South Carolina State Museum

Click here to Ask The Curator!

You Asked the Curator -- and We Answered!

Rachel from Waterloo,SC asked:
Do you have an exhibit on Doolittle's Raiders?

We have a small section on the third floor that includes a model of the carrier with the 16 B-25. There is also a small case of artifacts that were loaned by Lieut. Horace Crouch, navigator of Plane 10. They have been exhibited there now for more than eight years and will be there for several more years to come.

 

Fritz Hamer

Chief Curator of History

jennifer from colorado asked:
Does your museum have any Dave the Slave pottery?

We have several pots made by and attributed to the 19th century, Edgefield potter named Dave.  There are about 10 currently on exhibition (from our collection and on loan) including the oldest, dated verse pot from 1834, which is part of the collection. The Charleston Museum also has a great collection of his pottery.

 

Paul Matheny

Chief Curator of Art

Chris from COLUMBIA SC asked:
Hi i recently purchased a confederate $20 note how can i tell if it is real or a reproduction?

It’s rather difficult to tell you for certain. But if you look at the signature on the bill and it is original then it should be authentic. However, the paper is also a good way to tell if you know what to look for. Generally the quality is not great. Nonetheless, one can never be sure without showing it to a currency expert in this field.

Fritz Hamer
Chief Curator of History

Mark from Ballentine, SC asked:
You have a Model A or Model T antique car on display. It was formerly owned by my great uncle. His last name was Hall, but I forget his first name. Would you please tell me the original owner's name? I'm arguing with one of my cousins. I think it was Hillary, he thinks it was Elija. Thank you.

Our records show that the first owner of this car was Elijah Hall of Lexington County when it was purchased from the dealer new in 1914. His son Lindsay received it after his father’s death years later.

Fritz Hamer
Chief Curator of History

Troy from York, South Carolina asked:
Pierce Mason Butler, Commander of the Palmetto Regiment during the Mexican War, was killed at the Battle of Churubusco. Is the sword presented by the State of South Carolina to his son in your collection, and if so, is it on display?

Yes, the sword in question is in the SC State Museum collection. It is currently displayed in the Fall Line exhibition in the Lipscomb Art Gallery on the first floor thru March 22, 2010.

Laura Kirk from Lee State Natural Area, Bishopville asked:
Who does the museum's taxidermy? Do you have different taxidermists for mammals and birds?

Many of the taxidermied birds, mammals, and snakes that are in the State Museum collection are relatively old, dating back to the beginnings of the Museum collection in the mid-1970's. We have had little taxidermied since that time, although several taxidermied specimens have been donated to us.

 

It would depend on the source of the specimen as to who would do the work. If I were to get a call about a specimen from the upstate I would ask the potential donor if there is someone in their area who might be able to do the work for a tax deduction.

 

Mammals are not a problem to have done, but birds are. Nearly all birds that occur in South Carolina, less the game species, are covered under one or several national laws as to possession. Most taxidermy specialists do not have the necessary permits to possess a particular bird species. For this reason we have not had many done over the last few years.

 

I hope this answers your question.

Jim Knight

Robert Weaver from Shaw AFB asked:
I have a blue green bottle with SC Dispensary with a palmetto tree on it. I have only been able to obtain limited info online about. Could you help me? I can e-mail pix if you can tell me where to send it.

You might be served to find Harvey Teal’s recent study of the dispensary that has a lot about bottles in it. You should be able to get it through your local library. I don’t have the exact title of this book but it came out in 2006, as I recall.

Fritz Hamer
Chief Curator of History

*Books about the South Carolina Dispensary are available in the Cotton Mill Exchange.  Call (803) 898-4967 for more information.

Elizabeth from Cayce asked:
I'm doing a project for a museum studies class at USC. I was wondering when the two 1907 "boxhead" model Fales & Jenks spinning frames were acquired, and if that was through gift or purchase.

In answer to your "ask a curator" question, the two spinning frames were added to the museum's collection in 1986 as a gift. 

Michelle Baker
Chief Registrar