January 20, 2014

Joe Maruca's "Secret" Notebook

Joe Maruca’s “Secret” Notebook

At some time or another, we have all experienced a really satisfying day at work, or perhaps more often, a day that left us wanting to vent our frustrations. Today we might use social media to voice these emotions. In the days before Facebook or Twitter, Joe Maruca documented his working life in a ‘Secret’ notebook filled with amusing cartoon sketches. 

Recently, I processed a fascinating collection of family items donated by the children of Joseph and Alice Maruca. These include a porter’s uniform, photographs, documents and the notebook. Joe’s father, Vincenzo had immigrated from Italy in 1920 and worked as a freight carpenter at the CNR shops in Transcona. In the 1950s Joe Maruca was employed as a Porter Captain at the Royal Alexandra Hotel in Winnipeg. The “Royal Alex” was part of the Canadian Pacific chain and was considered one of the finest hotels in western Canada. It opened its doors on Higgins and Main in 1906 and served as a social centre of Winnipeg until 1967. The hotel was demolished in 1971. 

A worn sketchbook, it’s red cover torn and with the remains of torn off tape or stickers. A reminding piece of blue tape reads, “Secret” below a slightly torn sticker showing an image of a large red and white multi-story building and text reading, “The Royal Alexander / Winnipeg Man. / Canadian Pacific”.

Through Joe’s sketches we can see a humorous account of the inner workings of the Royal Alexandra as viewed through the eyes of the front line staff. There is the frustration of being under tipped by a wealthy client or being “twisted” by a co-worker. The word twist can be as slang expression meaning to cheat or have something wrench from your grasp – when a fellow porter takes your next client and tip! We also see Joe as the hero of the story and a bit of a lady’s man. 

Cartoon sketch showing a round man flicking “1 thin dime” to a struggling porter holding a bag of golf clubs and standing beside three suitcases. A bubble above the porter’s head reads, “I should have stuck to shoe shines”.
“One Thin Dime” sketch by Joe Maruca
Cartoon sketch showing a man on his knees in front of another man who stands filing his nails, with one foot up on a chair. The standing man saying, “Well I don’t know – coax me”, while the kneeling man says, “Please Maruca I’ll never twist ya again”. Sketch title at the top reads, “CONTROL / Yes Sir”.
“Control”
Cartoon sketch showing two women standing near the foot of a large flight of stairs with a framed mountain landscape hanign above the landing. One woman says, “Oh! There’s Maruca” and the other says, “Yea! Smile”. In the upper left corner is written, “Great guy when it comes to women”.
“A great guy when it comes to women”

The Royal Alex was home-on-the-road to musicians who came to play at the hotel or local hotspots such as the Don Carlos night club. Included in the donation is a collection of signed photographs of notable African-American musicians of the era – The Mills Brothers, The Charioteers, Nellie Lutcher and The Deep River Boys. Joe enjoyed a positive reputation among these performers and the service he provided would have been in marked contrast to the discrimination they faced at segregated American hotels in the 1950s. “When you’re in Winnipeg ask for Joe, he’ll take good care of you” was the message passed among the performers. A couple of his sketches suggest that Joe may have had musical dreams of his own.

Signed black and white photograph with slightly weathered edges of Joe Maruca in his porter’s uniform posing with Harry Douglas.
Harry Douglas with Joe Maruca “To Joe, Thanks for being so wonderful to me. Sincerely, Harry Douglas, Deep River Boys”
Cartoon sketch showing a four-man band on a stage. In the corner is a large firepace and a person sitting in an armchair watching the band. The cellist is labelled “Maruca” and writing near the pianist reads, “How’d Maruca get in this one”. Wriitng along the bottom reads, “Sunday Evening (Irving Plumb.)”.
“Long hair Maruca”

As new artifacts are added to the Manitoba Museum’s collection, our understanding of the past expands. Donations from families like the Marucas help to give us a glimpse the life of a talented ‘average working Joe’. 

Nancy Anderson

Nancy Anderson

Collections Management Specialist – Human History

Nancy Anderson holds a B.A. (Hons) in History from the University of Winnipeg, and received her M.A. in Canadian Social History jointly from the University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba. She has over 30 years experience…
Meet Nancy Anderson

Christmas in the Collections

A few weeks ago, as my family was setting up our Christmas tree, I hesitated putting up a small number of glass balls, passed down to me from my grandma many years ago, remnants of my dad’s childhood in Winnipeg’s North End. These ornaments have been a staple on my tree for a decade since striking out on my own –the delicate painted glass balancing out my beloved childhood favourite, an A&W Bear on a green felt sled. This year, however, I am The Mother Of A Toddler. Little, excited hands grasping and pulling at the ornaments I have lovingly toted move after move! Finally, after some encouragement from my spouse, the glass balls were cautiously placed at the top of the tree, where Toddler Hands McStickyfingers can’t reach them, despite her efforts to stand on her toes, arms outstretched, saying “Reach! Reach!” (Nice try, kid.)

Thankfully, safely in the storage room at The Manitoba Museum, our History collection’s complement of Christmas ornaments remains out of the grasp of toddlers. Whenever handled, these ornaments receive the “White Glove Treatment”, meaning we don cotton gloves to protect the artifacts from oil present on our skin. In instances where an object is particularly delicate or small, I prefer to wear blue nitrile gloves, so I can best hold artifacts as I examine them for cataloguing or photographing.

Delving into the collection to photograph Christmas artifacts, a few pieces stood out to me, reminiscent of ornaments –both old and new– decorating my tree at home. Carefully preserved by generations of family members, many of these artifacts were collected to decorate the Urban Gallery each year, featured on the Christmas tree in the dentist’s parlour as part of an exhibit called In Winnipeg at Christmas.

This delicate toadstool and its pair date to the mid-1920s, donated to The Museum along with a few dozen other ornaments of the period, including a hot air balloon, birds and fruit, like these bunches of grapes. Originally, these ornaments decorated the tree of a young Winnipeg couple, married in 1925.

A delicate glass ornament shaped like a mushroom with a hollow red cap and white stem.

Two small red and gold raspberry Christmas tree ornaments.

The skiing snowman, made of cotton and pipe cleaners, was donated to the collection after his original owners loaned him to the Manitoba Museum for In Winnipeg at Christmas.

Our Christmas holdings, however, are not limited to the 1920s. For those who prefer the A&W sledding bear over the filigreed glass ball, the collection has plenty to offer. One former curator had an eye for objects that reflected the contemporary popular culture of the 1980s, picking up pieces like a Snoopy squeeze doll –yes, that’s its official name in our collections database– and a staple for most people born in the late 1970s or early 1980s, a Cabbage Patch Kid tree ornament.

A vintage Frosty the Snowman decoration showing a snowman with legs and arms riding a set of skis while wearing a black top hat and green pipe cleaner scarf.

Toy in profile of Snoopy the dog wearing a red and white Santa coat and hat and green mittens, and holding a gift behind his back.

A small Cabbage Patch Doll wearing a red onsie pyjama set, red shoes with white bobbles, and a red bonnet. The ornament is still in the original packaging.

As I put these ornaments back in their boxes and return them to their shelves in the storage space, I can’t help but wonder whether one day my ornaments will meet a similar fate, becoming part of an exhibit like In Winnipeg at Christmas in the 1980s, but with a snappier title. Provided I can keep them safe from the toddler ‘til then.

Cortney Pachet

Cortney Pachet

Collections Technician – Human History

Cortney Pachet started working at the Manitoba Museum in 2001 as a tour guide while earning her a BA (Honours) from the University of Winnipeg. She quickly realized that she wanted a career in museums…
Meet Cortney Pachet

The Value of Professional Conferences

By Kathy Nanowin, past Manager of Conservation

 

I went to the annual conference of the Canadian Association for Conservation (CAC) this year, as I try to do every year. It is held in late spring in a different location in Canada, alternating between different regions of the country. It is not a large conference, with attendance ranging from 70 or so in the smaller cities, to about 150 or even 200 in larger cities such as Toronto. This is because there are not a huge number of conservators in Canada; we are quite a small profession.

Why do professional associations, or any group for that matter, hold conferences? Aren’t they just an excuse to travel somewhere exotic on the corporate or government dime, and drink wine?

The exterior of a large red historic house with white trim.

Historic house in Saint John, New Brunswick, where I attended a conference.

Interior room in a historic house with people seated around tables laid around the room.

The conference banquet was also in a historic building, the Union Club.

Well, no. Conservators have been compared to doctors; the way we care for objects has many similarities to the way doctors care for people. We “operate” (perform treatments) on objects to repair damage that has been done. We also spend a lot of time advising on preventive measures that will keep objects “healthy”; as in human health, prevention is the most important consideration, to prevent or mitigate damage or deterioration. There are also, as in medicine, many scientists working with practitioners (the conservators) to identify needed areas of research, to add to the body of knowledge in our areas of work. New information is always being discovered, as in medicine. That is why we have professional journals, and why we hold conferences.

I’ve been to many conferences over the years I’ve been a conservator. I find that I always learn something, and I always come back to work rejuvenated, with my enthusiasm for my job renewed. Working in cultural heritage in Canada can make one feel fairly isolated. I don’t have that much contact with the general public; I work in a medium-size museum, so I have a lot of museum colleagues, but not that many fellow conservators to talk to. There just aren’t that many of us.

Going to a different Canadian city every year, getting to see different museums, with their great collections, but also challenging situations, is wonderful. However, the best thing about going to professional conferences, for me, is the face to face contact with people. I can read someone’s article in a journal, but to talk to them in person just can’t be replaced. I learn about new conservation treatments, the latest research, shared problems, and the overall mood of the profession. I catch the giant enthusiasm of new graduates.

I personally am able to pay to attend CAC conferences out of my pocket, but I also try to support the attendance of another conservator from the Museum out of departmental budgets, with grant assistance, whenever possible. This is because I firmly believe in the value of professional development, and especially the value of professional conferences.

A Once Sticky Situation

By Lisa May, past Conservator

 

When performing inventory and maintenance in the museum galleries, the collections and conservation staff sometimes discover things which are questionable museum practices.

This month while working in The Sod House exhibit, we discovered some artifacts had a substance resembling adhesive on the bottom of them. After discussions with senior staff it was found that in the 1970s when the exhibit had originally been an open exhibit, not enclosed behind a Plexiglas door, artifacts were glued to surfaces to prevent them from being stolen. Obviously, this was an act executed long ago, possibly by a non-collections staff member, as we are all now aware this is not an appropriate method for securing or mounting artifacts in an exhibit. Conservation knowledge and theory have advanced and changed significantly since this exhibit was installed in the 1970s; we would not glue things down this way today.

Next steps included removing the artifacts from the exhibit and taking them to the conservation lab and, after condition reporting and taking photographs, trying to remove the adhesive without damaging the artifacts. Luckily, as a significant amount of time had passed, the adhesive had dried out and lost its “sticky” properties and with a hammer and chisel (not what we usually consider cleaning tools in conservation), we were able to chip the adhesive off with no damage to the artifacts.

A large shiny silver kettle.

This kettle is one of the artifacts in the Sod Hut.

The bottom of a large silver kettle with the remains of a crusty brown adhesive around the bottom.

Bottom view shows the old adhesive.

The bottom of a large silver kettle with a stain on the bottom, but the remnants of the adhesives removed.

The old, hardened adhesive was removed successfully; the brighter area shows where it was.

The artifacts were then returned to exhibit and collections and conservation staff continue to perform inventory and maintenance in the galleries, hoping not to find too many other unwanted surprises!

From Acquisition to Exhibit – One Artifact’s Journey

By Kathy Nanowin, past Manager of Conservation

 

When the Museum receives an artifact or specimen, very often the donor asks or expects that the new acquisition will be put immediately on display. This, more than 90% of the time, is NOT the case. The reasons are various, but mostly it comes down to scarce resources – of staff, time, and money. It takes resources to process the new donation; it takes resources to prepare it for exhibit; it takes resources to plan and develop the exhibit. Having said all that, here is the tale of one object which went from initial acquisition to permanent display in less than a year.

The artifact is a horse watering trough, which would have been a common sight in public spaces up until just over a century ago. TMM did not have anything like this in its collection, so it was approved for acquisition. Normally, once the collections management process is followed, it ends with the artifact or specimen being found a home in one of our storage areas; however, in this case, Curator of History Roland Sawatzky thought that there was an empty area in the Urban Gallery where the horse trough would naturally fit.

We have a formal Exhibit Procedure at the museum, so Roland followed this while the artifact was proceeding to be accessioned, catalogued, photographed, and condition reported. Ultimately, the idea was approved for this unique object to take its place in TMM’s permanent galleries.

The horse watering trough is made of painted steel. It is quite stable, but did need some conservation treatment – a good cleaning – before it was at its best to be displayed.

After the conservation treatment and documentation, the watering trough was brought down to the Urban Gallery on a Monday when we’re closed to the public, and placed in position against the wall between the Proscenium Theatre and Amy Galbraith’s Dress Shop. It took several sets of strong arms and legs to lift and lower it into position.

An individual wearing a white lab coat, face mask, and blue gloves uses a stiff brush to clean an upside-down water trough upturned on clear plastic.

Conservator Lisa May cleans trough with a wire brush.

Five individuals work together to move a large solid water trough in a museum gallery.

The heavy trough was lifted off a dolly and lowered into place

A water trough with a fountain-like piece in the centre, placed against a brick wall near a sign showing a horse drinking from a similar shaped trough, and an arrow pointing towards this one.

The horse watering trough in the gallery.

Again, I have to emphasize that this is a rare case, when a newly acquired object goes on long-term display shortly after it arrives at The Manitoba Museum (yes, eleven months is relatively short in the museum world). In this instance, the artifact fills a gap in the gallery space, and helps tell a story we weren’t telling before – a reminder that horses used to be ubiquitous in the city, before motorized vehicles became common. The next time you visit the Museum, be sure to check it out!

Artifacts in Strange Places

By Kathy Nanowin, past Manager of Conservation

 

Recently, Collections and Conservation staff spent some time in two of our more unusual storage locations, in order to improve the conditions of artifacts there.

Due to overcrowding in TMM’s climate-controlled collection storage areas, there are artifacts located in less than ideal conditions. Staff worked on several artifacts in these areas, cataloguing, condition reporting, photographing, and finally covering them up with polyethylene after a good vacuuming.

An individual wearing a white lab coat holding the hose and nozzle of a vacuum cleaner to a large dusty sign.

This large neon sign was vacuumed before being covered with polyethylene.

A portion of a large sign, half vacuumed. One half is very dimmed with dust, the other is clean and blue with white lettering.

There was a lot of dust to be removed.

The most important factors in deciding to place these objects here are the materials of which they are made (least sensitive to environmental changes or extremes), robustness of the artifacts, and their size – sometimes there just isn’t room in the other storage areas.

The Manitoba Museum is not unique in having to store collection objects in areas where there is little climate control. It is, of course, incumbent upon us to do the best we can in these kinds of spaces. Although covering the objects with plastic does reduce visibility, and hence the ability to spot detrimental changes in condition such as corrosion, that is offset by the protection against dust, which can be damaging in some cases, as well as disfiguring. Having observed the conditions in these spaces, we know the risk of dust falling on the objects is certain, whereas we’ve not encountered the high humidity that would initiate rust.

A large metal egg grader next to an orange vacuum cleaner.

This egg grader is large and robust, suitable for storage in less stringent conditions.

The metal egg grader now tightly wrapped in clear polysthylene.

The egg grader was vacuumed then wrapped in polyethylene.

We always strive to improve the care of our collections wherever we can. All in all, although these storage spaces are not great, the artifacts are now better protected, as well as better documented.

Adventures of a Conservator in Training

By Jessica VanOostwaard, Conservation Intern

An aged open trunk or large suitcase with the open lid facing the camera. Various worn stickers and labels are peeling around the lid.

As a requirement for the Collections Conservation and Management program at Fleming College in Peterborough Ontario, all students are required to participate in a 15 week internship at an institution of their choice. I was elated to learn that my request to carry out my internship at The Manitoba Museum was accepted. In September I arrived in Winnipeg eager to learn, and The Manitoba Museum did not disappoint.

During my time at the Museum I was able to put my knowledge to work and carried out a number of treatments on some very interesting artifacts in addition to helping collections personnel with gallery maintenance.

 

Image: The labels on this travelling case were falling off; now, they are secure

Two corroding brass clock hands (removed from the clock).

Corrosion plagued these brass clock hands.

Two shiney brass clock hands (removed from the clock).

With some care, they are as good as new.

My time at the museum was not only spent treating the artifacts in the museum’s collection but also helping out with other collection work that needed to be done. Whether it was making mounts for “The World is their Oyster: Marvelous Molluscs” exhibit, venturing down into the secluded sub-basement to help organize Archaeology storage boxes or protecting the artifacts by making boxes and monitoring for pesky insects, The Manitoba Museum provided me with useful experience that will be invaluable in my future career, and for that I would like to thank everyone at the Museum for a wonderful opportunity.

Department Staff Ramp up Gallery Work

By Kathy Nanowin, past Manager of Conservation

 

The Collections and Conservation Department conducts ongoing maintenance and inventory activities in the Museum Galleries. Most of this work is done during our winter season, when the Museum is closed on Mondays. Recently, we changed our procedures, amalgamating tasks that formerly were done separately.

Now, when working on an exhibit area, all collections management and conservation tasks are completed at the same time: condition checks, cleaning, photography, cataloguing, and inventory checks. This involves preparatory work: searching the collections database to determine whether any new cataloguing or condition reports are needed; assigning catalogue numbers to objects which previously had none; ensuring that any loan objects have up to date paperwork.

Once in the galleries, the actual cleaning, photographing, and application of catalogue numbers takes place.

Three staff members standing around a work bench on wheels, checking on artifacts.

Department staff checking and cleaning objects in Urban Gallery.

A shadow box set up on a table with a strip of light purple-grey cloth draped along the base and backside. Beside it on the table sits an old fashioned sewing machine.

A box is set up on a work table to photograph artifacts.

An individual wearing a red backpack vacuum cleaning artifacts and the space in the Winnipeg 1920 Cityscape.

Vacuuming in the Garment Factory Sewing Room, Urban Gallery

As with other aspects of collections management, sometimes the bulk of the work happens after what you see us do. In the case of gallery work, more time is often spent in the entry of new catalogue records, entry or update of condition reports, review and saving of digital images, edits or updates of location records.

Our department is focusing on ensuring we have accurate up to date database records for artifacts and specimens in the galleries. It is becoming more urgent as The Manitoba Museum plans for significant gallery changes in the next few years. Any object moves should go smoothly if our records are all perfect. But it is daunting, as we have nine permanent galleries with over 4000 artifacts and specimens on exhibit. We have just begun implementing our new process, and will continue to work at adding to, updating, and perfecting our collection records, concentrating on objects in the galleries.

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.

Door to Door – A Collecting Trip

By Kathy Nanowin, past Manager of Conservation

The Manitoba Museum recently acquired a number of objects that add to an existing collection. The Wilson family collection of bottles and crocks is an extensive one, with over 1600 artifacts. The Wilsons contacted the Museum with an offer to donate a related collection of ceramic footwarmers and various Medalta ware. Curator Roland Sawatzky recommended we accept the offered items; the subject went to our Collection Committee, which approved it on the curator’s recommendation. Follow us now through the process of preparing for and completing the acquisition.

Photo of a mini van with the side door open, and file storage boxes stacked in the back of the van.

Preparation

 

We had been provided a list of items. Knowing the number was roughly 150, with 49 of those being ceramic footwarmers, I collected 35 “Banker’s box” size boxes. An intern, Megan Narvey, cut pieces of foam for packing and placed them in every box. She also cut up some extra bubble wrap for packing.

Two ceramic footwarmers wrapped in bubble wraps in a box.

Pickup

Three people were involved in the pickup: Curator Andrea Dyck (Contemporary Cultures and Immigration), acting for Roland, who was undertaking fieldwork; Nancy Anderson, Collections Assistant, Human History; and Megan Narvey, Collections and Conservation intern. We rented a minivan, and all the boxes fit into the back. Arriving at the donor’s house, the empty boxes were brought in, and packing proceeded. Luckily, all the objects were stored on shelves in one area in the basement, which made packing faster. The boxes were then loaded into the van, and staff returned to the Museum. The Deed of Gift forms had been signed at the house, so the objects were legally ours to take.

 

Image: Footwarmers packed in box.

Unloading and Unpacking

The boxes were put onto carts and brought into the Museum, into the elevator and up to the sixth floor History Lab.

A variety of Medalta pottery items including jars, bowls, and pitchers, arranged across two tables in a museum storage room.

Here is the Medalta ware unpacked in the History lab.

A few dozen Medalta pottery footwarmers - tube-shaped containers with blunt ends and a cork like stopper in the middle.

The footwarmers in the lab.

Next Steps

With all items removed from boxes, the next step is to process them. Each must be assigned a catalogue number and entered into the collection database. They also must be physically numbered, catalogued, photographed, and condition reported, before being put into their permanent storage location.

More than meets the eye

The actual collection trip took approximately a half day. However, the preparation took about the same amount of time, and the next steps will be far more time-consuming. With cataloguing and condition reporting, many entries can be cut and pasted, and the conservators can use a checklist to speed the process; however, I still anticipate that the processing of these 150 or so objects will take person-hours adding up to weeks of work!

Unless you work in a museum, most likely you have no idea of the details involved in collections work. The steps I’ve described are required for all new acquisitions. This is a glimpse into the day to day tasks the Collections and Conservation department staff tackle, although it’s just one part of what we do.