Provenance By James S. Harris, Richmond, KY This article was published in the June 21, 2006 edition of the Richmond Register. It was provided to us by the author. Provenance may be defined as "the origin and history of the property, such as its past ownership, exhibitions showing the item, literature mentioning the particular property. . ." For most practical purposes, such origins and history must be substantiated in written or pictorial form. Oral family histories, without verification, are generally unacceptable as reliable references. Just remembering that a bed was said to have been made by Uncle Charlie in 1896 is usually insufficient evidence to be used in determining an item's value. For this reason, records by silversmiths, cabinetmakers, and other craftsmen are the most reliable sources used in determining when an object was created and to whom it was delivered. Because they were settled first and had the most organized merchant system, the New England colonies have the best records to determine provenance. In the case of artworks, exhibition catalogs or catalogues raisonne' [records in book form of an artist's total body of work] are valuable sources in determining the item's history. Gallery sales records and records from auction houses are also useful in such historical research. To give an example of the historical research necessary in determining provenance, let me cite a colleague's assignment to value a pair of gauntlets [fringed gloves] purportedly belonging to Robert E. Lee. The gauntlets had no name written or sewn inside and were similar to other such uniform accessories. However, there is a painting available of Gen. Lee astride his horse, Traveler, and wearing the gauntlets. The provenance was based on this painting, and a value was established. The development of a provenance may well involve quite a bit of such historical research. Use of the Internet, colleagues in the field, museum curators, and historical society records enables the Personal Property Appraiser to put together the most accurate determination possible of the values of items. Such an accurate and reliable provenance enables the Appraiser to determine an 'extrinsic' value for the item.  Invoices detailing the purchase of items, letters indicating that certain items were purchased or noted during a visit and pictorial representations are all valuable resources in determining provenance. For your own peace of mind, clear, detailed, and accurate record keeping relative to family possessions is a must. Don't depend on oral narratives or vague remembrances to determine an item's place in your family's history and records. The more information you can supply the Personal Property Appraiser, the more accurate his/her appraisal will be. If you have questions of a general nature regarding Personal Property Appraising, contact the author by e-mail at jimant@ipro.net. [JAMES S. HARRIS, ISA, Accredited Member, International Society of Appraisers]