Cataloguing Collections: Why, When, and How
Creating a complete record is an essential task in collections management, but for many collectors and institutions documenting each object in their possession may be arduous and sometimes seemingly costly. This is especially true when the collection is made up of several hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces.
At Renata Kaminker – Fine Art Solutions we believe that it is possible to create a full collections catalogue in a minimum of time and at a limited cost. Our job is to ensure that collections are properly cared for, and we do our best to adapt our offers to this end. We pride ourselves in making these operations simpler for our clients by either accompanying and guiding them every step of the way or taking care of the work to be done entirely.
Whether you are planning on hiring services such as ours or doing it on your own, there are a few things to keep in mind when creating a full inventory record.
Why Catalogue a Collection and When Should it Be Done
When to catalogue? As soon as the object enters the collection. If it has not been done at that time, then as soon as possible. When establishing your collection’s records the sooner it is done the better.
Why catalogue a collection? The simple answer is: because if you don’t know what you have, you won’t know what happened to it. A more complete answer requires delving into conservation and prevention issues, like theft and illicit trafficking.
Inventories allow for a detailed documentation of all objects as well as an accounting of their state of conservation at T-Time. A periodic survey, once a year, for example, allows for steady control of the works and immediate treatment if a change in state is noticed. This is essential in ensuring the long-term conservation of the pieces.
Regarding the issue of prevention, while one does not expect to either have an object stolen or find an illegally traded artefact in their hands, the fact is that theft and illicit trafficking are more common than one thinks. Those who do not have records of their objects can rarely recover them if they do disappear. An inventory file, complete with detailed photographs, is essential in recognizing and recovering works when they’re being resold after a theft.
In the case of an illicitly traded work, the inventory file serves as a record of when and how it entered the collection. And, if the documentation has been done thoroughly, will include all the paperwork regarding provenance and due diligence measures taken at the time of acquisition.
Furthermore, having a full understanding of what you have is a prerequisite when engaging in activities such as research or risk management. The former applies whether you wish to increase the value of a piece before a sale or are thinking of someday lending one for an exhibit. The latter refers back to collections preservation and protection: if you don’t know what you have and what state it is in, it will be impossible to put the proper preventive conservation, handling, and security measures in place.
Lastly, having a complete catalogue is also of great importance for insurance purposes. Comprehensive documentation can be very valuable when guaranteeing that your policy covers you properly as, over time, your collection grows in size and value. You should ideally be providing a complete record at the start of the policy, or at the latest at the time of renewal. Most insurers will usually also accept to do a policy review, if needed, when submitting or updating the records during the year.
How to Catalogue a Collection
Cataloguing can mean creating simple and quick record sheets for each piece or a more detailed file. We always advise our clients to have as much information as possible, and while this does mean more time and effort dedicated to the task when first establishing them, it also means that once the information is written down all that will be needed is a simple annual update.
Inventories, whether simple or detailed, always have the same basic categories of information. It is the level of details in these categories that make the difference.
An inventory record should have the following data:
A unique object number, using a standardised format for all the works in the collection.
The title of the piece, or if there is none then a brief one-line description.
Author, if known, otherwise Anonymous or Unknown can also be used.
If the pieces belong to a grouping or set (e.g., a jewellery or tea set), clearly indicate the number of objects in it.
A brief description, longer than the one replacing the title of the piece (2-3 lines will do).
The location of the piece, to be updated every time it is moved.
Pictures (front, back, and any important or unique details).
Technique and materials.
Date or era.
Dimensions, including the unit used.
A condition report.
Any new or updated file should also have the name of the person who worked on it and the date. This is essential in keeping track of any changes.
When delving deeper into the details, and as much as possible, records should be accompanied by:
All available documentation on the provenance of the piece.
Research references.
Handling, storage, and display requirements.
Lastly, keeping this rich documentation in a specialised database is highly recommended. While having Excel or Word files is quite common, and can serve as a temporary measure, the larger a collection is the more it needs specific technical measures put in place. The databases not only help keep track more easily of the piece’s information, such as updates to its location or the state of conservation, but most of them also feature tagging systems and broader categories that help locate similar or related objects within the collection. This is especially useful when trying to regroup objects for either a sale or a loan.
In Short
Catalogue your collection so that you know what you have, what state it is in, and how to best protect it.
Inventory records can be simple and quick, or more detailed. Both are acceptable but needless to say the more information you have the better.
Using a database is always preferable to Excel or Word files, especially for larger collections.
If you don’t know how to do any of this, are overwhelmed by the task, or don’t have the human resources to do it yourself, don’t be afraid to call on specialised services to handle it for you. These will not always be as costly as you may expect.