I think you ought to write a letter to the museum complimenting them on
their collection and mentioning in particular this dress (mention that
you're an art appraiser up front too). I think that you should acknowledge
the difficulty that small galleries have in terms of space and funding for
object preservation/conservation, and offer some suggestions of inexpensive
alternatives they might consider. Here you can get specific--rather than
hanging the dress in such a way, they may consider xyz to minimize
dust/ripping/stress on the fibers, etc. I think the key is to recognize the
effort that has gone into it, the fact that we're all struggling for
resources and the value of the collection they have. If they are anything
like me, the people in charge may feel overwhelmed with the enormity of
their charge and the insufficiency of their knowledge and their resources to
adequately care for it. And some gentle suggestions that don't put them on
the offensive but that give them credit for the task they've undertaken
while offering a bit of guidance, will be gratefully accepted.
Sasha Carrera

On 11/30/04 4:11 PM, "Christian Trabue" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I recently returned from a vacation in England.  While
> there I visited a small museum which had many
> wonderful objects that were not being preserved
> properly.  One object that specifically caught my
> attention was a rare article of clothing which had
> been donated by the daughter of the woman who wore it.
>  A beautiful letter and photographs accompanied the
> clothing describing the circumstances in which her
> mother wore this item and why she felt it was
> important to donate it to the museum.  Unfortunately,
> the museum attached it to the wall with thumb tacks,
> and let the bottom "puddle" on the bottom of the plexi
> box.  As a result, a large amount of dust and dirt had
> accumulated.
> I am not a museum professional.  I am an art
> appraiser.  Is it appropriate for me to send a letter
> to the museum explaining my concern?  Should I suggest
> alternatives?  If this were your museum what type of
> letter would capture your attention?  Any advice would
> be appreciated.
> Thank you in advance.
> Christian Trabue
> 
> 
> 
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