Conservation
Getting arms and armor ready for the road
T
he Higgins Armory Collection has long been a hidden treasure of the City of Worcester. Originally assembled by John Woodman Higgins in the early 20th century, for display in a museum attached to his factory, this collection now comprises more than 1,500 armor and weaponry objects from around the world. It is the second largest collection of such in the United States (after the Metropolitan Museum in New York). Generations of children and adults alike were enthralled by arms and armor at the former Higgins Armory Museum, brought to life by creative displays, engaging tours, and demonstrations conducted by dedicated educators. When the collection moved to the Worcester Art Museum in 2014, we committed ourselves to recreating that magic. That goal is closer than ever, thanks to the efforts of Higgins Curator of Arms & Armor and Medieval Art Jeffrey Forgeng and Project Conservator of Objects, Higgins Collection Bill MacMillan (both formerly of the Higgins Armory Museum). But first, museum-goers in other parts of the country will have an opportunity to experience the Higgins Collection for themselves through the new traveling exhibition, The Age of Armor—Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection.
Of course, the entire Collection cannot go on the road. “We assess every piece before deciding what can go,” says Bill. “Is it safe to travel? Can it handle being set up and taken down? Each one gets a full exam to make sure it’s road-worthy. If it doesn’t do well, we don’t send it out.”
“We need to check their climate control, lighting, security,” he explains. Meanwhile, the destinations are learning more about the complex needs of armor conservation. “It’s a collaborative process from start to finish, but care of the objects comes first for everyone.” One of the more unusual considerations is the mannequins on which the suits of armor will be displayed. The average suit of armor weighs between 50 and 60 pounds, and some are even heavier— more than any commercial mannequin can hold, as Bill once discovered for himself. “I ordered the most heavy-duty one they offered,” he remembers, “and tested it by dressing it up in the heaviest suit.” The mannequin collapsed before even half the pieces were put on. The solution is custom-made display mannequins, something no museum without an armor collection can be reasonably expected to have. When the Higgins Collection came to WAM, it was accompanied by the mannequins from the Higgins Armory Museum, which were antiques themselves. A few had been given to John Woodman Higgins in the 1920s, gifts from Bashford Dean, fellow collector and founding Curator of Arms and Armor at the Met. Others were packed with newspapers, dated from 1948. Historical curiosity aside, though, these would need to be replaced before the Collection went on permanent display.
The first set of replacements can be seen throughout the galleries, but Bill hoped for more. “We need mannequins that can fit many types of armor, from a ceremonial The safety of the approximately 72 pieces breastplate to a full tournament suit pushselected to travel is of the highest impor- ing 80 pounds.” In addition, the suits come tance—not just during transport, but all the in a variety of sizes, reflecting the different time each is on display. As the destination builds of their original owners, so the ideal institutions do not have armor collections of mannequin would need to be able to replitheir own, Bill, who has more than 30 years’ cate this range. experience working with the Higgins An outside contractor was brought in to Armory Collection, must ensure they will be study the current model and produce a able to display the pieces safely.
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Bill MacMillan adjusts a suit of armor on one of the new mannequins he helped develop.
prototype, which Bill described as: “Best. Mannequin. Ever.” The new model is adaptable, adjustable, and posable. The legs stand as if the figure was in motion; the arms can be positioned in many ways, allowing the mannequins to hold weapons realistically and pose dynamically. The head is shaped to allow helmets to sit at a variety of angles, as if it were looking in different directions. In addition, the height of the mannequin can be increased or decreased to fit any suit. Bill tested the prototype under one of WAM’s heaviest suits. “It held up beautifully,” he said. These new mannequins—and the display opportunities they provide—feature prominently in plans for the upcoming permanent Arms and Armor Gallery. For now, a dozen have been ordered for the traveling exhibition, allowing the destination institutions to not only display the suits, but bring them to life—and share a little of the Higgins Collection magic that those who remember John Woodman Higgins’s special museum know so well. Opposite: Workshops of Wolf and Peter von Speyer, Rennzeug (armor for the "joust of war"), about 1590–1600, steel, iron, leather, black paint, textile and horsehair stuffing, The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.1154