Synthetic Fill Materials for Skin, Leather, and Furs

Abstract

This article describes some synthetic fill materials for use with processed and minimally processed skins and furs. The applications outlined illustrate the production of versatile and flexible fills in stable skins and leather products with losses. All repairs have been made on artifacts that were in good condition but visually disrupted by losses in the skin, leather, or fur. The first two applications are based on the search for a bulked flexible resin or resin mixture that can be easily used and manipulated to form a cohesive fill. The third example illustrates the use of a synthetic fabric fill for a natural history specimen with hair.