[BCMA] Accession Numbers on Plastic

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hello Rebecca,

Labelling plastics can be a real problem, since many solvents used in barrier coats and inks can cause damage to the plastic artifact.  The acetone in nail polish and Acryloid B-72 is particularly harsh on plastics, causing them to crizzle, crack and even melt.  So it’s best to avoid direct labelling onto plastics.  Better options include tags (paper or Tyvek) and labelling inside or on the outside of containers.  Alternatively, you can use a soft pencil to write directly on some plastics without causing damage.  A last resort would be a water-based acrylic varnish, though this may damage some plastics and may be lost entirely if the object gets wet (think disaster situation).

For more on preserving plastics in your collection, check out CCI’s information on the topic at https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/preventive-conservation/guidelines-collections/caring-plastics-rubbers.html#a65.

All the best,
Kasey
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Kasey Lee       Senior Conservator  |  Collections Care and Conservation

ROYAL BC MUSEUM
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675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9W2
T 250 896-0383
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Hello

I am hoping someone can provide some advice.

We have plastic figurines in our Collection (Olympic Mascots). We have used nail polish and a pigma pen to write the accession number on the bottom but found it never properly hardened and remained sticky. We have now tried B67 and ink but still find it is sticky. Any recommendations for how to put an accession number on softer plastics?

Thank you,

Rebecca

Rebecca Forrest
Curator of Collections/Project Leader | Museum & Heritage Services
Community Services Division
City of Richmond
t: 604 247-4674
c: 604 314-7037

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