A quick question to the registrars & firearms curators on the list. I will soon be moving to a facility with a large antique firearms collection. It has been some 20 years since I was a curator in charge of such material, and I am wondering what current thought is about how to mark them with catalog numbers. Many of the pieces apparently require retrospective cataloging. Back in the dark ages, we picked a uniform, out-of-the-way spot and applied the old Indian ink and clear lacquer. Several enthusiasts I have talked to now recoil in horror at this, especially since it can muck up the finish, and a small difference in finish drastically affects the value and originality of the weapons. Some have suggested hanging plastic tags, but that would seem easy to remove by a dishonest individual and really makes displays look like clothes with department store tags (shades of Minnie Pearl!). Any ideas and sources for special "hardware?" Byron A. Johnson, Exec. Dir. The Tampa Bay History Center [log in to unmask] after 2/26 @ The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum