Connecting to Collections Care

Hi all - 

Displaying crystal objects in dining room settings as well as in glass-fronted and glass-shelved cabinets. We've been applying tri-part labels printed on white paper in very small type and sandwiched between barrier layers. This has been fine for China but we're now turning our attention to the glassware and these white labels stand out quite a bit.

The idea was suggested to use transparent labelmaker tape with small black letters. They do disappear well when on display. We would be using our barrier layers as we do with paper but the question came up as to the relationship between the adhesive of the labelmaker tape and B72. Any suggestions, warnings, alternate ideas? Trying to avoid free-handing with pen for clarity purposes.

Thanks for any help.

Deb

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~~~~
Deb Wold
Director of Collections
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill MA
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Hi Deb, 

I think that the interaction between the adhesive and the barrier layer would be dependent on what label you're using - do you have a brand that you were thinking of? Once you do, you can try to cross-reference it on the Oddy Test Wikipedia (Oddy Test Wiki) to see if it has good long term archival properties. Another option if you still want a clear background is to print onto polyester/Mylar film and then treat it the same way that you would with the paper labels. I've attached an article by Tom Braun at the Minnesota Historical Society from 2007 that describes that technique (p98) that seems like it has good results without having to resort to free-handing or worrying about conflicts with adhesives. 

I hope that is helpful, and look forward to seeing if anyone has any other ideas!

Best,

Liz

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Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects) /Connecting to Collections Care Monitor 10/2-10/15
Library of Congress
Washington DC
------------------------------

Hi Deb, 

We have stopped using Paraloid B-72 because it contains a solvent and have switched to Primal/Rhoplex WS24, which is acrylic and water based.  Cleanup is much easier and no smells. It is "an acrylic colloidal dispersion in water with a solids content of 36%. pH 7." We apply a bottom coat, then the printed paper label, then a top coat.  Anyone have any conservation thoughts on why this might not be appropriate to use in this way? 

We also use acid-free paper for the numbers that we print from a laser printer.  I was told that laser ink is more stable than ink jet ink. I am holding on to one laser printer.  Any thoughts on this being true or not?

I was wondering if Mylar can be printed on.  Sounds like it can be.  I'll give it a try!

Thank you,

Maureen Harper 

Collections Manager

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Lexington, MA

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Maureen Harper
Collections Manager
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Lexington MA
------------------------------

Hi Maureen, 

I think WS-24 is a perfectly good alternative, it has similar longevity and solubility to B72, although it comes off best with acetone which can be an issue depending on the surface it's applied to. 

As for the laser printer - I've included a link to guidance from the Library of Congress on the longevity of different print materials (starting page 5) and they list inkjet using archival inks or dyes as a preferred method, so you may not have to hold on to the laser printer:

Recommended Formats Statement - Library of Congress

All the best,

Liz

------------------------------
Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects) /Connecting to Collections Care Monitor 10/2-10/15
Library of Congress
Washington DC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-24-2024 10:15
From: Maureen Harper
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Deb, 

We have stopped using Paraloid B-72 because it contains a solvent and have switched to Primal/Rhoplex WS24, which is acrylic and water based.  Cleanup is much easier and no smells. It is "an acrylic colloidal dispersion in water with a solids content of 36%. pH 7." We apply a bottom coat, then the printed paper label, then a top coat.  Anyone have any conservation thoughts on why this might not be appropriate to use in this way? 

We also use acid-free paper for the numbers that we print from a laser printer.  I was told that laser ink is more stable than ink jet ink. I am holding on to one laser printer.  Any thoughts on this being true or not?

I was wondering if Mylar can be printed on.  Sounds like it can be.  I'll give it a try!

Thank you,

Maureen Harper 

Collections Manager

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Lexington, MA

------------------------------
Maureen Harper
Collections Manager
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Lexington MA
------------------------------

 One note about using Acrysol/Primal/Rhoplex WS24 - it will remain soluble in "alkaline water." If the items to be labeled ever need to be cleaned using a soap and water solution, you run the risk of the labels dissolving off during cleaning. 

Speaking from personal experience, I highly recommend labeling crystal and china that will be on open display (not in a sealed case) with adhesive that is not water soluble. 

At Biltmore, we use very tiny (7 point font size) printed black on white paper labels attached with B-72 in acetone. For nearly all of the crystal we have on display this has been visually acceptable. If the crystal is displayed on a white tablecloth, the label is basically invisible. 

We have also used printed lightweight tissue labels as Roger described; note you may need to tape the tissue to a carrier sheet of printer paper to prevent jamming in the printer. 

Good luck! Do share your results, whatever you choose. 

------------------------------
Genevieve Bieniosek
Furniture Conservator
Biltmore Estate, Asheville NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2024 08:40
From: Elizabeth Peirce
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Maureen, 

I think WS-24 is a perfectly good alternative, it has similar longevity and solubility to B72, although it comes off best with acetone which can be an issue depending on the surface it's applied to. 

As for the laser printer - I've included a link to guidance from the Library of Congress on the longevity of different print materials (starting page 5) and they list inkjet using archival inks or dyes as a preferred method, so you may not have to hold on to the laser printer:

Recommended Formats Statement - Library of Congress

All the best,

Liz

------------------------------
Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects) /Connecting to Collections Care Monitor 10/2-10/15
Library of Congress
Washington DC
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-24-2024 10:15
From: Maureen Harper
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Deb, 

We have stopped using Paraloid B-72 because it contains a solvent and have switched to Primal/Rhoplex WS24, which is acrylic and water based.  Cleanup is much easier and no smells. It is "an acrylic colloidal dispersion in water with a solids content of 36%. pH 7." We apply a bottom coat, then the printed paper label, then a top coat.  Anyone have any conservation thoughts on why this might not be appropriate to use in this way? 

We also use acid-free paper for the numbers that we print from a laser printer.  I was told that laser ink is more stable than ink jet ink. I am holding on to one laser printer.  Any thoughts on this being true or not?

I was wondering if Mylar can be printed on.  Sounds like it can be.  I'll give it a try!

Thank you,

Maureen Harper 

Collections Manager

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Lexington, MA

------------------------------
Maureen Harper
Collections Manager
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Lexington MA

Hi Deb,

Firstly, I am not an objects conservator, so you can take my recommendations with a grain of salt!

An alternative method for labeling clear objects is by printing onto a lightweight tissue (gampi works best) and using the adhesive itself to optically clear the paper. B72 is itself a great clearing agent for cellulose.

A team at the Cooper Hewitt Museum wrote a great blog post about their experiments labeling glass objects, using both Mylar and cleared tissues:

https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2019/10/10/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-i-think-its-a-b/

Here are some images of a test I did a while back. The gampi tissue was taped to a piece of printer paper and run through the printer normally. After printing, the label was optically cleared (in this case with an acrylic dispersion adhesive).

------------------------------
Roger Williams
Head of Libraries Conservation
Brown University Library
Warwick RI
------------------------------

Hi Roger, 

This is very cool! Thanks for the suggestion!

Best,

Liz

------------------------------
Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects) /Connecting to Collections Care Monitor 10/2-10/15
Library of Congress
Washington DC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-24-2024 10:43
From: Roger Williams
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Deb,

Firstly, I am not an objects conservator, so you can take my recommendations with a grain of salt!

An alternative method for labeling clear objects is by printing onto a lightweight tissue (gampi works best) and using the adhesive itself to optically clear the paper. B72 is itself a great clearing agent for cellulose.

A team at the Cooper Hewitt Museum wrote a great blog post about their experiments labeling glass objects, using both Mylar and cleared tissues:

https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2019/10/10/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-i-think-its-a-b/

Here are some images of a test I did a while back. The gampi tissue was taped to a piece of printer paper and run through the printer normally. After printing, the label was optically cleared (in this case with an acrylic dispersion adhesive).

Good luck!

------------------------------
Roger Williams
Head of Libraries Conservation
Brown University Library
Warwick RI
------------------------------

I was very interested to read this thread a few weeks ago because we are also looking for less-visible ways to attach accession numbers to glass objects.  I'd like to try printing numbers on mylar using a laser printer and I have questions for those of you who have done that.  What thickness of mylar did you use?  Did you use pre-cut sheets or cut your own?

Thanks,

Brenda Breed

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Brenda Breed
Collections Care Specialist
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2024 08:42
From: Elizabeth Peirce
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Roger, 

This is very cool! Thanks for the suggestion!

Best,

Liz

------------------------------
Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects) /Connecting to Collections Care Monitor 10/2-10/15
Library of Congress
Washington DC
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-24-2024 10:43
From: Roger Williams
Subject: Labeling objects using transparent labels (labelmaker?) with barrier and top coat

Hi Deb,

Firstly, I am not an objects conservator, so you can take my recommendations with a grain of salt!

An alternative method for labeling clear objects is by printing onto a lightweight tissue (gampi works best) and using the adhesive itself to optically clear the paper. B72 is itself a great clearing agent for cellulose.

A team at the Cooper Hewitt Museum wrote a great blog post about their experiments labeling glass objects, using both Mylar and cleared tissues:

https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2019/10/10/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-i-think-its-a-b/

Here are some images of a test I did a while back. The gampi tissue was taped to a piece of printer paper and run through the printer normally. After printing, the label was optically cleared (in this case with an acrylic dispersion adhesive).

Good luck!

------------------------------
Roger Williams
Head of Libraries Conservation
Brown University Library
Warwick RI

Everyone - thank you so much. This has been quite the edifying thread! Every time I check emails or look back on the site I'm finding more great information. 

I think the biggest challenge may be deciding to "live with" one decision that has to visually work on multiple display surfaces

Will report back!

------------------------------
Deb Wold
Director of Collections
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill MA
------------------------------