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COMMUNITY
ON THE JOB
POSITION: Associate registrar, on staff ASSIGNMENT: Accession a dor-srmn
When the exhibition Recent Acquisitions in Louisiana Art, 2010-2014 debuts this January, it will feature a silver tilting water service manufactured by Meriden Britannia Company. The set was offered for donation in the spring by Collection enthusiasts John and Polly Hernandez. John Hernandez inherited the service from his grandparents, Adima and Laura Blanchard, who received it as a wedding gift in 1898. The water service includes a porcelain-lined pitcher inscribed “B /
Jan 26, ’98,” two water goblets with “B” monogram and acanthus design, a drip pan, and a stand. It is called a “tilting” service because the pitcher hangs in the stand. The service was approved by our acquisitions committee and board of directors, clearing the way for the object to be acquired. But before the service could formally join our holdings at The Collection, it had to complete its journey from the Hernandezes’ private collection, in Baton Rouge, to our institutional one.
Every year THNOC accepts thousands of items into its ever-growing permanent collection. As one of the associate registrars on staff, my job entails accessioning and processing the curatorial items donated or purchased into our holdings.
In 2013 The Collection received 133 curatorial donations or purchases comprising over 6,000 items, many of which I had a hand in processing. Curatorial
objects—defined as painc mgv prints, drawings, and thrp'-diesi* objects, such as furniture, sihrer. ceramics—make up one of the divisions of our holdings, the other i being manuscripts and library items. Thr Collection’s curators propose items to accession to the acquisitions commitu. in a monthly report, including a summary of why these works are historically or artistically important. In the case of the water service, our curators were interested in its legacy as a wedding gift, because it represents the union of two important Louisiana families, the Blanchards and the Truxillos, both of whom owned several plantations in Assumption Parish. In addition, the Connecticut-based Meriden Britannia Company was a major producer of silver-plated wares throughout the 19th century.
Once an acquisition is approved, accessioning it begins with physically acquiring the piece and then transferring legal title, or formal ownership, to the museum. Since the Hernandezes were unable to bring the service to New Orleans, we used our climate-controlled van to safely transport the service to The Collection. I accompanied our new curator of decorative arts, Lydia Blackmore, and preparator Kara B. LeBeouf on the trip. The Hernandezes were very gracious in opening their home and showing off many of their other antiques, including fine pieces of furniture and
Silver tilting water service with two goblets
1898; silver plate and porcelain by Meriden Britannia Company. si'/e'5~ gift of John H. and Polly Hernomtt.
14 The Historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly