Featured Celluloid disease Auguste Bonaz decorative haircomb.

I check my celluloid haircombs regularly, and this time one of them has developed celluloid disease. I immediately put it in a separate box, because I read it can spread to other celluloid items.
It is a signed ca 1920 Auguste Bonaz comb.

On this webpage I read that celluloid disease can be stopped by soaking the item in a solution of baking soda and water:
https://vintage-celluloid-collectibles.com/care-of-celluloid
The original source is a book by Shirley Dunn called “Celluloid Collectibles”.

Does anyone have any experience with this method, or have the book? What is the ratio of the solution?
The advice worries me a bit, because you are not supposed to get celluloid wet. A moist cloth or cotton bud, almost dry, is said to be as far as it goes.
Is there another way, a trade secret no one has shared with the www yet?

Here is my Bonaz beauty, it used to be my grandmother's, and I have worn it too. Butterfingers AJ managed to break a bit off years ago, but it was still wearable.



Disease nibbles on the edge of one corner and on some of the prongs



The Auguste Bonaz signature on the back:


Thank you for looking, and Help Please!

 

I have a different Shirley Dunn book, Celluloid Collectibles Identification and value guide and describes "Damage to Celluloid" on pages 13-18. This book offers no remedies to damage but does make reference "Once this reaction begins even washing in alcohol may not stop it" and further states that "Moisture in itself would not harm the celluloid...moisture will cause wires in hinges and linings in vases to rust".
Sorry, I can offer no further help and this doesn't relate to your lovely comb but it does indicate that she isn't averse to applying alcohol or fluid to celluloid.
The major point she stresses is isolation/segregation of damaged pieces as direct contact isn't required to spread to other pieces, the fumes alone could infect solid pieces.
I hope someone else here has the "Care of Celluloid" book, I'd be interested in arresting development of damage too.

 

No ideas I'm afraid but it's a beautiful comb.
Is it worth wrapping the affected areas in something to help prevent spread. Sorry if that's a daft idea but it's the best I've got!

 

I can't believe how little there is out there on the subject!!!! Other than about the use and care of Celluloid Pens!!!! Your comb is lovely, AJ....maybe just isolating it is all you can do so it won't harm the rest of your collection.......(which you've already done). But there ARE many things you shouldn't do, which I'm sure you all have read!!! Not an area I'm really up on......just what I just looked up!!!

 

forgive me ..I don't know what the cause is or how sensitive the material is and this may well be the dumbest thought....would coating it with clear nail polish to stop fumes keep it from moving to other items...don't beat me it was just a thought

 

following

 

Ohhh AJ, I have no idea about celluloïd disease and care for it
A pity such a family treasure and beautiful piece is endangered!

 

Thanks for checking it, Sandra. Other than the link I posted, no one seems to be convinced that the process can be stopped. The materials used in the production of celluloid were organic and apparently the breakdown is natural, although things can be done to slow down the onset of the deterioration. Most of which I had done already, for all my celluloid. But of course they all had a history before I got them. And in the case of this beauty the colouring agents could have something to do with the fact that it is the only one so far in my collection.

"Because of its composition, celluloid is inherently subject to continuous deterioration over time. The two major components of celluloid – cellulose nitrate and camphor – are organic in nature and fundamentally unstable. (Cellulose is found in cotton, flax, jute, and wood pulp; camphor is resin from an evergreen tree.) Cellulose nitrate molecules crystallize over time, and camphor evaporates following its expulsion to the surface of the object. The chemical fillers added to celluloid to promote flexibility make it even more unstable by migrating to the surface of the plastic and leaving the material tacky, brittle, warped, and distorted."
https://nmscarcheologylab.wordpress...tion-of-celluloid-and-natural-rubber-objects/

I guess I will have to view them as natural products, with a natural aging process. Still makes me sad though.

Here are some other sites I found, with a scientific research-based analysis of the problem and preservation:

http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/articles/jaic30-02-003.html

https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/08-04.pdf

 

Not a daft idea K, I have been thinking of stranger options.

Not a strange thought. I thought of coating it as well, but using Renaissance Wax, which seems to be even more of a no-no. Apparently anything that seals the fumes in will lead to the fumes causing even more damage.
And you would be adding more chemicals to unstable chemicals.

Thanks for thinking with me, @KSW and @bobsyouruncle .

 

I think we have both read the same or similar info. I'll have to accept it, and just be as sensible as possible about storing and temperature and humidity changes.

I was hoping you had, although even a jewellery magician like you doesn't have a solution to everything of course.
Yes, it is a pity it had to be my grandmother's favourite, which I loved as well. My grandmother loved bling and beauty as much as I do, and she was quite the fashionista in her day. I don't have a photo of her wearing this beauty, but I can picture it in my mind. She was very coquettish, and had a mischievous sideways glance like your avatar.

 

I've never heard of Celluloid disease so gurgled the term and learned more. I can certainly understand why celluloid falls apart over time, based on its components. But it seems odd that one piece of sick celluloid can pass it on to another piece, like a head cold or the flu.

Made me wonder if a small organism may be slowly eating it. So what if you put your comb in a Phone Soap machine. This is a device that you put your cell phone in and ultraviolet light kills all the bacteria on your phone. Apparently, this is so you can handle raw chicken and still talk on the phone. (P.S. Phone Soap is a real product) Just a dumb thought.

 

It seems to be the gases, in a way just like the air that can carry viruses.

My main ambition in life.

Thanks for looking into it.

 

Like they use for gel nails?
I know nothing about this but worth looking into as it sounds plausible.
I suppose as long as it doesn't do more damage it could be worth a try. Maybe on a worthless piece first?
Short of that wear it and enjoy it and take lots of photographs before it disintegrates!

 

If you search for "celluloid" in the search box under "Search GCF/ConsDistList" on this conservation page: https://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/ there are a few posts about the conservation of celluloid that might help (I only read one of them, as I am running out now).

 

It would be a good idea if there were bacteria involved, but there aren't, it is simply a chemical process. And UV light is not good for celluloid.

 

Thanks, morgen. I just had to read some of them before replying, of course.
One of the posts is about acid detection strips for old films, which could be useful. But that is for detection only. I haven't found any real solution so far, but I will read all of the posts.

If I find something useful, I will post it here.

 

What about contacting a museum that might have relevant exhibits they have to look after?. Or they may be able to put you in contact with someone?
Maybe a professional conservator would have some advice?. There must be celluloid in museums that's really important it's preserved.

 

This could be worth a read but the last paragraph seems to suggest they don't know how to deal with the problem.
http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/articles/jaic30-02-003.html

Edit- just ignore this I see it's been linked above!

 

You may have already seen this, but the Canadian Conservation Institute has a small pamphlet on objects made from cellulose nitrate (here in pdf):
https://www.canada.ca/en/conservati...isplay-storage-objects-cellulose-nitrate.html
Unfortunately, it includes the statement that "Although care in preparation of the cellulose nitrate and in fabrication of objects can reduce the rate of decay, no effective method has been found to completely stop it."
It is a case of what is described as "inherent vice", meaning the seeds of destruction are inherent to the material.
My sympathies.

 

Apparently most museums don't have a clue that some of their items are actually celluloid. They think it is the material it resembles, like tortoiseshell, horn or ivory.
This comb is more recognizable of course, but a colour like this is relatively rare, most decorative combs are faux tortoiseshell. So described as tortoiseshell in most museum collections.