How to Keep Records for an Art Collection

Collection records should answer six questions quickly: what is it, how did you acquire it, where is it, what condition is it in, what has happened to it, and which documents support those answers. A spreadsheet can be enough for a small collection if files are named consistently and backed up.

Assign an internal object number and record artist, title, date, medium, dimensions, edition, signature, inscriptions, frame, acquisition date, source, cost, current location, and rights or restrictions. Use the same identifier in file names, labels, and storage records without marking the artwork itself.

Keep invoice, payment, listing, correspondence, photographs, condition records, provenance, certificate, shipping, customs, framing, installation, conservation, appraisal, insurance, loan, and exhibition documents. Preserve originals safely and scan them. Note who created each document and when.

Location, condition, insurance status, value documentation, frame, loan status, and contact information change over time. Add dated events rather than overwriting all history. Record movement before the object leaves and confirm arrival.

Use at least two backed-up copies with one in a separate location, appropriate access controls, and a simple export format. Decide who can access financial and location data. Leave instructions for an executor or trusted person so the collection is not dependent on one password or one proprietary service.

• Stable object number and core catalog fields
• Supporting documents linked to each work
• Location and condition history
• Secure backups and export
• Continuity instructions for a trusted person

Choose the simplest system you will maintain after every purchase and move. Completeness matters more than software sophistication, and a record another person can understand is safer than a perfect database only you know how to open.