Feature Articles


May Issue 2002

Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC, to Auction Excess North Carolina Pottery

The Mint Museum of the Art's goal of enhancing a collection of historic North Carolina pottery that chronicles three centuries of unbroken pottery production in the state is an ongoing commitment. A recent assessment of the Mint's collection revealed the lack of particular types of objects from certain potteries, while underscoring excesses in other areas. A number of excess pieces from the collection have been identified for deaccessioning (the removal of an object from the permanent collection). This body of objects to be deaccessioned comprises duplicate objects or works by makers represented by better examples in the collection. All deaccessioned items from the museum's collection will be sold - according to museum policy - at public auction, with the proceeds restricted to the Acquisitions Fund. Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd. of Hillsborough, NC, will conduct the sale on June 8, 2002. For auction information, call 919/644-1243. A complete listing and images of pottery to be auctioned will be on the auctioneer's website after the second week of May at (www.LLauctions.com).

The assessment began over ten years ago with former Mint Director Milton Bloch and noted North Carolina pottery collectors Daisy Wade Bridges and Stuart Schwartz who together surveyed the collection with then curator Sheila Tabakoff. The process continued under curator Jai Jordan followed by the museum's current curator of decorative arts, Dr. Barbara Perry. This complex process engaged the opinions of several top collectors of North Carolina pottery with ongoing participation from Daisy Wade Bridges and pottery expert Richard McHenry. In total, approximately 1,100 items have been selected to be deaccessioned from a total of over 3,000 objects in the collection.

"Deaccessioning is always a very serious and sensitive decision." said Perry. "In this instance, the collection had numerous redundancies that would likely languish in storage and rarely, if ever, be exhibited. With deaccessioning, the selected pottery items will be returned to the public domain with the intention that others may own and enjoy them."

The assessment process was conducted following guidelines in the museum s Collection Management Policy and with careful attention to the mandates of the American Association of Museums. The objects were objectively evaluated by the curator(s) and other pottery experts. The recommendations for deaccessioning were then brought before the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, which holds final approval over these and other such collection proceedings.

Any future purchases made from funds garnered by the sale of the pottery will carry forth the names of original donors whose gifts help generate these monies. Proceeds from the sale must be used for the acquisition of works of art, in accordance with the stipulations of the American Association of Museums, and cannot be used for operating expenses.

This assessment was critical in the museum's decision to publish a book of its North Carolina pottery collection. The publication will trace the history of North Carolina pottery and present this history to the public in a scholarly and elegantly illustrated book, certain to become a valuable reference for collectors, curators, dealers, scholars and those interested in local cultural history and its context within the nation's pottery history. A National Endowment for the Arts grant is helping fund the publication.

For information call 704/337-2000 or check the web at (www.mintmuseum.org).

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