Since I am the person who raised the issue of ethics in this case I apologize
to Mr. Gertler if anything I have said has been taken personally and has hurt
his feelings.

It was obvious from Mr. Gertler's last posting that he is a private collector
who was attempting to create a musuem around his collection and in effect
becoming "curator" and "executive director" of that museum.  In doing so he
seems to have retained possession and control over his collection while
trying to bridge himself into the non-profit world of museums.
All I can say is that his alturism, enthusiam, and intent are admirable, but
these are far murkier waters than the simple and commonplace relationships of
collectors either selling, loaning, or donating their collections to
institutions.

I think that it is still valid to raise the larger issues of personal
collecting among professional museum staff.  Such professional ethics are
often meant to protect the professional as well as the institution and the
public.  Often one does not enter these situations with "intent", but can
enter into a situation with the absolute best of intentions only to find that
situation change, complications arise, and then to find oneself in a "mess".


I still reiterate that no museum professional should find themselves involved
in the commerce of auctions, aquistions, and the divestment of objects or
antiquities within their field outside of their institutions.  Such activity
can lead some (and certainly not Mr. Gertler) such as the curator at the
Smithsonian Air & Space Museum into the realms of illegal activities related
to the Trade.  Other activities, such as those described by Mr. Gertler, can
lead one quite unintentionally into a situation where one is presented with
the choice of selling off a significant collection piecemeal or to take a
large personal financial loss by selling/donating it as a collection.  No
museum professional should ever have to make that choice.


I know, for instance, that a professional archaeologist would be castigated
and probably driven from the profession for collecting, buying, and selling
artifacts from the marketplace...and last year I heard several prominent
conservators urge those within our profession to avoid  performing
conservation treatments on such antiquities-trade derived artifacts because
our work can add value and and even a measure of encouragement to those who
loot sites and join the circle of commerce around them.

The field of archaeology grew out of such private and even national
collections which today would be considered "looted".  Just look at the
ethical issues involved with significant collections such as those held by
the British Museum (among many others) and the movement to repatriate
"National Treasures" to their countries of origin.  This is why I originally
asked if other fields, such as historic aviation, had different standards and
which are much more closely aligned with the commerce of collecting.  I am
sure that the field of archives and documents might have still other
standards, as well as those within the field of fine and modern art.

I have every wish that Mr. Gertler is able to find a suitable home for the
Wright Bros. archives as a whole collection, whether it be a private
collection or an institutional, and that he finds an easy path out of his
complications.  Such individuals are invaluable resources for the Museum
community and he should be encouraged and rewarded for sharing his knowledge
and love for historic aviation with the public.

Dave

David Harvey
Conservator of Metals & Arms
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA  23187-1776   USA
voice:      804-220-7039
e-mail:   [log in to unmask]