unlv students help catalog film stars' artifacts - old school projector

LAS VEGAS (AP)—
In a warehouse at the University of Nevada's Las Vegas campus, graduate student Debbie Flashman uncovers a tan train box and stares at screen history.
On the midnight blue lining of the case, a row of neat makeup bottles, perfume bottles and pressure blocks are placed on the leather strap, and some of them are still wearing makeup.
A golden buckle in the lid holds a mirror, and silent movie star Clara Bao may have used it to apply mascara.
Fleshman recorded her observations on the lines of the table, recording the contents and circumstances of the case, while looking for details that might reveal the story of the case.
She is one of the few UNLV students who are sorting out the Heritage Collection of The Walking Box Ranch, a historic property west of Searchlight, where the bow and her film --
In early 1930, star husband Rex Bell built his home away from Hollywood.
Ranch, 65 miles (105 kilometers)
Located in the south of Las Vegas, it is now owned by the United States. S.
Land Authority.
The contents of the building are kept by UNLV.
Deirdre Clemente, a professor of history, said the collection has been preserved since 2013, when it was removed from the ranch to keep it safe in the repair work of several buildings there.
About two weeks ago, she and her students started sorting out to figure out what they had and what should be done.
From rusty bits to large antique furniture, the collection contains about 2,000 items in total.
"They have incredible historical value, and I think any culture --
Nevada's mind will want to see them, "Clement said.
When they bought the ranch in 1931, bow and Bell were the highest-grossing winners.
Over the next ten years, they have 5,000 deserts. square-
Foot's Spanish Revival home hosts famous friends such as Clark Gable, Carol Lombard, Errol Flynn and Lionel Barrymore.
In 1950, they sold the property to Carl Wikel, where his family kept cattle for the next 40 years.
Governor gold
The owner of the nearby Castle Hill coal mine bought the place in 1990 as a resort for the company.
BLM was acquired in 2005.
"This is a work ranch where you can see this in your collection.
You can really see what they do on land, "Clement said.
There is a brand iron, a snake hook and an old chuck wagon dinner clock.
With the West.
Theme chairs, tables and cabinets including well
Preservation of Monterey furniture, mission-
Influence style was popular in California in the 1930 s.
The biggest and most impressive of them is the darkness.
Colorful credenza with metal decoration and top decorated with colorful tiles.
"If you are a furniture person, it can make you cry," Clement said . ".
"I made furniture.
"UNLV also has Bell's gun cabinets and some guns, although Clement said the guns were safely stored at the campus police station.
A table in the attachment is stacked with several cowboy hats, one of which is covered with faded signatures from Bell and other Western stars.
There was an old projector in a dark brown box, and the couple used to show movies in the ranch house.
"We have his friends.
We have her kimono . "
Most of the collection dates back to the couple's term of office, although when the Governor-General "nanxihua" company retreated, there were also items that Clement called "historically valuable" from elsewhere.
At the end of last month, about 10 UNLV students took part in a practical activityon, three-
Day history conservation workshop using the walking box collection.
Some of them stayed at the end of the workshop to continue to organize the material and confused its meaning.
Sometimes they have a story to tell.
They often have to piece together the past themselves.
"Unfortunately, in the museum area, you don't always get a lot of information," said page ferganbaum, a UNLV PhD student who led the seminar last month.
For example, in order to determine the age of wooden suitcases decorated with Bell's name and cattle brand, students must study the history of the manufacturer who made the locks and hinges.
"We started with Google . "
She plans to take advantage of what she has learned to get a master's degree in public history and one day find a job as a curator.
"I 've always liked museums since I was a little girl, so it's a dream for me," she said . ".
Kassidy Whetstone, a senior and historical major at UNLV, has similar goals.
"For me, I just like to keep these things and let people see their presence," she said as she checked Bell's signature hat.
Clement says another group of students will start collecting when the class resumes this fall.
Their work will help determine the fate of cultural relics.
Some will be retained and may return to the ranch one day.
Some will be on loan at the Nevada Museum or elsewhere.
Some will be restocked.
As for the walk box ranch itself, BLM spokesman John Asselin said that the house and garage have been repaired and a dedicated parking lot and some explanation panels have been added to the ranch.
Asselin said in an email that the bureau now has a permanent property manager and is working to set up a "group of friends" to serve as a volunteer Butler.
We have some volunteers.
In the past few months, we hope to continue such a trip in the future, but there is no plan at this time, "he said.
Ultimately, Clemente wants UNLV and BLM to be able to work together in some way to make it easier for residents and history enthusiasts in Nevada to reach the walking box.
She doesn't know what the partnership will look like, but she says her cultural historian wants to see the ranch again decorated with furniture and other collectibles.
"These objects have such a powerful meaning in their original background," says Clemente . ".
"Here, the dirty Pitchfork is the dirty Pitchfork.
In the context of the ranch, it tells a story about Labor and who uses it.