How about phenol resin? According to:
http://www.mainspringpress.com/edisonDD.html
"[Jonas] Aylsworth, seeking a quieter and more durable material for Edison’s
four-minute wax Amberol cylinders, had already experimented with phenol
resins. Although phenol had proven unworkable for cylinders, it showed great
promise for the new discs. Aylsworth filed patents on his “Phenolic
Condensation Product”—which he dubbed Condensite, from the condensation of
phenol and formaldehyde used in the manufacturing process—on February 11,
1910, and June 2, 1911. With [Frank] Dyer he formed the Condensite Company
of America, licensing the invention to Edison. The Condensite Company was
advertising its use in Edison records as early as 1911, although the records
were not yet in regular commercial production."
There is a reference to:
Condensite Company of America. "Condensite for Plastic Molding." New York:
Willis McDonald & Co., 1911.
Lauren J. Cook, RPA
Senior Archaeologist
Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.
30 North Main Street
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Ph: 609 655-0692 ext 312
Fx: 609 655-3050
email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Pbmorgan
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 2:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Conservation of Phonograph Records
Hey Robert:
As you probably know, the Edison Diamond records were produced between
1912 and 1929 and they were a unique system. I looked around and couldn't
find any specific information on what the records were made of but you might
do the standard tests for gutta percha, India rubber, vulcanite, and
bakelite
(I'm betting on Inda rubber but its just a hunch based on the date of
manufacture). This would let you know what you are dealing with and you
could tailor your approach to the material. As for long term preservation I
would think that a gentle cleaning in water followed by controlled drying
process (hard here in Reno)would be the course to follow. Just my thoughts.
Morgan Blanchard
Department of Anthropology
University of Nevada, Reno
_____________________________________________________________
Great Basin Internet Services Webmail (http://greatbasin.net)
---------- Original Message -----------
From: Robert Leavitt <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 08:03:09 -0800
Subject: Conservation of Phonograph Records
> Hi all:
>
> We've just recovered five Edison Diamond phonograph records from a
> site in Reno, Nevada. They're dirty, cracked, and wet. Anybody have
> an idea about stabilizing them until we can contact a
> conservationist? Right now they're in a bag in a refrigerator,
> trying to reproduce the conditions in which they were found.
>
> Robert C. Leavitt
------- End of Original Message -------
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