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Article ID: CBB409815420

Why Irons are Useful and Sugar Nippers are not (2006)

Peavitt, Helen (Author)

Icon: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology
Volume: 12
Pages: 30-37

URI: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23787052

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Artifacts Material culture Household technology Museums Museum exhibits Rituals Museums, Science Sugar and sugar industry Tea and tea industry Great Britain Science Museum, London

This paper sets out to provide a corrective to what can be all too common in museums — the overlooking of the analysis of the more seemingly obsolete and 'mundane' objects, and their relegation almost to the status of case dressing at the expense of interpreting the monumental, iconic and 'relevant'. Using sugar nippers and tongs as an example, the partial unpacking of the changing meanings and relevance of objects in this paper goes some way to re-establishing the key importance of a finer-grained analysis and better contextualisation of artifacts. It also highlights how problematic this analysis can be. However true this may be, the potential rewards to be reaped are huge, and the chance to bring our objects alive for visitors should act as a spur to dig a little deeper and wider for information and inspiration.

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Associated with

Article Jane Insley (2006) Little Landscapes: Agriculture, Dioramas and the Science Museum. Icon: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology (pp. 5-14). unapi

Article Dan Albert (2006) The Imperial Hand Paints the Ascent of Man: Interpreting the Maritime as History of Technology. Icon: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology (pp. 23-29). unapi

Article Ben Russell (2006) Mind the Gap! Interpreting the History of Technology in the Science Museum. Icon: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology (pp. 15-22). unapi

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https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB409815420/

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