We simply use a separate "Use" collection for props and educational objects
which have no place in the main collection.  All items are stored separately
from the main collection and all are documented within a separate "Use"
collection data base and assigned accession numbers which begin with "USE."
In example, the first accession for the use/educational collection for the
year 2005 would be given the following accession #:  USE2005-001-001.  Hope
this helps, Marcy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Misty Tilson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Artifacts vs. Props


> I'm glad someone brought up this discussion.  I struggle with this alot
when the curator wants to acquisition something into the permanent
collection that he would use as a prop in an exhibit.  For instance he
brought in a 20 year old bottle of salad dressing (nothing unique, a brand
that is still being made) as a new acquisition because he might need it in
an exhibit display for instance if we had a scene of a grocery store.  So
our problems are props that don't even rate a label in an exhibit, so they
are just used to set the scene.  So does anyone else have items like this,
do you store them?  I've tried to explain that items like that can be
aquired when needed, and should not go in the permanent collection.
>
> I apologize for not signing my name, but I'm a little embarrassed by the
salad dressing.
>
> (of course I have other issues with the donors as to why they retained a
bottle of salad dressing for 20 years.)
>
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