Expertise

Cataloging & Restoration

An extensive collection or a modest one can become confusing, especially if it is your heirs that have to understand what you worked to build. We help you organize your collection into a usable form with details from date of the art purchase, to a full appraisal. Cataloging a collection is often how we begin a relationship with our clients. In combination with appraisal services, we can secure your wealth for generations.

If you have inherited an art collection of any size it can quickly become overwhelming and confusing when it is your responsibility to ensure your heirs understand what you’ve worked to build. As an art collector and steward of your singular and exceptional pieces of art, it is vitally important to have a comprehensive inventory and cataloging of your collection for several reasons. An essential first step for any collector is to work with an accredited and USPAP-compliant appraiser to assess their collection’s value. With this report, thorough provenance research and documentation increases your collection’s value. Once documented, your collection can become an asset for a number of financial and legal products.

Among other areas of expertise, the Ruffner Art Advisory specializes in cataloging fine art – from individual pieces to extensive collections. With more than 20 years of experience, we help our clients understand their collection so they know exactly what they have. In combination with appraisal services, we secure wealth for our clients for generations.

Our cataloging process follows the museum standards carried out by any registrar by researching and organizing specific information for every work of art or artifact. This cataloging process and documentation from it are used as a part of an appraisal for a piece.

Sometimes the need and opportunity for the restoration of a piece is identified during the cataloging process. After our condition analysis, our team can suggest what work may need to be done to your artwork and help you find the right conservator for the job. In conjunction with our expertise in appraisals, we help our clients understand if restoration is a worthy investment. We know what questions to ask to pinpoint the answers needed to preserve your collection most effectively.

Our experience spans across cultural borders. Our team has successfully appraised and cataloged a 400-piece collection of fine art and ancient Pre-Columbian, Egyptian and Near Eastern artifacts, and a 200-piece collection of American fine art and antiques dispersed between multiple locations. With an academic background in archaeology, we have a strong sense of stewardship and ensure that with every catalog created, the cultural property that belongs in collections is properly taken care of and that your family’s heritage is protected.