How to care and store your Celluloid pens in your collection
Pens are made of varying types of material, some are made of wood, some acrylic, resin, or precious resin, whilst some are made of metal or silver or gold and some are made of Celluloid.
Celluloid makeup
Celluloid was generally considered the first thermoplastic and was first created in Parkesine in 1856 and Xylonite in 1869 before being registered as Celluloid in 1870 and was widely used as a replacement for ivory. Celluloid is a fragile and highly flammable form of plastic, which takes up to 18 months to fully cure before it can be made into items like pens.
Caring for Celluloid Pens
You should look to take more care of your Celluloid pens in your collection above other pens that you may have. Although other materials can degrade over time, Celluloid can degrade more so if not stored properly. Never store your Celluloid pens near heat, never sore them in direct sunlight or in an attic or basement which may be subject to extreme temperatures, hot or cold. Aim to store your Celluloid fountain pens in a box or pen tray that can breath properly, an acid free box and wrapped in acid free tissue paper is usually a good idea. Do not store any of your Celluloid pens in plastic or poly bags and do not place them in closed plastic containers, doing so can increase the deteriorating process.
Celluloid deterioration, rot and disease
It is still not know why some Celluloid materials deteriorate quicker than others, some think it’s all down to the baking and curing process not being carried out fully and correctly before the pen is turned into what you have now in your collection. Once the Celluloid has been baked, matured the pen is then subject to the chemical, physical and biological forces of the environment of which you store and use them. Celluloid is affected and will deteriorate over time based on chemical reaction, thermal reaction and the physical environment
Some Celluloid pens will hold up over time where others won’t, some will chip or crack or start to crumble. It’s always best to inspect your pens regularly, at least several times a year if you have a large collection. There is a belief that what is termed as Celluloid rot or a diseased Celluloid, can transfer to other pieces in the environment, just like verdigris can with metals, so if you identify new cracks, chips, crumbling of any of your Celluloid pens, it would be in your best interest to isolate these pieces from your main collection or pen drawers just to ensure that these don’t spread to other pens in your collection. Some lighter or clear Celluloid can be more prone to darker Celluloid, although it’s still not known why.
Cleaning Celluloid
How should you clean your Celluloid? With a dry cloth, never soak Celluloid for any length of time. Although a damp cloth to wipe over to remove any ground in stains/dirt is okay, avoid soaking for any length of time and always dry fully.
What to avoid
Avoid keeping or having Celluloid pens near a naked flame. Many of us like to write with our Celluloid pens, writing letters next to a lit candle is a sometimes romantic notion we have, but Celluloid can not only catch fire but ignite and burn ferociously.
Can Celluloid rot or disease be halted like g?
Shirley Dunn mentioned in her book called “Celluloid Collectibles” that she recommends washing Celluloid gently in warm or lukewarm water with a little pine solvent to clean Celluloid pieces. She also claims that Celluloid disease or Celluloid rot can be stopped by soaking the item in a solution of baking soda and water, very similar to verdigris. Shirley also suggests its best to routinely wash Celluloid items in baking soda to thwart off any disease or rot or any spots that may appear on Celluloid.
Can Celluloid be restored?
Yes it can, the problem is Celluloid comes in varying colours and patterns. It is possible to use an old broken Celluloid pen in the same colour and pattern, cut off very small pieces and then dissolve into acetone until you have a Celluloid paste but quite fluid. You can then open up the crack in the Celluloid by pushing a wooden pencil or other item, use a pin or small pointed object to carefully bring in small amounts of dissolved Celluloid into the crack taking care not to make too much contact with the rest of the outer Celluloid. Place the repaired item away for three weeks for curing. After the curing period make another small amount of thicker dissolved Celluloid to fill up the remainder of the crack as best as you can, waiting another three weeks to rest/cure. Use micro mesh sticks and pads to remove the surplus Celluloid and to polish the pen around where the repair was conducted. It may not be perfect but it will likely be a good repair.