While Wendy Waszut-Barrett is traveling for research and art acquisitions (October 14-29, 2017) she is reposting the first fifteen installments from “Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar Acquiring: The Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center.” Here is her third post from February 17, 2017.
Part 3: The Art of the Deal – An Initial Offer
By noon on our second day, I assured the CEO that the Fort Scott Scottish Rite scenery was in beautiful shape, historically significant, and that it should withstand any rigors of removal and transportation. Negotiations immediately began onsite before our departure between the Minnesota Masonic Charities CEO and the Valley of Fort Scott representative.
The CEO offered the local Scottish Rite Representative $2,500 for the entire collection. He jokingly noted that this amount was more than twice that the Valley of New Orleans received for their collection that previous June. I saw the look of profound disappointment on our host’s face and couldn’t help but feel sorry for both him and the Valley. Our Fort Scott representative promised to take the offer to the Valley and said that they would respond soon.
I wanted to remind all parties that regardless of the price, the money for the scenery should be a donation and not a direct purchase. A purchase would establish a “market value” for the collection and negatively affect other historical scenery collections nationwide. My greatest fear at the time, as is now, would be that all future damage occurring to historical scenery collections and their subsequent insurance claims would take into account the “market value.” Of significant import is the fact that the same insurance company covers ALL Scottish Rite theaters. Until June 2015, insurance claims were primarily based on their “replacement value” and not market value.
The majority of my replacement appraisals for entire Scottish Rite collections are between 1 million and 1.5 million dollars. Prior to the New Orleans scenery collection purchase for $1000, there had been no available information concerning the “sale” of Masonic scenery to reference. This is like the Scottish Rite shooting itself in the foot with a semiautomatic when the scenery sells for little or nothing.
Over the years, I had battled with this same insurance company on behalf of many other Valleys when collections were damaged from leaking roofs and burst pipes. Two past examples were Danville, Virginia and Yankton, South Dakota when each of their scenery collections suffered from water damage. In each instance the insurance company had initially offered very little to even repair the damage.
A further practical consideration concerns ensuing damage. This means that the water damage to scenery affects neighboring drops, ones that are not water damaged, thus causing ensuing damage to the remainder of a collection. The dusting pigment, as a result from water damage, coats the remainder of the drops after becoming airborne. This is also hazardous to the performer’s lungs or anyone else below on the stage.
My past work has always been driven by a desire to preserve a heritage that goes beyond any one individual or community. I have always tried to educate unsuspecting stewards of these large –scale art collections. My belief is that if the owners of historical scenery collections understand the cultural significance of their material heritage, they will take care of the artifacts. They only need the information to make an informed decision, but not everyone wants to hear what you have to say.
To be continued…
