How to Disassemble an Artifact

How to Disassemble an Artifact

Recently, conservator Lisa May worked with the Museum’s Operational Services staff to smoothly disassemble an artifact so it could be moved out of a basement storage area. The artifact is a display case that came from a prominent Winnipeg business, Winnipeg Music Supply, which closed in 1984, at which time the display case was donated to the Manitoba Museum.

It was stored for many years at the Museum’s storage building on Lily St., in a basement room. In 2010, a pipe break and subsequent water infiltration led to the decision to remove all artifacts stored at basement level, due to concerns of a major mould outbreak (See blog post “Lily St. Storage Move”, Sept. 3, 2010). Every other artifact was removed from the basement, but this display case was too big and heavy to take out as it was. Finally, last month it was taken apart; and last week, it was hoisted up onto the main floor of the storage building.

Taking the case apart was no simple operation. Lisa and carpenter Marc Hébert spent considerable time examining the case to see how it was put together. Lisa drew a diagram indicating which areas should be worked on first, noting things to check as they went along.

First of all, the drawers and all separate pieces were removed. Then the interior display surface was removed, and next the marble trim from the bottom. The pieces were all numbered for ease of reassembly. Then the back was taken off, and the case lowered onto its back side. The top was carefully pulled off. After that, the sides came apart quite easily, and finally the two halves were separated from the centre column.

A large display case with drawers along the bottom portion and two large openings on the top.

Display case before beginning disassembly.

The drawer cavities of a large display case with the drawers removed..

The marble trim was labeled for identification.

A large display case with its top being removed from the side posts.

The top, all one piece, was carefully pulled off.

Five individuals standing around the frame of a large display case laying on its side on the ground.

Removing the centre column.

The pieces were lifted to the main level of the building using a hoist, and now sit waiting, with all the other artifacts, for the time when they will be moved into a different storage facility – for this building will be demolished to make way for a much-needed multilevel parkade.

Although a relatively small project, it required careful planning and many hands (and backs!) to accomplish without damaging the artifact. Our Operational Services staff are professional and experienced, but not conservators, so Lisa’s input and guidance was required. Everything went well, and we look forward to the day (coming soon, we think) when this case will be moved into an improved storage environment.

Some Buggy’s Watching Me

One of my favorite photographs is the one of a young chimpanzee reaching out to touch Jane Goodall’s face. This photograph was taken many months after Jane has started quietly and patiently observing the chimpanzees. Eventually her patience paid off and the chimps felt safe enough to make contact. I love the idea of being so close to nature that nature wants to touch you back.

Last month I had a wildlife encounter of the entomological kind. I was in Spruce Woods Provincial Park to observe the insect pollinators of the rare Hairy Prairie Clover (Dalea villosa) plant. Like Jane, I found that that the best way to ensure good observations was to simply sit down, keep still and shut up. Movement, especially sudden ones, and noise frightens the insects away. Fortunately for me it doesn’t take months for insects to become accustomed to you. After a few minutes of sitting still all sorts of marvelous insects the like of which I’ve never seen before were swarming over the plants.

The side of a sandy dune with green grass growing up to it.

The location of one of my research plots in Spruce Woods Provincial Park.

A small insect on a fluffy purple flower.

A bee fly pollinating Hairy Prairie Clover.

As it turns out I wasn’t the only creature interested in observing strange animals.  I was the subject of much curiosity by my backbone-challenged subjects. A long-legged wasp investigated my camera bag. Then, a shiny copper bug landed on my hand and probed me with its proboscis. A grasshopper jumped on my shoe and began delicately nibbling one of my laces. A large cicada landed on my hip with a loud thump to check me out. But the most thrilling moment was when a beautiful black butterfly landed on my wrist and started licking me to get the salts in my sweat. It tickled and I giggled. Then I sobered and got a bit teary: this lovely creature trusted me enough to make contact so that it could obtain something it needed to survive.

A close up on a large insect, a cicada, on the knee of light-coloured pants.

A curious cicada thoroughly examined my leg!

A light-winged butterfly on an elongated purple flower.

Butterflies in the park fed on nectar and my sweat!

Read any scientific paper and you are presented with cold, hard facts and stoic observations. Emotions do not belong in scientific journals. Conclusions are restricted to what the data can tell you. Scientists are trained to do this but it gives the public a distorted perception of what we are really like. I don’t know any field biologists that don’t love nature, and haven’t been deeply and profoundly moved by what they’ve seen. Jane Goodall learned something a long time ago: just as the animals being observed are changed by their experience, so is the observer. In observing nature, you grow to love it and are compelled to help save it because you see the truth of our reality: we are all connected, and in losing a species we lose a part of ourselves.

Dr. Diana Bizecki Robson

Dr. Diana Bizecki Robson

Curator of Botany

Dr. Bizecki Robson obtained a Master’s Degree in Plant Ecology at the University of Saskatchewan studying rare plants of the mixed grass prairies. After working as an environmental consultant and sessional lecturer…
Meet Dr. Bizecki Robson