Mounting a Paper Nautilus?
- Thread starter Bobbie
- Start date
preservator
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
It the shell is whole, it may be possible to get a soft, foam support into its opening, but if it has been bisected to show its structure, that won't work. Shells are calcium carbonate and very vulnerable to acids, so white glue (PVA) or ordinary (acetic acid-curing) silicone should be avoided. You could find another shell and try gluing a piece of conservation quality board to it, with hide glue. If that works the board can be secured to the back mat with tabs of linen tape.
Hugh
Hugh
A whole one? Hmmm. How about a couple of clear film straps?
Last year I mounted half of one, which had been sawn in cross-section. It was beautiful and pearly inside. I mounted it open-side-up with three formed rod mounts made of 1/16" diameter brass rods.
Each mount extended down the side of the rounded shell, following its contours, and all three were anchored together under the center of the shell, embedded in 4 mm polyflute by hotmelt glue. The mounting board was first lined with a colored matboard.
The contact area of each mount was pounded flat, curled to embrace the open edges of the shell, then padded by a small patch of white felt.
I can't post any more photos on The G, because I've reached my limit of kilobytes, and care not to bother with photo-sharing services. But if you want to send me an email at ARTFRAME@att.net, I will attach a photo of it in my reply.
Verdaccio
MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Are we talking about a "chambered" nautilus, or a "paper" nautilus? The two shells are markedly different. Paper nautilus shells can only be had in a few places on the planet, and they are very very delicate, yes.
I have two of them from our trip to Australia and I was thinking that I might do a table box on one of them with a soft clay mount where I would press the back of the shell into soft Sculpy to create a seat for it. Then cover the clay in a very sheer silk or other fabric, press the shell into it and let the fabric sit loose in folds around it. A nice dark wood base with an acrylic box over top would be nice for this.
I have two of them from our trip to Australia and I was thinking that I might do a table box on one of them with a soft clay mount where I would press the back of the shell into soft Sculpy to create a seat for it. Then cover the clay in a very sheer silk or other fabric, press the shell into it and let the fabric sit loose in folds around it. A nice dark wood base with an acrylic box over top would be nice for this.
framah
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Thank you Verdaccio... i was just about to post what you asked. There is a definite difference between the two. I have a paper nautilus shell and a chambered shell. Major difference. This is a paper nautilus shell.
BRenshaw
Grumbler in Training
Yes, this is a paper Nautilus shell. It's about 50 years old and, according to the small news article with it, it was found locally... that is if locally was here in CT. There is no ID with the two news articles that came with it. It has been kept in a plastic box, under a bed, I think for all these years. It really is very beautiful and it scares me to think about handling it.
I like your idea, Verdaccio, of a table box. Not sure what Sculpy is though. Where can I get some of this product? Do you think the shell will withstand the pressure of forming it to the clay?
Bobbie
I like your idea, Verdaccio, of a table box. Not sure what Sculpy is though. Where can I get some of this product? Do you think the shell will withstand the pressure of forming it to the clay?
Bobbie
OK, that's not like what I framed, which must have been half of a chambered nautilus shell.
I like Hugh's suggestion about trying to support it from the inside. But whatever mounting you find successful, be sure to caution the customer against dropping the frame or exposing it to any sort of impact. The shell might simply disintegrate on impact, even if it is well supported.
I like Hugh's suggestion about trying to support it from the inside. But whatever mounting you find successful, be sure to caution the customer against dropping the frame or exposing it to any sort of impact. The shell might simply disintegrate on impact, even if it is well supported.
Val
PFG, Picture Framing God
Makes you wonder how those fragile little animals survived under the sea, with the water pressure and their predators after them, without disintegrating.
Mother Nature is incredible.
framah
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Identification Photos: Paper Nautilus, Argonauta nouryi: This cephalopod is one of the most interesting and exotic species from the sea. It has a pelagic existence traveling the globe in free ocean water away from the bottom and near the surface and is a resident of all tropical and subtropical oceans.
The Paper Nautilus is named for the shell of the female, generated for protection of her eggs, but it is not made of paper. The female Argonauta lives in the shell, protecting the eggs from predator attack until they hatch. It has eight tentacles, two of which are unique, and web-like, used to collect food. In addition, the Paper Nautilus is not a nautilus but is a member of the order Octopoda (which includes the octopuses) and the family Argonautidae. Argonauta shells are washed ashore globally, but the collection of an animal still resident in its shell is a very rare event.
I love this stuff!!
The Paper Nautilus is named for the shell of the female, generated for protection of her eggs, but it is not made of paper. The female Argonauta lives in the shell, protecting the eggs from predator attack until they hatch. It has eight tentacles, two of which are unique, and web-like, used to collect food. In addition, the Paper Nautilus is not a nautilus but is a member of the order Octopoda (which includes the octopuses) and the family Argonautidae. Argonauta shells are washed ashore globally, but the collection of an animal still resident in its shell is a very rare event.
I love this stuff!!
Verdaccio
MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Sculpey (sorry I spelled it wrong in my previous post) is a polymer modeling clay that you can buy at craft stores. There are several types and it comes in a variety of colors. If you bake it, it hardens, but is stable over time unhardened. You would definitely want to experiment before trying this with the actual shell. My thought was that the shell is the strongest along the spine and a portion of that is what you would press into the clay to create the seat. Once an impression is made, place a diaphanous cloth over it, seat the shell, and then press the clay in a bit on the sides to cradle the shell. The shells weigh almost nothing and such a mount should hold the shell pretty securely. Certainly you would want to advise your customer not to shake the thing about and to keep it reasonably thermally stable as the sculpey does harden when heated. However, even when hard, it is not "stone" hard.
Another option if you really want the seat to hold would be to hit it gently with a heat gun and thereby harden a portion of the seat to make it more secure.
Another option if you really want the seat to hold would be to hit it gently with a heat gun and thereby harden a portion of the seat to make it more secure.
Sculpey...Now you are in my area!
There are several types of Sculpey.If you looking for the best quality,try Premo,it is the most resilient of the lot.Also remember Sculpey is available in colors,you could easily match whatever you are mounting,or paint it(acrylics) to match the mounting surface. I tend to over bake my Sculpey-300-350 degrees,watch to make sure it does not burn.If it does that is OK,just paint over it.Want larger quantities? try Sculpey.com for a wholsale dist. list.I get it in 24 lb. boxes!! L.
There are several types of Sculpey.If you looking for the best quality,try Premo,it is the most resilient of the lot.Also remember Sculpey is available in colors,you could easily match whatever you are mounting,or paint it(acrylics) to match the mounting surface. I tend to over bake my Sculpey-300-350 degrees,watch to make sure it does not burn.If it does that is OK,just paint over it.Want larger quantities? try Sculpey.com for a wholsale dist. list.I get it in 24 lb. boxes!! L.