Summerland Museum's Spring Cleaning Auction

The Summerland Museum and Archives Society is offering a wide selection of antique items for sale in our Spring Cleaning Auction!

The items offered in this auction are de-accessioned collections items that have been removed from our Permanent Collection over the last few years as part of the SMAS’ re-organization and backlog projects. The goal of these projects is better management and safer storage of our vast collections.

The items selected for de-accessioning underwent a rigorous research process by our staff before being formally de-accessioned. Criteria for de-accessioning includes: lack of provenance, lack of local connection, being a duplicate of lesser value, or requiring space and care beyond what the SMAS is able to provide, among other factors.

Transfer to other institutions is generally our preferred method of disposal as it keeps items in the public sphere. However, when we are unable to transfer items to other museums or heritage organizations, another option for disposal is to sell them for fundraising in support of the Museum’s Permanent Collections.

As a rule, SMAS staff, Board Members, and their families are not allowed to bid on, purchase, or otherwise acquire de-accessioned collections items.

In this current auction, we have on offer over 40 items that we hope to rehome with someone who will appreciate them. Funds raised from this effort will go towards vital archival and preservation needs in the SMAS Permanent Collections.

THANK YOU for supporting the Summerland Museum and Archives Society!

The Summerland Museum and Archives Society (SMAS) exists to collect, preserve, research, interpret, and display objects that are historically significant to our community. These objects reflect the history of the Summerland District and the immediate surrounding area, from the period from pre-contact, including Indigenous history, to the present.