[BCMA] Storing ginger beer bottles

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hello Colin,

       Thanks very much for your reply.  I see what you mean about the contents being part of the artifact, and I’m now leaning towards keeping the contents in the bottle.  I’ll make sure they are stored in a temperature-controlled environment, and away from sunlight.

 

Thanks again,

Taryn

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: September 2, 2014 10:58 AM
To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
Subject: Re: [BCMA] Storing ginger beer bottles

 

A number of museums empty the contents of bottles and dispose of thecontents for conservation and/or safety reasons.  For curatorial reasons I do not always agree. Sometimes the contents are rare and or significant, but even if not, they are still original contents and thus part of the artifact. For example, one museum I was curator of had a small, still sealed, bottle of strychnine (poison).  

 

If all museums disposed of all contents, how would future generations know what the contents looked like? 

 

While I was Manager/Curator/Archivist of the New Westminster Museums and Archives, I collected sealed bottles of beer, bottled in the Now defunct New Westminster Labatt's Brewery. The greatest concern was expressed by the donor and that was that unlike wine or whiskey, the beer would lose its taste over the years!

 

For display reasons an empty bottle is problematic. A huge problem for display of empty bottles years later is "What did the contents look like?" Colour, texture etc. If not replicated well, they just do not look right. Somehow white foam pellets just don't cut it as "milk".

 

Removing the contents also damages the seal/cap. 

 

Storage - Avoiding excesses of temperature is a good idea. Direct sunlight is known to change the colour of some glass after long exposure and degrade paper labels, so it is logical to assume that contents would also be affected. Thus storing and displaying bottles in cool storage and out of direct sunlight is recommended. Bear in mind that we are in an earthquake zone, so store or display appropriately. 

 

Colin Stevens



On Monday, September 1, 2014, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vvv.com> wrote:

Hello everyone,

        I have a question regarding the storage of bottles with liquid inside them.  I will be working with a branch of a university library that has recently acquired a small collection of documents and ephemera.   Among the collection are several bottles of ginger beer.  I believe most were bottled within the last few years, and we will be storing them in a cool environment.  What is the generally accepted best practice for storing bottles like this?  Do you empty them and save the bottles, or try to save the bottles with the liquid inside?  In this case, the liquid is of less interest than the bottle itself.  If you do save liquid in bottles, in what sort of conditions do you keep them?

 

Thanks for your advice,

 

Taryn Jones

MAS/MLIS candidate, University of British Columbia

tarynjones15 at shaw.ca <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','tarynjones15 at shaw.ca');> 

 

 

 

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-- 

Colin MacGregor Stevens
Richmond, British Columbia, CANADA

*	Museum Manager & Curator (Retired)
*	Writing a biographical book on "Smokey Smith, V.C."
*	Collector specializing in:  WWII Canadian special units such as: 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion; First Special Service Force ("The Devil's Brigade"); RCN Commando "W"; British Security Co-ordination (BSC); Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR); post-WWII Canadian SAS Company; and Canadians who served on WWII (e.g. on CANLOAN) in special service in British special units such as S.O.,E. (including Force 136);  MI-9; Commandos; airborne units, SAS, RSR, SRU, BAAG, PPA etc.  Also British Columbia Provincial Police (BCP; BCPP)  <http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net> http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net

 

 

 



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