Journal
Getty Object ID and fine art insurance cataloging
Object ID is a short international standard for describing cultural objects so they can still be identified after a theft, a move, or a claim.
Getty Object ID is a compact international standard for identifying cultural objects. Fine art insurance appraisals use it so a carrier, an adjuster, or a recovery registry can tell they are talking about the same work later.
What Object ID records
Type of object; materials and techniques; measurements; inscriptions and markings; distinguishing features; title; subject; date or period; maker; and a photograph. Insurance reports usually add location in the house and condition as found.
Why insurers care
After a loss, identification comes first. Schedules that list titles without measurements, marks, or images cannot be reconciled with what was on the wall. A collector spreadsheet is a start, not a substitute.
Donation and estate reports
Donation and estate appraisals still describe objects fully and photograph them. Object ID is stated most often on insurance assignments because those PDFs are pulled when something is missing.