[NHCOLL-L:4850] RE: Museum Labels for Mammal Mounts

[Dirk Neumann]

The tag should include not only the catalogue number but at least basic 
location/collecting information. When historic mounts of the Zoological 
Institute here in Munich were considered to be out of date for modern 
University education and handed to our museum, the most of the specimens 
still had their catalog numbers. However, there was not catalog ....
The University Collection and the ZSM collection with its valuable 
historic specimens were managed as one collection until 1925 before it 
was separated under Karl von Frisch between the Zoological Institute and 
ZSM. The original catalog was lost in the 1970ies.

By chance we were able to identify single types from this collection, 
because typically details or damages of these specific specimens had 
been published. But this is 4-5 out of several hundred specimens.

The collection information is much more important then any accession or 
catalog number. So it should be a general concern to kept this 
information with the specimen.

Dirk


Am 01.07.2010 18:19, schrieb Judith Chupasko:
> BTW, by "accession number", I actually meant the specimen's actual 
> individual "catalogue number"......sorry if I confused the two types 
> of documentation numbers. :) Judy
>
>
> At 11:51 AM 7/1/2010, you wrote:
>> I agree with Tom Labedz. A museum specimen, whether on exhibit or not 
>> (especially if it belongs to one of the collections), should have a 
>> permanent "label" affixed to the actual animal itself with at least 
>> the accession number written on the label (India ink). Whether it is 
>> a small tag tied around a foot, base of horn or ear (somewhere where 
>> it will NOT slip off), or a number written with India ink on a tooth, 
>> claw, etc.  Also, it is good to teach exhibit staff to NEVER remove a 
>> tag or label......  It is also a good precaution to write the 
>> accession number on the base.  However, over the years, sometimes 
>> specimens are removed from bases (sometimes without the knowledge of 
>> collections staff) and information is lost, i.e. not being 100% sure 
>> which specimen the animal actually is....ok, that's my two cents 
>> after working in an old historic collection for over 21 years! lol Judy
>>
>> At 08:33 AM 7/1/2010, you wrote:
>>> I use regular tags with data on mounts when off exhibit.  Small tags 
>>> with only the catalog number and thread that matches pelage color 
>>> when on exhibit.  The small tag being tucked into the fur 
>>> somewhere.  I'll also write the permanent catalog number somewhere 
>>> obvious on the underside of the mount base.  And, if possible, I'll 
>>> ink the number inconspicuously on the underside of a lip, edge of a 
>>> hoof or claw, on a piece of paper and tucked into an ear.  AND, I'll 
>>> annotate the collection records noting that the mount is on 
>>> exhibit.  Since it may decades and numerous changes of staff before 
>>> that mount comes back to the collections I want it well recorded 
>>> what  is going on and where it is.
>>>
>>> Thomas E. Labedz, Collections Manager
>>> Division of Zoology and Division of Botany
>>> University of Nebraska State Museum
>>> W-436 Nebraska Hall
>>> 900 N. 16th St.
>>> Lincoln, NE  68588-0514
>>> 402/472-8366   fax 402/472-8949
>>> tlabedz1 at unl.edu   www.museum.unl.edu
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu 
>>> [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
>>> On Behalf Of Tina Campbell
>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:16 PM
>>> To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
>>> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4844] Museum Labels for Mammal Mounts
>>>
>>> Hello Everyone,
>>>
>>> How do museums attach labels to their mammal mounts?  Do you have 
>>> tags, a Thank you,Tina
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> Judy Chupasko, Curatorial Associate
>> Department of Mammalogy, Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology
>> 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, Mass 02138
>> 617-495-2469
>> http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Mammals/
>
>
> Judy Chupasko, Curatorial Associate
> Department of Mammalogy, Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology
> 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, Mass 02138
> 617-495-2469
> http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Mammals/
>


-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

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---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

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