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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
[log in to unmask]
(610) 756-4440 Fax (610) 756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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