We have a similar whale jaw bone / former door frame, which has been on permanent exhibit in its current installation since the 1990’s. As Rich noted, freezing hasn’t been an option due to the size. We’ve not noticed much pest activity around it, however marine mammal bones are notoriously greasy and we have observed a steady but very slow flow of molasses-like material from it onto the floor around its support mount. The specimen in question has been in the museum collection since long before we had a conservation staff, and I do not have any information about how it was first processed or prepared upon collection by the museum, although we do have a photo of it in-situ in use as a door frame.
Dee Dee Stubbs-Lee Conservator, New Brunswick Museum From: pestlist@googlegroups.com [mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Pollack, Richard J Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2021 2:53 PM To: pestlist@googlegroups.com Subject: Re: [PestList] Need for advice This sounds as intriguing is it will be challenging. I’ve seen a few such displays in which the hollow jaw bone had been inhabited by mice (within a museum), and by spiders, paper wasps and mud dauber wasps (outdoors). The bones might be endowed with yet other cavity-dwelling beasts. Freezing is not likely an option (who has a freezer that size?). If you’re concerned that any beasts might be transported indoors, then consider wrapping or tenting the bones, and purging the interior with a gas that either has toxicant properties (less desirable for many reasons) or one that merely displaces oxygen. Perhaps, you might initially assess the bones in a garage setting where any escaping villains won’t pose risk to museum accessions. Good luck! Rich Richard J. Pollack, PhD HARVARD UNIVERSITY Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Senior Environmental Public Health Officer 46 Blackstone St. Cambridge, MA 02139 Office: 617-495-2995 Cell: 617-447-0763 www.ehs.harvard.edu<http://www.ehs.harvard.edu> richard_poll...@harvard.edu<mailto:richard_poll...@harvard.edu> From: <pestlist@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com>> on behalf of Geraldine Finlayson <geraldine.finlay...@gibmuseum.gi<mailto:geraldine.finlay...@gibmuseum.gi>> Reply-To: "pestlist@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com>" <pestlist@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com>> Date: Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 1:29 PM To: "pestlist@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com>" <pestlist@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist@googlegroups.com>> Subject: [PestList] Need for advice Dear all, Our local Botanical Gardens has had a whalebone arch on display in the open since the 1800s. There is very little known about the arch, other than that it is the jawbone of a whale, possibly a Fin whale or a Blue whale. As you can imagine, it is in a very weathered state, and it recently collapsed, so we have been asked to bring it into the museum to work on it. Our conservator has never had to work on anything like this, and we are also concerned about the potential introduction of ‘unwanted guests’. Do any of you have any experience with this kind of object, or any advice on how we should proceed? Frankly, at the moment, we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Grateful for any advice. Thank you, Geraldine Prof G Finlayson, GA, MSc, PhD Managing Director & World Heritage Site Coordinator Gibraltar National Museum 18-20 Bomb House Lane • P.O. 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