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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

------------------------------
~~~~
Deb Wold
Director of Collections
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill 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).

Good luck!

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

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

Hi Roger, 

This is very cool! Thanks for the suggestion!

Best,

Liz

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!

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

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

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

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