Catalog Number: CHIR 5132
Object Name: Scale, Spring
Material Types: Iron Alloy
Exam Date: 06/11/2019
Date of Treatment Report: 6/24/2019
Conservator: Betsy Burr, conservator and Ali Wysopal, conservation technician
Measurements: L 26.2, W 5.3, D 2.2 cm
DESCRIPTION: From ICMS record: “"CHATILLON'S IMPROVED SPRING BALANCE, NEW YORK PAT. JAN. 6, 1891, JAN. 26, 1892" RECTANGULAR W/ LOOP AT TOP FOR HANGING AND HOOK AT OPPOSITE END.”
The spring is encased within the cylindrical body of the scale. The front face and external hook and ring components are iron with an exterior coating of black paint. The interior spring components are exposed iron. The back plate is unpainted copper alloy. The back plate is engraved with a scale ruler ranging from 1 to 25 and the following text: “CHANTILLON’S, IMPORVED, SPRING BALANCE, NEW YORK, PAT’D JAN. 6 1891, JAN. 26. 1892.”
Previous Repairs Noted: None visible, though wax or polish appears to be lodged in the interstices of the engraving on the back of the object, suggesting cleaning or maintenance may have been performed at some point in the past.
CONDITION: There is loose dust and spots of corrosion across the surface of this object. There are patches of what appears to be a black coating present on the body of the spring scale. The solubility of the coating was tested and found to be insoluble in de-ionized water, acetone, and ethanol. In the case of de-ionized water however, flaking of the coating was observed.
Treatment Procedure:
1. Surface was vacuumed using a micro-attachment brush.
2. Reduced accretions in the interstices of the engraving with a dry bamboo skewer.
3. Removed the catalog number using swabs of acetone.
4. Reduced dirt and grim with swabs of acetone.
5. Reduced copper corrosion with a stiff bristle brush, fine grit micro-mesh swabs and cleared with swabs of acetone.
6. Applied a micro-crystalline wax coating with Naptha solvent. Applied wax to the interior components where possible.
7. Reapplied catalog number printed on archival paper and adhered with Rhoplex.
Treatment Discussion: The cleaning and application of a wax coating on this object was performed as proposed. Rhoplex was used instead of B-72 to apply the catalog number. B-72 was found to form bubbles as it dried which obscured the text.
Date of completion of treatment: 6/24/2019