Portfolios
Complete portfolios should be fully catalogued to record each item, including any container and front matter.
Link related objects with a portfolio parent/child relationship. The virtual overall record will be the parent and all containers, front matter, etc, and prints will be the portfolio children.
Extended Cataloguing
Cataloguing procedures for new acquisitions and “back” cataloguing of previously accessioned portfolios. This strategy helps us to better collect information about a complete portfolio as well as to track locations for inventory management.
Overall Record (Portfolio Summary)
This will be a virtual object record not counted in collection statistics, but provides a “portfolio parent” to all parts. The only information catalogued in this record. (Title, Date, Artists). The object number will include the entire span of contents, including the functional components of the portfolio like a container or front matter. It will have no location.
2025.#.1-[last number]
E.G. 2025.21.1-146
Field | Value | Scope |
|---|---|---|
Object Numbers | 2025.#.1 E.g. 2025.21.1, 2025.21.2, 2025.21.3 Circa 2017, we no longer include the extent of the series in our numbering convention, just the individual item number: was 1/6, 2/6, 3/6, now 1, 2, 3 | When possible for new acquisitions, curatorial should determine print order to align with object number. Previously accessioned objects cannot be renumbered to align with a portfolio order. The /# Include any container produced by artist and publisher to contain the portfolio set, and front matter continue numbering after print series including title sheets, publication info, list of participating artists, etc |
Object Type | container/case/envelope/etc | folio |
front matter, other ephemera | Select object type based on evident medium (print, photograph, drawing) | |
Title | Container from the series Title or container from Series Title e.g. Title page from Galveston Series; Slip case for Rock Series
| Use descriptive title standards and include portfolio name |
Medium | Examples: Linen wrapped slip case; Mylar envelope; Screenprint; Clamshell box with red paper and gold embossed title | You can be as brief as needed, or elaborate more than usual to visually describe the object for identification purposes |
Public Access | TRUE or FALSE | All records may be made available to our collection site. Follow standard conventions for publishing records to the collection site, review for accuracy and only publish accessioned items and promised gifts. |
Legacy Cataloguing
This convention was established as a stopgap to record initial locations of this material during a storage renovation. These legacy components should be deleted when fully catalogued with the new standards.
One object record for each print in the portfolio (as accessioned).
Containers, cases, folios and front matter record as one “accessory” component under the first record.
Field | Value | Scope |
|---|---|---|
Component Type | Accessory |
|
Component Number | [ObjectNumber].ACC.1 |
|
Component name | portfolio box and front matter | short description of container and contents |
Item Count | # | total number including containers and content (one case and three sheets: 4) |