But keep in mind that many loans are by mail and the loaner and loanee 
never meet.  In such cases, it's fairly standard for the loaner to 
include a loan condition statement with the loan to be signed off on and 
mailed back by the loanee (with a copy to be kept by the loanee).

Art Harris

Janice Klein wrote:
> I once heard it said that a condition report with only one signature (i.e.,
> the borrower) is merely an opinion.   All condition reports needs to be
> signed by both parties at the time the loan object is brought to the museum
> (in-coming report) and again when it is returned (out-going report).
> 
> Educating individual owners on what various descriptive terms mean can be
> time and patience consuming, but is really worthwhile.   I like the idea of
> having the owner do the report or even better, the owner and museum
> representative doing it together.
> 
> For more information on condition report I highly recommend Basic Condition
> Reporting written by the Southeastern Registrars Association.
> 
> janice
> 
> Janice Klein
> Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
> [log in to unmask]
> www.mitchellmuseum.org
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Sabrina Henneman
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 3:57 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Condition Report for Incoming Loans
> 
> 
> I have always been very detailed (I've only done outgoing and incoming
> loan condition reports for artwork). I list cracks, loose joints, loss
> of frame detail, abrasions, finger poke type cracks on canvases, obvious
> inpainting or dull surfaces, etc. on both our stuff going out and stuff
> coming in. I want people to know how detailed I expect them to be,
> especially when dealing with expensive artwork. 
> 
> If the lenders who were "taken aback" were individuals, I would send
> them a blank condition report and verbally explain what things to look
> for. Often, they don't look really close at their pieces. There should
> always be an incoming condition report; it protects you from liability
> if they do one and you verify its accuracy immediately when the object
> is unpacked. If your site often doesn't get one with the piece, I would
> make it a habit during lending discussions to indicate that you require
> a condition report, and will fax/mail them a blank one if they need it.
> 
> We only notify the lender if we discover something different during our
> examination that warrants a conversation. Otherwise, they get our
> condition reports when it is sent back to them.
> 
> Sabrina Henneman
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lea Foster Warden [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 1:32 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Condition Report for Incoming Loans
> 
> Hello,
> 
> As my experience with loans is isolated to one museum I am wondering
> what
> the consensus is within the profession about sharing condition reports
> with
> lenders.  Would the validity of a condition report be questioned if a
> claim
> arose and both parties did not have a time dated condition report?
> 
> It has always been my understanding that a copy of the report is sent to
> the
> lender creating a time dated recorded, which acknowledges and forms an
> agreement on noted condition issues. Eighty-five percent of the time our
> museum does not receive a condition report from the lender. Also we
> often
> rely on private lenders who are unfamiliar with museum procedures and
> terminology.
> 
> Recently the question was raised as to whether or not a copy of
> condition
> report needs to be sent to the lender. We have had instances where
> lenders
> were taken aback by reports that list cracks, marks, or loose joints,
> etc.
> We've thought about creating a information sheet to send with reports
> that
> explains why the document was created and explain related terminology.
> 
> What is the standard proceedure?  How detailed should the report be?
> 
> Thanks,
> Lea Warden
> Collections Manager
> 
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-- 
Laboratory for Environmental Biology, Centennial Museum
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX  79968-0915
[log in to unmask]   http://museum.utep.edu/
http://museum.utep.edu/chih/chihdes.htm

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