Collections

"Rusty" was made specifically for the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History. He has now become the museum's mascot.

From: University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Materials: Cow Tails

Size: 9 feet tall

Image Copyright: https://www.facebook.com/rustythegiantsloth/photos/a.136479503063213/545665002144659

Agent of Deterioration: Incorrect Temperature

This could cause the artifact to become brittle if kept at a low temperature for too long.

Crocheted butterflies were made into a mobile. The crochet pattern for the butterflies was from Happily Hooked Magazine. The rest of the mobile was designed and made by Meghan Schilla.

From: Meghan Schilla's Collection

Materials: Acrylic Yarn, Plastic Beads, Wooden Hoop, Nylon Elastic Cord

Size: 22 1/2 inches long with a 7 inch diameter

Image Copyright: Photo taken by Meghan Schilla

Agent of Deterioration: Fire

Fire could cause smoke damage, the beads to melt, and the other materials to be scorched or burned completely.

This artifact is also known as "The Purple Sapphire". It is thought to be highly cursed, supposedly causing bad fortunes and sometimes even the death of previous owners.

From: London Natural History Museum

Materials: Amethyst, Silver, Amethystine Quartz

Size: The amethyst is 3.5 cm by 2.5 cm. The dimensions of the amulet as a whole were not found.

Image Copyright: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/behind-the-scenes/2013/11/21/specimen-of-the-month-1-the-cursed-amethyst.html

Agent of Deterioration: Thieves, Vandals, Displacers.

A preventative measure taken to mitigate this agent of deterioration is that it is kept in the vault room, which is restricted from the general public. It is also placed behind glass within the vault room display providing additional protection.

This artifact was found in the cultural collections storage. This statuette originated in Angola, Africa. The bowl on top of the head contains some sort of residue, possibly organic.

From: University of Iowa Museum of Natural History Collections Storage

Materials: Wood, Unknown Dark Wood Stain

Size: 11.9 cm tall by 4.5 cm at it's widest point

Image Copyright: Photo taken from the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History records.

Agent of Deterioration: Pests

There are currently tiny holes in the wood randomly spaced across the entire statuette. It is believed they were caused by bugs in a previous state of collections storage.

It was possibly used as ornamentation in a rolled state. The artifact was likely not meant to be unrolled. These scrolls are the oldest copies of biblical text known today and are 500 years older than The Dead Sea Scrolls. The inscription found inside the rolled scrolls has been identified as as a version of the scripture 6:24-26 "The Lord bless and protect you. The Lord deal kindly and graciously with you. The Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace."

From: Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Materials: Silver

Size: Rolled - 1 inch tall with a diameter of 4 inches; Unrolled - 3.8 inch tall by 1 inch wide

Image Copyright: Museum Secrets TV Show - Season 3 Episode 2

Agent of Deterioration: Direct Physical Forces

This piece was originally found as a wound scroll. The museum decided to use glue to loosen the end and carefully unroll it using tools. However the physical force of opening it created multiple cracks in the scroll.

This specimen was shot by Carl Akeley on the plains of Abyssinia and then mounted by him. Carl Akeley was a famous hunter, naturalist, sculptor, writer, inventor, and the father of modern taxidermy. This giant specimen of a Grevy's Zebra was acquired by the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History from The Field Museum in 1930. Carl Akeley worked at The Field Museum in Chicago as the Chief Taxidermist from 1896-1909.

From: University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Materials: Zebra Skin, Iron Rod, Plaster Form, Wood Raffia

Size: 78 inches tall (75 inches tall without base) by 96 inches wide

Image Copyright: Taken from the catalogue of the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Agent of Deterioration: Contaminants

This could cause color changes and disintegration of the artifact.

This watercolor painting depicts a pair of lungs with flowers growing inside. This was bought as a sign of hope for healing by an asthmatic at an art fair.

From: Meghan Schilla's Collection

Materials: Parchment, Water Color Paints

Size: 14 1/2 inches tall by 12 inches wide

Image Copyright: Photo taken by Meghan Schilla

Agent of Deterioration: Custodial Neglect

There are currently two tears in the parchment around the edges of the painting as well as some wrinkling. This is due to improper handling and storage.

This was often referred to as La Malinche. It was previously believed to have been worn by Malinche who was used as an interpretor, advisor and intermediary with indigenous tribes while enslaved by Hernan Cortez. He later made her his consort and she gave birth to his first son. This Huipil looks like ones in depictions of Malinche in the Lienzo de Tlaxcala and the Florentine Codex. However, it definitely couldn't have belonged to Malinche as it has a carbon 14 result dating it to the 18th century and Malinche lived from c. 1500 - c. 1529.

From: National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico

Materials: Cotton, Feathers

Size: Unknown

Image Copyright: https://www.museumsecrets.tv/dossier.php?o=143

Agent of Deterioration: Water

This could cause mold in the organic material and could cause shrinkage of this tightly woven textile.

This was considered the first substantial book printed in Europe. Johannes Gutenberg originally printed approximately 175 copies during the early 1450s. Only 48 of those copies survived to this day, including 12 printed on prepared animal skin known as vellum. This Bible is one of those 12 vellum copies. The Bible was printed as 2 volumes and The Huntington Library is one of only a few institutions with a copy of both volumes. The large size of this book suggests it was made for institutional use rather than personal use and would most likely have belonged to a wealthy monastery or church.

From: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Materials: Vellum; Ink - Cooked Linseed Oil colored with Lamp Black, Copper and Lead added to the ink in unusually high amounts; Binding - Calf Skin, Wooden Boards, Metal Hardware which historically would be brass but in this particular copy is a modern metal replacement

Size: Leaf Dimensions - 415mm by 310 mm

Image Copyright: https://www.huntington.org/gutenberg-bible

Agent of Deterioration: Incorrect Relative Humidity

Could cause warping of the cover and binding.

All manuscripts at this are The Huntington Library kept in the high 60s F for temperature and about 50% RH. This keeps the vellum and inks in proper condition. Although vellum naturally expands and contracts, it sometimes causes the paint layers to crack and separate. With storage conditions as stated above, and barring molestation by animals, including humans, this Gutenberg Bible should last a very long time.

Due to the delicate state of a historically important book such as this one, it is never loaned out. It must be kept steady at the temperature and RH described above and moving it is dangerous.

Painted by Kazemir Malevich

This painting captured its creator's concept of "the zero of form", the beginning and end of everything. Kazemir Malevich wrote this about his work: "The Square is not a subconscious shape. It is the creation of intuitive reason. The face of the new art! The Square is alive, a royal infant. The first step of pure creativity in art."

From: The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Materials: Oil Paint, Canvas

Size: 53.5 inches by 53.5 inches

Image Copyright: https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+paintings/31764

Agent of Deterioration: Light

At one time the painting was stolen from the museum or "Confiscated" by the Soviet government because it was thought to be a protest against their regime. It was then kept in an archive for the soviets and was classed as "lowliest of states treasures". It was not well maintained and currently the painting is cracked scuffed and discolored as a result . The discoloration could be related to improper lighting exposure.