Wendy--
Well said! I would add that no costume material should be accepted on
any kind of loan (probably not textile material either). Because the
long term condition of this stuff cannot accurately be predicted, and
because lending and handling can be only detrimental to the preservation
of textile-based material, a museum has to have unrestricted ownership of
the material.
Pat Roath
Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection
Indiana University, Bloomington
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812-855-4627
On Fri, 7 Feb 1997, Wendy Jessup wrote:
> In a message dated 97-02-07 00:35:42 EST, you write:
>
> << Our museum budget is rather slim at this time - we are a recently
> established local history museum. Donations of old clothing related to
> our area are starting to come in and we are wondering about storage of
> these treasures. We have been looking into special clothing boxes and
> acid-free tissue paper. We are looking at the pros/cons of the cost
> versus the benefits. Any ideas?
>
> mj >>
>
> Because proper collections storage and conservation treatment can be costly,
> I would recommend careful consideration of any objects proposed for
> accession in light of your Collections Policy and/or Scope of Collections
> Statement (sorry U.S. National Park Service terms -- but they are useful) to
> determine if the old clothing truely falls into the scope. All too often I
> have seen museums with vast collections of garments that have been donated by
> scions of the community, but have little to do with the mission, goals and
> themes of the institution. As part of subsequent conservation assessments
> (usually done with staff who have "inherited" the care of these objects years
> after they have been donated), the current staff and I have had to discuss
> these scope issues. Are the garments associated with known personages
> important to the community? Are they representative of the life, history,
> community, culture, etc. of the area? Or (and sorry to be harsh about this)
> is the donor looking for a tax deduction, a place to store a relative's
> "stuff" that they just can't bear to get rid of (ie. send to a charity or
> even to the dump).
>
> Presumably, you have already crafted a good, working Collections Policy and
> Scope of Collection Statement and can assess the donation against this. (If
> not, I strongly recommend doing so as soon as possible). Then it is
> imperative that the condition of the garment be added to the mix, and, I
> would add the potential use of the garment. Will the condition permit
> display or can it only be placed in storage to be used for research (both
> acceptable options)?
>
> Once the object has gone through this assessment, proper storage is really
> important since textiles and garments are vulnerable to damage from pests,
> mechanical damage, light, dust, and improper temperature and relative
> humidity. Some small, low-budget institutions have done very well on
> shoestring budgets using old well-laundered cotton sheets and poly-cotton
> mattress pads donated by the community, polyester batting and fiberfill (to
> make "snakes" for padding out folds), and, as funds permit, purchasing
> *archival* (no space here to define this right now) boxes and other materials
> for enclosures.
>
> Most museums cannot afford *state-of-the-art* collections storage, but
> protect their collections very well using volunteer assistance to fabricate
> support materials (for garments and textiles -- the "snake" mentioned above,
> and padded hangars), donated materials, and good collections management:
> keeping the storage areas clean and well organized; carefully inspecting all
> materials as they are brought in to determine that they are free from pests,
> blocking all daylight from storage, covering light-sensitive and
> dust-sensitive materials, and regularly inspecting the storage areas for
> building problems and infestations as well as monitoring the environment.
>
> My apologies to some out there on Museum-L for lapsing into *Collections
> Management 101* . I hope that this will be helpful to others who are just
> beginning.
>
> Finally, I have seen some Collections Policies include the institution's
> ability to properly care for an object as a criteria for acceptance. This
> includes adequate space, equipment and housing (ie. containers, padding
> materials, padded hangars), and staff. While I can understand this, I
> sometimes worry about whether this can be (and has been) used as an excuse
> not to expend resources on collections care. Anyone out there interested in
> discussing this further.
>
> I've said enough for now.
>
> Wendy Claire Jessup
> President and Conservator
> Wendy Jessup and Associates, Inc.
> 210 Little Falls Street, Suite 203
> Falls Church, VA 22046
> (703) 532-0788
> (703) 532-1661 (fax)
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
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