Gelatin as model-making material

Di Whittle <dw3015 [at] bigpond__com> writes

>I would like to know if anyone has come across the use of gelatin as
>a sculptural/model making material possibly in combination with
>cellulose nitrate as a dispersion or surface layer.

I'm researching adhesives used for paper-based items (1870-1920) for
a Masters thesis at the moment and so have been looking at the 19th
century glue trade literature. These books contain lots of recipes,
including some that might have been used for this sort of purpose.
(I'll check my sources and post again if I find some).

Back in the day they seemed to use animal glue and gelatine for just
about everything (sandpaper, matches etc) and I know hardened glue
was used for making printing rollers and copying plates for early
office duplicating machines. I don't remember what they added to the
animal glue to harden it before placing it in the mould (possibly
nothing, if it wasn't ever going to get heated or soaked again), but
here are some reference you might find useful:

    Bloy, C. (1967).
    A History of Printing Ink, Balls and Rollers 1440-1850. London,
    The Wynkyn de Worde Society

    Rhodes, Barbara and Streeter, William Wells, 1999.
    Before Photocopying:  The Art and History of Mechanical Copying
    1780-1938. Delaware: Oak Knoll Press and Heraldry Bindery.

Some of the 19th century sources I've found useful are as follows:

    Standage, H C, 1893.
    Cements, Pastes, Glues and Gums. London: Crosby
    Lockwood and Son.

    Standage, H C, 1902.
    Sealing-waxes, wafers, and other adhesives for the house-hold,
    office, workshop, and factory. London, Scott, Greenwood, and Co.

    Teesdale, C. H. (1922).
    Modern Glues and Glue Testing. Grand Rapids, Michigan, The
    Periodical Publishing Co.

    Dawidowsky, F (1905).
    Glue, gelatine, animal charcoal, phosphorus, cements, pastes and
    mucilages. Philadelphia: Henry Carey Baird and Co., 1905.

Also the 19th century patent literature might reveal something--try
<URL:http://ep.espacenet.com/advancedSearch?locale=en_ep>

I hope this is of use,

Alice Cannon
Conservator, Paper and Photographs
Conservation
State Library of Victoria
328 Swanston Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
+61 3 8664 7331
Fax: +61 3 9639 0723


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:35
                Distributed: Tuesday, December 18, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-21-35-013
                                  ***