Ledger Art
142 years can put a lot of wear and tear on a leather-bound diary. Our Ford Conservation Center fixed it up and preserved both the original diary entries and the Native American art within.
Promoter of Peace
The Objects Lab at the Ford Center recently treated a interesting frame for a painting of Logan Fontenelle. It is a large, wooden frame for the portrait by artist William Andrew Mackay. Logan Fontenelle, or Shon-ga-ska (White Horse), was the last ruling Chief of the Omaha Tribe. He was the son of Me-um-bane, the daughter of chief Big Elk, and Lucien Fontenelle, a French-American fur trader from New Orleans.
A Tale of Two Ships
Normally our Ford Conservation Center's Gerald Ford exhibit is open by appointment only, but when Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Chris Tysor showed up they decided to make an exception.
Curtain Call
Many of the rural opera houses that once covered Nebraska are gone, but their painted curtains are often still around. Our Ford Conservation Center recently restored the curtain that decorated the Kearney Opera house for nearly 20 years.
New Look, New Conservation Guide
The History Nebraska Conservation Division has a new name, new look, and new ways to help you preserve your own collections.
"The Artist"
When a fire damaged Lila Vamosi's drawing "The Artist," she turned to our Gerald Ford Conservation Center to restore it. Although it still shows some scars, they now serve to tell a new story.
Creighton Side Saddle - The Big Reveal
The treatment of the Creighton Side Saddle included many different types of materials, a variety of repair methods, and over 100 hours to complete! Some of the most challenging treatments included the saddle blanket and the seat. If you haven't read the first two blog posts about the side saddle, including the saddle's history and the rest of the treatment, you can read them here and
Creighton Side Saddle - Continued
When we last left the Creighton side saddle, it was in a sorry state. It had been brought to the Ford Conservation Center for treatment in hopes that it could be stabilized and returned to a condition that could be displayed and stored safely for the long-term.
Creighton University Side Saddle
Over the next three months, our blog posts will detail the history, condition, and treatment of a saddle that belongs to Creighton University. It is believed to have been the saddle of Mary Lucretia Creighton and was in dire need of help when it arrived at the Ford Center. While it looked like a hopeless case, it ended up being one of the most impressive transformations we’ve seen.
A Story Shared
Even in larger cities like Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska always feels like a small town where everyone knows everyone else. And the mission statement of the Nebraska State Historical Society is:“The Nebraska State Historical Society collects, preserves, and opens to all, the histories we share.” Occasionally, the "histories we share" can be quite serendipitous! I'm Megan Griffiths, a conservation technician at the Ford Center. I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing one such story.
