Condition reports are made to protect and to guide museums and collectors. The protection they afford often involves documenting the state of preservation of loaned property to the museum or for insurance purposes in the home. The guidance they offer is also helpful for long and short term storage and handling. Recording the physical condition of a an object protects both the borrower, lender and the owner. As a collection management tool, condition reports can provide an invaluable record for storage and exhibitio n techniques. The condition report is also useful in establishing priorities for conservation treatment. In addition, a written report can prove useful to prove length of ownership in case of theft or loss.
In my work at all the museums and private clients that I have been employed with, condition reporting is one of the most requested. When either in the museum setting, gallery, private home or offsite storage facility, I have been requested to look at a number of artwork, sculptures, ethnographic objects, before they have been packed or upon arrival at their destination. Accurate notes and photography are then compiled into a short report for the client to use.
