Assigning a dollar figure to archival items is awkward, but can be done. I
know first-hand, as I too have to do it for our archival collection here at
the Canadian War Museum. I know too well the difficulties you are
experiencing, especially with assigning a dollar figure to Holocaust related
materials.
It usually involves my regular scanning all the auction catalogues to which
we subscribe (in our case militaria auctions from sotheby's, Christies,
Wallis & Wallis, Glendinnings, etc) and compiling lists of estimated and
actual prices, surfing the internet auction sites (ebay, ruby lane, and a
variety of sites specializing in auctions of paper materials), and
patrolling the websites of militaria dealers and other auction houses. I
currently have about 20 inches of photocopied sales and auctions results
that we go through regularly trying to for canadian archival militaria. I
have also compiled lists of the most common items that we come across and
their average price.
When I exhaust those avenues, then its time to pay someone to do an
appraisal. A few years ago I had to get a scrapbook of correspondence from
prisoners at the Theresienstadt camp appraised, I wound up contacting the
Holocaust museum in Washington for someone qualified to appraise it, and
they put me in touch with a couple of people.
If you would like more information on the catalogues and internet sites I
use, please do not hesitate to contact me directly, and I can send you a
list or help in anyway I can.
Good luck
Carol Reid
Collections Manager, Archives
Canadian War Museum
330 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, ON, Canada,
K1A 0M8
www.warmuseum.ca
tel: (819) 776-8661
fax: (819)776-8657
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 11:01:40 -0500
From: Lisa Moellering <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Insurance
I know this has been asked before, but cannot seem to find my notes on this.
I am looking for guidance for insurance values. We are asked to place a
value on every item - including archival collections as well as artifacts
(the artifacts are not a problem) but collections of documents, photographs,
etc... are quite difficult. How do others assign values or do you have to
place a value on each item?
Thanks very much for any advice.
Regards,
Lisa Moellering
Curator of Collections/Registrar
Holocaust Museum Houston
5401 Caroline Street
Houston, Texas 77004
713.942.8000 x110
713.942.7953 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
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