My museum - and specifically my section - encountered this problem
head-on as we prepared for the move of our collections to our new
building in the late 80s.  During the inventory process associated with
the preparation and packing of the collections, not hundreds but
thousands of works of art surfaced which were in our custody but which
were not accessioned and documented.  This situation was particularly
evident in the prints, drawings, and fine-art photographs collections,
but occurred as well with paintings and sculpture.

Many of the objects had accumulated as a kind of unofficial or
unsanctioned study collection, while others had been left in our custody
for temporary storage or had not been returned following inclusion in
exhibitions or consideration for acquisition, among other reasons.  In
some cases paper trails could be found in our registration records or in
our institutional archives (though that did not necessarily mean the
owners/vendors/donors could now be located).  Needless to say, in the
majority of cases, no paper trail could be located at all, at least in
the short term.

My approach was to document their existence and as much as evidence as we
had of their origins on our collection database, but as clearly separate
files called storage or study collection (easily distinguishable from the
official accessioned collection).  This meant that we knew what they were
and where they were, even though in most cases we could not determine
their status.

In the years since we have been able to use these cursory records to
attempt to resolve the status of at least some of these works of art.
In a few cases subsequent research has identified ownership and they
have been returned.  In some cases in which clear title has been
established for the museum, they have been elevated to the accessioned
collection or to the official study collection (including review and
approval by the curatorial acquisitions committee).

In the majority of cases, no resolution has yet been found.  We do not
have the time or resources to launch into a determined research project
in our files and archives to determine ownership and even to pursue those
cases where we already have some leads.  Often the key will be felicitous
discovery of information about these objects while looking for something
else altogether.  In any event I now have some documentation of these
"found in collection" objects and can account for and care for them
better.  Over many years we - and those who follow us - will solve more
these riddles.

I should note that in Canada there is not, as there is in some state
jurisdictions in the USA, any current legislation which makes it possible
for the museum to claim title after a certain number of years of
possession "in good faith".  As a result most of these objects will live
on indefinitely in a legal limbo which means that we must preserve them
but cannot exhibit, loan, or use them in any way.

I am very interested in information other museum professionals might
offer regarding their management of "found in collection" objects.  As
well I would like to know if other Canadian museums have dealt with the
legal issues surrounding this situation and/or have ideas regarding
lobbying for legislation which would empower the museum to deal with it
more effectively.

Greg Spurgeon
Head, Art Documentation & Storage
Registration
National Gallery of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 9N4
[log in to unmask]

On Wed, 22 Nov 1995, Henry B. Crawford wrote:

> >Hi everyone -
> >Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US.
> >
> >I am writing a paper on how museums resolve the problems raised by
> >collections that predate registration procedures.  This can include
> >arttifacts without any number or documentation, missing objects, multiple
> >numbering systems, conflicting stories about provenance, etc.  Other than
> >doing a complete physical inventory (expensive and time-consuming), can
> >anyone share how   some museums handle these issues?  Does anyone have
> >interesting anecdotes to share on this topic?  Any lastly, any
> >suggestions for reading materials, books or articles?
> >
> >TIA.  I look forward to a packed mailbox when I get back from turkey eating!
> >
> >Miriam
> >[[log in to unmask]]
>
> Each year we receive an accession number in which we include all items
> found in the collection that year w/o accession numbers attached.  The FIC
> accession number serves as a temporary tracking number until such time the
> object's real number is discovered.  The object can sometimes be tracked by
> going through the catalog card system, which is based on Chennall, and
> checking descriptions.  Once the original number is found, the original
> number is reapplied to the piece.  No deaccession procedure is needed
> because the object is not being removed from the permanent collection but
> merely being reunited with its original number.  The temporary number
> assigned is never used again.
>