By Libby Goodreau, 2018 Tom Desilets Memorial Intern
July 20, 2018
A lot has happened since my last blog post! After moving on from the cobbler’s bench project, I have been typing up some old inventory lists from the 90s and entering them into an Excel Spreadsheet. There was a major flood in 1996 and many items lost their object I.D. numbers (numbers that are physically attached to an object), which is the key to finding out everything we know about an object. After the flood, an inventory was done of the collection and all of the found objects were given new numbers that start with x1996. The “x” stands for “found in collection”. The goal of typing up these inventory lists is to eventually be able to find the original object I.D. For example, the first list I worked on was written with a typewriter and only included an x1996 number and a description of the object.
I have came across some handwritten inventory lists as well, which include x1996 numbers, object descriptions, dates and sometimes donor information. With these handwritten notes, I am able to match up the numbers on the other inventory lists and provide as much information as possible about an object. The next step is to look through the original registers and see if any of the information such as description, date and donor matches one of the x1996 records. If so, that means the original object I.D. has been found! I am still going through the lists, but eventually this will make way for a more accurate database. I really like this aspect of museum work because it’s kind of like problem solving and filling in the missing information.
Another project I have worked on is bagging all of the garments in the Costume Collections Room to prevent pests from damaging the clothing. I did this for most of the dresses and shirts and there were many times when I was so intrigued by the textiles. Several of the garments have lace detailing, which I admire because I know that it was made by hand, not with some commercial machine. The skill of these people who made these garments is so fascinating not only in the design, but of how much effort and time these people had put into it.
Also, in the Costume Room there are some instances when a new permanent label must be sewn onto a garment. The Collections Manager, Katie, showed me how to do it and it was quite hard at first. The needle and thread is so small and you really have to have a steady arm. I eventually got it right though and sewed on my first tag!
A couple of week ago, FHC received new climate-controlled cases. There is a humidity issue with these historic buildings and these cases will help remedy the issue. All of the staff and I gathered in the exhibition area and started to unwrap and peel the adhesive off the acrylic cases. Eventually we were able to start placing objects inside in the cases. I got to go behind the case for General Gordon’s Civil War greatcoat and move the mannequin under the direction of the Curator and I was surprised at how much thought goes into deciding how an object is viewed. I’ve been here for over a month and I really enjoy what I do. Typing up the inventory lists provides us with information that may have been lost and will overall help to create a more accurate collection. I am learning so much about how museums work and I know that this will definitely help me in my future endeavors.
