Museum of Riverside Board
Memorandum
TO: MUSEUM OF RIVERSIDE BOARD DATE: MAY 25, 2022
FROM: MUSEUM COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: DEACCESSION FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF SIX PIECES
FROM THE MEIER COLLECTION INCLUDING A CHERRYWOOD ROLLTOP
DESK, LIBRARY TABLE AND SIDE TABLE, AMERICAN EMPIRE REVIVAL
MAHOGANY BED HEAD - AND FOOTBOARDS, AND DRESSER WITH
MIRROR (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2)
ISSUE:
To approve a recommendation to deaccession from the permanent collection six pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherrywood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head - and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Museum of Riverside Board recommends that the City Council approve deaccession from the permanent collection of six pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherry -wood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head - and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496 -109, A1496 -113.1a-b, A1496 -114.1a-b, A1496 - 114.2).
BACKGROUND:
In December 1994, the City of Riverside Museum Department (the n the Riverside Municipal Museum [RMM]) took possession of the “Meier Collection .” It was accessioned into the permanent collection with Museum Board approval in April 1995. The collection came from the Duarte (Los Angeles County) California home of William Baird through a donation of Herbert and Margaret Meier. Mrs. Meier was the daughter of William Baird. According to the Curator of History at the time, the entire donation was accessioned by the Museum with the plan to transfer to the California Citrus State Historic Park (CCSHP) in Riverside at a later date. In 2018, the former curator stated “the Meier Collection … was to go into the Large Grower Estate residence once established. …These items came to the RMM for accessioning and storage pending full build out of the park, whereupon we would properly transfer designated artifacts and items to the State.”
Deaccession of six (6) Meier collection objects ● Page 2
On October 23, 2019, the Museum of Riverside Board approved a recommendation to deaccession a billiard table and accoutrements from the same Meier collection. This deaccession was approved by City Council on November 19, 2019, and the items were publicly sold with proceeds benefiting the restricted fund for future acquisitions to the history collection.
DISCUSSION:
The objects were donated in 1994 and have not been transferred to the CCSHP in Riverside for the originally intended exhibition in the “Large Grower Estate residence,” because that portion of the CCSHP master plan remains undeveloped. For the past twenty-eight years, the Museum of Riverside (Museum) has provided stewardship of this collection . Their intended transfer to the CCSHP notwithstanding, it is the Museum that holds title to the Meier collection objects, and there is no longer an expectation that this transfer will take place as originally intended. Museum staff has determined in recent consultation with CCSHP staff that the current situation is unlikely to change in a reasonable span of time.
It may be argued that objects in the Meier collection were originally accessioned in error, as it was never the intent that they become a permanent part of the Museum’s collection; rather, they were always slated for transfer to the CCSHP. Records do not reflect why these objects were accessioned into the permanent collection.
The six pieces of furniture fit two deaccession criteria within the 2015 Museum’s Collections Management Policy:
Consideration for Deaccession
Criteria No. 1 - The object/specimen is outside of the scope of the Museum’s mission and guidelines set by Riverside Municipal Code (Chapter 2.12.), acquisition policy, or is irrelevant to the purposes of the Museum.
Criteria No. 4 - The Museum is unable to properly preserve or store the object/specimen and to provide proper or adequate environment for their collections.
Criteria No. 5 - The object/specimen has doubtful potential utilization in the near future in the Museum’s exhibition and public programs.
During the time that the Museum has held the Meier collection, only a hanging lamp and selected citrus objects, kitchen utensils, agricultural tools, clothing, and textiles have been interpreted within the Museum’s own exhibitions and programs, and then only rarely. The furniture has not been used. Most of the Meier collection does not, in fact, date to the heyday of the citrus industry in the late nineteenth century and is inappropriate for the Museum’s late nineteenth century historic site.
Museum staff has determined that the group that includes the cherrywood rolltop desk and the American Empire Revival mahogany head - and footboards, dresser with mirror, library table, and side table, is unlikely to be utilized or exhibited in the foreseeable future, due to its deviation from the Museum’s mission and program plans . The most appropriate course of action is deaccession of the six furnishing pieces from the permanent collection.
Deaccession of six (6) Meier collection objects ● Page 2
When deaccessioned, t he objects will be sold at an appropriate auction ho use or other public sales outlet. Funds realized from this transaction will be retained in a restricted deaccessions proceeds account until used for an appropriate acquisition to the history collection, in accordance with the Museum’s Collection and Exhibition Management Policy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report. Deaccessioned objects will be offered for public sale. Following Museum policy and museum field codes of ethics, net proceeds generated by such sales are restricted to future acquisitions for the permanent collection . Proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned objects are deposited into the Museum Deaccessioned Account 0000721-225252.
Prepared by: Robyn G. Peterson, Ph.D., Museum Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Approved by: Lea Deesing, Assistant City Manager
Bed headboard Bed foot board
Dresser with mirror
A1496-114.1a A1496-114.1b A1496-114.2
Desk Library table Side table
Deaccession of six (6) Meier collection objects ● Page 2
A1496-109 A1496-113.1a A1496-113.1b
MUSEUM OF RIVERSIDE BOARD MINUTES
Hybrid Board Meeting
May 25, 2022
Art Pick Council Chambers, 3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92522
Board Members Present City Staff Present Cynthia Zdilor, Chair Robyn G. Peterson, Museum Director Sharon Tennell, Vice-Chair Ann Lovell, Manager of Operations Peggy Barnhart Toni Kinsman, Senior Office Specialist Todd Carpenter (late 3:03 p.m.)
Rose Monge
Luz Negrón
Lovelyn Razzouk
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Chair Cynthia Zdilor.
PUBLIC COMMENT
1. You are invited to participate by phone at (669) 900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 926 9699 1265 to comment on any matters within the jurisdiction of the Museum of Riverside Board. Press *9 to be placed in the queue to speak when the agenda item is called. Individuals in the queue will be prompted to unmute by pressing *6 to speak - Individual audience participation is limited to 3 minutes.
No public eComments or callers/Zoom attendees during this agenda item.
CONSENT CALENDAR
2. Minutes of April 27, 2022, meeting - Minutes were received and filed as presented.
Motion: Board member Barnhart
Second: Board member Razzouk
DISCUSSION CALENDAR
3. Deaccession from the permanent collection six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherrywood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror.
No public comments were received on this agenda item.
A motion was made by the Museum of Riverside Board to recommend that City Council approve deaccession from the permanent collection of six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherry-wood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2).
Motion: Board member Barnhart
Second: Board member Tennell
Ayes: Unanimous
4. Lift collecting moratorium established in February 2017 No public comments were received on this agenda item.
A motion was made to lift the collecting moratorium established in February 2017.
Museum Board Minutes 5-25-2022
2 | P a g e
Motion: Board member Barnhart
Second: Board member Monge
Ayes: Unanimous
5. To discuss, receive and file the Strategic Plan status report for the quarter ending March 31, 2022.
No public comments were received on this agenda item.
This item was received and filed.
COMMUNICATIONS
6. Board Chair Report – No report.
7. Board Vice-Chair Report – No report.
8. Director’s Update regarding the main museum renovation, historic houses, collections, exhibitions and programs, budget, advisory teams, volunteer and support opportunities, marketing and communications, and staffing.
In addition to the report, Director Peterson thanked Board members who attended the Donor Appreciation Reception and acknowledged the passing of Harada House Campaign Honorary Co-Chair Norman Mineta. She reported that the new Museum website timeline has been updated to July 2022 for initial review. Arts & Cultural Affairs estimated attendance at the April 30th Insect Fair to be 10,000 attendees. The Casa Blanca exhibit opening summer 2022 will feature the triumphs and struggles of this neighborhood over the past century. The report also features a list of upcoming Museum events that Board members may volunteer at or attend.
9. Brief reports on conferences, seminars, and meetings attended by Museum of Riverside Board members – Board member Negrón announced that UC Riverside Native American Student Center will be hosting a Pow Wow May 27-29th, and the annual Juneteenth celebration will be held Sunday June 19th from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kansas Church on MLK Boulevard in Riverside.
10. Items for future Museum of Riverside Board consideration as requested by Board members – Board member Negrón requested blank business cards to be used for Museum Board outreach and designated funding to be used for outreach giveaways/logo items; Director Peterson will look into precedent relating to both requests.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
The next Museum of Riverside Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at 3:00 p.m.