Inventory & Documentation
Object records, condition notes, photography, storage status, and movement history for fine art logistics and collection management.
A reliable object file
Documentation keeps each movement intelligible later.
Good records connect what the object is, where it is, what happened, who authorized the action, and what should happen next.
Aiston documentation support can accompany storage intake, condition context, collection and delivery, viewing, installation, domestic movement, international shipping, estates, gallery workflows, and longer-term collection management.
- Identity
- Artist, title, medium, dimensions, identifiers
- Visual record
- Object photography and condition context
- Status
- Location, packing, storage, viewing, placement
- Movement
- Collection, delivery, release, handoff history
- Instructions
- Handling, access, contacts, next actions
Record lifecycle
Capture once. Use across the next decisions.
- 01
Identify
Establish the object, identifiers, dimensions, medium, visual reference, and current context.
- 02
Observe
Record condition notes or photography appropriate to the scope and moment.
- 03
Locate
Connect storage, room, property, crate, placement, viewing, or transit status.
- 04
Move
Maintain useful pickup, delivery, release, recipient, and handling information.
- 05
Share
Provide authorized records to the people responsible for the next action.
Useful for
Different teams need different views of the same truth.
Collectors and advisors
Current locations, movement history, viewings, releases, placement, and collection planning.
Galleries and institutions
Object lists, condition context, exhibition movement, fair logistics, receiving, and returns.
Estates and family offices
Consolidated inventories, authorized access, property movement, documentation gaps, and handoffs.
Designers and project teams
Room placement, dimensions, delivery sequence, site notes, installation, and future rotations.
Scope questions
Define the record before collecting data
Can Aiston work from an existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Share the current format, fields, identifiers, known gaps, and intended use so the documentation scope can be reviewed.
Is documentation the same as an appraisal?
No. Object records and logistics documentation do not establish financial value, attribution, authenticity, or appraisal conclusions.
Can records support future releases and movement?
Yes. Useful object, location, handling, and authority information can reduce ambiguity for viewing, release, delivery, installation, storage, or shipping.
Start with the essentials
Tell us what is moving and what needs to happen next.
Aiston reviews the artwork, locations, access, schedule, and connected services before confirming scope. A quote request is not a booking or an automatic price.