Archive Trails
Maker, Donor and Owner Are Different Parts of an Object’s Story
Read the roles attached to names in an object record before building a biography, keeping manufacture, ownership and donation on separate lines.
A closer look at material history
Explore the object files
Collection Notes
Write Down What You Did Not Examine
Add a short limits statement to an object observation so unseen surfaces and inaccessible parts do not disappear from the record.
Archive Trails
A Catalogue Illustration May Show a Product Family
Read a historical sales illustration alongside its captions and model references before assuming it depicts the exact version named in nearby text.
Collection Notes
Separate an Object’s Dimensions from Its Display Mount
Check which measurements describe the object and which include a base, frame, or mount before comparing museum catalogue entries.
Collection Notes
Read a Maker’s Mark Without Guessing the Whole Biography
Use a visible mark as a research lead while keeping its reading, identification, and relationship to the object’s manufacture separate.
Archive Trails
A Patent Drawing Is Not a Photograph of a Finished Product
Read a historical patent illustration as part of a document, then look for separate evidence before claiming that an identical product was manufactured.
Archive Trails
The Background in an Object Photograph Is Part of the Record
Read labels, supports and surrounding objects in a collection photograph as contextual clues while avoiding unsupported conclusions about their date or association.
Collection Notes
One Catalogue Entry May Describe More Than One Physical Piece
Distinguish an object record from the pieces it describes, using a fictional case with a lid and box to make collection notes easier to follow.