Materiały do zabezpieczania i regeneracji szylkretu

Abstract

Tortoiseshell has always been widely used in crafts. Its preparation and handling during the artistic process is a unique procedure, characteristic only of this material. The conservation of tortoiseshell has never been approached as an individual subject, being usually grouped with other materials - similar in structure (horn) or visually (amber). The most pressing conservation problem of tortoiseshell is its proneness to deformation and destruction of the surface. The main goal of the undertaken research is to establish the best way of preservation of the surface. The studies have been conducted on fragments of tortoiseshell and aquatic turtle scutes. The following materials have been used: sweet almond oil, argan oil, castor oil, amber oil, hydrolysed keratin, urea, Olaplex, acrylic resin Paraloid B-72. In order to determine the resistance of those substances to aging process, prepared samples were exposed to rapid changes of humidity in climatic chamber. All changes on the surface were observed and recorded using organoleptic examination, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy. The best protection coating were characterized: almond oil, argan oil and castor oil.