Connecting to Collections Care

Hi all,

My museum is working on a small stoneware exhibition and we are concerned about vibrations shifting the objects while they are in the cases. I have read that Museum Wax can stain, so I am hesitant to use it. Are there any alternatives that won't stain the objects (aside from building special mounts) or is Museum Wax the best product for the job? Thanks!

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Kasey Calnan
Collections Manager
Boscobel House and Gardens
Garrison, NY
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There are examples where Museum Wax has stained porous objects.  Because stoneware is a high-fired ceramic, regardless of whether it has a glaze, it is non-porous.  If you are still concerned about using Museum Wax, some institutions have applied reversible adhesives to temporarily secure their objects.  There was a recent article in the October 2021 issue of Studies in Conservation on this topic. 

Velagapudi et al. (2021). Finding a Temporary Adhesive for Securing Objects for Display in Earthquake-Prone Regions.  Studies in Conservation. 1-7.

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Nichole Doub
Head Conservator
Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory
Saint Leonard MD
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Great question! I would also like to know what else is out there. Following.

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Bonnie Seymour
Registrar and Assistant Curator
Nashville TN
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