http://democraticservices.coventry.gov.uk/documents/s15249/Final%20report%
20on%20CD%20Policy%20-%2012%2002%2014.pdf
COVENTRY
The Road Transport collection currently contains 258 motorised vehicle (cars
and commercial vehicles), 400 cycles and 119 motorcycles. There is also a large
collection of automobile related small objects, ephemera and social history items related
to the people working in Coventry’s transport industry.
This collection of approximately 212 motor cars ranges from one of the earliest built
Coventry cars of 1897, to one of the last of the Peugeot 206 cars to leave the Ryton
Factory production line in December 2006. 90% of the vehicles were made in Coventry
or have a very strong Coventry connection. There are a small number of vehicles without
a direct Coventry connection that were collected before a tightening of the museum’s
collecting policy or are significant vehicles which tell the wider story of the British Motor
Industry.
Commercial Vehicles
This collection of 46 items, including buses, lorries, vans, tractors,
military vehicles and
emergency vehicles, illustrates the involvement of Coventry companies in the
manufacture of such vehicles and their everyday use in the city.
Cycles
This collection of over 400 items is one of the most significant collections of cycles in the
country. It spans the period from 1818 to the present.
Automobilia and cycling ephemera
This collection comprises an unidentified number of items directly related to vehicles i.e.
head lamps, radiator grills, engine parts, wheels, saddles etc. It also contains items
related to the use of vehicles i.e. club badges, petrol pumps, garage equipment,
street furniture, competition trophies etc.
The archive contains photographs, books, sales material, press cuttings,
company ledgers and motor car taxation records. The bulk of the archive is made up of
material from the Rootes Company, which comprises over 100,000 negatives and
photographs ofthe company’s cars and activities, and sales material, press cuttings and
company 22 records.
Oral and video testimonies of people who worked in Coventry's road transport
industry will also be collected.
It is a continuing priority to collect items relating to the people
who built and used motor
transport in the city. Particular emphasis will be placed on items from
a domestic or
working environment, the role of women in the industry and the migration to t
he city of
people aiming to work in the road transport industry.
3. COVENTRY TRANSPORT MUSEUM LEARNING HANDLING COLLECTION
The most
significant themes within the collection are:
Victorian Cycling
This collection contains four items and represents a core theme relating to
the National
Curriculum: Victorian Life. It consists of a Boneshaker Bicycle,
a Penny Farthing Bicycle,
a Tricycle and a Safety Bicycle.
World War Two
This collection of items focuses on Life on the Home Front and includes a range of
civilian gas masks, ration books, and original clothing.
APPENDIX 3: THE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS HELD BY THE HERBERT A
RT GALLERY AND
MUSEUM, THE PRIORY VISITOR CENTRE AND THE LUNT ROMAN FOR
T
2. ARCHAEOLOGY
The Lunt Roman Fort, Baginton.
The following categories comprise in
total around 15,000 objects.
2.1.2
Prehistoric
This collection includes hand axes, arrowheads, hammers, microliths and cores,
some of
which are as old as the Palaeolithic period. There are also ceramics from the
Neolithic,
Bronze Age and Iron Age.
2.1.3
Roman
This collection consists mainly of the material excavated from the Lunt R
oman Fort at
Baginton and dates from 60 to 80 AD. A small number of Roman objects and
archaeology have also been recovered from the city and date between the first and the
fourth centuries AD. However, most items are recovered from post-Roman
stratigraphy.
Material includes ceramics, military bronzes, coins and personal objects.
2.1.4
Anglo Saxon
The collection comprises excavated material from the sixth century ceme
tery at Baginton
and a quantity of late Saxon ceramic finds from various city centre s
ites. A small number
of Viking-related objects are also included. From the Benedictine Priory, t
here is a small
collection of late Saxon glazed wall tiles that are of national signif
icance. An
26
archaeological archive also exists for the Anglo-Saxon site at Ryton-onDunsmore which
lies outside the city boundary. Its inclusion in The Herbert collections rel
ates to the fact
that the site was excavated by an amateur society with strong Coventry
connections.
2.1.5
Medieval
At its peak in the late fourteenth and in the fifteenth century, Coventr
y is thought to have
been the fourth largest city in Britain outside London and the most important
in the
Midlands. The wool and cloth trades, markets and religious activity led to
the growth of
Coventry as a commercial hub. The collections include pottery, tiles, coi
ns, painted
window glass and building materials. A significant leather collection c
ontains shoes,
boots, a mask, a book cover, and archery equipment. There is also a collec
tion of over
one thousand architectural stones from the destroyed site of the Benedictine Pri
ory, with
the finely painted Apocalypse stones being of particular note.
2.1.6
Post Medieval
This collection comprises personal objects, building materials and ceramic
s from the
Tudor period through to the nineteenth century. Some of this material overl
aps with the
social history collection.
2.1.7
Foreign Archaeology
Antiquarians who had strong links to Coventry contributed to many of the
items in this
collection. There is archaeological material from Egypt, Cyprus and I
taly and also some
representation of Aztec, African and Aboriginal cultures. Objects include p
ottery lamps,
Egyptian funerary figures ('ushabties'), stone tools and jewellery.
2.1.8
The Shelton Collection
From the 1930s until his death in 1958, J.B. Shelton OBE collected objects assoc
iated
with Coventry's past. His small museum formed the basis of current ar
chaeology
collections. The collection includes a wide range of items including a nota
ble fourteenth
century vessel – the Coventry Face Jug.
2.2 Criteria governing future collecting, including subjects o
r themes for collecting
2.2.1
Aim
The Herbert will collect excavated archaeological material, related paper ar
chives and
research data associated with sites within the present city boundary of Cov
entry. These
collections represent the historical development of Coventry as reflected in
the material
remains of the city's previous inhabitants. The Lunt Roman Fort will
collect like material
for the archaeological site at Baginton.
2.2.2
Types of material to be collected
•
Manufactured items
•
Natural items adapted for human use
•
Natural flora and fauna originating from an archaeological or historical
environment
•
Excavation archive: reports, drawings, plans, photographic and digital media
records
2.2.3
Priorities
2.2.3.1 Excavated Material
Collections of site material received from archaeological field units ar
e accepted in their
entirety subject to the standard cited in 2.1.1 above.
The following exceptions to this are:
•
The Herbert will retain complete plain, glazed or worn medieval floor tiles
from unstratified contexts and dressed but un-decorated sandstone blocks, so that they m
ay
be utilised in the repair of standing medieval buildings in the city.
27
•
The Herbert will require architectural fragments to be examined and sorted
prior to
being accepted into the archaeological archive so that repetitious items or ob
jects of
limited value can be excluded.
•
The Herbert will retain a representative sample of un-diagnostic and diagn
ostic,
complete or near complete examples of 18
th
Century and later ceramics from
archaeological sites in the city where they contribute to the story of a
specific site's
history or can be demonstrated to be of value to future research.
2.2.3.2 Public donations
Acceptance of objects from the public will be judged by the follow
ing criteria:
•
Rarity of object type within Coventry and the level of representation of
the period
•
Information provided by the donor on the circumstances of the find
•
Potential use of the object for research and / or display
•
Completeness of object
2.3 Collecting Methods
2.3.1 The majority of acquisitions occur through archaeological exc
avation by field units or
specialist groups. Some material also comes through chance finds or exca
vations by
individuals or amateur groups. Raising the awareness of the archaeology collecti
ons may
encourage more donations from this latter source.
2.4 Period of time and/or geographical area to which
collecting relates
2.4.1 Collecting is restricted to sites and individual finds within the pr
esent city boundary of
Coventry or items with a strong association with Coventry's archaeologic
al heritage.
These may include items made available under the process of the Treasures Act 1996.
Because the City Council owns the Lunt Roman Fort site and museum, The Herbert
will
also collect any material from future excavations of the Fort situated
at Baginton,
Warwickshire.
2.5 Additional limitations on collecting in this area
2.5.1 Although there is a presumption against retention of human skeletal r
emains, each case
will be considered on its merits given its archaeological context and scient
ific value
.
If
there is no option for re-burial the archaeological material will be retained
using guidelines
in
Guidance for Care of Human Remains in Museums
,
(DCMS, 2005).
3. NATURAL HISTORY
3.1 Existing collections, including subjects or themes for curren
t collecting
3.1.1 The collection currently holds nearly 200,000 specimens in the following c
ategories:
3.1.2
Bird eggs
There are about 11, 000 specimens. This collection is the ninth largest o
f its kind in
Britain. Most breeding British species are represented and there are also a
smaller
number of exotic species. The Ground, Beddall-Smith and Belgrove collections ar
e
important and have significant supporting documentation.
3.1.2
Fossils
There are about 4,000 specimens of mainly regional origin, particularly
for the
Carboniferous and Jurassic periods. There are very few large items and lit
tle dinosaur
material. Of note are polished fossil wood specimens, an aurochs skull, an i
chthyosaur
head and jaw, and a cycad.
28
3.1.3
Insects
There are over 150,000 specimens. All British insect families are represent
ed, with
particularly significant collections of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera,
Hemiptera and
Lepidoptera. Some type specimens are present in the Daltry and Saunt collections
(mainly Hymenoptera:Parasitica). The majority of insect material is
British in origin and
much has been collected from the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Somerset,
Staffordshire
and Warwickshire with many Red Data Book species present, some of which ar
e now
extinct in the UK. The exotic insect collection includes the Greenwood coll
ection
bequeathed in 1990 which comprises about 10, 000 butterfly specimens.
3.1.4
Molluscs
There are about 21,000 shells, mostly marine and originating from the indo
-pacific
regions. These represent a good variety of species. The British te
rrestrial and freshwater
shells are particularly well documented and there is a significant collecti
on of freshwater
pearl mussels from the USA.
3.1.5
Rocks and minerals
There are 1,300 specimens with a good variety of 'species'. Notable are a
large polished
Labradorite specimen, Landscape Limestone from the Cotham area, Green Fluorite
from Weardale, a large dolomite specimen, large examples of septarian nodules
and a
specimen representing 100
th
of the Barwell Meteorite (412g in weight) which fell in
Leicestershire in 1965.
3.1.6
Skeletal
This is a varied but small collection which includes Moa leg bones, skulls o
f Rhino (black
and white and horns), Indian Elephant, Tiger, Hyena, Dolphins and a good selection of
British mammals and some birds.
3.1.7
Taxidermy (uncased)
•
Birds: There are about 1,000 specimens, mostly British. The more notable
species
include the UK's eleventh Northern Oriole specimen and other local rarities like
hoopoe, storm petrel, bittern and red-necked grebe. A small quantity of exoti
c material
includes Kiwis.
•
Mammals: There are about 200 specimens, mostly British. Most of the
British smaller
mammals are represented but there are no marine mammals and Muntjac is the
only
deer species present. Otters, pine marten and coypu are also represented.
3.1.8
Taxidermy (cased)
A small collection but includes some important material. There are so
me large glass case
presentations of fish produced by the Spicer Company, examples of Roland Ward
(Peregrines) and one, possibly two Hutchings (of Aberystwyth) presentati
on cases.
3.1.9
Miscellaneous
Material includes wasp nests, corals, spirit-preservation material, fr
eeze-dried plant
material (invertebrate galls), seedpods, insect pests and examples of the dama
ge they
cause, sediment samples and models. A fine microscope slide collection in an old
wooden cabinet appears to be Victorian. Also included in this category is a lar
ge selection
of items seized by Customs & Excise at Gatwick airports and other t
erminals into the UK.
These include leopard and serval (African wild cat) skins, ivory accessorie
s, skin
handbags and briefcases and carved hippo and elephant tusks.
29
3.2 Criteria governing future collecting, including subjects o
r themes for collecting
3.2.1
Aim
The Herbert will collect examples of Natural History species of the
region and nationally,
to increase awareness and appreciation of nature through interpretation, educat
ion and
research.
3.2.2
Types of material to be collected
•
Taxidermy (mounts only)
•
Bird Eggs
•
Skeletal
•
Molluscs
•
Entomology
•
Fossils
•
Rocks and minerals
•
HM Customs & Excise Material
•
Other Natural History items that fulfil the criteria below
3.2.3
Priorities
3.2.3.1 Specimens that will enhance significant research collections
The Natural History collection strengths are in bird eggs, entomolo
gy and molluscs.
•
Birds Eggs
The Herbert will only accept egg collections in future where these are sig
nificant in size
and/or content and they are accompanied by sufficient data to prove that they were
collected before legislation came into being. The use of the bird eggs
collection could be
construed as promoting egg collecting in the wild, which is illegal. W
ith supporting data,
however, the specimens can be an invaluable research tool. Future use of this c
ollection
in the public domain will be with a view to informing people about the illegal
nature of egg
collecting and/or highlighting exciting research initiatives that rely
on Museum collections
as a resource. Virtual access to this collection exists in CD-Rom f
ormat.
•
Entomology
The entomology collection is regularly used as a research tool by local,
national and
international entomologists and environmental science/ecology students. Its st
rength lies
in its size, the data that it holds, the storage and presentation and in t
he accuracy of
species identification. Future collecting of entomology should focus on reg
ional fauna, but
should also actively acquire any material of broader national origin.
3.2.3.2 Specimens that will support the development of the exhibition and outreach
programmes.
Specimens will be acquired that complement permanent and temporary exhibitionrelated
themes and associated learning or outreach workshops and events. Examples of these
include shells, rocks, fossils and exotic specimens that demonstrate form
, texture and
colour and which support the multi-sensory themes of The Herbert's Elements G
allery.
3.2.3.3 Specimens that will promote public interest in Natural History.
Specimens that are popular with the public or that are of local, regional or
national
significance and that may inform future displays, events and exhibitions should
be actively
collected. Such examples might include popular dinosaur material or legally obt
ained
specimens of British rarities with full data.
3.3 Collecting Methods
3.3.1 Acquisition of Natural History specimens and collections can be ac
hieved through the
usual routes of donation, bequest or purchase, but also by active collecting (f
ieldwork).
30
Fieldwork is undertaken primarily to collect insect specimens, but some
bird and mammal
carcases have also been obtained in this way.
3.4 Geographical area to which collecting relates
3.4.1 The natural history collections reflect not only the fauna of the re
gion, but of Great Britain
as a whole. Although future collecting in this area should prioritise fauna
of local or
regional origin and collections bequeathed or donated by local or regional natural
historians, this should not preclude specimens of national or international origi
n that fulfil
other collecting criteria. The Museum's holdings of insects, for exampl
e, are nationally
important. Accurate identification of species often requires comparis
on with a full set of
material representing a much wider geographical region. In its acquisi
tion of regional and
national natural history material, The Herbert will liaise closely with
neighbouring
museums holding natural history collections.
3.5 Additional limitations on collecting in this area
3.5.1 Specimens obtained illegally
We will not collect the following specimens:
•
CITES-protected species (except those legitimately donated by HM Customs
& Excise
that enhance this increasingly important collection)
•
Species for which collection, disturbance or handling breaches UK law
•
Natural History Specimens or geological samples captured, collected or pr
ocured by
illegal or unethical means, or:
•
Any bird eggs or egg collections that appear to have been taken from the wi
ld in
contravention of the Protection of Birds Act 1954 and The Wildlife & Countryside
Act
1981.
3.5.2 Botanical specimens
The herbarium (plants, mosses and fungi) collection was transferred to Warwi
ckshire
Museum in 2003 because this registered Museum has significant expertise and collecti
on
strength in this area. The Herbert no longer accepts botanical specimens.
Exceptionally
rare offers of donation of such material are passed to Warwick.
3.5.3 Spirit collection
Due to the difficulty in maintaining the spirit collection and the fact that
demand for it is
extremely low, material will no longer be collected that requires imm
ersion and preservation
in spirit.
4. SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
4.1 Existing collections, including the subjects or themes for cu
rrent collecting
4.1.1 The Social History collection currently contains approximately 17,000 it
ems, relating to
the history of the city and the lives of its people with a further 7,500
items related
specifically to the industrial history of the city. The most signif
icant sections of the
collection are:
4.1.2
Aero industry
The manufacture of aircraft, aero engines and other components was a sig
nificant
industry in the twentieth century. The collection includes nine engines, one pro
totype
missile and some smaller components, testing equipment, photographs and ephemera.
The total number of items is around 200 items.
31
4.1.3
Civic and political items
,
These
relate to the government of the city and number approximately 200 items, incl
uding
banners. Related to this are items under a Peace and Reconciliation theme.
4.1.4
Contemporary collecting from communities
A number of projects in recent years have meant the Herbert now has a signif
icant
collection of items relating to minority communities in the city.
This includes items relating
to culture, social and working life and immigration. There are also a
significant number of
photographs and oral / video history recordings attached to this collection. Al
though this
collection is small, it is growing in size.
4.1.5
Costume
This fine collection of approximately 8000 items spans some 400 years, but it
s particular
strength is nineteenth and early twentieth century women’s costume. This char
ts the main
changes in women’s fashion during this period.
4.1.6
Domestic life
This includes a fine collection of radios, televisions and sewing machines, m
any made in
Coventry, as well as domestic cleaning and cooking items. The collection
numbers
approximately 500 items.
4.1.7
Education
These are
mainly schools equipment and learning material
4.1.8
Electrical Industries
The manufacture of electrical consumer goods and telecommunications equi
pment was
another significant industry in the twentieth century. The collection includes
around 20
good examples of early radios and televisions made in Coventry, together with
around
250 photographs and ephemera.
4.1.9
Ephemera
This collection relates to all aspects of personal, domestic, community
and working life
and numbers approximately 3000 items.
4.1.10
George Eliot
The collection consists of approximately 30 items relating to Eliot and
her circle. These
include costume, furniture and personal items. There are also a number of
paintings and
drawings which are catalogued under the visual arts collection.
4.1.11
Godiva Story
Approximately 300 items relating to the Godiva story, both the legend and the
procession.
This includes ephemera, costume and many items bearing imagery of Godiva and
the
associated stories.
4.1.12
Machine Tool Industry
The machine tool industry was a major industry in Coventry throughout the t
wentieth
century. Alfred Herbert Ltd was reputed to be the largest machine tool manu
facturer in
the world. The collection consists of around 12 machine tools; 200 photographs;
600
items of ephemera including machine tool catalogues and operator's handbooks; and
around 200 engineering hand tools and gauges.
4.1.13
Numismatics
This includes a strong collection of local trade tokens and totals approximat
ely 1500
items.
32
4.1.14
Other working life
The Herbert has small collections relating to other industries and to ot
her manufacturing
and working life. These include office equipment, art metalwork, c
oal mining, the
chemical and manmade fibre industries, retail, public transport, blacksmi
thing and leather
work. This collection numbers around 1500 items.
4.1.15
Ribbon Weaving
This collection relates to Coventry's ribbon and other narrow fabrics industry.
The
industry began at the end of the seventeenth century and was Coventry's main indust
ry
until 1860. It continued to be an important industry after that and some product
ion still
takes place today. The collection consists of around 250 sample books; several
thousand individual ribbons; around 1500 silk pictures and bookmarks (including one of
the largest collections of Stevengraphs in the world); a nineteenth century jacq
uard loom
and about 30 examples of weaving machinery and equipment). There are also around
200 items of ephemera and around 100 photographs.
4.1.16
Toys and Games
This collection of approximately 1000 items includes a strong collection of
nineteenth
century dolls and a wide range of toys including popular favourites such as Leg
o, toy
trains, Action Man and a space hopper. The collection comes more up to date wit
ha
range of toys from the 1990s and early 2000s.
4.1.17
Watchmaking
Watch making was Coventry's second industry for much of the nineteent
h century and
for a few years was its main industry. The collection consists of around 14
0 pocket
watches, around 30 clocks and around 300 individual watch-making tools and
equipment. The highlights include two clocks made in the late seventeenth c
entury by
Samuel Watson, several prestigious watches and the contents of a watchcase-m
aking
workshop. There are also around 50 photographs and ephemera.
4.1.18
World War Two items
Coventry suffered a number of bombing raids in World War 2. The worst of
these was
the 'Blitz' of 14th November 1940 during which the Cathedral was destroyed. The
collection of approximately 500 items reflects the experiences of ordinary
people on the
Home Front during the War. It includes an Anderson air raid shelter, gas
masks, ration
books, Civil Defence uniforms, medals, utility furniture and much more.
4.2 Criteria governing future collecting policy, including su
bjects or themes for collecting
4.2.1
Aim
The Herbert will collect material that illustrates and represents the
social and industrial history
and development of Coventry, and the lives and experiences of its people, past and pre
sent. This
includes their living conditions, housing, politics, education, religion, wor
k, leisure, health, family
life, birth, and death. This collecting will aim to represent all the
citizens of Coventry.
4.2.2
Types of material to be collected
•
Social and industrial history objects, including related printed and written mat
erial.
Social history items will relate to any aspect of everyday life. Industr
ial objects will
include manufacture equipment /tools and factory products.
•
Herbert curatorial staff will also be involved in collecting the follow
ing material which
will form part of the collections held in and made accessible via the Hist
ory Centre:
o
Photographic, film and video evidence, including digital material relating to
the
social and industrial history of Coventry.
o
Oral testimonies of people who lived in Coventry or worked in Coventry's
industries will also be collected.
33
4.2.3
Priorities
4.2.3.1 Modern Life from 1970 – Present Day
The Herbert will aim to collect items relating to contemporary lif
e in the city, from 1970 to
the present day. This will include, in particular, items relating to pe
rsonal, 'everyday' life
such as toys and games, costume and domestic items. It will also inc
lude iconic items
that are particularly representative of styles and lifestyles from this
period. The Herbert
currently does not have many items in its collection from this period.
4.2.3.2 Minority Communities
The Herbert will place particular emphasis on collecting items and histor
ies relating to
minority communities in Coventry, covering all areas of life including exper
iences of
migration and experiences of work. Coventry is a city with a wealth of c
ultures and
communities and The Herbert's collections need to reflect this more strong
ly.
4.2.3.3 Women at work
The Herbert will place particular emphasis on collecting items relating
to the experiences
of women at work, particularly in the manufacturing industries. The role
of women in the
manufacturing industries, both on the shop floor and in offices, has tended t
o be
overlooked and this needs to be redressed.
4.2.3.4 Coventry's working life since the 1970s
The collection relating to working life is strongest for the nineteen
th century and for
Coventry's boom periods up to the 1970s. The following collecting areas will be
developed:
•
Material evidence of more recent developments in manufacturing industry
needs to be acquired to bring this collection up-to-date.
•
The growth of service industries.
Coventry has become far less reliant on manufacturing since the 1980s and the
service
industries are now a significant part of its economy. This needs to be r
eflected in the
collection.
4.2.3.5 For the above categories, objects may be acquired as the result of
community projects
and displays, in particular for changing exhibition areas of the twentieth century
section of
The Herbert's History Gallery.
4.3 Collecting Methods
4.3.1 Donations from the public will remain one of the most important met
hods of collecting.
However targeted active collecting projects will be used, particularly
in the priority areas
outlined above. Items will be considered for purchase in exceptional circumstan
ces.
4.4 Period of time and/or geographical area to which collectin
g relates
4.4.1 Collecting shall be restricted to items which have been used in Coventry
, made in
Coventry, designed in Coventry or have belonged to Coventry people. For this purpos
e,
'Coventry' is defined by the current city boundary.
4.4.2 The only exception to this is coal mining. Items relating to the
Warwickshire coalfield
outside Coventry will normally be collected by Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery.
However if Nuneaton is unable to accept an item it will liaise with The H
erbert and, if the
item fits into this collecting policy, The Herbert may acquire i
t.
4.5 Additional limitations on collecting in this area
34
4.5.1 Due to having already having a good representative collection of the followi
ng items, The
Herbert will not seek to add to these in the future, other than in exceptional
circumstances: •
Photographic equipment (except contemporary)
•
Furniture made before 1970
•
Firearms
4.5.2 The Herbert will not collect any further items relating to the aer
o industries, as these items
are covered by the Acquisition and Disposal policy of the Midland Air Museum.
4.5.3 The Herbert will not collect items relating to the cycle, m
otorcycle, car and commercial
vehicle industries, as these are covered by the Coventry Transport Museum.
5. VISUAL ARTS
5.1 Existing Collections, including the subjects or themes for curr
ent collecting
5.1.1 British Life & Landscape Collection
This collection, consisting of approximately 150 works, is particularl
y distinctive and
significant to the Herbert and was the focus for the collecting activi
ties of the first Art
Director in the 1950s. Of particular importance are works by Stanley Spencer
and Lowry.
5.1.2 Modern and Contemporary Art Collection
Approximately 500 works of which The Iliffe Collection of Graham Sutherl
and's studies for
Coventry Cathedral tapestry are particularly important. Also notable are wor
ks by David
Bomberg, a keynote Vorticist work by Roberts, an important John Piper, a l
arge Ben
Nicholson painting, a large Hepworth bronze, and works by Joe Tilson, Terry A
tkinson,
Susan Hiller, Cornelia Parker and Mona Hatoum.
5.1.3 Pre-1900 artworks collection
This collection includes items acquired by the City Council before the openi
ng of The
Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in 1960. There are approximately 700 works, including
European Old Master paintings, portraits, views of the city, sculptures,
prints, British and
non-British Still-life, Landscape, Seascape, History and Genre paintings, A
sian artistic
crafts, civic gifts from other cities and work by local artists
. This collection contains many of
the greatest treasures held at The Herbert, such as 'Bacchus and Ariadne',
(1677) by Luca
Giordano.
5.1.4 Figure Drawings Collection
There are approximately 150 works. Drawings by Fuseli, Moore and Hamilton are
particularly important.
5.1.5 Topographical views
There are approximately 2,000 works, the majority of which are of Coventr
y. There is also a
collection of approximately 200 Watercolours of Warwickshire collecti
on: of note
is a work
by Holman Hunt.
5.1.6 Works by Local Artists
The Herbert has a collection of approximately 2,500 works by local artists
, including artists
who were born, trained or lived in Coventry.
5.1.7 Peace and Reconciliation collection
35
The Herbert has a collection of approximately 50 art works on the themes of
conflict, peace
and reconciliation. This reflects the experiences of Coventry and Coventry people,
including the Blitz, as well as national and international events.
5.1.8 Godiva collection
The Herbert has a collection of approximately 60 artworks which represent t
he story of
Lady Godiva, including paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings. It incl
udes some items of
international significance: of note are paintings by Collier and Landseer.
5.1.9 Crafts Collections
There are approximately 250 works
that include ceramics and bronzes from China, Korea,
Japan, the Middle East and Native America, and also art and folk ceramics.
5.2.1 Criteria governing future collecting policy, including
subjects or themes for
collecting
5.2.1
Aims
The overall aim is to develop a regionally significant collection. The Herbe
rt will collect a
broad spectrum of work by British and some non-British artists to dev
elop the current
collections and provide learning and enjoyment to a diverse range of users. It w
ill seek to
acquire art that is accessible to a non-specialist audience and is of a hig
h standard. The
Herbert will continue to collect art that either through artist or subjec
t has a connection with
the Coventry area.
5.2.2
Priorities
5.2.2.1 The Herbert will focus its collecting on the priority areas bel
ow. Within each area we will
collect items in a range of media, including painting, sculpture, pho
tography, prints,
drawings, conceptual art and new media with a particular emphasis on digital art
. Both
historic and contemporary art works will be collected.
5.2.2.2 To collect works of art by nationally and internationally signifi
cant modernist artists, with a
specific focus on the St Ives school.
5.2.2.3 To collect works by artists who were born or trained in Coventry and
who have developed
a significant profile in exhibition and collections nationally and internationall
y. Priorities
will include the work of George Shaw and examples of Art & Language, recogni
sing the
international importance of this locally based group of artists.
5.2.2.4 To build upon the principal strength of the existing collection of
British Life and
Landscape. The aim would be to expand this body of work to include works created fr
om
the late 19
th
century to the 1940s and from the1970s to the 21
st
century.
5.2.2.5 As a subset of the British Life and Landscape collection the Herbert
will continue to
acquire selected works which depict scenes of Coventry Life and Landscape, inc
luding:
•
Topographical Art - the Herbert will endeavour to collect local topographi
cal art
where this adds significantly to the existing collection.
•
Art relating to themes of significance to Coventry, including Lady G
odiva; and Post
World War II reconstruction
5.2.2.6 To collect art which reflects the significance to Coventr
y of themes of Peace, Conflict and
Reconciliation. This collection is intended to be a survey of the themes of
war, conflict,
peace and reconciliation through a wide range of artistic approaches to the subjec
t. It will
reflect movements, activities and events internationally and nationally, as wel
l as in
Coventry or involving Coventry people and organisations.
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6. THE HERBERT LEARNING HANDLING COLLECTION
6. 1 Existing collections, including the subjects or themes for cu
rrent collecting
6.1.1 The Learning handling collection currently contains approximately 1000 items.
The most
significant themes within the collection are:
6.1.2
Britain Since 1930s
The collection of approximately 80 items demonstrates changes in technology,
materials,
popular culture, home life and entertainment since 1930. Objects include hairdryers,
radios, telephones, advertisements and a variety of household goods.
6.1.3
Costume
The costume collection contains a combination of original clothing and high
quality
replicas suitable for re-enactment purposes. The costume ranges from rep
lica Tudor
clothing, Victorian original and replica items, and World War Two Ci
vil Defence uniforms
to more contemporary comparisons.
6.1.4
Local Industry
This collection of approximately 150 items represents the two dominant industri
es in
Coventry during the Victorian period: ribbon weaving and watch making. Objects
relating
to the ribbon industry include many individual ribbon samples, silk pictures and car
ds. The
collection also includes many assorted tools and parts relating to both trades.
6.1.5
Medieval and Tudor Life
This collection of approximately 130 items largely relates to medieval and Tudor
social
and religious life. It includes a range of archaeological finds such as o
riginal pottery, tiles
and building materials of local provenance as well as replica comparisons. The c
ollections
are used in conjunction with a broad selection of replica costume including mon
k's habits,
headdresses based on Holbein's paintings of the six wives of Henry VIII and item
s
representing more general rich and poor Tudor clothing.
6.1.6
Natural History
This collection contains a range of taxidermy including birds, mammals
and fish. There
are also a number of skeletal animal remains and a collection of 40 shells.
37
6.1.7
Royal Days
This collection of approximately 50 items commemorates a variety of k
ey Royal occasions
from Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee to Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. The
events covered are notably coronations, jubilee celebrations and royal visits. Item
s
include souvenir china, scarves, ribbons, medals and programmes.
6.1.8
Time Travellers
The purpose of this collection is to reflect different time periods in
chronological order.
There are approximately 30 items and these range from an ammonite fossil (70
million
years old) to a Golden Jubilee commemorative spoon from 2002 and include
representative objects from the Roman, Tudor, Victorian, World War 2 and
post war
periods. The collection illustrates changes over time through a variety
of materials, uses
and technology.
6.1.9
Toys and Games
This collection of approximately 100 items represents toys from the Tudor per
iod to the
present day. It is particularly strong in terms of Victorian toys i
ncluding a stereoscope,
zoetrope and restored Victorian-style rocking horse. The collection is br
ought up to date
with a range of popular toys from the early 2000s including Buzz Lightyear and H
arry
Potter Lego.
6.1.10
Victorian
This collection of approximately 150 items represents three core themes rel
ating to the
National Curriculum: Houses and Homes, Seaside Holidays from the Past and Vi
ctorian
Life. It contains a strong range of Victorian domestic cleaning
and cooking items
including a dolly tub, mangle and knife cleaner. Also included are Victorian s
chool items
such as samplers and slates, and seaside holiday items such as an ice cream ma
ker and
swimming costumes.
6.1.11
World War Two
This strong collection of approximately 100 items focuses on Life on the Home
Front and
includes a range of civilian gas masks, ration books, original clothi
ng and objects relating
to evacuation. Many of these objects have been locally sourced and relate directly to
local people and places. A range of ephemera, posters and photographs has also been
collected to support interpretation of the objects. As this is also an
area of collecting for
the Transport Museum Learning Handling collection, consultation will take place betw
een
each museum.
6.2. Criteria governing future collecting policy, including su
bjects or themes for
collecting
6.2.1
Aim
The Herbert will collect items that provide a high quality object-focused
learning
experience for a diverse range of users both onsite and through outreach activit
ies.
Where possibly, original and replica items will be collected that relate
to established
themes outlined within the National Curriculum and have a local provenance and
relevance. The Learning team also aims to complement the work of the cu
ratorial team
by providing handling materials and sessions relating to themes within the redev
eloped
galleries.
6.2.2
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6.2.3