Beau wrote: "I was wondering what should be done with objects that do not 
really fit the museum's mission, were gifts, but not ever accessioned.  We do 
not have the paperwork for the objects anymore."

Well the problem is without paperwork can you be sure they're gifts?  If you 
deaccession them and someone comes back to claim them you might have 
some issues.  One of the most important steps in deaccessioning an item is to 
be sure you own it in the first place.  

The technically correct thing to do is to follow the procedures for abandoned 
property and then dispose of them when the required waiting period is up 
(here it's 7 years, in some states it's less).  If you know who the original donor 
was you could approach them to verify in writing that it was an unrestricted 
gift (but of course they'll wonder why and you may spark new interest in the 
items).  

But if you don't have paperwork then legally you probably don't have the right 
to dispose of them.  Another alternative is to put them into a study or prop 
collection.  If you decide to go ahead with disposal at least keep a careful 
paper trail about where they go on the off-chance you have to track them 
down someday!

Kristine Zickuhr
Registrar 
Wisconsin Veterans Museum

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