SNIP from Patrick
> From:    Patrick Cunningham <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Keeping a collection together
>
> That said, most institutions work from a "Deed of Gift". This is
> clearly something that your friend should do now and make his / her
> intentions clearly known in a will. In general, your friend may be able
> to stipulate in the Deed of Gift that there are conditions on the gift
> -- the trick is to get the institution to go along with those
> conditions. If there is a lot of ephemera that is not seen as critical
> to the collection, many archives will want to weed the collection of
> that sort of material. So it will be absolutely critical to get the
> stipulation into the Deed.

We have worked on archival collections where the donor mandated that a 
donation was based on the quality of the archival space. Certain 
universities or museums will commit to secure the material within a 
certain size of vault.  The collection is inventoried and the items to 
be afforded either fireproof vault protection or permanent display 
conditions within the gallery are detailed. The archivist uses the 
promise of long term secure storage or the public display of the 
collection as a plum to encourage their organization to receive the 
materials.

After all, who wants to donate a valuable collection only to see it 
shipped off to storage in a warehouse never to be seen again.

If the terms of the agreement are broken, then the family can remove 
the collection and search for another museum or in the event they feel 
the collection is being wasted, simply sell it to the highest bidder 
who then due to the investment, will provide some long term protection 
for the archives.

It is my experience that many museums and colleges are great at 
accepting collections but very poor at making the collection useful to 
people interested in the collection.

I am working on such a project now for early American impressionist 
art.  It is being moved from one location to another and stored in our 
vault because the collection has increased in value but the people with 
the collection are doing little to protect it, security wise or 
environmentally.

One of the perks of this job is the artifacts you protect and sometimes 
get to handle. Imagine holding a copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address 
or the diary of Alexander Graham Bell and then of course ZAPPPP!!  Well 
they actually wouldn't let me touch that.  But the Tazer they hit me 
with was pretty exciting!  Apparently, even the vault guy doesn't get 
to touch every artifact.  But I was thissss close. ZAPPP!

If I had a collection, I would choose where I hoped to hold it and then 
approach four or five other prestigious museums and start them bidding 
on the collection.  In the end, your particular collection will be 
better served.  Also view the collection in terms of interest 100 years 
from now.  What environmental conditions will be required to make sure 
it is still viable. You can even negotiate that every 20 years a 
restoration company like Brown's River Bindery has to evaluate the 
collection and restore any damage and keep it in perfect preservation. 
BRB can do that for maps, paintings and books and documents.

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
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(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM

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