Still playing with pins...

I have been able to identify SOME of the hat pins, but there are still quite a few without numbers.

This was my plan of attack.

First, I did a search in the database for hat pins and printed it out. Then I separated the pins that were numbered from the unknown pins and checked off the numbers on my list.

Then I went back through the list, reading the descriptions and comparing them to the pins that were left.

I was able to identify several of them, because of their unique design -- fleur de lys, set blue glass stone, four leaf clover, etc.

But now I am down to the non-descript pins and terribly generic database descriptions. There is no way I can identify "seven hat pins," for example, without SOME kind of clue!!

In this case, I will number the remaining hat pins with a "Found in Collection" number. That way they will be entered into the database and will be "findable" in the future for exhibit purposes. If they aren't in the database, it is as if the artifact doesn't exist.

Incidentally, a "Found in Collection" number is made up of three numbers, like all accession numbers. First is the year, second is a ZERO, and third is the next consecutive number available.

So the first FIC hat pin will have the number 2008.0.8, because I have already found 7 things in the collection this year that weren't numbered. The next pin will be 2008.0.9, and so on. IF we are ever able to figure out its real number in the future, we would remove the 2008.0 number and re-tag it with its original number.

For a regular donation, the ZERO would be replaced with a NUMBER. Currently, we are on 2008.26, meaning 26 donors have given something to the museum this year. Each item within the donor's donation is numbered. So the first thing would be 2008.26.1, then 2008.26.2, and so on. We use letters to identify a set of items, like a pair of shoes for example. They would each get the same number, but one shoe would have an "A" at the end and the other a "B."

But back to the hat pin project (now that you are thoroughly confused about the accession numbering system!).

I need to find a better way to label the pins, because many of them are too small to physically number (which is preferred, because the number stays on the artifact). But we are in this mess, I assume, because tags slip right off a straight pin!

One of our volunteers suggested sliding the pin into a small piece of foam core, which won't slide off easily. Then I can number the foam core accordingly. I think I will tackle that today. And of course, since we are now photographing the collection, it will be much easier to identify pins in the future, if the numbers are separated.

Oh, and I think I will tackle more paperwork today too. We have gotten quite a few donations recently, so it is time to send out another batch!