A Needs Assessment Survey of the Costume Collection
in the Winship Drama Building
by
Melissa Bradshaw
Management of Preservation Programs
LIS 392P.1
Ellen Cunningham-Kruppa
December 4, 2002
1
I.
Collection History
The costume collection started in the mid-1960s as a large donation of items
by Lucy Barton, a patroness of the Department of Theater and Dance. More
donations were acquired, but cataloging of the clothing did not begin until the
1970s. At that time, the information was written on index cards, which simply
contained a brief description of the item with details of its provenance. Before
Joe Adams took over the project in 1992, the data was in spreadsheet format,
with entries ranging from the first acquisitions in 1965 up until 1991. The date is
incomplete. Joe is in the process of adding new acquisitions to FileMaker Pro,
as well as gradually transferring information from the spreadsheet, but it is a
huge project and his primary free time to work on it is during the summer months.
II.
Collection Description
In addition to clothing, the collection includes accessories, such as hats,
shoes, gloves, and bags (to name a few), and dates from the late 1800s to the
present. Joe estimates that the collection comprises more than 1,000 items.
Before placing new acquisitions with the collection, Joe evaluates and wet cleans
or vacuums each item. He is not a conservator, but he is able to stay current of
textile conservation trends through the Conservation DistList. He also performs
minor treatments.
The room where the costume collection is kept is in the basement
adjacent to the area underneath the stage of the Oscar G. Brockett Theater in
the Winship Drama Building. It was originally used as a prop storage room, thus
it does not have ideal environmental conditions or control, nor does it have
2
convenient electrical outlets. There are air vents along the ceiling
[Figure 1], and fortunately, the temperature remains fairly constant (see
Appendix E for environmental monitoring figures). There is only a slight
Figure 1
problem with pests—primarily crickets—and Joe sets traps about once every six
months. However, I did come across two small insects as I was surveying the
collection. One was a tiny silverfish (and fortunately, I did not see any others in
the box) and the other insect looked similar to the larvae of a carpet beetle,
according to a photograph in “Caring for Your Collection” (Finch and Bosworth
204).
The lights (all incandescent) remain off when the room is not in use. The
collection is used for classes and research only, which occurs roughly ten times
per semester.
Approximately half of the clothes in the collection are hanging and
the other half are stored in large, acid-free textile storage boxes
[Figures 2-4]. Joe hangs many of the large pieces of clothing
because he prefers to store them unfolded. There is not enough
Figure 2
cabinet space for all of the hanging items, so many are on racks out in the
open. When he is able to assess what items can be
Figure 3
deaccessioned from inside the cabinets, he transfers some of the
“outside” hanging clothes to the cabinets.
Figure 4
Most of the hangers used are wrapped with acid-free tissue;
others are padded and covered in unbleached, unsized muslin. The latter are
specially made by Joe and students working in the costume shop, but they are
3
only able to complete about a dozen hangers per year since it is an
extraneous project.
The storage room is lined with wooden storage cabinets and drawers
Figure 5
that were funded by a donor in the 1990s. They are lined with a protective
coating to prevent off-gassing of the wood [Figures 5-7].
III.
Survey Design and Implementation
Figure 6
When I asked Joe if he wanted me to concentrate on certain
parts of the collection, he suggested I evaluate the blouses and the
Figure 7
children’s clothing. There were exactly 50 blouses and 100 pieces of children’s
clothing in the storage boxes. I surveyed all of the blouses and took a random
sample of the children’s clothing by going through each box and writing down
either the catalog numbers or a brief description of the objects (since many of
them did not have catalog numbers). Unfortunately, there was no way to
estimate how many items were in a box because they are stored according to
their period style. As for the children’s clothes, they are not arranged yet by
style, but by sex. For example, one box is labeled, “Young Girls’ Clothes” and
another is labeled, “Baby Clothes,” and the garments in the boxes vary greatly in
type and period style. After going through the boxes of children’s clothes, I
randomly selected 30 items from the numbered, brief descriptions of the objects
using the random number table. The sample allowed a 95% confidence rate.
Joe had suggested at the beginning that I could also survey the petticoats, but
time did not permit it.
4
To create a sample survey, I applied the premise of The Yale Survey
(Walker, Greenfield and Fox) and my knowledge of surveying books to be able to
look at clothing in a similar way, e.g. with stitching, type and condition of fabrics,
time period in which the item was made, and signs of environmental damage. As
I worked with the collection, I made changes and additions to the survey as
appropriate, especially pertaining to period style and types of fabric. For further
ideas on important descriptors, I referred to a research paper I had done on the
preservation and conservation of textiles. In her article, “Textiles,” Sara J. Wolf
explains that the manufacturing process or the construction of an object can
affect its rate of deterioration (89). The weight of the fabric is also an important
factor when determining preservation needs. Thus I added “Manufacturing
process(es)” and “Weight of fabric(s)” to my survey tool. Appendix A shows the
preliminary survey tool I used; Appendix B shows the final tool with the revisions I
made.
I asked the following questions of the items in the collection to determine
their needs:
o Catalog number
o Location (box or hanging item)
o Approximate dates of item
o Color(s) of fabric
o Object type (blouse or children’s clothing)
5
o Period (These labels reflect the same period styles as those taught
in the costume history classes offered in the Department
of Theater and Dance.)

Fin de Siècle (late 19th century)—see Figure 8
Figure 8

Edwardian (1900-09)—see Figure 9

Neo-Empire (1910-13)—see Figure 10

World War I (1914-20)—see Figure 11
Figure 9
o Sex (if the item is intended for a male or female, or if it
Figure 10
is unisex or ambiguous, such as with some infants’ clothing)
Figure 11
o Type of fabric(s) (silk, cotton, linen, lace, velvet, wool, or organdy)
o Weight of fabric(s) (thin and translucent, medium and opaque, or
thick)
o Manufacturing process(es) (woven, knitted, crocheted, or other)
o Condition of fabrics

Good, fair, or poor

Thin, weak (if the material was showing signs of
degradation, such as an increase in translucency and tears
in certain areas of the object)

Discolored (darkening or fading of the fabric’s color in
significant areas of the object; also applied to large stains,
such as around the collar or from perspiration)

Spots, stains (smaller, often more intense, discolorations)
6

Holes (losses, not necessarily from tears; often pertained to
insect or rust damage)

Tears

Pulls, snags (usually occurred in areas of thin, weakened
fabric)

o
Loose threads
Stitching (intact or not intact on any area or areas of the
item)
o
Closures (buttons, hook & eye, snaps, and ties, and whether
each is intact or not intact, or if no closures are apparent on the
garment)
o
Ornamentation (intact or not intact on any area or areas, or if
there is no ornamentation)
o
Environmental damage (signs of insect, rust, or mold
damage or other)
o
Recommended treatment

Store as is

Layer with tissue (lay a piece of acid-free tissue in between
each item of clothing)

Wrap with tissue (for smaller items, such as bonnets, socks,
mittens, etc.)

Store in box (for items that are presently on hangers)

Other
7
(I did not include any recommendations for conservation treatment, as
I am not knowledgeable enough in the area of textile conservation to
feel comfortable giving such advice.)
IV.
Findings [see Appendix C]
I would estimate that the collection holds approximately 2,000 items (as
opposed to the previously estimated 1,000) due to the volume of items in the
boxes of blouses and children’s clothing alone. Of the 80 items surveyed, 64%
are in good condition, 35% are in fair condition, and only 1% are in poor
condition. Sixty-eight percent have stitching that is intact, while it is not intact for
12%. For environmental damage, 78% have none and, of the items that do, 16%
have insect damage, 4% have rust, 4% have mold, and 1% have water damage.
Three percent of the items can be stored as is, while 91% need to be layered
with tissue, 6% should be wrapped in tissue, 3% should be stored in boxes, and
8% have other recommendations.
V.
Conclusions
The collection is in overall good condition. Unfortunately, due to the lack
of space, there is not much room for many more storage boxes. Items that are
currently hanging are not able to be stored flat at this time. Since Joe is not able
to work on the collection much during the school year, a full-time temporary
assistant would be a huge asset to him in updating the database, mending
objects, and making padded hangers. Once the database is complete, Joe will
8
be able to make it accessible online to researchers, as he hopes to eventually
do.
VI.
Recommendations:
1.
All items stored in boxes should have a sheet of acid-free
tissue in between each item.
2.
Wrap smaller items, such as socks and bonnets, in tissue.
3.
Items of stiff material, such as organdy, and/or with
prominent ornamentation would be better as hanging
garments stuffed with crumpled tissue. If that is not optimal,
they should be stored on top of more “flexible” garments and
stuffed with tissue.
4.
Store jackets and other heavier items at the bottom of the
boxes; store the lighter items on top.
5.
VII.
Shape bonnets by stuffing them with crumpled tissue.
Estimated Budget
Appendix D shows a few suggested items for continuing preservation work on
the costume collection. Since Joe already has most of them, the list is simply an
estimate on possible future costs. The Crepeline is a loosely woven, 100% silk
organdy sold by Talas as a backing support for fragile textiles. It is a
conservation-grade material but is quite expensive, so there is probably another
material that can serve as a substitute.
9
Works Cited
Finch, Karen, and Danielle Bosworth. "Caring for Your Collection." The Illustrated
History of Textiles. Ed. Madeleine Ginsburg. London: Studio Editions,
1991. 193-209.
This book is primarily intended for the student of museum studies or art
history and gives an excellent voyage through time in the history of
textiles. "Caring for Your Collections" provides an analysis of the causes
of degradation of historical textiles and recommends ways in which they
can be protected from further destruction by pests and pollutants.
Walker, Robin Gay, Jane Greenfield, and John Fox. "The Yale Survey: A LargeScale Study of Book Deterioration in the Yale University Library." College
& Research Libraries 46.March (1985): 111-32.
This is an in-depth account of the first large-scale preservation needs
survey ever conducted. The beginning to end of the project is described
in such a way that it serves as a model for any institution desiring to
conduct its own survey of the physical condition of its collections.
Wolf, Sara J. "Textiles." Caring for Your Collections. Ed. Arthur W. Schultz. New
York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992. 86-95.
The articles included in this books are written with the lay person in mind,
and they serve as an excellent reference guide for owners of monetarily-
10
and sentimentally-valuable collections. The "Textiles" article describes the
primary environmental enemies of textiles, inherent vices, recommended
cleaning, care and maintenance, proper storage, and suitable storage
methods.
11
Appendix A
Collection Needs Assessment Survey
of the Costume Collection, Winship Drama Building
Catalog #:
_______________________
Location:
_______________________
Approximate dates: __________________
Color(s):
_______________________
Object:
 Blouse
 Petticoat
 Children’s clothing: ____________________________
Period:
 Edwardian
 Neo-Empire
 World War I
Sex:
 Male
 Female
 Unisex/Ambiguous
Fabric(s):
 Silk
Weight of fabric(s):
 Cotton
 Linen
 Thin, translucent
 Woven
Manufacturing process(es):
 Lace
 Medium, opaque

 Velvet
 Taffeta
 Thick
 Knitted
 Crocheted
 Other:
Condition of fabrics:
 Good
 Fair
 Poor
 Thin, weak
 Discolored
 Holes
 Tears
 Pulls, snags
 Loose threads
 Spots, stains
 Intact
Stitching:
 Not intact
 Buttons
Closures:
 Intact
 Hook & eye
 Not intact
 Ties
 Intact
Ornamentation:
Treatment Needed?
 Not intact
 Intact
 Not intact
 None/Not apparent
 Not intact
 Intact
Environmental Damage?
 Intact
 Snaps
 Not intact
 No
 Store as is
 Yes
What kind?
 Interleave with tissue
 Store in box
 Other:
12
Appendix B
Collection Needs Assessment Survey (Revised)
of the Costume Collection, Winship Drama Building
Catalog #:
_______________________
Location:
_______________________
Approximate dates: __________________
Color(s):
_______________________
Object:
 Blouse
Period:
 Fin de Siècle
 Edwardian
 Male
Sex:
Fabric(s):
 Children’s clothing:
 Neo-Empire
 Female
 Silk
 Cotton
 World War I
 Unknown
 Unisex/Ambiguous
 Linen
 Lace
 Velvet
 Wool
 Organdy
 Other:
Weight of fabric(s):
 Thin, translucent
 Woven
Manufacturing process(es):
 Medium, opaque
 Thick
 Knitted
 Crocheted
 Other:
Condition of fabrics:
 Good
 Fair
 Poor
 Thin, weak
 Discolored
 Holes
 Tears
 Pulls, snags
 Loose threads
 Spots, stains
 Intact
Stitching:
 Not intact
 Buttons
Closures:
 Intact
 Hook & eye
 Not intact
 Ties
 Intact
Ornamentation:
Treatment needed?
 Not intact
 Intact
 Not intact
 None/Not apparent
 Not intact
 Intact
Environmental damage?
 Intact
 Snaps
 Not intact
 No
 Store as is
 Yes
 None
What kind?
 Layer with tissue
 Wrap with tissue
 Store in box
 Other:
13
Appendix C
Results from the Needs Assessment Survey
of the Costume Collection, Winship Drama Building
Total number of items in the collection: ≈2,000
Total number of items surveyed: 80 (4%)
Object
Blouse:
Children’s Clothing:
50
30
Period
Fin de Siècle:
Edwardian:
Neo-Empire:
World War I:
Unknown:
1
28
18
17
16
Sex
Male:
Female:
Unisex/Ambiguous:
5
63
12
Fabric(s)
Silk:
Cotton:
Linen:
Lace:
Velvet:
Wool:
Organdy:
Other:
16
45
8
34
2
5
3
1
Weight of fabric(s):
Thin, translucent:
Medium, opaque:
Thick:
58
14
8
Manufacturing process(es)
Woven:
Knitted:
Crocheted:
Other:
70
4
2
9
Condition of fabrics:
Good:
Fair:
Poor:
Thin, weak:
Discolored:
Holes:
Tears:
Pulls, snags:
Loose threads:
Spots, stains:
51
28
1
17
67
30
31
21
23
62
Stitching:
Intact:
Not intact:
Closures:
Buttons
Intact:
Not intact:
Hook & eye
Intact:
Not intact:
Snaps
Intact:
Not intact:
Ties
Intact:
Not intact:
None/Not apparent:
Ornamentation
Intact:
Not intact:
None:
Environmental damage
No:
Yes
Insect:
Rust:
Mold:
Water:
Treatment needed
Store as is:
Layer with tissue:
Wrap with tissue:
Store in box:
Other:
68
12
37
10
6
4
6
3
19
7
15
63
8
8
62
13
3
3
1
2
73
5
2
6
14
Appendix D
Project Budget
Supplies and Materials
Source
Quantity
Price
Textile storage boxes (8"x40"x18.5")
Gaylord
10 ea. @$24.35/ea.
$243.50
Cloth labelling tape (1"x72yds.)
Gaylord
1 roll @ $14.95/roll
$14.95
Buffered acid-free tissue (40"x1000')
Gaylord
1 roll @ $125.45/roll
$125.45
Crepeline, natural (39"x36")
Talas
1 yd. @$22.20/yd.
$22.20
Crepeline, black (39"x36")
Talas
1 yd. @$24/yd.
$24.00
Total
$430.10
Appendix E
Environmental Data (11/13/02, 4:20 pm)
Location
Temperature (ºF)
% RH
Lux
UV
Work table
72.5
42.8%
130
1.7
Cabinet K
72.5
42.5%
35.5
1.4
Cabinet B
72.5
42.7%
34.5
1.6
Accordian door cabinets
72.4
42.8%
19.2
0
15