Performance and Stability of Historic Casein Formaldehyde

Casein formaldehyde was manufactured between 1904 and1982 in Western Europe both by International Galalith Gesellschaft (IGG)and Erinoid Ltd. (amongst others).Charles Rennie Mackintosh used it in his designs for furniturecommissioned by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke.Casein formaldehyde may be identified through a range of simple andanalytical methods available to most conservators in private and publicpractice.We can control the loss of colour and protect the surface finish byminimising light exposure.Material, aged and distorted, may be reversed if the correct conservationprocedures are observed and implemented

The Matrix Design

The term ‘Matrix Design’ is explained by developments in design andarchitecture from the middle of the 1920s to the end of the 1930s, leading to an international design movement. This ‘Matrix Design’ typically exhibits as characteristic design elements among others round corner forms and/or often ribbed but sometimes also fluted ornaments.Apparently because of the strong economic depression in the Weimar Republic, this process accelerated in Germany from 1929/30 onward in plastics design, realised by its long time forgotten pioneers. In the USA and Britain, plastics design proceeded lateron since 1933 by numerous, well-known designers.The term ‘Matrix Design’ is carefully delimited and traded off against other terms found in literature, like ‘Form around 1930’, ‘Technodesign’, ‘minor, non-functional streamline’, ‘Machine Style’ or ‘Bakelite Style’

Glass and Plastics – a Concise Comparison of Two Kinds of Polymeric Materials

The first part of this paper will introduce the material’s rating in art history in general. The second part will present the definition of glass as an inorganic polymeric material, a concise history and its rating as a material for different objects. The third part will present a concise history and rating of plastics as organic polymeric materials. Finally both polymer classes will be compared with respect to their material history and significance and ranking

Polymeric materials in art and design: an Italian interdisciplinary experience

The Plart Foundation is a private museum entirely dedicated to syntheticmaterials. The main objectives of the institution are the diffusion of the history and the contemporary culture of plastics, the promotion of a conscious use of plastics and the diffusion of conservation practices regarding plastic heritage. The Foundation exhibits one of the richest collections of historical plastics: more than 1800 artefacts comprising jewellery, toys, electrical appliances, furnishings, dating from the late 19th Century, up to contemporary design objects and artworks.The traditional museum activities are accompanied by temporary exhibitions of contemporary designers and artists whose common denominator is the use of synthetic polymers; intense educational projects, where the chemistry of synthetic materials and the concept of eco-sustainability are explored by means of advanced multimedia technologies; scientific research activities on the preservation and conservation of the historical and contemporary collections

Geschichte und Restaurierung der Kaffeekanne des gelben Resopal-Geschirrs von Christian Dell

Die Bedeutung des Kaffeegeschirrs von Christian Dell und die restauratorische Untersuchung der dazugehörigen Kaffeekanne wird beschrieben. Die Untersuchungen lassen vermuten, dass es sich um einen Prototyp handelt

Pre- and Protohistoric Biopolymeric Materials

Fossilised natural polymers like Siegburgit, Baltic amber and ‘ape hair’ were synthesized by nature million years ago. Very early, human species used some of them or even prepared on their part such biopolymeric materials. These comprise leather, birchbark pitch, horn. Later on, the manufacture of papyrus, parchment and natural rubber was realised. Without the use of those early biopolymeric materials for clothes, tools, adhesives, jewelry and many other objects of daily life, the development of human life in its full diversity would not have been possible

Was sind eigentlich Harze?

Es wird versucht, eine Beschreibung und Abgrenzung der Begriffe ‚Harz', ‚Naturharz‘ und ‚Kunstharz‘ zu geben, Vermengungen und Verwechslungen anhand zahlreicher, vielfach historischer Beispiele aufzuzeigen, neuere Definitionen zu beleuchten und diese schließlich für den Fall der Kunstharze auch zu bewerten

Kunstvoller Naturstoff, natürlicher Kunststoff – Lackkunst aus 3500 Jahren in Münster

Die erste Exkursion der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kunststoffgeschichte dgkg im Jahre 2010 führte nach Münster in Westfalen ins dortige Museum für Lackkunst. Sie war eine Reise in die große Vergangenheit einer fantastischen Kunst, aber auch eine Reise zu den natürlichen Vorläufern der heutigen Harze und Lacke

Bemerkungen zum Film „Plastic Planet“

Wer von Ihnen den Film „Plastic Planet“ sah, wurde auf bedenkliche ökologische Kreisläufe im Zusammenhang mit Verpackungs- und Gebrauchsmaterial aus „Plastik“ hingewiesen. Der Film schließt sich an den, vor einiger Zeit im Kanal ARTE gezeigten, kanadischen Streifen Plastik über alles (Adicted to plastics) an

Triolin - ein wenig bekannter Fußbodenbelag der 1920er Jahre

Nach dem ersten Weltkrieg waren die Pulverfabriken in Düneberg bei Geesthacht gezwungen auf "Friedensproduktion" umzustellen. Dabei wurde ab 1920/21 - basierend auf der bekannten Technologie der Cellulose-Nitrierung - der neu Fußbodenbelag Triolin bis 1927, bzw. das verbesserte Nachfolgeprodukt Prisma bis 1932 hergestellt. 1924 bis 1926 wurde Triolin auch in Bauhausgebäuden verwendet