Painted football help

[bocca001]

I just picked up this signed 49ers football. I believe it is from the 1981 team, which went on to win Super Bowl XVI. I believe the football is painted and the paint is very, very fragile. Or the top coat of whatever the ball is made of is very fragile. See the pic of the nose of the ball. Even a slight brush with my fingernail will remove the paint/layer. And it is almost coming off like a powder. Both the white and brown parts of the ball will flake very easily.

Normally, I would never, never, ever think about trying to put any kind of clear protective coat of... something... on a ball. But, if I don't do it with this one, I think everything is going to crumble away.

Has anyone here ever tried to put a protective clear coat on a ball autographed ball? If so, what have you used? I'm not sure that I'm really going to try to do this, but I'm curious to hear if anyone has tried (with both good or bad results).