Collections Management
Concierge, Boutique, Bespoke, with 24/7 virtual, on-call access, JE, LLC’s services accommodate your unique collection, foundation, estate, institution, or gallery.
Two categories emerge when discussing the stewardship of an art collection: digital organization and physical care. The former is often referred to as Inventory Management, the latter as Collections Care.
Table of Contents
JE, LLC’s approach to Inventory Management may begin with an evaluation of your current digital organization or inventory database. Services available transverse from simple clean-up to new software implementation.
JE, LLC will assist you in either streamlining your current system or choosing a new platform and populating it with your collection’s data. Examples of data include: cataloging, provenance, image, location, retail value, insurance value, condition, etc. (incorporating as many details as your selected database encourages).
Restructuring an existing database presents an excellent opportunity to conduct a physical inventory reconciliation. JE, LLC has extensive experience with inventory reconciliation and will coach you through the process. For further support, JE, LLC may be contracted for an onsite assignment to either counsel your staff or to conduct the inventory reconciliation directly.
JE, LLC’s approach to Collections Care considers the artwork’s life as an object, its narrative, and resulting physical needs.
JE, LLC’s services include guiding you through – or directly facilitating – the full range of comprehensive collection maintenance. The following are examples of the components necessary to ensure the condition and preservation of the object: insurance coverage, condition reporting, conservation/treatment/cleaning, photographic documentation, framing, crating, storage, archival methods of packing, environmental controls, and cold storage for archival film and media.
Administrative.
- High Value and Blue-Chip artwork.
- Screened professionals and vetted resources.
- An international network of colleagues and contacts: vendors, shippers, and warehouses.
- Administrative and organizational tasks.
Documents.
- Review of documents, including Loan Agreement form, Consignment Agreement form, Certificate of Insurance (COI), Checklist, ProForma Invoice, and Facility Report.
- Supply template or boilerplate draft, from which client may tailor their own Loan Agreement form, Consignment Agreement form, Checklist, ProForma Invoice, Facility Report.
- Borrower’s Loan Agreement form review.
- Out-going Loan requests, facility report review, and consultation.
Inventory.
- Database Software: Research and implement, populate new system, or cleanup existing system.
- Excel: Design and Implement an excel workbook to keep track of inventory – an option for artists or smaller collections.
- Digital File Organization: Analyze current systems and make suggestions for improvements in workflow, efficiency, and security of the collections’ artwork.
- Physical inventory reconciliation suggested to conduct yearly.
- Receive Client’s cataloguing, images, and data, then populate new platform with their previously gathered data.
Appraisal.
- Preferred appraiser contacts and introduction.
- Support the client in the accumulation and delivery of data to the appraiser. Data encompasses the cataloging of the artwork, provenance, image, condition, and supporting information.
Insurance.
- Fine Art Insurance, analysis, acquisition, and yearly renewal.
- Borrowing institution or consignee Certificate of Insurance (COI), review of duration, terms, and language.
- Transport company Certificate of Liability Insurance for residential buildings and onsite installation.
- Per conveyance and named locations’ total insurance value limits.
Storage.
- Preferred fine art storage warehouses, consultation, and introduction.
- Open storage vs. self-managed unit.
- Planning a new, on-location, storage space with climate control, and HVAC unit/s.
- Environmental controls, advisement, and implementation of temperature and relative humidity (T/RH) sensors and data loggers.
- Light level readings, with advisement for storage and exhibition.
Archival.
- Best Practices.
- Archival packing materials, description, and sourcing.
- Archival storage, rehousing if necessary.
- Cold storage for historic film and media preservation.
- A-D Strip testing for archival film (to measure the severity of acetate deterioration, known as “vinegar syndrome,” in film and other acetate collections).
Movement.
- Transport, including local, domestic, and international.
- Installation and deinstallation, sensitivity, and confidentiality, within private residences.
- Courier service, ride along via air transport, truck, or “bookends” at the airport, warehouse, or gallery.
- Courier for onsite installation supervision.
- Crate trackers (GPS and T/RH sensors), Tip-n-Tell, to virtually monitor the crate during transport.
Conservation.
- Liaising with conservators in both the US and abroad.
- Communicating with conservators to obtain condition reports, treatment proposals, and post-treatment reports.
- Explanation and interpretation of formal condition report, prior to acquisition.
- Onsite, in-person condition notes with photographic documentation.
- From delicate works on paper to large-scale sculpture.
Photography.
- Photographic documentation of the artwork.
- Professionally photographed and edited images for publication and outreach.
- Documentation of condition.
Framing.
- Preferred framers and mounting resources, consultation, and introduction.
- Antique frame restoration.
- Gilded frame specialists.
- Acrylic specialists.
Private Viewing Room.
- Discretion, confidentiality, and privacy.
- Scheduling and coordination with preferred venue, warehouse, gallery, or auction house.
- Onsite supervision of installation and lighting. Confirmation and communication following the viewing.
