This is my second week of Volunteer placement at Cotehele managing the Victorian Library.
This week I have continued to act as a room guide and am slowly but surely getting to grips with the various articles in the room, although I did have a minor wobble over a set of Victorian bottle jacks (devices used to rotate meat over an open fire thus ensuring its equal cooking) but as ever was able to scramble together an explanation using the room guidebook or the Bible as I have affectionately termed it! Indeed why these devices were in the Library at all is somewhat of a mystery I would argue that they would probably be more at home in the Cotehele kitchen but decided to keep this observation to myself...
This week I have continued to act as a room guide and am slowly but surely getting to grips with the various articles in the room, although I did have a minor wobble over a set of Victorian bottle jacks (devices used to rotate meat over an open fire thus ensuring its equal cooking) but as ever was able to scramble together an explanation using the room guidebook or the Bible as I have affectionately termed it! Indeed why these devices were in the Library at all is somewhat of a mystery I would argue that they would probably be more at home in the Cotehele kitchen but decided to keep this observation to myself...
Example of a Bottle Jack
When not entertaining visitors with my nervous explanations of articles I have been working on a 'Collection management' Project which predominantly deontes -Cleaning.
I have been carefully cleaning the model ship pictures below using cotton buds and metal polish and whilst being very tiring tedious work the cleaning and preservation of pieces is extremely important in mainting them.
I have been carefully cleaning the model ship pictures below using cotton buds and metal polish and whilst being very tiring tedious work the cleaning and preservation of pieces is extremely important in mainting them.
Following discussion with the House team as of next week I should be starting my own projects around the house, whether that be in collections management, restoration or Data entry. All National Trust porperties are now expected to have digitalised thier collections - that is to say that all artifacts have to be photographed and entered onto a database for the public to view online. Given my experience at SWiB the photographic archive the House team have asked whether I would like to help with this project and I am very hapy to be involved :)
In the meantime here are some photographs I have taken today of the Victorian Library which I am currently managing, apologies for the poor quality of some of the images but natural light is kept to a minimum within the property to limit the damage to tapestries and paintings.
The Victorian Dresser
Photography was a relatively new idea for the Victorians and they liked nothing more then to arrange thier worldly belongings on chests such as this to photograph as these images illustrated the families wealth and status.
In this section of the Library we encourage visitors to create and photograph thier own displays using articles from the room.
Photography was a relatively new idea for the Victorians and they liked nothing more then to arrange thier worldly belongings on chests such as this to photograph as these images illustrated the families wealth and status.
In this section of the Library we encourage visitors to create and photograph thier own displays using articles from the room.
This image shows part of the 'Animal Exhibition'
To the right we can see the stuffed Rhino and Sheeps heads
Left: The Canadian Pipe Organ
This organ was already in the House when the National Trust took over in 1947 but dates back to the 1800's it moves between the Library and great hall depending upon the time of year and visitors are encouraged to play a few tunes on it.
Having attempted this myself I can tell you that it takes a lot of work on the foot pump before a sound is heard!
And finally below we have the two views of the 'Dungeon Door' both from inside and outside. The 'Dungeon' as it is listed on the 1862 Map has been used in the past as a strongroom - a sort of giant safe in the event of invasion and as a photographic darkroom for the late William Fox Talbot, Lady Caroline Edgecumbe's half brother during the 1900s. We do supply hard hats for our visitors but I am yet to discover whether this is an actual safety measure of someones idea of a joke...
Finally I would like to end with an interesting Image I have found of Cotehele House prior to the 1862 remodelling of the East Wing - Enjoy!
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