Dear Lea,
I always- always- always do a condition report (and photographs) for 
anything that we borrow, but seldom provide a copy to the lender. And, I 
always try to be as thorough as possible.
I operate with a certain set of assumptions.  First- that a lender will 
never examine their loan more closely than when it is returned from us- 
the borrower.  Second- that the object(s) will be returned in the same 
condition that it was in when we borrowed it.  Because of internal 
procedures regarding risk management, care and handling, and security 
while in our care I can be confident of this and can assure the lender of 
this as well.
We deal with a lot of private lenders as well.  Often, I am the one that 
is personally picking up the item.  If a defect or damage is very obvious, 
I will point it out to the lender on the spot and make a note of it 
directly on the loan agreement.  I will also inform them that I will do a 
more thorough condition report upon arrival back at the museum.  Some have 
asked for a copy of this report but most do not.
If an item is shipped in or pre-packaged before a cursory inspection can 
be done and I notice a very obvious defect or damage, I will notify the 
lender immediately and follow up with photos and a copy of the condition 
report.
Otherwise, if an object is in generally good condition with minor defects 
that are to be expected from normal wear and tear, handling or ageing, I 
will note these on a condition report but only provide a copy of this to 
the lender if requested.
As Janice has pointed out- a condition report signed by only one person is 
just an opinion.  However, if called into question, having this document 
and incoming photographs as a backup in the file usually trumps a lender's 
faulty recollection of existing damage.
So, IMHO, providing copies of condition reports depends on the degree of 
damage or defect that you encounter, or if your instinct tells you that 
the lender may be difficult to deal with.
Sincerely,
David Ryan
Registrar
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
www.cspm.org
  

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