sheepskin

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El Framo

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I have an unmounted new sheepskin that is wavy and needs to be flattened before mounting. What are my best/safest bets?

Thanks for the info ahead of time.
 
Smarter people than me will weigh in on this, I am sure, but my advice is to stay the **** away from it. Sheepskin can be a real bear to work with, and turn into a tar baby (the more you try to extricat yourself, the deeper in you get) very quickly. Put it in the frame and get it back in the customer's hands.

Joe
 
Lots of threads with good info if you do a Grumble search on "sheepskin".

Dave Makielski
 
I have read and reread the threads looking for a way out on this one. The customer is being very patient thus far, but wants her sheepskin flat. I have tried everything in my power to try to change her mind on this, but her friends are all flat, and she wants hers this way as well. I want to please my customer, but don't want to risk damaging the piece by glueing it down.

Please tell me there is a magic wand somewhere.
 
Rebecca...can you chime in on this? Any suggestions?

Are you 100% sure this is a real sheepskin? Very few institutions actually use sheepskin anymore and you said it was a "new sheepskin".

If it is indeed a "real sheepskin" could you just pressure mount the piece with Lascaux HV adhesive and have the customer sign off on it?

shrug.gif


Oh help us knowledgeable conservator.

Dave Makielski
 
I would send them to a conservator if I were you. Don Ehterington is a big name in NC - Etherington Conservation Center, Greensboro, ph 336 665 1319 or ecc@DonEtherington.com

The process will most likely involve some type of humidification and press or stretch. It might be a really easy job, or it might be the job you wished you never got started with. Since they are adament that they want it flat (something I personally would never guarantee, I'd try to explain the nature of skin - and paper for that matter...) it might be impossible for you to please them. Which is why I'd pass the buck if I were you, and let Don do the flattening and you do the framing.

Hope this helps,

Rebecca
 
Yes it is a new sheepskin from Rice University (a plague upon their house). I have been round for round trying to explain the properties of sheepskin and why it should never be flattened, but to no avail.

Rebecca, thanks for the info on Don's group, I had already consulted with them on this, but will probably wind up letting them do the work. This has plaqued me for awhile. Hmm...come to think of it, there may be some old rabbit glue left in a pot out back.
 
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