Featured Software for managing collections

To me, part of the joy of having a collection, is maintaining a database with photos and details about the item and the purchase, but I find that the software options are limited when it comes to items where age, stamps and other markings may be important. I'm currently using Collection Studio (adjusted a bit to fit my jewellery collection), but I would love something a bit more advanced. I'm therefore wondering how other people deal with their collections? Do you just remember everything, use excel, or is there a holy grail of software out there that I have yet to discover?

(Attached: a screencap from my database which will most likely make very little sense thanks to it being in Norwegian, but basically, the columns show what it is, who the maker is, the stamps and the material used.)

 

I use Picasa

 

I'm only semi-organized. I have jpeg photos of everything. The file name & any attached comments are my records. Because of my interest in cameos, I also save photos from other sources in what I think of as my reference library. It is organized by the subject of the cameo, signature, and/or material. My own cameos are mixed in, often with the word 'mine' in the file name. I should probably have a folder named 'Mine'.

I have records on paper from when eBay had a Print Page feature on listings. With new purchases now I save in a folder for Purchase Records a photo(s)of the item & a pdf of the transaction details with matching file names.

 

Many years ago I purchased a programs (2) for my paperweights and cut glass. Same person/vendor...now out of business.
Very basic..and took me forever to input my stuff. And programs are very limited as to features.. Biggest problem..I can't print out my collections/info.

 

Do you use tags to add relevant information to each photo?

 

I've lost so much info on past purchases because I didn't realise that ebay deletes everything after a while, and that I couldn't just access the product page whenever I felt like it Saving those truly prevents a lot of frustration!

 

I have a similar issue with the software I use - I can print out some data, but just a list, and it doesn't include pictures or even all the data I use WYO Home Inventory for "normal" home stuff, like cutlery and glassware, but while it's great when you want to look up how many spoons you have or if a pan can be used in the oven, it's difficult to work with from a collection perspective.

Does your software have an export feature, so that you at least can maintain a copy in a format like csv?

 

on occasion......
I used to catalog every item....but one day....that kinda stopped.....
I did not respect the items future wanderings..........

 

For my signed cameos, which are only a fraction of my collection but the ones that will do best at auction someday, I have simply made a Word doc with thumbnails of the pieces, a notation of the name + any other relevant info in footnotes at the bottom. This is in anticipation that someone else may have to deal with them one day. I have threatened a friend that I might name him my glyptics executor.

 

Then you'll need to keep them FOREVER!

 

Word docs are a great solution! Never even thought of that! ^^ I think it's great to have something like that to threaten people with in life, especially since it's also an honor! "Don't you dare cross me, or you'll have to handle my collection when I die!"

 

His price - or at least part of it, we haven't talked seriously - is his pick of the cameos.

 

Not that I have been able to find.

 

In every museum I have worked in, we use Past Perfect. But it is probably too expensive and cumbersome for private collections. My own collection is uncatalogued... shoemaker's children all. Shame on me, but I'd rather be out in the garden.

 

Looked it up, and yeah, kind of pricey! I guess it's easier to get started when one has a very small collection - I remember when I started cataloging my books. I had about 1000 then, and it took so much time to get through them.

 

Quite a few years ago I bought a database for collectors from someone on Ebay. I can add photos and info then print it out or search it. I think I might have made it half way through my pots before I took a long break. (very, very long)

I just went to look and if they are still selling it there, they must be doing it under a different name because it wasn't on Ebay. I see there is something that comes up under that name on the web but don't know for sure it's the same or still available.

Mine is called KBT Collector's Database. I have version 2.5 though it's pretty old. It uses Microsoft Access I believe.

 

More info on mine...I , too , purchased from Ebay...years ago. Any detailed user info links are dead ends--coming up as error messages..that require me to make decision to continue "unhandled exception"..which I am not sure what to do with!!!
Company website link..takes me to a "travel " site..Nefyn Whales !!!

I guess I just keep the 2 programs..as is...no way I want to input all my info again...I won't live that long! Nor do I have the patience..

 

Oooh. I’m so glad you made this thread. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. No one I know would have any idea what 99% of my stuff is or what it’s worth. Most people I know see it as junk. Some of the stuff they would think is worthless is some of the most valuable stuff. I absolutely hate anything to do with organization but once your collection gets into the serious money zone I guess it’s time to think about it seriously. Great info!

 

oh no, that's got to be so annoying! Usually, it won't be a problem to proceed with the unhandled exception, but it will most likely be an indication of an issue within the code of the programme, and there may be other issues as well that may accumulate. Depending on the way your data is displayed, you may want to take screencaps of each item and save those, just in case. Then you will at least have a copy of the data (should the software decide to implode on itself), even though you cannot import the data into another programme.

 

So nice to hear! If you're unable to find anything better, Collection Studio does the job, at least (it can handle exports - sort of, but not well). I'm actually considering giving myself twice the amount of work by maintaining a database there as well as in WYO Home inventory, using the former to get a better overview of the details and the latter to keep receipts, descriptions and photos. Maybe the sheer annoyance of that will keep me from getting new pieces?