Connecting to Collections Care

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out as this past month, I've run into something peculiar among the art objects in storage.

A wooden box meant to store Rebozos had a white substance on it that resembled fine grains of sugar throughout the interior.

I pulled the file on the box, but found nothing about its finish or condition.

Fast forward to this past week, while cleaning Peruvian retablos, as soon as I shown a light on the retablos, I noticed a very fine sugar like substance. I used an air blower and the white substance came off. It was located on the very tops of the figures, such as their hats and tops of their arms, as well as the table tops. 

In this particular file, I was able to find the retablos were made of potato paste and gypsum powder, with acrylic paint. 

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

------------------------------
Allison Valdivia
Registrar/Exhibits Tech
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 8/15/2022 11:21:00 AM
From: Allison Valdivia
Subject: White substance found on objects in storage

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out as this past month, I've run into something peculiar among the art objects in storage.

A wooden box meant to store Rebozos had a white substance on it that resembled fine grains of sugar throughout the interior.

I pulled the file on the box, but found nothing about its finish or condition.

Fast forward to this past week, while cleaning Peruvian retablos, as soon as I shown a light on the retablos, I noticed a very fine sugar like substance. I used an air blower and the white substance came off. It was located on the very tops of the figures, such as their hats and tops of their arms, as well as the table tops. 

In this particular file, I was able to find the retablos were made of potato paste and gypsum powder, with acrylic paint. 

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

------------------------------
Allison Valdivia
Registrar/Exhibits Tech
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio TX
------------------------------

Thank you so much, Janice.

This was a wonderful read, very informative. I look forward to applying this information and seeing if I can solve the mystery.


Sincerely,

Allison

------------------------------
Allison Valdivia
Registrar/Exhibits Tech
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2022 12:09
From: Janice Klein
Subject: White substance found on objects in storage

There is the most amazing guide created by Ellen Carlee, conservator at the Alaska State Museum designed just for this occasion:

What's That White Stuff?  https://alaskawhitestuffid.wordpress.com

While focusing on Alaskan objects, it covers all different types of materials.

Stay safe,

janice

--

Janice Klein

Executive Director

Museum Association of Arizona

azmuseums@gmail.com

Original Message:
Sent: 8/15/2022 11:21:00 AM
From: Allison Valdivia
Subject: White substance found on objects in storage

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out as this past month, I've run into something peculiar among the art objects in storage.

A wooden box meant to store Rebozos had a white substance on it that resembled fine grains of sugar throughout the interior.

I pulled the file on the box, but found nothing about its finish or condition.

Fast forward to this past week, while cleaning Peruvian retablos, as soon as I shown a light on the retablos, I noticed a very fine sugar like substance. I used an air blower and the white substance came off. It was located on the very tops of the figures, such as their hats and tops of their arms, as well as the table tops.

In this particular file, I was able to find the retablos were made of potato paste and gypsum powder, with acrylic paint.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

------------------------------
Allison Valdivia
Registrar/Exhibits Tech
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio TX
------------------------------

Hi Allison,

White substances coming from wood can be fats from oils or waxes used in their manufacture or cultural use. These can appear sugary but will not dissolve in water --if you remove a sample and put it on a glass surface and drop water on it, see if it remains unaffected or disappears. If it remains, it will recur anytime the temperature increases, depending upon which oil/fat. See https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/sic.1986.31.2.83

Shout out to Ellen Carlee and her amazing pub!


------------------------------
Ellen Pearlstein
Professor
UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage
Los Angeles CA
(310) 889-8479
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2022 11:20
From: Allison Valdivia
Subject: White substance found on objects in storage

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out as this past month, I've run into something peculiar among the art objects in storage.

A wooden box meant to store Rebozos had a white substance on it that resembled fine grains of sugar throughout the interior.

I pulled the file on the box, but found nothing about its finish or condition.

Fast forward to this past week, while cleaning Peruvian retablos, as soon as I shown a light on the retablos, I noticed a very fine sugar like substance. I used an air blower and the white substance came off. It was located on the very tops of the figures, such as their hats and tops of their arms, as well as the table tops.

In this particular file, I was able to find the retablos were made of potato paste and gypsum powder, with acrylic paint.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

------------------------------
Allison Valdivia
Registrar/Exhibits Tech
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio TX
------------------------------