Hello, 

I am new to the listserv and joined by recommendation from my professor. I am a museum studies student in a museum project course with a local museum and have a question. I have been tasked to come up with proposal options for six crafted cockpit replicas for the Pacific Aviation Museum I am working with. The items were created by a gentleman, Karl Lau, as a commemorative to his fallen comrades. The items were then purchased and given to the museum. The donor, Fred Turner, is deceased. No paperwork (receipt, inventory, registration etc) can yet be found in the museum. Obviously I don't know the conditions of the gift.

The cockpits include authentic rare airplane parts that have been reconfigured into a crafty mini cockpit that has partially working lights and sound. The items, based on past use, were deemed electrically unsafe. (a guest had been shocked by one of them) They have also been found to be rather fragile, suffering some damage in the past when put on the floor as an interactive. Some of them have been scavenged for parts. During a phone interview with the artist/crafter he was aware of the fact and was saddened that the items had been used for parts. I am working in the restoration shop under my advisor, the curator. He is suggesting one of my proposals include rewiring them to a battery versus electric source. He has also mentioned perhaps sanding and repainting them. He does not seem confident that paperwork will be found as it was before his position and documenting was scarce.

My question is:   

Can I legally or ethically repaint and rewire a crafted artistic artifact that has no paperwork?

Thanks for your help, 
Victoria 

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