Dear textile conservators
 
We've got a proposed new acquisition and there is some confusion as to
date.  The dress has an enormous amount of sequins, which I thought
might be able to give us some idea of construction date if tested for
solubility to see whether they are gelatin or something else.  I was
wondering if you could tell me when gelatin went out of favour as a
material for construction of sequins?  I have done a bit of a literature
search and haven't come up with anything (other than sequins from the
1920-1930s that are made of gelatin).  I'm presuming it is a during/post
WWII thing (as with most plastic development), but if you could give a
firmer date that this guess, it would be much appreciated.

 Posted on behalf of Helen Privett
 Objects conservator
 Melbourne Museum