Middlebury College Antique Clothing Collection: Fall 2017 - Spring 2018, Poster 30

Three years ago, the Middlebury College Antique Clothing Collection (MCACC) was revived with the intent to bring a neglected collection of over 450 garments to conservational standards. The goal of the collection is to provide... [ view full abstract ]

Three years ago, the Middlebury College Antique Clothing Collection (MCACC) was revived with the intent to bring a neglected collection of over 450 garments to conservational standards. The goal of the collection is to provide Middlebury students and faculty with a wealth of primary sources previously unavailable at the college. A public database will help researchers locate a garment; the researcher can then request the object to be brought to a classroom setting or interact with it at the collection.

By the Fall of 2017, the garments had been suitably treated to prevent further decay, and the work of documentation began. As the research assistant, I formulated the database structure and language, drawing inspiration from discussions with Middlebury College Special Collections and the databases of established garment collections. After creating a controlled vocabulary, a cataloguing system, and informational categories, I began individually researching and recording information about the garments. At present, approximately 300 objects have been entered in the database, and some have been photographed on padded historical forms. Along with a poster detailing the research, several of the garments will be presented to highlight the processes of conservation, documentation, and photography.