Wendy Wiener wrote in message <[log in to unmask]>...
>   I am trying to develop a numbering system for props and
>   reproductions used in a historic house museum.  I want the
>   numbering system to be distinct from our regular object
>   numbering system (ex., 1997.1), so they can be easily
>   distinguished.  >
...>   The Octagon, the Museum of the American Institute of
>   Architects    Washington, DC
>   [log in to unmask]

Burnaby Village Museum in the City of Burnaby (next door to Vancouver),
British Columbia, CANADA also faces this challenge.  Originally usable items
and replicas were not numbered at our museum but this led to major confusion
as they were mixed in with artifacts and the replicas acquired the
equivalent of a hundred years of patina in just a few years of heavy use. A
replica wooden top that looked ancient but had been made only three years
before my arrival in 1986 made me decide to have a separate numbering system
for replicas.
To complicate the issue, we are now also sometimes used as a site for movie
and TV series filming (e.g. Stephen King's "IT", Deadman's Gun and Disney
productions).

My prime purpose was to distinguish between artifacts and replicas. We had
the additional problem of many "artifacts" in the collection that lacked
accession numbers.

I settled on an "X" prefix (for expendable). This has two levels.
X and a number
or
X and no number

X and a number e.g. X1234 . For replicas that may be expensive or hard to
replace.  A file is created to track the source, price etc. e.g. if it was a
replica costing hundreds of dollars, where did we buy it and how much did it
cost or who made it?  An example is a replica rocking horse made by a
volunteer.  If the item is lost or destroyed, we can find the SOURCE to see
if we can acquire another one.  This gives a starting point which is
especially important when there are staff changes and current staff don't
remember where the replica had been bought.  These also tend to be items
that are worth keeping track of - of inventorying as individual items.  If
the item is an accessioned artifact, one hates to spend a lot of labour and
suffer ethical dilemas about deaccessioning.  One can more easily designate
an artifact to usable status and could if one wished simply add a prefix to
the existing accession number e.g. BV998.1.2 becomes XBV998.1.2   An example
might be a vintage car designated for use.

XBV - We also have a category of "X" without a number. In our case "XBV" (=
expendable, Burnaby Village).  These items are low cost or made on site and
not worth inventorying in detail.  This category includes brooms, small
flags, laser colour copies of old Christmas cards and sheet music covers
etc. For copies of artifacts I also often put "Copy of...." and the
accession number.  The XBV can be written onto replica paper items with pen
or ink, and can even be stamped into metal replicas from our blacksmith
shop.

The Province of Alberta's historic sites have a 5 level tier system. We have
been contemplating a tier level system but have some practical problems. For
example the individual item may not be marked with its tier level. If this
were the case, Interpretive staff would have difficulty in distinguishing
which items with accession numbers might be used.

Colin Macgregor Stevens
Curator
Burnaby Village Museum
City of Burnaby  BC  CANADA
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