NPL Tasks: Specimen Numbering

Adding catalog numbers to the surface of a specimen is a task that requires practiced, legible writing and a steady hand. It is best to warm up on scraps of paper before adding anything to the specimen. Read carefully the procedure for specimen numbering, and feel free to ask the collection manager for the practice shell to warm up on. 

The first step is the same for every conservation task- lay out your workspace in a clean and well ventilated area.

• Gather the specimens needing numbers and line them up, in order, on a cafeteria tray.
• Practice writing catalog numbers on piece of paper to determine how much space you'll need to write clearly the catalog abbreviation and specimen number. Leave off leading 0's, and suffixes of ".000".
• Locate a spot to apply the base coat. Look for a flat area of matrix, preferable in an unobtrusive spot, equal to or larger than the practice space. Specimens free of matrix should be numbered on a spot that does not obscure any important features.
• Paint a strip of B-72, let dry. If doing multiple specimens this step can be done on each specimen before proceeding to the next step.
• Put a couple of drops of Titanium White into the paint tray. Using a soft bristle brush, pick up a small amount of paint and apply smoothly over the B-72. Let dry.
• With a Micron pen, or other archival ink pen, write the specimen number. Make sure you write clearly and legibly. If you make a mistake, don't try and 'fix' it by writing the correct number over the mistake. Wipe the ink off, lay down another coat of white and start over. Let dry
• Ink must be fully dry before starting this next step.
• Load the applicator brush heavily with B-67. Let the brush drip a little, then when a drip pools at the end of the brush, run the bead along the numbering surface and, with as little brush contacting the ink as possible, cover the specimen number. You only have one pass to cover the numbering, so it is worthwhile to practice first.
• Let the top coat dry fully. Make sure the catalog number did not smear or fuzz.
• Put specimens away.
• Clean up your space.