I'm sorry but as a C&R specialist I have to say at least my one-cent worth.
If I where to restore a Tang Dynasty jar and parts of the glaze came off, it
would be easier to restore the missing glaze with a colour filling then
spent hours putting the glaze back. So if I could action of the glaze to get
funding I should do that? (Ok I know this in not a real 'hot' item to action
but for the sake of the argument.)
Each and every time we do that we are putting on more and more 'fake' glaze
until we have a Tang Dynasty shaped jar made out of clay from the right
period but the glaze is one big 'restoration'. Please don't call this a
restoration this is just repair (taking the easy way out).

Conservation & Restoration is not replacing parts, especially in a museum.
Museums show objects that are conserved to show the public about history and
not about how these things looked when they where new. How can kids realise
that the things they see in a museum are old if everything is new and shine.

So I would say don’t make the T-ford a new car, you might as well sell the
repaired car to fund other projects in the museum. Maybe like hiring a
conservator to do at least basic preventive conservation.

Thank you for your attention,
Roeland

Like Terry Vidal said:

TAG YOU’RE IT




Deb Fuller

In a message dated 8/23/00 5:04:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

 >  Now, what is a museum to do with the parts that have been replaced from
a
 >  restoration project?

 >  * Others might sell off some of the surplus scraps with authentication
 >  certificates. ("Buy an authentic piece of the ____ and help the
museum!")
 >  Many people would love to have authenticated relics of a famous aircraft
 >  type.

While others might disagree, I think this is perfectly legit. The old parts
aren't going to do anyone any good in storage and would take up space for
more useful items. I've seen some nice plaques or lucite paperweights with
scrap objects in them and for an avid collector or enthuiast, they make nice
gifts and conversation pieces. Plus you can auction or sell them off so that
the museum gets funds for the restoration project. (Note I mean like a
museum
auction rather than something like eBay.)

For example, I have the brads that held J.R.R. Tolkien's manuscripts
together. I'm sure that no museum would care about them but since I'm a big
fan, I think they're neat so I keep them and they would have been thrown
away
otherwise. (Now if a museum really really wants them, I'll donate them but
only on the condition that they be displayed. ;) To anyone else, they're a
bunch of old rusty brads. Same with scraps of metal from a famous plane or
ship. It can make people feel like they have something special and it might
encourage them to become more involved with the museum because they "own a
piece of an artifact". They can go and see "their" plane or ship or whatnot.
For kids, that can be very powerful.

 >  What if a museum decided to dispose of the scraps and not offer them to
the
 >  public under any circumstance? Not everyone would agree with such an
 >  approach.

One man's trash is another man's treasure...but I can see the point of
disposing of the scraps as to not encourage people to collect them and then
sell them off to unsuspecting people for reams of cash. I'd rather see
scraps
disposed of than end up on eBay but each to his own.

deb

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