It’s a snowy day here in the Mid-Atlantic. The kids and I are home from school, and before we go stir crazy, I think its time to look at the collection. We all tend to ignore the paperwork side of our antiques collections with the result that often we get caught needing something and not being able to find it.
I have seen collections that are beautifully documented with catalogue sheets and photographs of every item. Truly, I applaud the collectors who do that, and I am envious of them. They have all the receipts and scan and keep those as well. Those are wonderful collectors, and such actions help not only now but also down the road when their collections may return to the market. I recall the sale of Clarke Hess, who was a scholar of the Mennonite communities in Lancaster County. He kept detailed notes on his collection that helped in cataloging items for sale after his passing.
For me, this snow day will be a day to update the inventory lists and try and make notes on some items. I try and keep track of everything, not because I am selling it all but simply to be sure that in all the moves things have not gone astray. Somewhere out there in a landfill is a wonderful Indian carved and painted plaque that got wrapped so well when we moved that I am sure it was discarded with the other wrapping paper.
Another important task for me on this day will be to start doing some research on a few items in my collection. Like many of you, I have a membership in Ancestry.com, which is a great resource for those of you chasing not only your own family tree but also in researching makers and users of items in your collection. Very intuitive to use, I find the site to be a fast way to speed check an item that I need to research. In particular, with military records I can often validate someone’s service record very quickly. So this afternoon, I may dive into researching some of the inscriptions on various items that I own in the hopes of figuring out who owned them.
A final part of updating the collection is to bring my daughters into the process. I want them to be able to see the collection and understand more about it. They will someday inherit the responsibility for caring for the items, and so it is important that they have some understanding of what it all is. We have all heard the stories of the collector who unexpectedly passed, and the children, who never learned anything, sold the collection for pennies on the dollar. Another scenario is the person who inherits the collection and thinks it is worth a fortune. They spend years trying to sell it for top dollar only to be frustrated by the lack of interest. Bitter and angry, they either horde the items forever or dump them to anyone who will give them a patient ear.
So take some time on these snowy winter days and do some research, update your inventories and maybe share your collection with your family. It’s great fun and is important to do for you and the collection.

"Born to collect" should be the motto of Peter Seibert's family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seibert's writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years' worth antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.