Toy and Game Collection Conservation Assessment

FAIN: PG-50535-09

Chester County Historical Society (West Chester, PA 19380-2658)
Andrea Kent Cakars (Project Director: May 2008 to September 2010)

Hiring a conservation specialist to conduct a conservation assessment of the 2,500 objects in the society's toy and game collection. The toys and games date from the 19th century to the present and relate to the Philadelphia region's social history and culture.

The purpose of this project is to have the condition of the toy and game collection of the Chester County Historical Society assessed by a consulting objects conservator. Upon examining the collection, the conservator will make recommendations for improvements to storage materials and techniques, any environmental requirements for sensitive materials, and priorities for treatment of collections by category and material type. Staff and volunteers will assist the conservator during on-site visits to systematically examine the collection by providing access and returning collections to storage, helping to maximize examination time. The diverse collection includes still and mechanical banks, board games, puzzles, train sets, figurines, doll houses and doll house miniatures to name a few of the many object types. This collection is at risk due to increased usage and rapid growth.