Preserving Archives and Manuscripts by 
Conservation Treatment Methodology by
Conservation Treatment Methodology is a new publication dealing with decision-making for conservation treatments. The book proposes a series of explicit steps that can be applied to the treatment of all cultural property, independent of material or object type. Written by a highly respected conservator, this book brings conservation theory firmly into the practical realm. The book also introduces new terminology that facilitates discussion of treatment options with non-conservators. The systematic approach, illustrated with concrete examples, will make conservators more confident in their treatment decisions. Conservation Treatment Methodology is not a technical manual about how to do treatments but a discussion of how to make decisions about what treatment to do. It deals equally with the physical and cultural aspects of objects and discusses issues like the meaning that objects hold for their owners and the importance of the object's history in determining its treatment. The book is therefore useful for art historians and museum personnel who deal with conservators and want to know more about the treatment process. Conservation students and museum curators will also find this book a valuable resource.
Creating Family Archives by 
Caring for Your Family Treasures by
A guide to the conservation of family antiques, including books and documents, clocks and watches, silverware, jewellery, musical instruments, military mementos, dolls, teddy bears and toy soldiers. The book also considers security and insurance issues and has cleaning and storage advice.
Saving Stuff by
The most comprehensive book on preserving every type of collectible -- from the sentimental to the valuable -- from the Smithsonian's Senior Conservator. For both the serious collector and the sometimes sentimentalist, Saving Stuff explains -- in plain language -- how you can use the techniques of museum professionals to keep your prized possessions in mint condition. You do not need deep pockets or oodles of time: using Don Williams's simple instructions, you can preserve anything quickly and inexpensively. In Saving Stuff, he demystifies preservation and presents easy, foolproof methods anyone can use to save nearly everything, including: Photographs -- in print and digital form Stuff only a parent could love -- from baby teeth to old blankets and first artworks Furniture -- whether it's painted, varnished, or upholstered Family heirlooms -- from silver to rugs to wedding dresses Sports and political memorabilia -- trading cards, posters, equipment, buttons, stickers Attic leftovers -- scrapbooks, military uniforms, medals Musical instruments Fine art -- oil paintings, etchings, lithographs Printed matter -- comic books, magazines, old letters And much, much more With step-by-step instructions, detailed illustrations, tips for making the things you use every day last, and stories about how the Smithsonian takes care of our national treasures, Saving Stuff is the only book you need to take care of the stuff you love.
The "Baby Dolls" by
One of the first women's organizations to "mask" in a Mardi Gras parade, the "Million Dollar Baby Dolls" redefined the New Orleans carnival tradition. Tracing their origins from Storyville brothels and dance halls to their re-emergence in post-Katrina New Orleans, author Kim Vaz uncovers the fascinating history of the "raddy-walking, shake-dancing, cigar-smoking, money-flinging" ladies that strutted their way into a predominantly male establishment. The Baby Dolls formed around 1912 as an organization for African American women who used their profits from working in New Orleans's red-light district to compete with other black women in their profession on Mardi Gras. Part of this competition involved the tradition of masking in which carnival groups create a collective identity through costuming. Their baby doll costumes?short satin dresses, stockings with garters, and bonnets?set against their bold and provocative public behavior not only exploited stereotypes but also empowered and made visible an otherwise marginalized demographic of women. In addition to their subversive presence at Mardi Gras, the Baby Dolls helped shape the sound of jazz in the city. The Baby Dolls often worked in and patronized dance halls and honky-tonks, where they introduced new dance steps and challenged house musicians to keep up the beat. The entrepreneurial Baby Dolls also sponsored dances with live jazz bands, effectively underwriting the advancement of an art form now inseparable from New Orleans's identity. Over time, the Baby Doll's members diverged as different neighborhoods adopted the tradition. Groups such as the Golden Slipper Club, the Gold Diggers, the Rosebud Social and Pleasure Club, and the Satin Sinners stirred the creative imagination of middle-class Black women and men across New Orleans, from the downtown Tremé area to the uptown community of Mahalia Jackson. Vaz follows the Baby Doll phenomenon through one hundred years of photos, articles, and interviews to conclude with the birth of contemporary groups such as the modern day Antoinette K-Doe's Ernie K-Doe Baby Dolls, the New Orleans Society of Dance's Baby Doll Ladies, and the Tremé Million Dollar Baby Dolls. Her book celebrates these organizations' crucial contribution to Louisiana's cultural history.
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