Our reserve collection is organized by material type. This method has worked
exceedingly well - and I credit it, in part, to my ability to reunite the
clock works with the base of the Ansonia Ball Swing Clock "Gloria" that we
used in the third floor restoration. By grouping like items together, other
objects have been reunited with others. For example, when the Collection
Manager here was doing inventory, she identified tumblers that matched a cut
crystal pitcher!
As a curator, I can attest that it makes exhibit development easier. I need
a blank... so I look in that area... and voila! I choose this one.
In terms of organization of shelves, it makes sense to put textiles together
because of the storage boxes will neatly fit together.
Hope this perspective helps.
Ware
L.W.S. Petznick, Ph.D.
McFaddin-Ward House
Curator of Collections
725 N. Third St.
Beaumont, TX 77701
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409.832.1906 p 409.832.3483 f
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Nov 1-3, 2007 in Beaumont, Texas at the Hotel Elegante. $125 Registration,
$89 special room rate for conference. www.mcmelegantebeaumont.com
The McFaddin-Ward House features three floors of original furnishings,
including a newly restored third floor. Explore the McFaddins' world in the
years surrounding the First World War for "Foxtrots and Foxholes"
throughout 2007. Call 409-832-2134 for tour information.
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Timothy McShane
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 10:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Artifact Organization
>>> Heather Pozun Watson <[log in to unmask]> 10/22/2007 3:02 PM >>>
My question is: What is the best way to organize my artifacts in storage?
By
accession number (we don't have those for many objects)? By material
type? By subject? By collection?
Don't know if I can tell you the "best" way--that will really depend on your
specific situation. I can tell you that we organize our database by
accession number (and by default, also by collection), and our collections
storage by material type. We try to avoid classifying by subject because
that can be, well, subjective.
With artefacts massed by material type, we feel we have a better chance of
noticing if environmental conditions are adversely affecting the collections
(ie., splits developing in wood from changing RH; biological infestation,
etc.) Also, if we should get a infestation of moths, for example, if we
keep all our woolens all in one place, we have a better chance of containing
the infestation, rather than it spreading all through our storage vault.
We do make some exceptions to maximize storage on shelves--for example, all
our chairs are stored together, whether they be wooden or metal. But
generally, all our glassware is in one area, ceramics in another, silver is
all stored together, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------
Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
Esplanade Museum
401 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8W2
Tel: (403) 502-8587
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