I think that this project is now as the point for sharing and turning in for grading. While the instructions say a project cannot be submitted on the blog, for closure and process I am sharing the link. Here is the project website link:
http://militaria.yolasite.com/
The hardest part of my personal approach to inquiry was finding a topic, as there are so many ones that are interesting to me, and being able to pick any topic felt overwhelming at first in its freedom. I liked the structure of the W's Model, but it was much more qualitative than my background in history research. I am very much used to reading articles and sources, taking notes, producing scholarly writing, and creating a project. I had little training in the process to deciding on a question, though the concurrent KSP course I am taking has helped provide more framework for this. I realized that I needed to note my personal feelings throughout the inquiry process--something I had not every done before. This felt a little odd at first to apply how I feel to a classroom project, but it also increased my self-awareness on the spectrum of emotions that challenges and success can bring to someone, whether a teacher or student, who is engaged in such a process.
I selected a very broad topic and realized that I needed to narrow it down--I initially began looking at preservation methods, but I realized just how objective and variable this topic was, so I focused on preventative conservation and the process to identify and protect against hazards to a militaria collection. I realized anyone with enough trial/error and practice can become an authority on a specific area of preventative conservation, and that the best way to learn is to observe and ask questions. This really brought the concept of inquiry full circle, and the broad frontiers of the subject are exciting to continue pursuing throughout my life.
There seems to be a lot of latitude in the inquiry process for narrowing, exploring, and presenting topics. I enjoyed this. It did not feel constricting, but the framework provided meaningful support and guidance from beginning to end. I added a couple (hopefully excusable) W's to the process--Wavering and Wrangling--that addressed a couple areas that I wanted to add to the process. I wavered on my topic and direction greatly in the first steps; there was also not a step where citations and sources were compiled. Thus the need for Wrangling, where I posted citations to help keep myself organized and practice my learning of APA (previously using Turabian for writing history through my undergrad). I did not think when I started that I would develop an experiment for recording and charting the temperature and relative humidity in my apartment, and make meaningful comparisons with the results. I also enjoyed setting up my blog to include a list of classmates' blogs, though the variety of hosts severely limited my ability to post on them as a guest. It was constructive and educational to read about others' passions and inquiry processes. The 100 cups of coffee it took to finish this project (conservative estimate...I had five just writing this post) makes me hope Jill opens that coffee shop!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wishing
This project was fun and education for me. I learned a great deal about conservation--knowledge that is practical and will be particularly applicable in a just two or three short months when I move out of my apartment and onto my next home. I have been worrying about what do do with this stuff and the possibility of a storage unit--this research on methods of storage and conservation has helped frame my strategies and planning.
There were several challenges to this project. Foremost, there was a wealth of opinions to sift through. Much of the collector interaction I had was young collectors (such as myself) asking specific questions about treating their artifacts--I had thought at the start of the project of going this direction, but the sheer volume of varying treatments, coupled with extremely variable personal philosophies (which led me to formulate a section addressing this) made the task both daunting and impractical. I was able to find several resources by curators in the field, which I count among the successes of this project. The final challenge was time--while I feel very engaged with the topic, other class and work projects kept taking up the time I wanted to put into this project. I realized later that I actually felt guilty about using time for an inquiry project so interesting to me.
One tactic I would take in the future is interviewing a curator in person. I feel like I had reliable information, but an interview or two could have broadened my perspective on the topic. With this in mind, I began looking at some interesting Master's programs for curators! I would have also liked to get to the library and look for more books on the topic instead of conducting a strictly online approach.
I enjoyed the process of personal inquiry. The latitude for topic selection distinguishes this project from many that I have done before, as I have personal investment in the subject and find it continually engaging. I recognize that students that I teach in my next job will have similar inquiry experiences, both personally and academically. High school is a time of discovery and transition that sees students seeking new experiences and balancing their values with big decisions: what career to pursue, if they should go to college, if they should smoke/drink, and how they wish to define themselves. Their process of inquiry will unlikely be as structured as this, but there will be inquiry all the same. In a classroom, students at a high school level usually know if they like or dislike a subject prior to taking a required course. History classes can be notoriously dry or antiquated in methods and subject matter, and students without interest may struggle to pass. My approach to teaching history is through personal connection--I challenge students to connect themes/problems/scenarios of the past with those of present day, thus engaging critical thinking, learning history, and staying aware of current events. I strive to engage students through a variety of teaching methods of meet the wide range of learning styles, and to use technology as a tool. I have taught less with lecture methods than with Socratic approaches to asking questions of the students and challenging them to discovery. To me, this is where the inquiry process may be most applicable--assisting students through steps of identifying interesting topics, narrowing their search, researching, and presenting their findings in a meaningful manner. The history field is loaded with myths, mysteries, and exciting facts--if I can assist pupils through the initial barrier of interest, I am confident that sound inquiry methods will assist students both in and outside the classroom.
There were several challenges to this project. Foremost, there was a wealth of opinions to sift through. Much of the collector interaction I had was young collectors (such as myself) asking specific questions about treating their artifacts--I had thought at the start of the project of going this direction, but the sheer volume of varying treatments, coupled with extremely variable personal philosophies (which led me to formulate a section addressing this) made the task both daunting and impractical. I was able to find several resources by curators in the field, which I count among the successes of this project. The final challenge was time--while I feel very engaged with the topic, other class and work projects kept taking up the time I wanted to put into this project. I realized later that I actually felt guilty about using time for an inquiry project so interesting to me.
One tactic I would take in the future is interviewing a curator in person. I feel like I had reliable information, but an interview or two could have broadened my perspective on the topic. With this in mind, I began looking at some interesting Master's programs for curators! I would have also liked to get to the library and look for more books on the topic instead of conducting a strictly online approach.
I enjoyed the process of personal inquiry. The latitude for topic selection distinguishes this project from many that I have done before, as I have personal investment in the subject and find it continually engaging. I recognize that students that I teach in my next job will have similar inquiry experiences, both personally and academically. High school is a time of discovery and transition that sees students seeking new experiences and balancing their values with big decisions: what career to pursue, if they should go to college, if they should smoke/drink, and how they wish to define themselves. Their process of inquiry will unlikely be as structured as this, but there will be inquiry all the same. In a classroom, students at a high school level usually know if they like or dislike a subject prior to taking a required course. History classes can be notoriously dry or antiquated in methods and subject matter, and students without interest may struggle to pass. My approach to teaching history is through personal connection--I challenge students to connect themes/problems/scenarios of the past with those of present day, thus engaging critical thinking, learning history, and staying aware of current events. I strive to engage students through a variety of teaching methods of meet the wide range of learning styles, and to use technology as a tool. I have taught less with lecture methods than with Socratic approaches to asking questions of the students and challenging them to discovery. To me, this is where the inquiry process may be most applicable--assisting students through steps of identifying interesting topics, narrowing their search, researching, and presenting their findings in a meaningful manner. The history field is loaded with myths, mysteries, and exciting facts--if I can assist pupils through the initial barrier of interest, I am confident that sound inquiry methods will assist students both in and outside the classroom.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Wrapping and Waving
Tomorrow is the big day for turning in this assignment! It has been a fun process and I am polishing up the product for posting and submission. I hope to get this done and post the link up here later tonight. Wrapping up feels good, but I know there is always more to discover and learn, and that my research only encompasses a few perspectives. Perhaps this is what makes the hobby in general so much fun--there is always new things to learn and new stories to tell.
I find the information that I located is useful. I have revised my own methods and made plans for how I will practice conservation methods. I plan on acquiring some acid-free tissue paper and boxes for storage, finding a set of cotton gloves for handling sensitive items, monitoring temperature and humidity levels, and displaying/storing artifacts in locations free of the hazards discussed in my research. I also plan on communicating my information with others in the Preservation section of the online forums that I participation in. I will share my finished website for critical review and feedback. With luck, I will have further suggestions and resources to incorporate; at some point, someone may stumble across it and find something helpful listed there. I am not sure how interested someone will be in reading this blog that details every step of the Inquiry process, but I feel the website I am constructing will appeal to a narrow audience of interested collectors (with whom I identify). I do plan on posting a link to this blog on the website to show the steps to the research. I have listed my email for personal contact by anyone reading the website.
Below is a chart I produced with data that I collected from a week-long observation from Saturday, 2/27 to Friday, 3/5. Each morning and evening (approximately 9am and 9pm) I recorded the temperature and relative humidity in the area of my collection to observe the environment and record its stability. My goal is also to determine if I am within the recommended ranges: 70F +/- 4F for temperature, and a relative humidity of 45% +/- 8% (Mecklenburg & Tumosa, 2003).
I found that the average temperature was around 69F and relative humidity was 32%. The temperature was in the recommended range but the humidity was low; as a classmate noted, the cool weather that week likely led to low humidity. I wish I had noted the outdoor temperatures that week; I do see a correlation in the graph to higher temperatures (likely caused by adjustment of the thermostat) and higher humidity. This will be something to continue watching as the spring weather approaches.
I forgot to mention that I found another excellent resource last week. I located the Department of the Army regulation for museums and collections. I got to thinking about the US Army museums I have been to (most notably the museum at West Point) and wondering about their methods--and a simple Google search led me to their regulations. I gained some valuable and very specific information on conservation methods and insight into their philosophy on preservation. Their manual is cited on my website.
I find the information that I located is useful. I have revised my own methods and made plans for how I will practice conservation methods. I plan on acquiring some acid-free tissue paper and boxes for storage, finding a set of cotton gloves for handling sensitive items, monitoring temperature and humidity levels, and displaying/storing artifacts in locations free of the hazards discussed in my research. I also plan on communicating my information with others in the Preservation section of the online forums that I participation in. I will share my finished website for critical review and feedback. With luck, I will have further suggestions and resources to incorporate; at some point, someone may stumble across it and find something helpful listed there. I am not sure how interested someone will be in reading this blog that details every step of the Inquiry process, but I feel the website I am constructing will appeal to a narrow audience of interested collectors (with whom I identify). I do plan on posting a link to this blog on the website to show the steps to the research. I have listed my email for personal contact by anyone reading the website.
Below is a chart I produced with data that I collected from a week-long observation from Saturday, 2/27 to Friday, 3/5. Each morning and evening (approximately 9am and 9pm) I recorded the temperature and relative humidity in the area of my collection to observe the environment and record its stability. My goal is also to determine if I am within the recommended ranges: 70F +/- 4F for temperature, and a relative humidity of 45% +/- 8% (Mecklenburg & Tumosa, 2003).
I found that the average temperature was around 69F and relative humidity was 32%. The temperature was in the recommended range but the humidity was low; as a classmate noted, the cool weather that week likely led to low humidity. I wish I had noted the outdoor temperatures that week; I do see a correlation in the graph to higher temperatures (likely caused by adjustment of the thermostat) and higher humidity. This will be something to continue watching as the spring weather approaches.
I forgot to mention that I found another excellent resource last week. I located the Department of the Army regulation for museums and collections. I got to thinking about the US Army museums I have been to (most notably the museum at West Point) and wondering about their methods--and a simple Google search led me to their regulations. I gained some valuable and very specific information on conservation methods and insight into their philosophy on preservation. Their manual is cited on my website.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Weaving Part II
It has been a little while since I have gotten to post on here--a lot is going on with both classes. This Inquiry Project is still fun and something that I am passionate about. I realize that the field of artifact conservation is wide and very variable, and that, no matter how much research I put into it, I will only have touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This is, however, a foundation for an area of the hobby that I will continue gaining understanding in throughout my life.
A couple weeks ago I began culling through the options for the ending "content-rich product" to showcase my findings. I considered a PowerPoint, a PDF brochure, and an article about military artifact conservation before settling on building a website. I settled on a website for several reasons:
-I can easily divide it into sections for the areas of inquiry.
-The site can be updated as I find more information, or based on others' feedback.
-The link can be shared with others.
-The site can incorporate a variety of media for visual appeal.
-The site can be expanded to include other information relevant to the hobby.
I am building the website with Yola, which is a free creator. I used it in a past KSP class and was impressed with the ease of website creation. When it is done I will post the link in this blog.
Currently I am working during my spring break in the northern peninsula of Michigan. I do not have my week-long temperature and humidity chart handy, but I will process and post it upon my return to Mankato on Saturday. I have been discussing this project with family and friends, and have been receiving encouragement along the way. I realize that this topic is not entirely relevant to them, but they are aware of my passion for the hobby and for preserving history, and I think it is with this lens that they give their attention. I have also been actively viewing and contributing on the US Militaria Forum in the Preservation section. An ongoing thread on leather preservation led me to share my story about using Saddle Soap on leather ski bindings. I received a pair of US and German WWII skis (captured in Italy) that were used through the 1970s in the Rockies and then sat in a garage for nearly forty years. The leather toe bindings were petrified; I rubbed them with Saddle Soap and it made them pliable again. The only affect of the treatment was that the leather darkened; this is to be expected from any treatment to leather. It did make the leather pliable and not liable to crack and fall apart anytime soon.
I am also working on compiling the data that I gleaned from the articles to present on my website. The most logical way that I began doing this was by writing it into paragraphs. This seems very formal for a website, but I will see how it fills out as I begin publishing. I am also going to look into sources for acquiring acid-free paper and boxes for storing items in, and hopefully be able to provide this information on the website. The pitfall is that I have not used vendors myself, so anything I provide would be something I cannot personally verify. I will have to be careful in making these distinctions.
One thing that I have noticed since beginning the Inquiry Project is that I have attuned my senses to recognize potential threats to artifacts in environments that I encounter them. For instance, in walking around antique stores in Mankato, I note which ones have heating and keep out the weather. One, the Antiques Warehouse on Riverfront, is a prefab steel warehouse with a concrete floor and little climate control that may not bode well for artifacts in different seasons. Up here in Michigan, several antique stores include basements. One I was in today had standing water under a fleet of old furniture and farm tools. It was cold and drafty as well--and the moisture is not good for any of the antiques in there. I noticed that the finish on chair legs showed water damage and most of the metal items displayed rust; the cloth military uniforms were damp and in danger of mildew. I happened by a stack of old magazines that were wrinkled and fragile--obvious victims of poor storage and care. In this store was a fine World War II recruiting poster shrink-wrapped to a piece of cardboard. While this was a good way to keep the paper flat and away from dust, its position by the window had greatly faded the colors. Sad!
The findings that I am presenting on the website (strategies and dangers) are all meritorious in that they can be checked against other sources and confirmed in this manner. Most of them are also founded on common sense, such as human dangers of manhandling/dropping/wearing items to contribute to their deterioration, and that light and temperature can negatively harm most items. All organic items will deteriorate over time!
A couple weeks ago I began culling through the options for the ending "content-rich product" to showcase my findings. I considered a PowerPoint, a PDF brochure, and an article about military artifact conservation before settling on building a website. I settled on a website for several reasons:
-I can easily divide it into sections for the areas of inquiry.
-The site can be updated as I find more information, or based on others' feedback.
-The link can be shared with others.
-The site can incorporate a variety of media for visual appeal.
-The site can be expanded to include other information relevant to the hobby.
I am building the website with Yola, which is a free creator. I used it in a past KSP class and was impressed with the ease of website creation. When it is done I will post the link in this blog.
Currently I am working during my spring break in the northern peninsula of Michigan. I do not have my week-long temperature and humidity chart handy, but I will process and post it upon my return to Mankato on Saturday. I have been discussing this project with family and friends, and have been receiving encouragement along the way. I realize that this topic is not entirely relevant to them, but they are aware of my passion for the hobby and for preserving history, and I think it is with this lens that they give their attention. I have also been actively viewing and contributing on the US Militaria Forum in the Preservation section. An ongoing thread on leather preservation led me to share my story about using Saddle Soap on leather ski bindings. I received a pair of US and German WWII skis (captured in Italy) that were used through the 1970s in the Rockies and then sat in a garage for nearly forty years. The leather toe bindings were petrified; I rubbed them with Saddle Soap and it made them pliable again. The only affect of the treatment was that the leather darkened; this is to be expected from any treatment to leather. It did make the leather pliable and not liable to crack and fall apart anytime soon.
I am also working on compiling the data that I gleaned from the articles to present on my website. The most logical way that I began doing this was by writing it into paragraphs. This seems very formal for a website, but I will see how it fills out as I begin publishing. I am also going to look into sources for acquiring acid-free paper and boxes for storing items in, and hopefully be able to provide this information on the website. The pitfall is that I have not used vendors myself, so anything I provide would be something I cannot personally verify. I will have to be careful in making these distinctions.
One thing that I have noticed since beginning the Inquiry Project is that I have attuned my senses to recognize potential threats to artifacts in environments that I encounter them. For instance, in walking around antique stores in Mankato, I note which ones have heating and keep out the weather. One, the Antiques Warehouse on Riverfront, is a prefab steel warehouse with a concrete floor and little climate control that may not bode well for artifacts in different seasons. Up here in Michigan, several antique stores include basements. One I was in today had standing water under a fleet of old furniture and farm tools. It was cold and drafty as well--and the moisture is not good for any of the antiques in there. I noticed that the finish on chair legs showed water damage and most of the metal items displayed rust; the cloth military uniforms were damp and in danger of mildew. I happened by a stack of old magazines that were wrinkled and fragile--obvious victims of poor storage and care. In this store was a fine World War II recruiting poster shrink-wrapped to a piece of cardboard. While this was a good way to keep the paper flat and away from dust, its position by the window had greatly faded the colors. Sad!
The findings that I am presenting on the website (strategies and dangers) are all meritorious in that they can be checked against other sources and confirmed in this manner. Most of them are also founded on common sense, such as human dangers of manhandling/dropping/wearing items to contribute to their deterioration, and that light and temperature can negatively harm most items. All organic items will deteriorate over time!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Weaving Part I
Below is a table I created to organize some of my data. I identified several dangers to collections, and how each may endanger different materials.
I am also charting changes in temperature and humidity in my apartment. I had a busy week last week, and will be tracking all of this week. I am recording morning and evening temperature and humidity levels (around 9am and 9pm) to chart fluctuation. I will share this data as it becomes available.
Additionally, I have finished reviewing the articles/sources that I found and begun to compare them. There is a lot of crossover data. I also continue to monitor practices discussed at the US Militaria Forum. New information includes collectors attempting to remove wrinkles from old uniforms by using a small steamer and carefully working the wrinkles out one-by-one--ironing is not recommended due to the high and uncontrollable heat. Also, storage of anything in plastic bags (particularly space saver vacuum plastic bags) is not recommended. Plastic bags are unstable chemically and do not allow air to circulate and the items to "breathe." Interesting!
I am also charting changes in temperature and humidity in my apartment. I had a busy week last week, and will be tracking all of this week. I am recording morning and evening temperature and humidity levels (around 9am and 9pm) to chart fluctuation. I will share this data as it becomes available.
Additionally, I have finished reviewing the articles/sources that I found and begun to compare them. There is a lot of crossover data. I also continue to monitor practices discussed at the US Militaria Forum. New information includes collectors attempting to remove wrinkles from old uniforms by using a small steamer and carefully working the wrinkles out one-by-one--ironing is not recommended due to the high and uncontrollable heat. Also, storage of anything in plastic bags (particularly space saver vacuum plastic bags) is not recommended. Plastic bags are unstable chemically and do not allow air to circulate and the items to "breathe." Interesting!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Wiggling and starting to Weave
What do you do with the information you found?
I have useful information from several sources at this point, but it's been a few days since I have been able to sit down and review it. I am beginning to evaluate content, and I have found that much of it overlaps and aligns with my assumptions and previous knowledge. I am going to map out the general key points before going into specifics for my collection. I am sifting through the stacks of articles and re-reading my highlighted points.
I have taken the first step of putting the concepts I am learning into practice. I purchased a thermometer and humidity gauge from Ace Hardware ($7) and set it up on top of the book case holding most of my collection in my living room. I am measuring the average climate, and I would also like to see the impact of cooking dinner on the overall climate of my apartment (the kitchen and living room are separated by a counter).
Before cooking (4:30pm) Temp: 68F Humidity: 28%
After cooking (5:30pm) Temp: 68F Humidity: 32%
It appears that the steam from the rice and stir fry did impact the overall humidity but not temperature in the apartment. The former is to be expected, but I am slightly surprised by the latter. As the parameters set by the Smithsonian article recommend a temperature of 70+/-4 and a humidity of 45+/-8% (Mecklenburg & Tumosa, 2003), I am within the temperature range and on the low side of humidity. I can control the temperature in the apartment with a thermostat with a four degree swing, but am not sure about humidity control.
I have also begun to identify key terms in my research. I was greatly assisted by the National Park Service article (Knapp, 1993) in defining exactly what I am aiming to do. I have been interchangeably using the terms "preservation" and "conservation" to describe my process, but Knapp outlines preventative conservation and conservation treatment processes. Preventative conservation emphasizes monitoring condition and climate, storage, and collecting information; conservation treatment includes stabilization and restoration. I am exploring preventative conservation in my inquiry project.
How do you evaluate content? What tools did you use for evaluation?
The best evaluation of content at this point begins with an open mind, and is based on logic and the number of times that concepts are repeated in varied works. For instance, several of these articles mention climate control as an important step--knowing that moisture can rust metal and warp/mildew paper, so it is logical that this is an indispensable concept. Additionally, I am using sources that are written by authorities in the field. National museums and organizations are certainly more reliable sources than members on online forums. I am checking sources for authority and citations.
I am considering charting the temperature and humidity over the next week to see how these ranges fluctuate.
I have useful information from several sources at this point, but it's been a few days since I have been able to sit down and review it. I am beginning to evaluate content, and I have found that much of it overlaps and aligns with my assumptions and previous knowledge. I am going to map out the general key points before going into specifics for my collection. I am sifting through the stacks of articles and re-reading my highlighted points.
I have taken the first step of putting the concepts I am learning into practice. I purchased a thermometer and humidity gauge from Ace Hardware ($7) and set it up on top of the book case holding most of my collection in my living room. I am measuring the average climate, and I would also like to see the impact of cooking dinner on the overall climate of my apartment (the kitchen and living room are separated by a counter).
Before cooking (4:30pm) Temp: 68F Humidity: 28%
After cooking (5:30pm) Temp: 68F Humidity: 32%
It appears that the steam from the rice and stir fry did impact the overall humidity but not temperature in the apartment. The former is to be expected, but I am slightly surprised by the latter. As the parameters set by the Smithsonian article recommend a temperature of 70+/-4 and a humidity of 45+/-8% (Mecklenburg & Tumosa, 2003), I am within the temperature range and on the low side of humidity. I can control the temperature in the apartment with a thermostat with a four degree swing, but am not sure about humidity control.
I have also begun to identify key terms in my research. I was greatly assisted by the National Park Service article (Knapp, 1993) in defining exactly what I am aiming to do. I have been interchangeably using the terms "preservation" and "conservation" to describe my process, but Knapp outlines preventative conservation and conservation treatment processes. Preventative conservation emphasizes monitoring condition and climate, storage, and collecting information; conservation treatment includes stabilization and restoration. I am exploring preventative conservation in my inquiry project.
How do you evaluate content? What tools did you use for evaluation?
The best evaluation of content at this point begins with an open mind, and is based on logic and the number of times that concepts are repeated in varied works. For instance, several of these articles mention climate control as an important step--knowing that moisture can rust metal and warp/mildew paper, so it is logical that this is an indispensable concept. Additionally, I am using sources that are written by authorities in the field. National museums and organizations are certainly more reliable sources than members on online forums. I am checking sources for authority and citations.
I am considering charting the temperature and humidity over the next week to see how these ranges fluctuate.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wrangling
It is about time to list the sources that I have collected so far, rather than present an assortment of links. While I am not entirely sure how the formatting works in this blog, here are the citations that I have wrangled together for this project:
Care of historic costume and textiles. (2010). Retrieved Feb. 7, 2010 from Kent State University Museum website: http://dept.kent.edu/museum/staff/care.html.
Knapp, A. (1993). Preservation of museum collections. Conserve O Gram. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2010 from National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/publications/conserveogram/01-01.pdf.
Mecklenburg, M. & Tumosa, C. (2003). Resolving the conflict between building preservation and the proper temperature and relative humidity requirements of collections [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved Feb. 10, 2010 from Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute website: http://www.si.edu/mci/downloads/reports/resolvingconflict.pdf.
Preservation of artifacts. (2010). Retrieved Feb. 6, 2010 from National World War II Museum website: http://www.nationalww2museum.org/exhibitions/preservation-of-artifacts.html.
Restoration ethics: A survey of museum curators. (2010). Retrieved Feb. 11, 2010 from Russian Mosin Nagant website: http://www.russian-mosin-nagant.com/restoring.html.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Webbing Part III
The webbing part of this project is time-consuming, but I am riveted on my subject so I am enjoying it. I noticed that one of the Webbing questions asks if I am frustrated yet. I am not. I wish I had more time to devote solely to this task of expanding, enriching and organizing my knowledge, but I have work and another class to also tend to. I usually prioritize those tasks first so I leave the most fun one (this project) for last. Frankly, it's something I look forward to.
I took a step forward in the US= Militaria Forum resource yesterday and posted in the Preservation section inquiring if any of the collectors could direct me toward articles and sources. I received a great suggestion to try the Smithsonian website. I spent part of my afternoon on there, and, while there are a few articles, they are specific and concern topics that are not relative to my topic (albeit interesting, such as Mayan art and antique furniture). I did find a couple long PowerPoints on climate control in a museum area. There are a lot of graphs, charts and other visual aids that reveal the scientific side to preserving history. One particular presentation provided me very good information on ideal temperature and humidity levels for a museum or storage area. 70F +/- 4F is the ideal temperature range, and relative humidity is recommended to be at 45 +/-8%. Good to know!
I also continued with Google searching. I recalled an website I visited last semester on the topic of collecting Mosin Nagant rifles (Russian/Soviet origin, used 1891-post WWII). These old bolt-action rifles are common and collectible; I purchased my two in 2006 for ~$60 ea.; the 91/30 is dated 1914 and my m38 is from 1942. I was able to located this website again and found that there is a great section on general firearms/collection preservation. It includes letters/advice from many British museum curators on conservation and ethics of the field. I am still reading it, and it then applies the firearms field to a broader range of antiquities.
I am feeling that with these articles, online sources, and forum resources I have a pretty good grasp on the information available and the variance of practices and ethics. With my own collection at hand, I also have the opportunity for practical application here at my fingertips. While I need to wrap up for now and head to the gym, I am going to frame a couple goals for heading on to the Wiggling section:
*Define my philosophy on preservation/conservation.
*Differentiate between preservation/conservation/restoration and assess which best fits my needs and philosophy
*Critically evaluate the articles and resources I have printed here
*Begin thinking about the product that I will develop with this information
I took a step forward in the US= Militaria Forum resource yesterday and posted in the Preservation section inquiring if any of the collectors could direct me toward articles and sources. I received a great suggestion to try the Smithsonian website. I spent part of my afternoon on there, and, while there are a few articles, they are specific and concern topics that are not relative to my topic (albeit interesting, such as Mayan art and antique furniture). I did find a couple long PowerPoints on climate control in a museum area. There are a lot of graphs, charts and other visual aids that reveal the scientific side to preserving history. One particular presentation provided me very good information on ideal temperature and humidity levels for a museum or storage area. 70F +/- 4F is the ideal temperature range, and relative humidity is recommended to be at 45 +/-8%. Good to know!
I also continued with Google searching. I recalled an website I visited last semester on the topic of collecting Mosin Nagant rifles (Russian/Soviet origin, used 1891-post WWII). These old bolt-action rifles are common and collectible; I purchased my two in 2006 for ~$60 ea.; the 91/30 is dated 1914 and my m38 is from 1942. I was able to located this website again and found that there is a great section on general firearms/collection preservation. It includes letters/advice from many British museum curators on conservation and ethics of the field. I am still reading it, and it then applies the firearms field to a broader range of antiquities.
I am feeling that with these articles, online sources, and forum resources I have a pretty good grasp on the information available and the variance of practices and ethics. With my own collection at hand, I also have the opportunity for practical application here at my fingertips. While I need to wrap up for now and head to the gym, I am going to frame a couple goals for heading on to the Wiggling section:
*Define my philosophy on preservation/conservation.
*Differentiate between preservation/conservation/restoration and assess which best fits my needs and philosophy
*Critically evaluate the articles and resources I have printed here
*Begin thinking about the product that I will develop with this information
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Webbing Part II
I am continuing my search for information. As I read through the militaria forums, I constantly find myself reading posts and marveling at others' collections as well as noting the many differences in how collectors stow and display their items. Many of them have better collections than many museums I have been to! The best part about reading on the forums is that the information is 1.) up to date, 2.) collaborations--views/methods are presented, tested, analyzed, tested, and replicated for reputable and measurable results, and 3.) the topic is military artifacts, not generally antiques or collectibles that can encompass anything from pocket watches to roll-top desks. While most collectors agree on a set of basic commandments for preservation, artifacts come in all stages of disintegration (from ground-dug to carefully preserved) and require a range of treatments.
The requirements for treatments vary according to a collector's standards. Some wish to return every object to the state in which it was issued/used (like new...such as cleaning cloth, scrubbing away old rust, buffing patina), while others wish to display articles "as found" or with the wear present to testify that the items have "been there." For instance, some collectors apply Pecard's or Saddle Soap to leather items such as helmet liners to keep them from drying out and falling apart--any treatment causes the leather to darken, thus changing the originality of the helmet. Some consider this preservation, while others may place lesser value on a "messed with" item. It appears a delicate balance between conservation and treatment.
I have felt most comfortable on the US Militaria Forum, which has scores of active members and that atmosphere is cordial. Anyone can read their posts (guest can browse free, unlike most forums), and I feel that beginners can ask questions with confidence to tap into the expertise of lifelong and wizened collectors all over the world (literally). The Preservation sub-forum sees updates frequently and has several topics pinned. I was led to a pasted article from the Kent State Museum, which I Googled and found the link. It contains tips on handling, stabilizing, and storing artifacts.
At this point, I have decided to return to my original questions to see if I can narrow down my research:
* What is the best method of display or storage to protect against these elements?
Storage and display are both important and I feel I can adequately address them. Protection against "the elements" is a common need of both displayed and stored items. I need to identify which elements I am going to protect against.
* Do I need climate control assets? What climates are the most destructive?
This can be combined with the question above. I am going to try and find out the best range of climates (temperature, light, humidity) for items to be stored and displayed at. With this information, I should then measure the current climates and determine if changes need to be made.
* Should items be cleaned or treated, and how would this affect their longevity and value?
The immediate answer is that it varies from collector to collector. Each has his/her preferences for collecting mint, worn, or relic items. In a market where values are determined by scarcity and how much others are willing to pay, the latter factor is variable from collector to collector. Thus, I am not going to answer the second part of this question.
* Why is collection documentation important, and how can it be used practically?
I think that documentation is important in charting deterioration. This is the best relation to my topic I can make with this question, but it will not be my primary focus.
* How can I best share my findings to educate other collectors?
This will address the "Waving" part!
* What can be feasibly accomplished on a small budget?
Ooooooh yes. Once I have the information I am seeking, I can begin to assess what, if any, changes need to be made to my collection at present. Then I can identify budget-friendly ways to go about preserving my items.
The requirements for treatments vary according to a collector's standards. Some wish to return every object to the state in which it was issued/used (like new...such as cleaning cloth, scrubbing away old rust, buffing patina), while others wish to display articles "as found" or with the wear present to testify that the items have "been there." For instance, some collectors apply Pecard's or Saddle Soap to leather items such as helmet liners to keep them from drying out and falling apart--any treatment causes the leather to darken, thus changing the originality of the helmet. Some consider this preservation, while others may place lesser value on a "messed with" item. It appears a delicate balance between conservation and treatment.
I have felt most comfortable on the US Militaria Forum, which has scores of active members and that atmosphere is cordial. Anyone can read their posts (guest can browse free, unlike most forums), and I feel that beginners can ask questions with confidence to tap into the expertise of lifelong and wizened collectors all over the world (literally). The Preservation sub-forum sees updates frequently and has several topics pinned. I was led to a pasted article from the Kent State Museum, which I Googled and found the link. It contains tips on handling, stabilizing, and storing artifacts.
At this point, I have decided to return to my original questions to see if I can narrow down my research:
* What is the best method of display or storage to protect against these elements?
Storage and display are both important and I feel I can adequately address them. Protection against "the elements" is a common need of both displayed and stored items. I need to identify which elements I am going to protect against.
* Do I need climate control assets? What climates are the most destructive?
This can be combined with the question above. I am going to try and find out the best range of climates (temperature, light, humidity) for items to be stored and displayed at. With this information, I should then measure the current climates and determine if changes need to be made.
* Should items be cleaned or treated, and how would this affect their longevity and value?
The immediate answer is that it varies from collector to collector. Each has his/her preferences for collecting mint, worn, or relic items. In a market where values are determined by scarcity and how much others are willing to pay, the latter factor is variable from collector to collector. Thus, I am not going to answer the second part of this question.
* Why is collection documentation important, and how can it be used practically?
I think that documentation is important in charting deterioration. This is the best relation to my topic I can make with this question, but it will not be my primary focus.
* How can I best share my findings to educate other collectors?
This will address the "Waving" part!
* What can be feasibly accomplished on a small budget?
Ooooooh yes. Once I have the information I am seeking, I can begin to assess what, if any, changes need to be made to my collection at present. Then I can identify budget-friendly ways to go about preserving my items.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Webbing Part I
I am beginning to think of where I might acquire credible information to answer my questions. I have been noticing several trends in the last couple years as far as popular media is impacting the antique collecting field--television programming such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers has led to increased interest in WWII collectibles, and shows such as Pawn Stars and American Pickers on the History Channel have stirred interest in the antiques market. Google searches for information on preserving antiques reveals a field of personal and professional practices just as varied as the antiques themselves. To me, this variance and preserving a piece of history is what drives my interest, not the dollar signs underscoring the History Channel programming. But I digress.
Google returned a wide variety of tips on preserving antiques (which I broadly searched for initially). Many auction house/consignment firms offer tips, and private collector websites also do in their quest for sales. Firearms sales and collection websites also offer some tips. While museums themselves seldom have online information to showcase their practices, I have begun to locate a couple of sources mentioned in college museum program sites.
The first article I ran across is a 1993 article by the National Park Service on preserving museum collections. (review to follow soon) I then encountered one from the National WWII Museum that I found interesting. (review coming soon also).
I participate on several military antique collecting forums: Militaria Collecting Forum, US Militaria Forum, and Wehrmacht Awards Forum. These each have preservation sections that members contribute ideas and practices for preserving their collections. These are very interesting to read and vary greatly in the practices members recommend. I am seeking articles or links to journals or museum sites to begin with, before I delve into the process of analyzing individual collectors' tips.
That's all for tonight! More webbing soon.
Google returned a wide variety of tips on preserving antiques (which I broadly searched for initially). Many auction house/consignment firms offer tips, and private collector websites also do in their quest for sales. Firearms sales and collection websites also offer some tips. While museums themselves seldom have online information to showcase their practices, I have begun to locate a couple of sources mentioned in college museum program sites.
The first article I ran across is a 1993 article by the National Park Service on preserving museum collections. (review to follow soon) I then encountered one from the National WWII Museum that I found interesting. (review coming soon also).
I participate on several military antique collecting forums: Militaria Collecting Forum, US Militaria Forum, and Wehrmacht Awards Forum. These each have preservation sections that members contribute ideas and practices for preserving their collections. These are very interesting to read and vary greatly in the practices members recommend. I am seeking articles or links to journals or museum sites to begin with, before I delve into the process of analyzing individual collectors' tips.
That's all for tonight! More webbing soon.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wondering
I am beginning to wonder how to focus my research. My topic is preserving historical artifacts, and I am surveying the collection I have here to identify needs are areas for improvement.
Here are the materials: leather, paper, cloth (cotton, canvas, wool), rubber, plastic/Bakelite, wood, steel.
Known enemies: dust, sunlight, water/humidity, mold/mildew, rust, dry air, other objects
In making this list, it seems like just about any environment can post risks to preserving artifacts. I have begun developing a few questions to probe.
* What is the best method of display or storage to protect against these elements?
* Do I need climate control assets? What climates are the most destructive?
* Should items be cleaned or treated, and how would this affect their longevity and value?
* Why is collection documentation important, and how can it be used practically?
* How can I best share my findings to educate other collectors?
* What can be feasibly accomplished on a small budget?
Here are the materials: leather, paper, cloth (cotton, canvas, wool), rubber, plastic/Bakelite, wood, steel.
Known enemies: dust, sunlight, water/humidity, mold/mildew, rust, dry air, other objects
In making this list, it seems like just about any environment can post risks to preserving artifacts. I have begun developing a few questions to probe.
* What is the best method of display or storage to protect against these elements?
* Do I need climate control assets? What climates are the most destructive?
* Should items be cleaned or treated, and how would this affect their longevity and value?
* Why is collection documentation important, and how can it be used practically?
* How can I best share my findings to educate other collectors?
* What can be feasibly accomplished on a small budget?
Monday, January 25, 2010
Watching & Wavering
It's been a long day, but I am excited to return to narrowing down the search for a topic. I have been considering the merits of each of the topics and begun to rule out a couple.
Family genealogy: This is very specific research into my family's history. There is some compilation in spiral bound collections in the family, along with an assortment of photographs and old documents--unfortunately this is all back in Washington state and scattered among the many relatives on my mother's side of the family. Time for collection and analysis would exceed the time I have for this project. I have to rule this one out.
Preservation of historical artifacts: This one may actually have merit. I have a small collection of artifacts here in my apartment, and need to read up and learn some good practices for preserving, cataloging, and displaying them to avoid damage. There is a wealth of information by fellow collectors on the forums I have joined, which hopefully will be helpful in directing me toward articles and sources. I'll keep this one in mind.
Travel tips for the first-time traveler: This would be a fun one. I would be able to use guide books and my own experiences to draft a list of travel tips. This is a broad topic that may be heavily influenced by my own experience. I have a travel-oriented blog already; will this be a challenge? I will consider it.
Learning the basics of a foreign language: This could be fun also. I enjoy learning conversational basics--mostly for the aid of traveling. I would need to narrow down to a specific language, and then to the parts of speech that are important to know. I don't particularly enjoy these mechanics and find that what people need to know and want to know can vary by their learning style and the experience they are seeking. I think I am going to discard this one.
Veterans' stories/histories collection: This is a project I would really like to work on someday, and that's why it made the list. It would be a great project to work on with a Social Studies class with access to a VA hospital. I would enjoy working on methods to transcribe stories and experiences, pair them with background/parallel history, and present them electronically archived for research. This undertaking seems too large for this project and I do not have access to a group of students or veterans to begin.
Running health topics: I do not currently subscribe to magazines, running articles and forums online would provide a great deal of information. And how have I been able to stay healthy and run for 14 months straight? I could certainly weave a lot of my own practice and experiences into this topic. I think that I would be approaching a field of study much too broad and variable.
History through popular movies: I love this one. When I was in high school and college, teachers and professors would use films to help illustrate events. They would point out (or I noticed) anachronisms and inaccuracies. Which movies are best for depicting history as it happened? What artistic license was taken to make the movie profitable or interesting? I would need to narrow to a genre or specific time period, and then select movies from my own knowledge or recommended by others. This can be very tedious in order to gain 1-2 minutes of footage from several motion pictures for analysis. I think this one will need to wait.
American propaganda in wartime: This was a favorite topic of several of my peers and I while in college. A recent purchase of a few WWII-era Life magazines at the local used book store and the time I've spent reading the ads and articles have led me to photograph many ads and share them electronically. I am not sure what question I would come up with on this topic, but I would like to share with others how the US created just as much propaganda to influence opinion as the Axis powers did. I think I will discard this topic, as I think I have selected one from the list at this point.
I have selected my topic: preservation of historical artifacts. I am going to use my collection as the sample group for research. I feel that I am the steward of these artifacts and that it is my responsibility to preserve them for others to learn from and enjoy well into the future. I will look into best practices for different types of material, and prepare for my upcoming move by researching storage/transportation methods for optimal protection. Finally, I intend to research cataloging methods and ways to electronically archive and share this information. I am thinking at this point that I will produce a brochure, wiki, blog or website to document my research and provide this information to others.
Family genealogy: This is very specific research into my family's history. There is some compilation in spiral bound collections in the family, along with an assortment of photographs and old documents--unfortunately this is all back in Washington state and scattered among the many relatives on my mother's side of the family. Time for collection and analysis would exceed the time I have for this project. I have to rule this one out.
Preservation of historical artifacts: This one may actually have merit. I have a small collection of artifacts here in my apartment, and need to read up and learn some good practices for preserving, cataloging, and displaying them to avoid damage. There is a wealth of information by fellow collectors on the forums I have joined, which hopefully will be helpful in directing me toward articles and sources. I'll keep this one in mind.
Travel tips for the first-time traveler: This would be a fun one. I would be able to use guide books and my own experiences to draft a list of travel tips. This is a broad topic that may be heavily influenced by my own experience. I have a travel-oriented blog already; will this be a challenge? I will consider it.
Learning the basics of a foreign language: This could be fun also. I enjoy learning conversational basics--mostly for the aid of traveling. I would need to narrow down to a specific language, and then to the parts of speech that are important to know. I don't particularly enjoy these mechanics and find that what people need to know and want to know can vary by their learning style and the experience they are seeking. I think I am going to discard this one.
Veterans' stories/histories collection: This is a project I would really like to work on someday, and that's why it made the list. It would be a great project to work on with a Social Studies class with access to a VA hospital. I would enjoy working on methods to transcribe stories and experiences, pair them with background/parallel history, and present them electronically archived for research. This undertaking seems too large for this project and I do not have access to a group of students or veterans to begin.
Running health topics: I do not currently subscribe to magazines, running articles and forums online would provide a great deal of information. And how have I been able to stay healthy and run for 14 months straight? I could certainly weave a lot of my own practice and experiences into this topic. I think that I would be approaching a field of study much too broad and variable.
History through popular movies: I love this one. When I was in high school and college, teachers and professors would use films to help illustrate events. They would point out (or I noticed) anachronisms and inaccuracies. Which movies are best for depicting history as it happened? What artistic license was taken to make the movie profitable or interesting? I would need to narrow to a genre or specific time period, and then select movies from my own knowledge or recommended by others. This can be very tedious in order to gain 1-2 minutes of footage from several motion pictures for analysis. I think this one will need to wait.
American propaganda in wartime: This was a favorite topic of several of my peers and I while in college. A recent purchase of a few WWII-era Life magazines at the local used book store and the time I've spent reading the ads and articles have led me to photograph many ads and share them electronically. I am not sure what question I would come up with on this topic, but I would like to share with others how the US created just as much propaganda to influence opinion as the Axis powers did. I think I will discard this topic, as I think I have selected one from the list at this point.
I have selected my topic: preservation of historical artifacts. I am going to use my collection as the sample group for research. I feel that I am the steward of these artifacts and that it is my responsibility to preserve them for others to learn from and enjoy well into the future. I will look into best practices for different types of material, and prepare for my upcoming move by researching storage/transportation methods for optimal protection. Finally, I intend to research cataloging methods and ways to electronically archive and share this information. I am thinking at this point that I will produce a brochure, wiki, blog or website to document my research and provide this information to others.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Watching
So begins the first stage: Watching. In this stage, I am going to put down in this blog the thoughts I have been collecting this last week to try to select one as a topic. This is a "ragged" (not fully developed, intended to stimulate further discussion) list.
-Family genealogy
-Preservation of historical artifacts
-Travel tips for the first-time traveler
-Learning the basics of a foreign language
-Veterans' stories/histories collection
-Running health topics
-History through popular movies
-American propaganda in wartime
This is the first run of brainstorming. All of these topics are interesting and hold potential for research; yet keeping the big picture in mind of creating a project and knowing what resources I have here in Mankato, I do feel somewhat limited.
-Family genealogy
-Preservation of historical artifacts
-Travel tips for the first-time traveler
-Learning the basics of a foreign language
-Veterans' stories/histories collection
-Running health topics
-History through popular movies
-American propaganda in wartime
This is the first run of brainstorming. All of these topics are interesting and hold potential for research; yet keeping the big picture in mind of creating a project and knowing what resources I have here in Mankato, I do feel somewhat limited.
Inquiry Lesson: A Launching Point
This blog is dedicated to an Inquiry Lesson for KSP643. This assignment looks, at first glance, to be both fun and educational. It is my practice to make assignments as meaningful or pertinent to my interest as possible, so I am excited to embark on this journey. The only hitch: I have a lot of directions I would like to go!
I have strong interests in history topics and traveling. Perhaps the range of topic yielded as I strive for cohesive thoughts will produce a topic that is: 1.) interesting; 2.) challenging; 3.) reasonable; and 4.) holds research potential- plenty of room for questions and resources to answer them!
I have strong interests in history topics and traveling. Perhaps the range of topic yielded as I strive for cohesive thoughts will produce a topic that is: 1.) interesting; 2.) challenging; 3.) reasonable; and 4.) holds research potential- plenty of room for questions and resources to answer them!
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