We use a similar system for found in collection items.
To indicate that they are found in collection verses a loan or
accessioned objects we place a "FC" prefix to the number (ex.
FC2009.1.123)
For the first number we use the year in which the object was found and
inventoried even if we know the object has been around for years. This
helps keep our records straight for each year. The second number
indicates the location in the museum in which object was found. For
example FC2009.1 could be collections storage, FC2009.2 could be Gallery
1, FC2009.3 could be Gallery 2.... This way we can use old inventories
to try and match objects on permanent exhibit to a previous inventory
that may include a "real" accession & object number. Lastly the third
number indicates the object number.
Using this system we have been able to rectify numbers and locate
objects previously considered "lost in collection."
Good Luck!
Kristie Dobbins, Curator
Toy & Miniature Museum of Kansas City
phone: 816.333.9328 * fax/info: 816.333.2055
5235 Oak Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64112
www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org
***
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Lucy Sperlin
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 6:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Accessioning an object of unknown origin
T-Ann,
Having dealt with the problem many times over the years, particularly in
a museum that had been in existence for over 60 years when I got there,
I developed the protocol of using a trinomial number beginning with the
year an item was first known to be in the museum and using a zero as the
middle (accession) number. i.e. 2005-0-XXX . The zero in the middle
always indicated an item found in the collection.
I would use the year date the item had first been seen in the museum
based on any sound clue I could find (photo of exhibit it was in, scrap
of paper with a note that could be dated somehow, in a box with a
LeRoyed label from an exhibit (latest date LeRoy lettering was used was
about 1979). If no such clue existed, I used the present year. Thus a
2001-0-xx number would tell anyone in the future that the item was in
the museum by the year 2001.
The year number, in the situation I was in, was important because many
things in the early years had come in on loan and we would have to
search for them when the second or third generation arrived to reclaim
them. Often there were multiple items that might be 'the one' (three
ladderback chairs all without numbers for instance). Having evidence
that the item was in the collection in 1969 thus eliminated it if the
loan was dated 1974. (Interestingly, we had the copies of the loan
forms -it was just that we had no way to know which item the list
referred to except for occasional ones that were pretty distinctive in
some attribute.)
Lucy Sperlin
Butte County Historical Society
Oroville, CA
________________________________
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Tracy Leach
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 3:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Accessioning an object of unknown origin
Hi everyone,
I know this is probably something that has been brought up before, but I
was wondering if there was a standard practice of accessioning objects
of unknown origin in a collection. If an object has been in a
collection for many years but has no accession and has no documentation
to speak is there a standard way of accessioning the object or is it up
to the museum. I know several museums use XX "numbers" etc... Any help
or documentation that you know of would be most helpful.
Thanks,
T-Ann
========================================================= Important
Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).No virus found in this incoming
message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.18/2009 - Release Date:
03/18/09 07:17:00
========================================================= Important
Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
