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Hello, I registered because I have a papier mache mask, received it as a gift about 12 years ago. I've suspected that there was some kind of tiny spider living in it, now I've discovered pin-point holes all over it, all the way thru. I love this object and wonder if there is anything I can do to prevent further deterioration.
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The simplest method would probably be freezing the mask, then sealing it with varnish.
Museums use freezing for dry materials, recommending 6 to 10 days at temperatures of -20C/-5F. Most refrigerator freezers aren't cold enough, so you would have to use a large chest-type freezer. Get a freezer thermometer and check the temperature to make sure it's cold enough.
I would place the mask in a plastic bag and suck out as much air as possible, and then seal it. Some people who deal with the conservation of museum materials recommend two cycles of 48 hours of exposure to the above temperatures or lower.
Let the mask return completely to room temperature before sealing. And I wouldn't let very much time lapse between the freezing and the sealing, or you might end up with a reinfestation.
For more info on paper conservation, see this site: http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/bytopic/pest/
Sue
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Thank you very much for this information. I work for a Laboratory Equipment company and plan to use one of their low temp freezers. This is the coolest mask - it's a tiger made from chinese newspapers.
Thank you again.
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