Postcards & Paper Ephemera

Posters: What to Record

Film, travel, advertising, propaganda and event posters.

The Data Sheet for Posters

The 28 fields worth recording for posters, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to posters.

Identification

Title Text Postcards & paper ephemera: The title or name the object is known by, as given by its maker, publisher or catalogue.
Subject Text Postcards & paper ephemera: What the object depicts or is about.
Date / period Text Postcards & paper ephemera: When the object was made, as precise as known, e.g. 1876, c. 1890, 1920s, 2nd century AD.
Country Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Country of origin or issue, by its usual English name (historic states as named at the time, e.g. Kingdom of Bavaria).
Reference link Link Postcards & paper ephemera: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Poster type Choice, or your own: Kind of poster.
Film
Travel / tourism
Advertising / product
Propaganda / political
Exhibition / art
Music / concert
Sports / events
Poster artist Text: Designer or illustrator, e.g. Alphonse Mucha, Cassandre, Saul Bass.
Poster size Text: Size name and dimensions, e.g. US one sheet 27 x 41 in, French grande 120 x 160 cm, DIN A1.
Release / edition Choice: Whether the poster was printed for the original release or later.
Original release
Re-release
Reprint / reproduction
Advance / teaser
Unknown
Printer Text: Printer and printing technique, e.g. Imprimerie Chaix, stone lithograph.

Physical

Height (cm) Number Postcards & paper ephemera: Height, measured upright as the object is meant to stand or hang.
Width (cm) Number Postcards & paper ephemera: Width, measured from the front.
Materials Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Materials the object is made of, main material first.

Condition

Condition Choice Postcards & paper ephemera: Overall condition in plain terms; domains with an established grading scale use that scale instead.
Mint / as new
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Condition notes Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Restoration & repairs Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Restorations, repairs, replaced parts and cleaning, with who did them and when if known.
Backing / storage Choice, or your own: Conservation backing and how the poster was issued or stored.
Linen-backed
Paper-backed
Folded (as issued)
Rolled
Framed

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Postcards & paper ephemera: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Postcards & paper ephemera: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Postcards & paper ephemera: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Postcards & paper ephemera: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Postcards & paper ephemera: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Postcards & paper ephemera: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.