CPASpring2023_InterimReportHN.pdf1
To: Northampton Community Preservation Committee
From: Kelsy Sinelnikov, Collections Manager, Historic Northampton
Date: September 13, 2023
Re: Preservation Assessment of the Clothing, Textiles, and Furniture Collections.
In the Spring of 2023, Historic Northampton was
awarded a Community Preservation Grant for a
preservation assessment of the clothing, textiles,
and furniture in the collections. After receiving the
grant, Historic Northampton staff, interns,
volunteers, and consultants quickly began work on
the project. Project Assistant, Schuyler Forhaltz-
Burbank was hired in June and historic clothing
specialist Lynne Bassett, and historic collections
specialist Richard Malley, were brought on as
consultants. Since beginning the project, hundreds
of objects have been examined, cleaned,
photographed,
conditions assessed and documented, and improvements
made to their storage. All of these steps have been very
important in improvement of the collections items long
term preservation.
Under the direction of the project consultants and the
Collections Manager, Schuyler Forhaltz-Burbank began by
leading the cleaning, documentation, and initial condition
assessment of over 300 items in the furniture collection.
The information Schuyler gathered will be used by
consultant Richard Malley to review the collection and
begin his more detailed assessment of the furniture and
their conditions later this year. Since July, Schuyler,
working closely with Lynne Bassett, has cleaned clothing
and spaces, improved collections housing, photographed clothing, and updated
documentation.
Lynne Bassett examines a silk
dress created in the 1880s
Project Assistant, Schuyler Fohrhaltz-
Burbank examines an image of a label on
the underside of a chair being cleaned and
assessed.
2
Since beginning the project in summer 2023, over 300 dresses, hats, and shoes have
been assessed under the direction of historic clothing and textiles consultant, Lynne
Bassett. Dresses, hats, and shoes are having dust carefully removed using a low
suction hepa vacuum, brushes, and screens. Where current resources permit, remedial
conservation steps have been taken such as adding additional supports for aging shoes
and heavy skirts and dresses, replacing acidic identification tags, and adjusting sizing or
adding padded hangers where needed. Where it is not feasible to take the steps at this
time, the needs and priorities for future work are being noted and steps and
conservation priorities recommended by Lynne are being recorded.
Volunteers have been sewing supportive
inserts for historic shoes
1Smith intern, Elizabeth Sacktor, records assessment information while Lynne Bassett examines a shoe and
creates a new support for it with batting and stockinet. Right: Smith student, Lili Dowell, cleans a tall men's
crown hat with a hepa vacuum and brush.
3
The project has brought into more detail some of the wonderful pieces in the collections
and their historical significance both to Northampton and the more general history of
clothing. Consultant Lynne Bassett has been volunteering additional time on the project
creating engaging posts for Historic Northampton’s Facebook page that highlight the
significance and history of some of the pieces that have been assessed. These posts
have been very popular with thousands of people viewing and engaging with them.
They have been a great way to connect more of the public with these objects, their
history, and the project.
Shoes before and after inserts were created
An extra padded support for a long
train was added to a skirt in order to
remove damaging strain on the
waistband and prevent damage from
touching the floor.
Smith student, Lili Dowell,
adjusts a garment bag created
by Lynne Bassett for a
particularly fragile dress.
4
A silk plush hat, c. 1867, belonging to Daniel Russell Clark (1808-1888), a mason and builder in
Northampton. The purple silk lining of the hat is an example of the first synthetic dye, the aniline
"mauveine," discovered by William Henry Perkin in 1856. Few examples of this style of hat are
preserved today as it was an everyday hat and not a special occasion piece. It was recently assessed,
cleaned, and its information recorded during the project. Its history was shared in a Facebook post that
close to 250 people engaged with and thousands viewed.
Even more than anticipated, the project in just the first couple of months has brought
into focus the urgent need for this assessment and for addressing preservation
concerns with the collection. Historic Northampton is grateful for the support of the
community and the Community Preservation Committee for the assessment. We look
forward to continuing to be able to work on improving the long term preservation of the
collection and sharing it with the public.