Animal wax
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Description
Any of several waxes obtained from animal sources. The typical animal wax, such as from a mammal, contains no glycerides, and is found in small deposits in many parts of the animal. These waxes contain sterols (Cholesterol) and other long-chain alcohols. Also included in this section are the waxes from insects such as the lac insect which produces Shellac. Lac wax is a hard strong wax which resembles Carnauba wax. Chinese insect wax is a good substitute for Beeswax.
Synonyms and Related Terms
cera de origen animal (Esp.); cera animale (It)
Examples include: spermaceti; lac wax; ear wax; Chinese insect wax; stearic acid; wool wax; lanolin; shellac wax
Comparisons
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966
- Matte Paint: Its history and technology, analysis, properties and conservation treatment, Eric Hansen, Sue Walston, Mitchell Bishop (ed.), J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, Vol. 30 of AATA, 1993
- Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000