I have a question for you... museum that was a family home 1883-1971 -
subsequently sold
and declared a national historic site.  Family not permitted access to retrive
personal
property at the time of the sale.  Repeated inquiries brought forward denial of
possession
of any articles that were not donated (large items, for eg., billiard table,
chandeliers,
diningroom table - anyway..:-) large articles)...  A private sale took place as
well...
Out of approx. 457 items, only about 150 are listed as being sold.  The rest
disappeared -
and I am speaking of family letters to Limoge...Recently the family has been
receiving
letters, etc. which indicate that personal family property, that the museum has
denied
having, is being sold in yard sales, etc.   As to donations vs. loans, the
family was also
led to believe that certain works of art were on loan (portrait of family
member, for eg)
and, on deaccessioning, would be returned to the family...  It seems that this
is no
longer the case (since the family has started questioning exactly 'what is" in
the
posession of the site), but on deaccessioning, it will be sold or transferred
to another
site....  In this particular instance, the painting has no historical value to
anyone.
It's value is that it is a portrait of someone who lived there which was
painted by her
mother - and certainly is not a "Picasso"....:-)  As well, recent written
reports state
that items of the 1st generation to live in the home (the builders) are "on
tour"
throughout the local area (not, I trust, the billiard table...:-)) and that
university
students  were hired to perform a "complete" accession list of "all of the
original
contents of the family"... The museum states they have 7 receipts.   Unless the
museum is
in possession of items which were purchased at the private sale and were
subsequently
donated back, they should have nothing that belongs to the family...  and they
should have
donation records....  No????  When the family requests access to accession
records,
etc., a fee of $2,000 is required to "view" the documents.

Why?????

What I'm telling you is the  proverbial tip of the iceberg...:-)  I guess my
point is,
it's not always that simple or clinical.  It truly isn't....

Anne