ON THE CAMPUS OF MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY IN DECATUR IS THE BIRKS MUSEUM.
IT IS GALLERY THAT CONTAINS MORE
THAN A THOUSAND PIECES OF
PORCELAIN AND GLASS, SOME OF
WHICH DATE BACK TO THE 15TH
CENTURY.
>> THESE ARE PIECES OF FERRY
LAND CHINA.
THEY HAVE A STRONG ORIENTAL
INFLUENCE TO THEIR DESIGN, NOT
ONLY IN THEIR USE OF COLOR, BUT
ALSO THEIR SUBJECT MATTER.
LITTLE NYMPH, AND FERRIS. THEY
TYPICALLY ALSO HAD THE ARTIST
DID A LOT OF SPIDER WEBS TO
CREATE ADDITIONAL DECORATIVE
ELEMENT.
FAIRIES) THIS IS A PERRIAN
MIRROR, IT IS A PORCELAIN
MATERIAL.
THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND PIECE OF
BLEAK PORCELAIN MADE AT THE
BLEAK FACTORY IN IRELAND.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE MADE AROUND
1870'S.
IT WAS GIVEN TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.
E MUSEUM WAS DEDICATED IN 1981
AS A GIFT FROM THE BIRK SISTER,
JENNA AND FLORENCE BIRKE.
THEY HAD E MASSED A LARGE
COLLECTION OF DECORATIVE ARTS.
THE BIRK SISTERS WERE STUDENTS
AT MILLIKIN.
SO THE CURRENT LOCATION WE ARE
INN GORIN CALL IS THE OLD
READING ROOM FOR THE LIBRARY ON
MILLIKIN CAMPUS.
>> THE COLLECTION IS REALLY
OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF ITS
INCLUSION OF PIECES OF WEDGWOOD
CHINA AND PORCELAIN, ART GLASS,
INCLUDING GALLET.
THE WAY THAT THE VASES WERE
MADE, THEY WERE DIPPED IN
SUBSEQUENT COLORS OF GLASS.
THE ARTIST WENT IN WITH AN
ETCHING TOOL AND ETCHED AWAY
THROUGH THE LAYERS OF GLASS TO
GET THE COLOR THEY NEEDED FOR
THE PARTICULAR SCENE.
THIS IS A MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE
SCENE WITH OAK TREES SILL OWE
WETTED AGAINST A MOUNTAIN
LAKE -- SILHOUETTED AGAINST THE
MOUNTAIN LAKE.
THE ARTIST WAS VERY ADEPT AT
CREATING PLAIN AIR ENVIRONMENT
WITH MOUNTAINS OFF IN THE
DISTANCE.
A LOT OF TEDIOUS WORK AND THE
ARTIST REALLY HAS TO HAVE A
VISION OF WHAT THEY WANT FROM
THE PIECE BEFORE THEY START.
THE LARGEST PIECE WE HAVE IS
APPROXIMATELY 14 INCHES HIGH AND
8 INCHES WIDE.
IT IS A MORNING-GLORY PATTERN.
THE BASE COLOR FOR THIS VASE IS
KIND OF A MUTED BLUE WHICH IS
VERY INTERESTING AND KIND OF
UNIQUE COLOR COMBINATION FOR A
PIECE OF GALLET THAT SIZE.
THE MUSEUM HAS A COLLECTION OF
ITEMS DONATED BY WARREN ABRAMS.
WE HAVE WELL OVER 300 PIECES IN
THE COLLECTION, AND THAT NUMBER
IS GROWING.
THE COLLECTION IS MADE UP OF A
LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAPER
WEIGHTS.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF SULFPITE
PAPER WEIGHTS.
THEY ARE MADE BY INSERTING A
PIECE OF SCULPTED CERAMIC INTO
THE PAPER WEIGHT BEFORE IT IS
ENCASED.
ONCE IT IS ENCASED, THE REST IS
DECORATION IS COMPLETED AND
ADDED.
THE ORIENTAL BRONZE BUDDA WAS
PART OF THE SCOVILL COLLECTION.
IT IS ABOUT A FOUR AND A HALF
FOOT TALL BRONZE BUDDA WITH AN
INSET, AND THE COLLECTION
CONSISTS OF CERAMICS, BRONZE S,
TEXTILES.
THE MUSEUM IS HERE TO PROVIDE
SOME INSIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SOME OF THESE THINGS I AM SURE
THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE UNLESS THEY
WENT TO CHICAGO OR ST. LOUIS TO
ONE OF THE LARGER MUSEUMS.
AND TO FIND OUT WHEN THE BIRKS MUSEUM IS OPENED (217)424-6337.