The government's Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) Scheme and Cultural Gifts Scheme (CGS) enable UK museums, galleries, libraries and archives to acquire significant objects, in most cases at no cost to themselves. Managed by the Arts Council of England the 2023 report has just been published and there are two entries of particular interest to BPH readers. All applications and need to meet the Waverley pre-eminence criteria which is used in assessing objects offered under both schemes:
- Does the object have an especially close association with our history and national life?
- Is the object of especial artistic or art-historical interest?
- Is the object of especial importance for the study of some particular form of art, learning or history?
- Does the object have an especially close association with a particular historic setting?
The two photography collections are:
- The Bernard Howarth-Loomes collection of early photography has been accepted in lieu of tax. The daguerreotypes; daguerreotypes made into jewellery; a plate scene of Niagara Falls by Platt D Babbitt; ambrotypes and tintypes; cartes-de-visites, including the portrait by Robert Howlett of the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, set against the background of the chains of the Great Eastern; and pre-photographic equipment. Bernard Howarth-Loomes (c.1931-2003) was a photographic collector specialising in stereoscopic views. This collection encompasses many different photographic techniques including 13,000 stereographs and early and rare images. It provides a unique learning opportunity for the study of the history of photography and optical science, particularly stereography. It also provides a social insight into how the Victorians explored their world and how they chose to present themselves to their friends and family.
The Panel considered the collection from the estate of Ethel Alma Howarth-Loomes, pre-eminent under the first, second and third criteria, in acceptable condition and fairly valued. The collection has been permanently allocated to National Museums Scotland in accordance with the condition attached to its offer. The Janette Rosing collection of photographs of Cornwall. This Cornwall and Scilly Isles-focused collection was carefully selected by Janette Rosing (1942-2021) over a 50-year period and comprises over 3,800 photographs dating from the early 1850s to the early 1900s. There are seven rare photographs by or attributed to Linnaeus Tripe (1822-1902) as well as a range of images not held in other public collections. The topographical nature of many of the photographs in the collection offers a visual history of Cornwall over the 19th century. The photographic postcards from the early 1900s provide social-historical insights into recreational and leisure activities in the region.
The Panel considered the collection, accepted from the estate of Miss Janette Rosing, pre-eminent under all four criteria, in acceptable condition and fairly valued. It has been permanently allocated to Kresen Kernow in Cornwall in accordance with the condition attached to its offer.
Read the full 2023 report and case studies here
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