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My oldest find yet...1777 Button

I had an acquaintance who was into fossil and mineral collecting. He located a place in an anoxic brick claybank that would produce beautiful specimens of marcasite forming on fossil wood. The problem with these specimens is that they would disintegrate rather quickly when exposed to atmospheric oxygen. He came upon information about sodium silicate (the stuff you get in those little packets as an anti-humidity desiccant to absorb moisture) and began using it to preserve delicate specimens. If painted on in a thixotropic aqueous solution, it would dry fairly quickly and make a clear, shiny, protective coating. I make mention of it here as a possible protectant for delicate specimens, but I suggest it be tested on less valuable specimens to see how well it applies and functions. You can thin the solution with water. You would most likely have to completely coat the entire specimen. I have found pewter items previously and they can be really flakey and delicate. I haven't had occasion to try sodium silicate solution on them yet, but the pewter stuff wasn't that exciting to me to set me on such a preservation course. It is an option.

I wonder if that sodium silicate is water soluble. I think I may have a few of the packets lying around in boxes. I could dissolve it in water, then soak a test item in it. I could observe how it coats it before I try it on the button. Anyway, that's a great idea, and thanks for sharing!
 
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