Museum Thefts - DAR item

[Dan Conlin]

The RCMP have seized more than 1200 antiques from a man in Fall River, NS who faces multiple charges of possession of stolen goods. He seems to have preyed upon understaffed museum and archives in Nova Scotia and now every museum in the province is reviewing their collection to see what may be missing:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot ... eized.html
Among the photos that the RCMP has released is this DAR station agent's hat.

Does anyone recognize it? I wonder if the Memory Lane Museum might have taken a hit from this guy?

If you have any useful information, contact Constable Daryl Morgan at the Halifax RCMP detachment.

Dan Conlin

[SamuelMClark]

I was wondering if there was any DAR items that might have shown up in that. Have already informed them that if it's not from a private collection it could be from the Middleton Station Museum? If not might be a good idea.

Here's the link to view items that they have found

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/features-e ... ic-eng.htm

[SamuelMClark]

I found another DAR item list on the RCMP web site, and I called the number and left information, telling them if it's not from a private collector here in NS it could be from the Memory Lane Railway, Musquodoboit Railway Museum or Orangedale Railway Museum.

Also told them that if any other DAR (Dominion Atlantic Railway) items are found and not from private collections then it could be from those museum. I'm more then likely going to be called on Monday.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/features-e ... hapeau.jpg

[Dan Conlin]

Thanks for the link Sam. I noticed a third DAR item there, a very early mail Windsor & Annapolis Railway mail bag for Grand Pre:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/features-e ... eSelle.jpg

They have labelled it saddle bag but the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry has one just like it from the Canning Station identified as a mailbag.

Dan

[stem]

The full article on the RCMP site is here:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/news-nouve ... 03-eng.htm

[stem]

The museum has thanked us (Thanks Dan) and that Terry Hyson has checked and does not seem to be missing anything at the museum. Perhaps they RCMP will bequeath anything DAR related (if it is unclaimed) to the museum. The chances are the insurance has already been paid out on the items so there's a real chance of that.

[Dan Conlin]

Unfortunately if the police can't figure out who owned much of the seized property, Mr. Tillman may well end up keeping many objects even if he is convicted of stealing other parts of his hoard. That is why it is important to spread the word about any of the objects we recognize. Many rural museums have collections of thousands of objects but rarely have the resources to do the unglamorous but vital work of inventories so it can be hard to know when something is missing.

Dan

[stem]

Oh I agree wholeheartedly. The problem is that our initiative to help catalogue the museum fell flat and as a result, there is no inventory listing at all to compare with. That's the sad truth to the matter for so many small rural museums. So the recollections and personal knowledge of the people who work with the museum on a daily basis is all we have to go on. I have compared some of the photos of exhibits that were taken and given to me a few years back with the few photos supplied by the RCMP and can see nothing missing myself. A full inventory from the RCMP would go a long way in identifying any further missing pieces.

I would still like to participate in inventorying the museum by suppling the software and server but we need ground floor people to help on-site and someone with curator knowledge to oversee the whole process. Overseeing doesn't mean doing it but it would be up front work to plan the implementation and spec out the system to insure an acceptable job was done.

Your thoughts?

[SamuelMClark]

Another Rail item found this one is a book.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/features-e ... rique-.jpg

Item 32 – Historic Book

Black cover. Titled, “Nova Scotia Railway Rules and Regulations.”