This month’s collections stewardship activities saw a number of big impact changes: after over 20 years, the return of garden sculpture from off-site storage; coordinated movement of big and heavy objects; a peek at Rosenbach objects on loan to a nearby institution; and a new member of the Collections Staff.
The Rosenbach’s garden statues are returning just in time for the summer! Details on the objects will be available for visitors once all objects have been installed in the upcoming weeks.
Judy Guston, Curator and Senior Director of Collections, and sculpture conservators discuss the day’s installation strategy.
A gantry being used to move a very heavy (faux) sarcophagus.
Collections staff moved a wall sconce piece-by-piece, painting, bureau, argand lamp, and cellarette before contractors removed flaking paint and made repairs to the plaster in the dining room.
Judy, Registrar and Associate Director of Collections Jobi Zink, and Director of Outreach and Engagement Alex Ames move a crystal and bronze argand lamp (2005.0024.001) to protect collections during plaster repair work.
Coordinator of Public Programs Isabel Steven, pitched in with collections stewardship work, but first, she and David Rhys Owen, our new Collections Stewardship Assistant, hand-carried the bulky ladder downstairs while our elevator was out of service!
All hands on deck to get the dining room reassembled after plaster work. Even Director Kelsey Bates gets in on the action!
Collections staff reinstalled everything in the corner of the dining room after plaster work was completed, and then removed the dining room table and all of the chairs from the space to accommodate seating during the 2023 Rosenbacchanal.
To protect our historic objects the parlor furniture was turned parallel and condensed to make space for the temporary housing of the dining room and hallway furniture for the Rosenbacchanal.
Yes, you are seeing double! One of the Rosenbach’s two paintings of Michael Gratz (1954.1939) is on loan to the Museum of the American Revolution, along with one of his three pocket almanacs. The other portrait (2008.0004) can be seen in the previous photo above the fireplace in the parlor.
Jobi picked up one of the almanacs for program use at the Rosenbach and exchanged it for this one (A 761m).
Michael Gratz’s 1777 almanac is of particular interest because it is inscribed with a detailed calendar—in Hebrew— of annual Jewish Sabbaths, Torah readings, and holidays.
Last but not least, join us in welcoming the newest member of the Collections Team, David Rhys Owen, the new Collections Stewardship Assistant. Welcome David!