REPORT or NATIOJN'AL MUSEUM, 1922. 127 



WOBK OF PRESERVING AND INSTALLING THE COLLECTIONS PRESENT CONDITION OF THE 



COLLECTIONS. 



During the past fiscal year every branch of the historical collec- 

 tions has received attention in connection with the work of preserv- 

 ing and installing the materials concerned. This has been rendered 

 possible by the lull in the amount of material received during the 

 past year as compared with that received in previous years in con- 

 nection with the AVorld War and, in the case of the philatelic ma- 

 terial, by the appointment of a successor to Joseph B. Leavy, de- 

 ceased, whose position as philatelist in the Museum was vacant from 

 the time of his death, July 25, 1921, to Januai-y 3, 1922, when his 

 successor, Mrs. Catherine L. Manning, was appointed. In every case 

 the principal aim of the work in this connection has been to render 

 the exhibition series more homogeneous in character, to reduce over- 

 crowding, to improve appearances from the artistic point of view, 

 and to protect the storage series from the incursion of moths and 

 other destructive insects. 



The most notable work in this connection as regards the anti- 

 (juarian collections has been the installation of the John B. Copp 

 collection of New England antiquities in a large wall case, three 

 slope-top cases, and two floor cases on the west end of the west 

 gallery of the Arts and Industries Building. The materials in this 

 collection, Mdiich includes costumes, textiles, household ware, pictorial 

 and printed material, have been classified and exhibited by classes 

 in such a manner as to show the character of the exhibit as a whole 

 at a glance, and also to render the individual portions of the collec- 

 tion available for close inspection and study. This is one of the 

 most complete and interesting collections of the kind in existence, 

 and the present arrangement is the most satisfactory one devised 

 for its exhibition since its presentation to the Museum in 1894. 

 Other portions of the antiquarian collections have been reinstalled, 

 and special attention has been devoted to the cleaning of this class 

 of material. 



Many of tlie biographical collections have been completely rein- 

 stalled, and all have been thoroughly cleaned and renovated. Of 

 special interest in this connection has been the installation in a 

 single case of the relics of Capt. Edward Trenchard, United States 

 Navy (1784-1824), and Eear Admiral Stephen Decatur Trenchard 

 (1818-1883). The David Edward Hughes collection of decora- 

 tions and medals have been given a special installation, and other 

 biographical collections have been suitably installed. 



The overcrowded condition of the costumes hall has precluded 

 a complete rearrangement of this hall, which is very much needed. 

 This is particularly true in connection with the textiles and dresses 

 installed in the wall cases, nearlv all of which are verv much over- 



