Collection policy

The collection policy supports the objectives of the Blumhardt Foundation. As a guideline toward the future collecting of decorative art and design, the policy aims to enhance the core collection within the Doreen Blumhardt collection, the strength of which is New Zealand and Japanese studio pottery mid to late 20th century. The policy aims to complement the existing decorative arts collection at The Dowse.

Decorative art and design for the purposes of the Foundation Collections are defined as objects from the following categories:

  • Domestic Ware Domestic Ware: for example ceramics, metalwork, glass and wood
  • Body Adornment Body Adornment: for example jewellery and costume accessories (handbags, shoes etc)
  • Interior Design Interior Design: for example textiles, furniture, floor coverings, wallpaper, lighting, graphic design relating to interiors
  • Industrial Design Industrial Design: relating to the domestic environment, for example flatware, radios, refrigerators, stoves etc
  • Archives/Documents Text, images, drawings, electronic data and ephemera relating to objects acquired for the collection maybe acquired. Refer deaccessioning.
  • Collecting Strategy The acquisition process aims to develop a New Zealand decorative art and design collection post 1945. Examples of significant and relevant international examples may be collected to complement the New Zealand collection. Focus will be on collecting key/singular examples and will avoid duplication wherever possible.

    Those objects, which may be acquired, include examples, which are representative of designers and manufacturers. They may be key objects in the artist’s design career or they may represent stylistic movements of national or international significance. Objects may be examples of one-off design or multiple production.