers were dissolving and soaking into the frame's paper backing. Has anyone else noticed similar deterioration? A 3M technical sheet indicates their bumpons are polyester with a polyurethane backing film and acrylic adhesive, I do not know if these bumpers are the same material though.

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John Turner
Senior Museum Curator
Museum of Florida History
Tallahassee FL
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George Schwartz
Principal, Senior Conservator
ConservArt, Inc. Boca Raton FL
george@conservart.com
Chair CIPP 2011-2013 Conservators in Private Practice
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Hello John,

Yes! At a previous museum I worked at, the collections manager and myself (registrar), found several framed paintings that had these bumpers or Bumpons on them. We noticed that a few of the frames had this sticky, almost chocolate-like smear on the corners and quickly discovered that it was the 3M Bumpons that had deteriorated. With the few that had the smears we sent to a conservator to have them removed and cleaned up, and for the rest we made sure to remove the Bumpons ourselves (on all the frames that we discovered had them - there were many); though we did remove a few that had started to break down with some q-tips and water and that seemed to work. The collections manager did some digging and found that this unfortunately is an issue that happens over time with these bumpers; there is just something at a molecular level that causes them to break down in a way were they "melt" as they deteriorate. I hope this helps you, and good luck with the frame.

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Lori Holstrom
Collections Assistant
Spencer Museum of Art
Lawrence KS
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Dear Mr. Turner, 

I am not familiar with this kind of "bumpons" on the back of the frame. 

To better comprehend the situation: is it necessary to keep and conserve the materials, dice they have an important function for the frame? Or is it required to remove safely the "bumpons" to apply a different and new material? 

From my point of view, the materials that you have indicated from the 3M technical sheet are sensitive during time to the exposure with oxygen, humidity and other factor that are common in a storage even at stable conditions. The pressure of the frame, with the depolymerization of the material can flatten the "bumpons" permanently.

Please let me know if I can help you with a more useful solution.

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Connecting to Collection Care

Arianna Buffagni
Conservator
Freelance/Private Practice/Self-employed/Independent
Reggio Emilia
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Hello,

Years ago (2009), when I starting working at the Burns Library I noticed that a number of framed works had these brown-colored "bumpons". The framed art work had been hanging in a hallway likely since the 1980s. The bumpers on the frames had begun to soften and material had oozed, staining the wall. The stains were easily lifted with a crepe square and the bumpers were removed from the frames. I then suggested that the art work held within the frames be placed in archival storage.

I have seen these bumpers still being sold in stores (they appear to be the same type and maker), so conservators should be on the lookout for them even on frames not prepared by professionals. 

Best, Barbara Adams Hebard

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Barbara Adams Hebard
Conservator
Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
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Thanks to all for your helpful replies. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of these in the collection.

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John Turner
Senior Museum Curator
Museum of Florida History
Tallahassee FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2024 12:04
From: Barbara Hebard
Subject: disolving bumpons

Hello,

Years ago (2009), when I starting working at the Burns Library I noticed that a number of framed works had these brown-colored "bumpons". The framed art work had been hanging in a hallway likely since the 1980s. The bumpers on the frames had begun to soften and material had oozed, staining the wall. The stains were easily lifted with a crepe square and the bumpers were removed from the frames. I then suggested that the art work held within the frames be placed in archival storage.

I have seen these bumpers still being sold in stores (they appear to be the same type and maker), so conservators should be on the lookout for them even on frames not prepared by professionals. 

Best, Barbara Adams Hebard

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Barbara Adams Hebard
Conservator
Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
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