Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  APPLIED ART – COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

  Ceramics

  European Ceramics

  The European Ceramics collection comprises representative examples from the major continental porcelain factories, such as Meissen, Vienna Porcelain Factory, Tournai and Sevres.

  British Ceramics

  The collection contains 20^th and 21^st century studio ceramics, including the extensive Sandy Dunbar Studio Ceramics Collection, and we have a group of ceramics designed by artists e.g. work by Scottie Wilson, Eric Ravilious and Bruce McLean. Examples of British 20^th century factory wares have been acquired, including pieces designed by Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, Susie Cooper and Clarice Cliff and key factories such as Shelley, Denby and Hornsea. There are representative examples from the major English porcelain factories.

  Scottish Historic Collection

  The Scottish Historic Collection includes examples of transfer print wares, spongeware, hand-painted wares, work from the East Coast (particularly Wemyss) and Glasgow potteries, and Aberdeen’s Seaton Pottery.

  Miscellaneous domestic and commercial wares

  Holdings include miscellaneous domestic and commercial wares of local significance.

  Glass

  Miscellaneous Domestic Glass

  Holdings include examples of commercial glassware such as lemonade and ink bottles, and stained-glass panels.

  British and Continental Glass

  The British and Continental glass collection includes a mixed collection of British and Continental glassware from the 17^th century to the present day, illustrating the development of stylistic techniques and decoration. Strengths lie in 18^th century British drinking glasses, the Cromar Watt collection of Venetian glassware and the Vaughan collection of Monart and Vasart glass. There are groups of European Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass and key examples of contemporary Scottish glass.

  Metalwork

  Domestic Silver

  The domestic silver collection includes British domestic hollowware and flatware from the 17^th century onwards. Particular strengths are North East of Scotland silver and the study collection of Aberdeen silversmiths’ hallmarks.

  20^th-21^st century Metalwork

  Early 20^th century metalwork and enamelling, featuring important work by Arts and Crafts designers.

  Jewellery

  Mixed media group of material including precious metals, resins and plastics, gemstones, cameos, costume and mourning jewellery from 17^th century to the present day. We have a strong collection of Victorian local and Scottish jewellery, such as clan badges, granite brooches and Scottish semi-precious gemstone work. There is a small, but significant group of Arts and Crafts jewellery, including enamel and jewellery work by Aberdeen born James Cromar Watt (1862 – 1940). The designer jewellery collection has recent acquisitions of outstanding work by international makers, and we care for silversmith drawings and ephemera.

  Portable Accessories including pill boxes, vinaigrettes, scent bottles, hand mirrors and other accessories.

  Watches

  Holdings include 19^th and 20^th century pocket watches alongside contemporary timepieces by Gordon Burnett and Marianne Forrest.

  Fashion and Textiles

  Fashion Design

  This collection holds work by designers including Laura Ashley, Marion Donaldson, Kaffe Fassett, Mitzi Lorenz and Bill Gibb. The Bill Gibb Collection is a nationally significant collection of over 100 garments and is complemented by an archive of 2460 fashion sketches, working drawings and notes.

  Historic Costume

  This collection contains historic dress and accessories for adults and children, from the 1770s to present day. It mainly comprises middle class dress, with the emphasis on clothes worn, purchased or retailed in the local area. There is a group of occupational costume relating to local industries and trades, uniforms and regalia from local schools, regiments, societies and clubs, and civic robes. Notable acquisitions include the Peggy Walker Gift, Joan Burnett Collection, Stewart Collection of children’s clothing, and two collections of costume and accessories worn locally by Mrs. F. Farquharson of Invercauld and Mrs. Hamilton of Skene.

  Costume Accessories

  Holdings include footwear, bags, shawls, hats, gloves and stockings.

  Costume Ephemera

  Catalogues, magazines, sewing patterns, postcards and press cuttings are included in the collection, and photographs recording local people in fashionable and occupational dress. We also care for packaging and ephemera connected with local costume, fashion shops, dressmakers, tailors and milliners.

  Historic textiles

  This collection comprises Scottish needlework, needlepoint, lace, samplers and beadwork from the early 19^th century onwards. Needlework accessories and tools along with dressmaking and knitting patterns also form part of this collection. Notable acquisitions include The Harrower Bequest of Continental and British Lace dating from mid-17^th century, examples of local New Pitsligo lace and the collection of dressmaking tools and teaching aids donated by the Robert Gordon University.

  Miscellaneous Domestic Textiles

  A group of household and domestic textiles and furnishings.

  Contemporary Textiles

  Contemporary textiles by worldwide makers, including banners, tapestries, hangings and quilts.

  Craft

  Historic Asian Craft

  Holdings include the James Cromar Watt bequest of Chinese lacquer, carvings in ivory, semi-precious stone and wood, bronzes, and cloisonné enamel. Japanese netsuke and okimono are also represented.

  Other Craft

  This is a broad mixed media collection which includes leatherwork, papermaking, lapidary, basketry, and woodworking and wood specialities such as marquetry and pyrography. The strength of the collection lies in its high-quality work with a Scottish emphasis.

  Clocks

  Small collection of timepieces including examples of 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century mantle, wall and longcase clocks alongside 20^th century clocks.

  Furniture

  This collection includes domestic, ecclesiastical and civic furniture.

  Musical instruments

  Historical organs, violins, pianos and a harp.

  FINE ART – COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

  Paintings

  Paintings range from the 15^th century (Sienese artist Vecchietta) to the present day. The collection contains British artworks from the 17^th to early 19^th century, including paintings by George Jamesone, William Mosman, Allan Ramsay, William Hogarth, Sir David Wilkie and Sir Henry Raeburn. There is wide representation of key 19^th and 20^th artistic styles and movements in our collection. We hold paintings by the Impressionists, Pre-Raphaelites, Glasgow Boys, Camden Town Group, Scottish Colourists, Edinburgh School, St Ives, Hague School, early British avant-garde artists and the Bloomsbury Group.

  The collection includes works by key contemporary artists such as Peter Howson, Ken Currie, Alison Watt, Julie Roberts and Kevin Harman. We have an outstanding work by Francis Bacon, Pope I – study after Pope Innocent X after Velasquez. There are works by several celebrated local artists including Frances Walker, James Cowie, Joan Eardley and James McBey, and we own the major part of William Dyce’s known oil paintings.

  Drawings and Watercolours

  The majority of this collection dates from the 18^th century onwards and it showcases British artists. Amongst the watercolours are works by David Allan, Paul Sandby, JMW Turner, William Blake, Samuel Palmer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Eric Ravilious, and more recently John Piper and John Bellany. Pre-Raphaelite works include watercolours by JE Millais and Edward Burne-Jones and a drawing by Simeon Solomon.

  The collection contains drawings by several artists connected to Aberdeen, including artworks by William Dyce, figure studies by John Phillip, landscape drawings by James Giles and some 150 drawings by Joan Eardley. In addition to British works, we care for four exceptional illuminated pages from a Book of Hours, depicting Stations of the Cross. They are thought to be Flemish and created in the 15^th century.

  Printed Materials

  The earliest prints are mostly 18^th century engravings including portraits, the moral scenes of William Hogarth and early views of Aberdeen. French 19^th and early 20^th century artworks include prints by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Pierre Bonnard, Marc Chagall and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. The Etching Revival is represented with work by Francis Seymour-Haden, James Whistler, Walter Sickert and Muirhead Bone. Wood engravings, which saw such popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, are represented with over 250 prints. Printed works include sets of reproductions after works by Picasso and Matisse.

  Modern movements in printmaking, specifically the rise in popularity of the screenprint, are reflected in works by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and RB Kitaj. More recently, Rachel Maclean, Chiho Aoshima and Scott Baxter are significant representatives of new techniques regarding digital printing. The Peacock Archive forms a large part of our print collection, and contains etchings, screenprints and woodcuts. Local printmaker and workshop, Peacock, has provided an example of every print produced there since 1987.

  Art photography

  We care for a collection of artist-photographs, including photopieces by Gilbert and George, Martin Parr, Jenny Saville, Francesca Woodman and Jane and Louise Wilson.

  Sculpture and installations

  The sculpture collection primarily spans the 19^th to 21^st centuries. Sculpture by French artists includes work by Degas, Rodin and Bourdelle, and we have 19^th century works by British sculptors James Pittendrigh Macgillivray, the Brodie brothers, Edgar Papworth and Thomas Woolner. The 20^th century collection includes Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Sir Jacob Epstein, Ossip Zadkine, Eduardo Paolozzi, Anthony Caro and Gavin Scobie. Artists at the forefront of the Scottish contemporary art scene like Kenny Hunter, Christine Borland, Charles Avery, Henry Coombes and Sara Barker are represented. The collection includes installations such as works by Richard Long, Craig Richardson and Jim Lambie. We also have a collection of plaster casts from prehistory to the 18^th century. These include the most complete series of Parthenon sculptures after the British Museum, Celtic crosses, classical sculpture and sculpture of the Italian Renaissance.

  Intangible work and New Media

  This collection has particular emphasis placed on themes that are revelatory of the human condition such as Dalziel and Scullion’s Another Place, Julian Opie’s Sparkly Jeans and Top, Torsten Lauschmann’s Pandora’s Ball, Jacques Coetzera’s Room to Roam, the digital film by Conor Gault titled Le Fabuleux Destin, Rachel Maclean’s The Lion and the Unicorn, Susan Philipsz’s Two Sisters and Tracey Emin’s neon light piece, For You.

  James McBey

  Our McBey collection of paintings, sketches and prints spans the artist’s entire life and career. The collection includes early prints and his first oil painting, plus work from his time as an Official War Artist in the Middle East. His travels to Morocco, London, the USA and visits to Scotland are also represented. We have the world’s largest McBey archive thanks to the generosity of his friend and patron HH Kynett, and above all his wife Marguerite McBey who made several significant donations between 1959 and 2000. In addition to artworks, there are personal photographs, diaries, letters, newspaper cuttings and memorabilia.

  Artist Memorabilia and Archives

  Collection includes objects used or owned by an artist, such as William Hogarth’s paintbox and walking stick and the bowl his pug used to drink from, James McBey’s easel and etching tools, and Ian Hamilton Finlay’s sundial. We care for William Dyce’s letters, George Reid’s correspondence and a significant holding of John Phillip’s writings.

  HISTORY – COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

  Archaeology

  Pre-medieval

  The collections include several Neolithic carved stone balls recovered from across North-east Scotland. There are Neolithic to Bronze Age axes and some Bronze Age weaponry such as swords, daggers and spear heads, much of which was acquired from private collectors. Collected Bronze Age domestic objects include beakers, one highlight being the Scotstown beaker. There is an important collection of flintwork from local excavations, including Mesolithic finds from the Dee valley and later examples dating to the Bronze Age.

  Medieval

  The strength of the collections lies in the substantial body of local medieval material, most of which was excavated in the city from the 1970s onwards. It is composed of pottery, metalwork, glass, wood, bone and leather objects and textiles, and is backed up by a substantial archive. Significant objects include bone dice and gaming pieces, an ice skate made of horse bone dating to the 1300s, and a wooden currach paddle found in the city centre, dating to the 1200s-1300s. There is also a small collection of human remains from local excavations.

  Post Medieval

  Much of the post-medieval archaeology collection is domestic objects (dating from 1600 onwards) found in excavations in the city such as buttons, pipes, glass bottles and pottery. Interesting pieces include a pipe clay wig curler dating to the 1700s found on the site of the Carmelite Friary in Aberdeen, and a bone toothbrush dating to the 1800s found in the city centre.

  Numismatics

  Currency, coins, and banknotes

  The core of the numismatics collection is the two complete medieval coin hoards, and part of a third (amounting to over 3500 coins). As would be expected for this period, the majority were issued in England. These are supplemented by a much smaller collection of Scottish issued coins from the medieval period and around 350 post-1707 machine struck UK coinage and just under 1000 non-UK coins from various periods. The most significant post-Medieval material are the banknotes and cheques issued by NE Scotland banks.

  Medals

  There are around 750 medals including commemorative, prize and military medals, mostly dating from the 1800s to present day but with some as early as the 1600s. Many are locally relevant. These include exhibition medals, City Burgess and other badges. There are examples of foreign medals, notably those belonging to James Maurice Frost who was born in Aberdeen and rose the to rank of Brigadier-General in the Imperial Ottoman Artillery, with the rank of Pasha during the 1880s.

  Maritime History

  Aberdeen Harbour

  Many archaeological objects in the collection reflect trade and industry due to the importance of Aberdeen Harbour as a trading port. For the more modern period there are engineering patterns, diving equipment used in harbour maintenance. Around 90% of material relating to the Harbour is photographs (over 500) and paintings (over 1000).

  Energy industries

  The offshore energy industries are a core part of displays at Aberdeen Maritime Museum, where the public can learn about its history, development and future. The 1300+ collection is strong in regards to contemporary offshore oil and gas technical activities, models of ships and oil platforms, and artworks of life and work offshore. The collection contains objects relating to the Piper Alpha Oil and Gas Platform Disaster of 6th July 1988, including maquettes produced as part of the production of the Piper Alpha Memorial.

  Fishing

  As a primary industry of NE Scotland, fishing is well represented with models, photographs, company records and paintings relating to life and work in small fishing communities, trawling, fish processing, fisheries research and the environmental impact of fishing (around 1500 items). The collection is comprehensive in regards the operation of the fishing fleet, including significant material relating to Richard Irvin showing all aspects of fitting a fishing fleet, and includes models of the prototype fishing vessel that performed anti-mine work in WW1.

  Shipbuilding

  Shipbuilding and its associated activities are strongly represented with a diverse range of objects, concentrated mainly on three shipyards – namely Hall, Hall Russell, Lewis, and a lesser extent Duthie. It contains ships’ plans (over 14000), photographs (over 4000 records), paintings and over 300 models and half-hull models. There are also drawings, workmen’s tools, specification books, shop floor design notebooks and photographs relating to the shipyards. The development of this collection is supported by a catalogue of 3500 ships’ histories, actively researched by our longstanding volunteers and accessible online.

  Shipping

  Records of locally owned ships using Aberdeen’s harbour stretch back almost 1000 years. The physical material in the care of AAGM is mainly drawn from the late 1700s to late 1900s and contains around 1600 items. Most items are from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, and are particularly related to the North of Scotland Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company which provided the lifeline link to Northern Isles, as well as cruises aboard the first purpose built cruise liner St Sunniva 1. Material related to other operators such as Duthie, Thomson, etc whose vessels operated on the global stage carrying goods and people all around the world are also held.

  Whaling

  Whaling was a very short term industry in Aberdeen compared to Dundee or Peterhead, and the collection is correspondingly small (around 130 items), including ship models, harpoons and scrimshaw. The links between whaling, whalers and the exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic are not so well represented, nor is the economic boost whaling gave to local shipbuilding and from investment in the industry by local businesses.

  Industrial history

  Granite industry

  This important industry, defining the granite city, is preserved in an extensive selection of hand tools, images, catalogues and business records, as well as samples and some small items of cut stone. It is stronger for the monumental industry albeit with few examples of ‘finished’ work or largescale machinery and with limited material directly related to quarrying.

  Manufacturing: The collections record a variety of Aberdeen manufacturers from “Tinny” Robertson’s through to Ogston & Tennant soap manufacturers. The following were major employers historically, and/or have been a focus or interest for previous collections development:

  Chemicals and gas

  An extensive collection over 1700 photographs, working notebooks and plans record the history of Aberdeen Gasworks and the Sandilands Chemical works. There are few objects from the works but there is a representative selection of domestic and commercial gas appliances, with associated literature. There is little contemporary material relating to the small-scale production or use of chemicals and gas in Aberdeen such as cleaning product manufacture, or chemicals for offshore use.

  Craft Trades

  This collection for traditional skilled trades is focussed on woodworking, plumbing, and shoemaking with hand tools, examples of work and supporting photographs, oral histories and ephemera (over 700 items).

  Engineering

  Over 4400 engineering drawings, plans, catalogues, images as well as some of the smaller items such as tools represent the civil, mechanical and electrical trades over the past two hundred years. Firms represented include William McKinnon, George Cassie, and JM Henderson.

  Papermaking

  Stoneywood, Aberdeen was the last of the many papermills in the city. This and other Aberdeen mills are strongly represented with photographs and plans of works and machinery, images of workers (and some oral testimonies) to papermaking frames, samples of raw and finished materials, ephemera, to transport tokens and items associated with workers welfare (over 500 items).

  Printing

  Around 150 printing items ranging in date from 1700s to late 1900s. Star items are a 1700s hand press and the last hot-type edition of The Press and Journal.

  Textile industry

  Crombie Grandholm Mills is represented by noteworthy samples of fabrics supplied to the allied forces in the First World War, fabrics that went into the fashion trade in the 1900s and barrows used in the mill. This material is currently on loan. There is a significant collection associated with Richards’ Broadford Works, including oral histories, samples and associated photographs showing the processes.

  Transportation and Storage

  There are around 150 items relating to Gandar Dower and the early development of the Airport at Dyce, and 1800 items, mostly ephemeral and archival, relating to railway travel in the 1800s and early 1900s. There are around 65 objects from Aberdeen Corporation Tramways Department. The collection includes around 145 items relating to the Post Office, centred on the material from the Crown Street Head Office and covering the 1800s and 1900s. It includes ephemera, signage, scales and many of the areas of the public interface with the postal service.

  Retail, accommodation and food services

  There are around 600 items relating to local shops, hotels, restaurants and pubs, predominantly from the late 1800s to about 1980, in addition to a largely complete interior of Davidson & Kay chemists amounting to around 3000 items. It includes ephemera, signage, some fixtures and fittings and moveable display accessories.

  Professional, scientific, and technical

  Photography

  There is a good balance of professional and amateur equipment but weak pre-1880s and post-1960s items. Highlight of the collection is a major archive of 2300+ George Washington Wilson photographs and ephemera, and the large collection of glass and film negatives, slides and photographs depicting life in work in the city.

  Medicine and Healthcare

  The 10,000+ medical collection reflects medical science and practise in hospital, community and domestic settings. The Kenneth A. Webster Nursing Collection focusses on professionals other than medical doctors and encompasses the whole of NE Scotland. The George Shepherd Pharmaceutical Collection contains the contents of Davidson & Kay, Aberdeen chemists.

  Metrology

  There are 240 metrology items, including the city’s official weights and measures from the 1800s and early 1900s. It also includes examples of working measures associated with various trades and activities in Aberdeen such as pharmaceuticals. The collection is weak post-1945.

  Social History

  Personal and Family Life

  Collection comprises mainly personal items used by individuals. There are numerous personal photographs and papers, letters, diaries and memorabilia as well as personal accessories for writing, grooming, toiletries and cosmetics and the consumption of alcohol (e.g. hip flask) and tobacco.

  Domestic life

  The domestic life collections include a broad range of fittings and appliances for the domestic supply of services such as heating, lighting, water, sewage and drainage. Domestic appliances used for cleaning and maintenance and cooking are complemented by material relating to the preparation, serving and storing of food, including recipe and cookery books (800+ records).

  Home entertainment is represented with over 100 items including radios, televisions and video players, phonographs and personal computers. There is a particularly strong collection of mid-1900s valve radios and related ephemera such instruction manuals and magazines. Archival or ephemeral material held includes legal documents, accounts, rent books and loose family photographs, mostly as part of larger collections relating to local individuals.

  Leisure and recreation

  Collecting hobbies such as scrap books, cigarette cards, philately and postcards are represented, alongside a range of dolls, toys and games from the early 1800s to early 2000s. The health and sporting pursuits of many Aberdonians were fostered by local companies such as Pirie’s at Stoneywood and the collections contain good examples of trophies and other memorabilia associated with such organisations. There are examples of sporting equipment and related ephemera, mostly golfing and fishing, and some objects relating to His Majesty’s Theatre and the Music Hall.

   

  Faith groups

  This collection is dominated by local Christian churches, and is further represented by 28 items of church silver. There are 480 communion tokens (late 1600s to late 1800s) from churches and congregations in NE Scotland and the Highlands, with a number issued across Scotland by a denomination. Also examples of Maundy money (from the 1600s) and modern Maundy Money purses. Buddhist robes and related items were gifted in 2015 but broader representation remains a priority.

  Civic and community life

  Around 2500 items represent community organisations such as education providers, friendly societies, local government and emergency services. Organised labour is represented by an important collection of Trade Union banners associated with the Aberdeen trades including shipbuilders and boilermakers, bakers, Papermakers friendly society, carpenters etc. as well as the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (now the Rail Maritime and Transport Union).

  Wartime

  Around 700 locally significant objects reflect mostly civilian life during wartime, including ration books, gas masks and ephemera. Military experience is centred on around 150 military medals. This is strongest for the Second World War, but covers the late 1800s to mid 1900s.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2023

  Licence: CC BY-NC