Plastics: Collecting and Conserving

Rating:
Summary: Clear and consise
Review: This book is ideal for anyone interested in the conservation of plastics, and you don't need a scientific background to understand it. It begins with simple and easy to follow information on the basics of plastics (putting science into a accessable format brilliantly). It then covers the types of degradation that can occur with pictures, and the conservation steps that can be taken both in a private collection and on the larger museum scale. The book is in the format of several individual papers for each topic, thus utilising the experience of a range of experts and giving the reader a well rounded view of the topic. For example, the chapter on caring for plastics takes you through caring for plastics in the home, caring for plastics in museums, galleries and archives, plastics for storage and display, and conservation research in the 1990's. Like the other chapters it caters for the range of interest levels, from the home collector to those considering further study. The last chapter of the book is devoted to references and a well-appointed glossary. It provides website addresses as well as the usual journal and book refernces. It's definately the most wothwhile book I've read on the subject.