Date completed : 3 October 2017 Duration : 4 Weeks
Victoria Purewal

The fur required cleaning with a number of different solvents as it was very dirty but there were also yellow stains throughout the fur which turned out to be expanding foam residue. The fur had also got wet and this caused the old tanning chemicals to leach through to the fur. It left the fur dyed yellow, which needed rectifying  as polar bear hair is in fact colourless. The eye area was made much larger from the former repair so to ensure the eye remained stable and in the right position, clay was used to help build up the lost area and form the correct support. The images show some of the damage and the finished specimen. It also shows how I chose to store this specimen. This needed to be fully covered and has had tissue wadding throughout to help support the creases, by being in a sturdy lightweight, very large box, it is fully protected from dirt, light and the pressure of other objects resting on or against it

showing the damage to the nose and eyes
Showing previous repair with expanding foam
After conserving the nose and eye areas. Staining much reduced on head also.
After conservation
Bear in a box
 

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