Collections
Collection Surveys & Preventive Care
Most of the damage we treat did not happen in an instant. It accumulated — in storage that ran humid, under lighting that ran hot, behind frames nobody had opened in thirty years.
A collection survey finds these problems while they are still small, and gives you a plan. We work as partners with the people who live with and care for the collection — the goal is a shared understanding of what you own and what it needs, not a report that sits in a drawer.
What a survey delivers
- A painting-by-painting condition assessment, prioritized: what needs treatment now, what should be monitored, what is stable.
- Environmental findings and recommendations — light, temperature, humidity, storage, and display — calibrated to Gulf Coast conditions.
- Documentation that serves insurance scheduling, estate planning, and institutional reporting.
- A treatment roadmap that can be budgeted across years rather than confronted all at once.
Ongoing collection care
For collections that warrant it, a survey can become a standing relationship: periodic condition reviews, environmental monitoring, updated documentation, and priority response when something needs attention. If a collection matters enough to insure, it matters enough to examine on a schedule — not only after something goes wrong.
How large does a collection need to be for a survey?
There is no minimum — we have surveyed a dozen family paintings and institutional holdings. The structure scales; the value is the same: knowing the true condition of what you own.
What is different about caring for paintings in Houston?
Humidity, heat, and hurricanes. Gulf Coast conditions are hard on paintings — canvas responds to humidity swings, and storm season raises the stakes for storage decisions. Our recommendations are written for this climate, not a generic one.
Can survey findings be used for insurance?
Yes — condition documentation supports scheduling, substantiates claims, and gives your insurer confidence that the collection is actively cared for. Some collectors share the survey with their broker directly.
Responsible for a collection — family, corporate, or institutional? Let’s talk about what a first survey would look like.
Request an Assessment