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Tasmanian Wood Design Collection
Conservation Policy October 2003
Purpose
The Conservation Policy states the requirements for maintaining the Collection in good repair, minimising the risk of damage to the pieces, and slowing the rate of natural decomposition of pieces.
Accession of Pieces
Upon accession, an item must be deemed in good repair to be accepted by the Board for accessioning. At the time of accession, any special handling or maintenance requirements for the item should be documented.
Display
Where possible, items should be displayed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment.
Items should be gently dusted with a soft cloth once per week to minimise the risk of dust buildup and consequent abrasions and scratching.
Items on general display should not be handled by the public.
Items on display must be placed so as to minimise the risk of marking or scratching by abrasive surfaces on which they are placed.
Items should not be fixed with adhesive or identified with stick-on labels.
Storage
Items in storage must be wrapped in soft packing, waterproofed, and clearly labelled on the outside of the package.
Items going in to storage must be assessed for any damage.
Items remaining in storage for more than three months must be checked at three-monthly intervals.
Handling
Items should be handled with appropriate care and cotton gloves should be worn by the handlers.
The Curator is to authorise all handling of items in the Collection.
The Curator should be present during handling of items but may delegate this responsibility as appropriate.
Reporting
Any and all damage to any item in the Collection must be reported to the Curator as soon as is feasible.
The Curator should inform the Board of any new damage to items as part of her Board Report. In case of emergency, the Curator may contact the Chairman in the first instance to seek guidance on the wishes of the Board.
Assessment and Documentation
Items should be assessed twice per annum using the attached conservation report. Any areas of damage should be marked on the report and compared with the previous report.
Repair
Upon damage being reported, efforts should be made to contact the original maker of the piece for personal assessment by the maker.
The Curator and the Board may be guided by the expert opinion of the maker as to the steps required to repair the item.
Cost
Any costs greater than $500 arising from repair and maintenance of items should be approved by the Board.
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