Miriam wrote: >problems raised by >collections that predate registration procedures. This can include >arttifacts without any number or documentation, missing objects, multiple >numbering systems, conflicting stories about provenance, etc. Other than >doing a complete physical inventory (expensive and time-consuming), can >anyone share how some museums handle these issues? Does anyone have >interesting anecdotes to share on this topic? Any lastly, any >suggestions for reading materials, books or articles? During an inventory at a place I used to work, we assigned X19--.----- numbers to any objects we encountered that had no number or tag with or on them. Reconciliation with catalog cards whose objects couldn't be located ascertained that many were the identifiable. The 'X' number tag was removed and the true number affixed. For all the others - well, they were truely, found in the collection. However, they now have an identifiable date/number associated with them. With the state's Museum Property Act (called "abandoned property legislation" in other states), once we could prove we had held them for over 35 years we could legally claim title to them and either accession properly or otherwise dispose of them (never having been accessioned it would not be too difficult to get rid of them if we didn't want them). There is of course the step of publishing a call to the public to identify any property they think may be at the museum. A bit of a pain, since you have to wait a year before getting rid of something (but this is also fair for the public). Again this varies state to state. My recommendation to the writer is, do your research on abandoned property or museum property legislation in different states. As said, they vary from state to state, and not all states have them. but this is a good place for some additional research. Sorry for filling up non-US mailboxes with this.... BTW, the complete inventory of 56,000 object cost about $200 and took 2 months. It was an institutional priority and therefore everyone pitched in. So don't assume that inventories are the dreaded beast they are sometimes made out to be! Suzanne Quigley Head Registrar, Collections and Exhibitions Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1071 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10128 212 423 3568 fax: 212 423 3650 email: [log in to unmask]