Wallace Collection looking for a new Curator

[Chuck Davis]

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Curator of Arms and Armour

The Wallace Collection is seeking a well-qualified and bright individual to
curate its outstanding collections of European and Oriental arms and
armour, which consist of 3,000 works of art dating from c.1300-1860.

A job description with further details of the post is attached. I would be
very grateful if you could help broadcast this vacancy, by passing this
message on as appropriate.

Jeremy Warren FSA
Head of Collections
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London, W1U 3BN
T: 020 7563 9537
F: 020 7224 2155
warrenj@wallacecollection.org

CURATOR OF ARMS AND ARMOUR
FULL-TIME

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

The Wallace Collection is a collection of the fine and decorative arts
formed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by four successive
Marquesses of Hertford and the 4th Marquess¹s son Sir Richard Wallace. It
was left to the British Nation in 1897 and opened as a national museum in
June 1900 in Hertford House, a Grade II-listed building in central London
and a former London home of the family. It has a Director who reports to a
board of Trustees appointed by the Prime Minister and is financed by a
combination of grant-in-aid from the UK Government and self-generated
income.

In June 2000 work was completed on an ambitious project to mark the
Centenary Year of the Collection as a national museum. This has provided
the Collection with a new series of galleries, education facilities and a
restaurant in a newly-glazed central courtyard, creating 30% more public
space and visitor capacity. Together with an enhanced exhibition programme,
these facilities are part of longer-term plans to promote greater access to
the Collection and gain wider recognition of its position as one of the
richest and most representative collections of fine and decorative arts in
the world.

THE COLLECTION

The Wallace Collection owns perhaps the finest collection of French
eighteenth-century paintings, porcelain and furniture outside France. The
Collection also includes highly important Old Master paintings, a unique
collection of French nineteenth-century paintings, Medieval and Renaissance
bronzes, ceramics and works of art and a superb collection of European and
Oriental arms and armour.

The Curatorial team currently consists of six Curators, together with two
Librarians, one Museum Assistant, a Project Manager for the Wallace
Collection¹s Collections Management project and a part-time Picture
Librarian. In addition, the Director Rosalind Savill retains curatorial
responsibility for Sèvres porcelain and gold boxes.

Under the terms of Lady Wallace¹s Bequest, the Collection is not permitted
to lend from the Collection or to acquire new works of art for the
Collection. Since the completion of the Centenary Project, it has been
easier for the Collection to borrow works of art for temporary display in
its new temporary exhibition galleries.

The Wallace Collection also has an important library and archive and is
committed to developing its role as a centre for the study of French
eighteenth-century decorative arts and for the study of the history of
collecting, especially in London and in Paris in the eighteenth- and
nineteenth-centuries. The Collection has, especially since the move of the
Royal Armouries from London to Leeds, become increasingly important as a
library and archive available for the centre for the study of arms and
armour. It has recently acquired an important research archive on Sir
Samuel Rush Meyrick and has also received on long-term loan the Howard de
Walden collection of books on fencing and swordsmanship and the archives of
the Meyrick Society.


THE ARMS AND ARMOUR COLLECTION

The arms and armour collection at the Wallace Collection consists of around
3,000 works of art, roughly equally divided between European and Oriental
arms and armour. Arms and armour numerically accounts for around 60% of the
Wallace Collection¹s entire collections. Together the two armouries form
what is generally acknowledged to be one of the most important collections
of arms and armour in the world and the most important general collection
in
London, now that the Royal Armouries¹ collections have mostly moved to
Leeds. The European arms and armour collection, most of which was acquired
by Sir Richard Wallace from the Meyrick and Nieuwerkerke collections, is an
important surviving example of the19th-century passion for collecting arms
and armour. The collection is wide-ranging, including material from a date
range of c.1300-1860, but is especially strong in princely armour of the
Italian Renaissance. Sir James Mann¹s 1962 catalogue of the European arms
and armour, supported by A.V.B. Norman¹s 1986 Supplement, remains a
fundamental reference work for the collection and for arms and armour
studies in general, but was generally poorly illustrated. The entire
collection is therefore currently the subject of an intensive programme of
condition-checking and cleaning prior to digital re-photography, in
preparation for a new CD-Rom summary catalogue.

The Oriental arms and armour, mostly assembled by the 4th Marquess of
Hertford to accompany his important Orientalist paintings, in some respects
approaches the European arms and armour in importance. The collection is
especially strong in Indo-Persian and Ottoman material and includes such
individual masterpieces as the swords of Ranjit Singh and of Tipu Sultan.
It has been much less thoroughly studied than the European armour, the only
catalogue, by Sir Guy Laking, dating back to 1914. New research into this
part of the collection, with the eventual aim of a new catalogue, is one of
our principal curatorial aims.

The former Curator/Conservator of Arms and Armour at the Collection, Mr
David Edge, has recently been promoted to Head of Conservation and has as a
result relinquished his curatorial responsibilities, thus creating the
present vacancy.


OVERALL PURPOSE AND ROLE

As part of a small curatorial team and reporting directly to the Head of
Collections, you will be responsible for the care of the Wallace
Collection¹s arms and armour collections and related archival material. You
will be required to undertake research into these collections and to develop
the Wallace Collection¹s reputation as a centre of excellence for arms and
armour scholarship, helping to promote understanding and enjoyment of this
Collection and fostering and encouraging the study of the discipline. You
will also be expected to help the Director and Head of Collections to
achieve greater recognition of the contribution of the arms and armour
collections to the Wallace Collection¹s status as a great museum of
decorative arts.

The post-holder will on taking up appointment be required to take a leading
role in the project to re-photograph the European arms and armour and the
preparation of the CD-Rom summary catalogue. Setting of other major
priorities will depend on the successful candidate¹s qualifications and
experience; the two key projects we wish to take forward are:

ß preparation for the Wallace Collection¹s forthcoming exhibition The Art
of
the Sword, scheduled to open in April 2006. The aim of this exhibition will
be to focus attention on the finest European swords in the collection and
to
present to the public a selection of books from the Howard de Walden
collection;
ß work towards a new catalogue of the Oriental arms and armour.

RESPONSIBILITIES

ß Care of the works of art for which you are responsible, monitoring their
condition and well-being
ß In liaison with our in-house Conservation Department, the Head of
Collections and any external advisers, draw up priorities for conservation,
assist with preparation of conservation proposals and reports and oversee
arms and armour conservation projects whilst in progress
ß Undertake research into the collections and objects in your care
ß Publish on these collections and related topics, especially the Oriental
arms and armour
ß Maintain up-to-date and well-ordered object files, and associated arms
and armour reference files
ß Maintain an annotated master copy of the arms and armour catalogues
ß Prepare and maintain labels, gallery sheets, website collection entries
and other publicly-accessible information in the Galleries and on our
website
ß Oversee new photography of arms and armour
ß Ensure the arms and armour section of the slide collection is
well-maintained
ß Advise the Librarian on maintenance and development of the arms and
armour section of the Library
ß Deal with public enquiries, including objects brought in for opinion
ß Provide advice to official bodies as required, e.g. Export Reviewing
Committee
ß Advise on the display of arms and armour in the Wallace Collection
ß Curate temporary exhibitions and displays
ß Undertake specialist and more general lectures, including monthly gallery
talks and Wallace Collection study days and guided tours of the whole
Collection
ß Teach on the Wallace Collection¹s MA courses and elsewhere as agreed with
the Head of Collections
ß Keep abreast of relevant material on the market
ß Develop your knowledge of related arms and armour in UK and overseas
collections
ß Develop contacts with relevant curatorial colleagues in other
institutions, especially the Royal Armouries, the Wallace Collection¹s
regional partners and key overseas collections
ß Play an active part in the programmes and work of specialist arms and
armour groups
ß Undertake a share of administrative duties in the Curatorial Department,
as required

REPORTING STRUCTURE

Head of Collections

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Head of Collections
Head of Conservation
Curatorial Staff
Museum Assistant
Librarian/Archivist
Head of Education

The Curator of Arms and Armour will in practice work especially closely with
the Head of Collections, Mr Jeremy Warren, with the Head of Conservation,
Mr David Edge, and with the Museum Assistant, who is responsible for the
day-to-day care of the works of art.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Extensive previous curatorial experience or academic record, although
desirable, are not essential. The post-holder will however need to have:

ß An appropriate post-graduate qualification
ß An excellent knowledge and understanding of either European arms and
armour or of Oriental (especially Indian and/or Islamic) arms and armour
ß Some publication record and a love of research
ß Excellent written and spoken communications skills
ß Good knowledge of relevant languages
ß Lecturing experience
ß A demonstrable interest in arms and armour as works of art
ß Ability to work as a member of a small team
ß A conscientious and meticulous approach towards record-keeping

Other desirable qualities:

ß Flexibility
ß Ability to learn quickly on the job
ß Cheerful and positive approach to life
ß An appreciation of how the Wallace Collection operates in the broader
subsidised sector.


REMUNERATION AND WORKING HOURS

The starting salary for this post, as offered in the first instance, will be
in the range of c£21,000 to £24,000 per annum depending on experience. The
Collection may be prepared to negotiate a higher starting salary for an
exceptional candidate. In addition, the postholder will receive 22 days
paid annual leave rising to 25 days after one year¹s service (plus 2.5
"privilege" days), membership of a "non-contributory" pension scheme and an
interest-free season ticket loan (after six months¹ service).

For this post, the normal working week is a five day week in the period
Monday to Friday and the normal working day will be 9am to 5pm. However,
some flexibility will be expected as the need to do occasional evening and
weekend duties will be required.

APPLICATION

To apply for the position of Curator of Arms and armour, please complete
the attached/online application form, including a covering letter if wished.
The Wallace Collection will not consider applications made by CV alone.

Interviews will be held in London on Friday 26 November 2004.

For full details of the post and an application form please down load
attached form or visit our website, www.wallacecollection.org. You can also
e-mail your name and address to personnel@wallacecollection.org or write to
the Personnel Officer, The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester
Square, London W1U 3BN.

Closing date for applications: Friday 12 November 2004.

[Glen K]

Oh no, what's going on with David Edge?
Good things, I hope....

[Russ Mitchell]

Promoted, from what I hear...

"positive outlook" indeed. Scuttlebutt has it that whoever applies for this position had better be a REAL glutton for punishment...

[Steve S.]

From above:

The former Curator/Conservator of Arms and Armour at the Collection, Mr
David Edge, has recently been promoted to Head of Conservation and has as a
result relinquished his curatorial responsibilities, thus creating the
present vacancy.

I was worried, too.

Steve

[Brian W. Rainey]

The post-holder will on taking up appointment be required to take a leading
role in the project to re-photograph the European arms and armour and the
preparation of the CD-Rom summary catalogue.

This is the good part.

[Russ Thomas]

Phew,things were looking rather serious there for a moment,I was going to go and see him next month ! Funny thing is ,I have known David for some years now ,and I always thought that he looked after all the metal conservation anyway ?Oh well, he will at last get a bigger office !
Great news about the CD though !

Regards,

Russ

[Alcyoneus]

The post-holder will on taking up appointment be required to take a leading
role in the project to re-photograph the European arms and armour and the
preparation of the CD-Rom summary catalogue.

This is the good part.

I think you are preaching to the choir.

I must be a Jedi to feel that.

[Mord]

A cd of the Wallace Collection? It's about time. I have the old catalogs, but I wouldn't want the job of curator. A. I'm not qualified. B. I would love to live in London, but I'm sure I won't be paid enough to live in London.

Now could we get a cd or cds of the museum in Leeds, please?

Mord.

[Caithlinn]

Now could we get a cd or cds of the museum in Leeds, please?

Funny, that. That's exactly what my partner is attempting to do when we move to the UK at the end of the year. Though I'm not sure....he'd love the curator's post just as much, but I have to agree, $21k is definitely not enough to live in London.... particularly when I have to live in Liverpool....

Caithlinn

[Magmaforge]

The applicant must have

A demonstrable interest in arms and armour as works of art

art students.....

[Brian W. Rainey]

The post-holder will on taking up appointment be required to take a leading
role in the project to re-photograph the European arms and armour and the
preparation of the CD-Rom summary catalogue.

This is the good part.

I think you are preaching to the choir.

I must be a Jedi to feel that.

I had heard about this project a couple of week's ago. I am simply VERY glad that it is actually active in print!

[Klaus the Red]

Funny thing is ,I have known David for some years now ,and I always thought that he looked after all the metal conservation anyway ?

If memory serves, when I met Mr. Edge this past May, he was officially the conservator whilst serving as acting curator in the wake of the previous curator's departure. Basically, he was holding two full-time jobs, and struck me as being busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. ("The Black Knight always triumphs!")

Klaus

[Kel Rekuta]

Good God!

This freaked me out as I just got back from WMAW 2004 where David Edge was "manning" the sales table for Chris Poor of A&A Arms. Saturday night I joked with him about the pull it must have taken to get the Wallace curator to sell swords at an American martial arts workshop!!!!

Now I get the wry response.

[Thomas H]

£21,000 a year is not a lot for what the job requires. To be able to eat you would have to eithe rlive with a few other people or out Of london. My dad used to live down there and found it very expensive. He got a free breakfast at the ritz though as he was working on the building next door(site manager)

[Erik D. Schmid]

Kel,

The reason David was at Chris' table was not to sell swords, but to represent the Oakeshott Institute.

[Kel Rekuta]

Kel,

The reason David was at Chris' table was not to sell swords, but to represent the Oakeshott Institute.

Like I said, I joked with him. The Oakeshott Institute placards and pamphlets were prominently displayed beside the blade offerings. Hard to miss.

Too bad the schedule was scrambled at the last minute. I was looking forward to his presentation, but it was rescheduled against a paid class. Disappointing to say the least. Hopefully, he might be persuaded to attend and present at WMAW 2005.