Identification of Plastic Materials

Learn how to identify and care for plastics in the beautiful surroundings of West Dean College of Art & Conservation. The course is aimed at anyone with an interest in plastics in the context of museum and gallery collections. Through lectures and using examples from the wonderful West Dean Collection you will see how plastic materials were first introduced to the world and how their profile has changed over time. By the end of the course you will have learned about the historical development of plastics, where they commonly occur in collections, and have an awareness of their varying instabilities. The need to identify will be demonstrated and different approaches to identification will be discussed. Through a practical examination session, you will develop your awareness of the variety of plastics materials available and their different properties which may aid identification. You should also be able to identify the five most unstable materials and thus protect your collection.