[can-talk] Insuring Historical collections

Morning Susan and CAN Chatters,

This is an issue that I am very keen to hear about other peoples experience
of and advice on.

In 2006 I developed a touring exhibition called But that's another story...
with small community museums in North-East Victoria.  To demonstrate best
museum practise (and at all with a disaster in mind) I purchased transit
insurance for the exhibition while being transported and made it a
condition that hiring venues had insurance for the exhibition while it was
on display at their museum.

The insuring values were based on replacement value for exhibition
furniture but the object's value was harder to define.   In cases where it
was deemed reasonable and possible to acquire a replica object the cost of
that was nominated for insurance.  As for those objects that were
irreplaceable a very rough estimate was made of its market value.

On 22nd December 2006 the exhibition was, all but a few objects, completely
destroyed by a devastating fire at the host museum, the Bank of Victoria
Museum managed by Yackandandah and District historical Society.  Most of
the objects that were salvaged where metal objects and required
conservation treatment to clean and repair them so that they could be
returned to the lending museum and again displayed.  Some of the objects
were replaceable, however some where deemed by their local community museum
to be important part of their collections and wanted to restore the object
to its condition before the fire.  In some cases the costs associated with
this for conservation advice, treatment and transport (300km) of the object
to conservators were outside the insured value.

In my opinion, if the object can not be replaced and it is deemed to be
significant insurer it for a value that allows for conservation treatment
(if appropriate).  At this point thought should also be given to the
probability of the types disasters which may occur, fire flood, theft....


Good Luck
Cheers Karlie









Karlie Hawking | Community Museums Project Officer | Grampians Team
Department of Planning and Community Development
Office 3, Level 2 Central Square,


18 Armstrong Street South


PO Box 70 Ballarat, Victoria 3353


__________________________________________________

T: 03 5327 2820 | M: 0437 849 346 | Email | F: 5327 2830 | |
www.dpcd.vic.gov.au





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             "FERREIRA Su"                                                 
             <Su.Ferreira at fesa                                             
             .wa.gov.au>                                                To 
             Sent by:                  <k at preservationaustralia.com.au>,   
             can-talk-bounces@         "Merle Hathaway"                    
             collectionsaustra         <merle.hathaway at hrcc.vic.gov.au>,   
             lia.net                   "CAN Talk"                          
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                                                                        cc 
             17/01/08 01:46 PM                                             
                                                                   Subject 
                                       [can-talk] Insuring Historical      
                                       colelcitons                         
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           




Good morning all, (those of you on the western sea board I guess!!)

I have a question... it is concerned with the complex issue of insuring
historical collections and if so to what level?  Insurance being part of
the overall framework of disaster planning and preparedness I would
gratefully receive anyone's comments or opinions on insurance.

Is it worth insuring something you cannot replace if stolen or destroyed?
Does anyone use the a level of insurance that provides cover for repair and
restoration only?  If the objects survives a disaster, that costs are
covered to clean up and restore.
How do you value an object in financial terms which holds only local
heritage value and provenance.... like horses hooves taken from a fire
brigade horse as a memento post mortem?

Any comments????

Cheers


Susan Ferreira
Curator/Project Manager
FESA Community Hazard Awareness Centre & Museum
Community Development
Fire & Emergency Services Authority of WA


Phone: 9323 9460
Fax: 9323 9495
Mbl: 0409 719 032
email: su.ferreira at fesa.wa.gov.au
www.fesa.wa.gov.au


Street - 25 Murray Street Perth WA
Postal - PO Box P1174 WA 6844


FESA Museum Redevelopment Project - Supporting WA State Sustainability
Strategy: conserving cultural heritage and helping to build sustainable and
resilient communities.



      -----Original Message-----
      From: can-talk-bounces at collectionsaustralia.net
      [mailto:can-talk-bounces at collectionsaustralia.net] On Behalf Of Kay
      Soderlund
      Sent: Thursday, 17 January 2008 8:06 AM
      To: 'Merle Hathaway'; 'CAN Talk'
      Subject: Re: [can-talk] Censorship

      I fully agree with your sentiments Merle. It seems to me that the
      change in format from one discussion list on AMOL to the several
      different lists on CAN has resulted in a marked lessening of any type
      of discussion. A once vibrant and informative list on AMOL has turned
      into a notice board of events and job postings. I can’t remember the
      last interesting discussion that came up on CAN-talk. Perhaps it is
      time to re-consider the format and go back to just one list to deal
      with all communication needs?

      Kay Soderlund
      Preservation Australia


      From: can-talk-bounces at collectionsaustralia.net
      [mailto:can-talk-bounces at collectionsaustralia.net] On Behalf Of Merle
      Hathaway
      Sent: Wednesday, 16 January 2008 12:12 PM
      To: CAN Talk
      Subject: [can-talk] Censorship

      As it is early in the year, and I'm not yet too busy to deal with
      this little irritation, I'll air it now. So could this please go
      through for comment by those CAN talk is supposed to serve - us, the
      subscribers.

      Since Can Talk replaced the AMOL listing I've tried several times to
      make comments, only to be told by the "gatekeeper" that my comments
      were not appropriate or should be elsewhere.

      I've always considered this a forum, especially useful for people
      like me who are isolated from their colleagues and remote from the
      large centres. Over the years I have really enjoyed the camaraderie
      we had. But our little chats and comments have now gone. There's
      little "talk".

      I know we are all busy, and no-one appreciates being bombarded by
      trivia, but really, if the only comments allowed relate to obscure
      pieces of farm machinery, knitted doilies etc, then it becomes too
      dry and discouraging of discussion.

      What do you think?

      regards
      m

      Merle Hathaway
      Director
      Horsham Regional Art Gallery
      80 Wilson Street, Horsham, Victoria 3400, Australia
      (03) 5362 2880 t  (03) 5382 5407 f
      Work mobile: 0447 595455
      www.horshamartgallery.com.au
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