On 20 Oct 1995, Mary Newcome wrote:

> In Europe, museums sometimes have days when people bring in things to
> be identified.  Museum curators in Europe, at least those in old master
> paintings, are knowledgeable enough to help in identifying artist,
> school, date, etc. of a piece, and provide this service gratis to the
> public.
> Mary, [log in to unmask]

       The Textile Museum in Washington has periodic Saturday open houses
in which their experts give free fabric identification and conservation
advice, and the Resource Center at the National Museum of Natural History
is always helpful (as, for that matter so are most Smithsonian experts).

       Hank Burchard * [log in to unmask] * Washington DC