Entering data into an inventory or catalog is not as much fun as finding items for a collection. And while the reasons for doing so are hardly cheery—death, theft, fire, amnesia—cataloging your collection is an important part of being a collector and need not be daunting.

Why You Should Catalog

In 1986, when Jane and Arthur Mason’s woodturnings collection totaled 30 pieces, Jane set up a database. Today, the total count is approximately 900. “The inventory has proven terrifically useful,” Jane says, noting how, when a question arises about a particular work, they can call up a record, complete with anecdotes about its creation or purchase.

The latter are “bits of cultural ephemera that attach themselves to objects,” says David Yates, a Paris- and New York City–based art dealer. They are important for historical reasons—and can affect the bottom line. Take, for example, the case of the 19th-century copy of a Raphael painting that was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 and sold in 2001 for $26,000 because of its alleged provenance. It turned out that this one-in-a-hundred copy had a one-in-a-million story: In 1901, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., had exhibited it, and the papers mistakenly hailed it as a genuine Raphael. “Without the provenance, it would have probably sold for the estimate,” says Richard Rabel, Christie’s specialist in Old Masters paintings.

What to Include

Standardized terms. “Introduction to Object ID,” a study headed by the J. Paul Getty Trust, suggests that items be cataloged in levels of materials beginning with a generic category such as “furniture” and adding subcategories, such as “chair,” then “Windsor chair.” It is important to stick to the same terms, because a computer program will not recognize that “oil painting” and “painting – oil” are the same.

Who, what, when, where, how much. An inventory must include basic information: title, name of the artist/maker, date or period, country or civilization of origin, where and when purchased, price and current market value.

Description. The description should include exact dimensions (unframed for paintings), in both inches and centimeters, and be supplemented by at least one photograph. Shari and Stephen Ashman, Washington, D.C.– based collectors of contemporary paintings, sculpture and Native American kachina dolls, suggest keeping an extra set of photographs or a video record in a safe deposit box. Many collectors prefer photographic over video documentation since it is easier to amend the former as they donate or sell pieces and buy new ones.

Markings. Record whether a work is signed and how the signature reads. Yates also advises collectors to note any other notations, such as paraphs (a flourish made after or below a signature) or auction catalog numbers.

Medium, materials and technique. “Be almost obsessive-compulsive when listing the material,” Yates says. This can help determine the quality and value of the piece and how best to conserve, repair or restore it. For paintings, specify the medium. For sculptures, give medium, creation technique and restoration history. For furniture, note details like wood types and upholstery restoration.

Exhibitions and publications. Note all public records featuring your work. “No publication is too small,” Rabel says. And neither are exhibitions.

Coding. Whether it is a simple number or a coded reference to the artist/maker or medium, identifying codes can come in handy, particularly for large collections or collections of similar objects.

To Mark or Not to Mark

Next, decide if you want to place these codes on the objects. The challenge is to avoid damaging the piece. This is an area where museum experts such as the team at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England, have a lot to teach us. They have catalogued 32,000 objects in materials ranging from metal to clay, cloth to bone, glass to skin. They sew or tie acid-free labels onto textiles, plastics and lacquers, but mark most other pieces directly, first protecting the surface with a coat of removable varnish made from Paraloid B-72 crystals dissolved in acetone. Once this dries, they use India ink to pen the inventory number, then add a second layer of varnish so it will not rub off.

The process sounds simple, but it presents challenges. “Unglazed clay bubbles,” warns Chris Morton, senior project assistant, so the varnish must be thinned first. Smooth glass can be frustrating since there is no “grip.” Then there’s the question of where to write the number. “If you put it on the bottom, you have to then turn the object upside down to see it,” says the project’s head, Marina de Alarcon, who favors a discreet spot at the back or, if a vessel, inside a lip.

In spite of advances in conservators’ techniques, Jane Mason fears that marking works hurts their integrity. “Down the line, you don’t know what will come back and bite you,” she says, noting that she now relies exclusively on photographs to link the piece to its inventory entry.

System Options

The bulging file. Artist biographies, clippings, catalogs, repair bills and correspondence all have to be stored in files. This may suffice for smaller collections; however, since these tend to grow, it is useful to cull salient information and start entering it into a database while the collection is still young.

Software programs. Shari Ashman and Mason have each developed their own systems using Microsoft programs. The Pitt Rivers Museum team has adapted Macintosh’s FileMaker Pro. And there is a wealth of software available online, from a $65 package from PrimaSoft (which offers a free 30-day trial) to programs such as artPRO, which software designer Lynn Bump tailors to the needs of each client for $1,500 to $3,000. Ideally, a program should allow you to insert or attach photographs, generate reports based on any date category and have the capacity to auto-fill or create drop-down menus. Remember, Bump warns, you do not want to repeatedly type in the same information.

Cataloging services. Many auction houses, art dealers and art appraisers offer cataloging tailored to your needs—from a simple inventory to what Christie’s calls a “vanity catalog,” complete with photographs and detailed information. The key is to select a specialist who deals with the kinds of works you collect.

Not all inventories need to be thorough. If you want one only for insurance purposes, for example, you can catalog only those works you itemize in your policy, remembering to send in a copy to the insurance company. “It is important to find the level of information you are comfortable with, otherwise you are not going to do it at all,” says Shari Ashman. “And a sketchy inventory is better than none.”

For More Information
Artsystems, New York City. Collection management computer programs. (800) 227-1128.
Antique and Art Information Networks Inc., Bayside, N.Y. A variety of software packages. (866) 400-2246.
artPRO Computer Systems, New York City. Tailor-made software. (212) 289-6697.
Asset Archives Inc., Kennesaw, Ga. Digital documentation on a CD-ROM. (770) 529-1127.
Gallery Systems, New York City.
Collection management software, including EmbARK. (646) 733-2239.
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Warren, N.J. “Masterpiece Manager” for customers with valuable articles coverage. (866) 324-8222.
PrimaSoft PC Inc., Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Cataloging software. (604) 951-1085.
Red Queen Software, Lake Oswego, Ore. Insurance-oriented software program. (800) 214-1649. 
Viewflex, Miami and New York City. Cataloging with digital asset management system, Web site and production workflow plan. (800) 959-3684.