Subject: Does Deed of Gift entail Accessioning?

Scenario:

   John & Mary Alum sell their home after many years living
near their alma mater and move to Florida.

   John calls the University Museum and arranges for someone to
come pick up a number of artworks which they would rather not
give to the Salvation Army.
   A detailed receipt form is executed for the "artworks" at the
Alums now empty home, the movers already having carted everything
else away.

   A Deed of Gift form is prepared and sent to the Alums at their
new address for signing and return to the Museum Registrar.  One
assumes that this Deed of Gift form should include everything
listed on the Receipt form, so as not to alarm the Alums.  The
Deed form has the usual language about "... given without
restriction or limiting conditions".

   Does this mean that all of these objects are now accessioned
into the collection? The usual practice at the Museum has been to
write the accession numbers in red ink next to each object listed
on a Deed of Gift form.  But in this case, several of the
artworks are not of Collection Quality.  Really.  Can one simply
ink accession numbers next to *some* but not all of the objects?

Your experience and wisdom is much appreciated!

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   Stephen B. Ringle, Registrar             [log in to unmask]
   University of Maine Museum of Art
   5712 Carnegie Hall, Room 109              vox: 207-581-3257
   Orono, Maine   04469-5712                 fax: 207-581-3083
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