Sealing wax

Two historians here at the University of Pittsburgh have asked me
about the composition of sealing wax, esp. that of 18th C. which
they claim has survived better that most other types. Following are
some of their questions to me. If any one has answers please let me
hear from you at my email address. Thanks.

    1.  How did the contents of sealing wax differ over the
        centuries, or did it?

    2.  What do we know about the composition of sealing wax?

    3.  Is there good modern sealing wax and from whom does one
        obtain it? (They have bought some from several sources only
        to find that it doesn't stick, or doesn't harden properly,
        or falls off, or sticks to the seal, etc.)

    4.  Is it possible to obtain  sealing wax made to 18th C specs
        or 19th C or or or?  Can one make one's own?

    5.  Is there a paper written about the properties or history of
        sealing wax?

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:20
                Distributed: Wednesday, August 26, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-20-011
                                  ***