Hi Folks

I do not see the need to remove or destroy almost anything in a museum
collection at the expense of losing evidence. Sounds a bit like what Jim
Vaughan of the NTHP said at our last historic house conference (Who Else
Lived Here? Beaumont, TX Nov 2007) - "the tyranny of collections"! Not
everything must receive the same treatment. (See Kykuit II, AASLH Spring
2008). We museum professionals are the experts in preserving artifacts, no
matter what evidence of the past they hold or what form they take. 

People were discussing on the list last week how to dispose of champagne or
wine. Why destroy that evidence when you can take the proper storage and
handling precautions?  The McFaddin-Ward House has many bottles with alcohol
or perfume still in it, including Fig Wine produced in 1924 now on exhibit!.
We take precautions. It is separate from other artifacts that would be
susceptible to liquid. Someone might want to test that fig wine one day!

Prior to my tenure, no doubt because there were so many match books, the
tips were clipped off. A particularly special Manning-Bowman Pull-Quick
match dispenser ca. 1924 keeps its flammable tips, which ignite when pulled
out of the dispenser. These flammable things as well as any ammunition are
kept in ammunition boxes. They are fireproof. There is one on eBay right now
120277822878 for $12.99. In other words, I would not recommend throwing out
ammo. US Army ammo boxes are out there and are designed to contain live
rounds in a fireproof metal box.

I guess I am a purist who doesn't want any evidence to disappear if a museum
deems it appropriate to accession that object in the first place. If you are
"stuck" with objects, live ammo, etc. that do not contribute to your mission
or collections policy, ask how did it get there and reconsider how viable
the collection policy is.

Ware

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of David Naumec
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 9:10 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Live Munitions

Why do people panic and do that?

Munitions are still historically important and anything less than a live
hand grenade can be demilled / deactivated with relative ease or with
relatively little cost at least.

If anyone has Civil War era muntions do not freak out and call the police.
There are plenty of people out there that demill that material for a living
throughout the country, and are good at what they do.  Usually someone in a
black powder artillery group [live fire - not reenactors] can point you in
the right direction.  At the very least most of those projectiles are worth
some $$$ and can be deacessioned with a profit instead of a 'bang.'

Dave Naumec


--- On Thu, 5/29/08, Joshua <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Joshua <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Live Munitions
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008, 2:44 PM
> The museum I work at was in a similar situation.  I
> contacted local law
> enforcement which in turn put me in touch with a local US
> Army base and
> ultimately a bomb squad.  Talk about an easy case for
> deaccessionng!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Joshua K. Blay
> 
> -------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Kelli Bacon
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 12:42 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Live Munitions
> 
> Morris,
>  
> When we discover live ammunition in our collections, we
> contact our local
> law enforcement.  They come pick up the ammunition and
> dispose of it
> properly.
>  
> Kelli
>  
> 
> *********************************
> Kelli Bacon
> Nebraska State Historical Society
> 1500 R St.
> PO Box 82554
> Lincoln NE 68501-2554
> 402-471-4766
> [log in to unmask]
> www.nebraskahistory.org 
> 
> 	-----Original Message-----
> 	From: Museum discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of m witten
> 	Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 11:26 AM
> 	To: [log in to unmask]
> 	Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Live Munitions
> 	
> 	
> 	Hello All-
> 	
> 	I can't remember which museum listserve(s) I saw this
> on, and I
> didn't need the information at the time so I didn't
> file it, but we have
> discovered live ammunition rounds in our collections and
> need to know who to
> contact to dispose of them. 
> 	
> 	Thanks for your help.
> 	
> 	 
> 	Morris Witten 
> 	Executive Director 
> 	Taos Historic Museums
> 	
> 	Every calculation based on experience elsewhere fails in
> New Mexico.
> 	~Lew Wallace (Territorial governor of New Mexico 1878 -
> 1881)
> 	
> ________________________________
> 
> 	Change the world with e-mail. Join the i'm Initiative
> from
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>
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> > 
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