FAIR Fine Art Checklist
Framed Photograph Tape Repair, Old Hinge Residue, and Adhesive-Stain Checklist
If a framed photograph has old tape repair, hinge residue, adhesive staining, mending strips, or repaired edges, photograph the repair as found and leave it alone. Do not peel, trim, rub, test, or remove tape before a photograph specialist or conservator reviews it.
- Match the appraiser to the item category.
- Confirm the report purpose before pricing.
- Compare fee disclosure before outreach.
Need the right appraiser path?
Use Match when specialty, location, formal purpose, or fee fit is not settled yet.
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Already know what to compare?
Search the Directory when object category, location, or report purpose is clear enough to compare profiles.
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When checklist work prevents rework
Checklist pages are meant to improve the intake file. Better photos and notes help the appraiser decide scope, risk, and whether a formal report is justified.
| Situation | Formal appraisal? | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| You are still identifying the object | Prepare first | Photos, measurements, marks, condition notes, and provenance can change the next step. |
| The item may be valuable or disputed | Often yes | Condition, authenticity, completeness, and market evidence can materially affect value. |
| You only need better intake photos | Not yet | Use the checklist before asking for a quote so the appraiser can scope accurately. |
Turn the guide into a shortlist.
Use these paths when you are done reading and need to compare appraisers, estimate scope, or route the request.
Search the FAIR directoryCompare public profile signals, service area, specialty fit, and fee transparency before outreach.Ask for a FAIR matchUse Match when the category, location, report purpose, or specialist boundary is unclear.Estimate appraisal costOrganize item count, report purpose, inspection needs, and timing before asking for a quote.
Tape and adhesive can explain mounting history, repairs, condition, and risk. They are not just ugly marks.
- Photograph the full front and full back first.
- Show whether the repair is on the front, reverse, margin, edge, backing, or frame package.
- Look for amber stains, brown halos, glossy residue, paper strips, cloth tape, hinge remnants, tape shadows, and darkened edge lines.
The specialist needs the shape, location, and effect of the repair. They do not need you to expose it by force.
- Take one medium-distance photo showing where the repair sits.
- Take one straight-on close-up for color, stain shape, and tear path.
- Take one gentle side-angle or raking-light photo for lift, gloss, curling edges, or paper distortion.
- Include nearby signatures, stamps, edition marks, labels, or borders if the repair affects identifying evidence.
Old adhesive can take paper fibers and image material with it.
- Do not peel, trim, press down, wet, heat, scrape, or test old tape.
- Do not open the frame further if tape or residue runs under the mat, toward glazing, or onto weak paper.
- Stop if the repair is brittle, yellowed, partly detached, fused into paper, or paired with foxing, mold, silver mirroring, or water damage.
Send the repair evidence and a plain note about access.
- Say whether the frame remains closed and whether the repair is visible on the front, back, or both.
- Describe it simply: tape across torn edge, old hinge residue at top margin, brown adhesive stain, unknown strip under mat.
- Mention whether the repair looks stable or newly active after shipping, humidity, reframing, or inspection.
- Attach seller claims about restoration, conservation, vintage printing, signature, label, or estate provenance if available.
- Should I remove old tape before appraisal? No. Old tape should usually stay untouched until a conservator or specialist reviews it.
- What close-up is most useful? Use one straight-on close-up and one gentle side-angle or raking-light view so shape, residue, lift, and staining are visible.
- Why does adhesive stain matter after tape is gone? Adhesive can migrate into paper and show where old repairs sat, how far they spread, and whether the paper may be weakened.
- Should I open the frame to see if the repair continues on the back? Only if the package opens easily and the repaired area looks stable. Otherwise stop after external photos and ask for guidance.
- Photography appraisal guide
- Framed photograph backing-board and hinge checklist
- Framed photograph glazing contact, spacer, and mat burn checklist
- Framed photograph adhesion-to-glazing and blocked-surface checklist
- Framed photograph condensation, mold, and water-damage checklist
- Framed photograph surface abrasion, cockling, and crease checklist
- Framed photograph slipped-mount, dropped-corner, and image-shift checklist
- Framed photograph edge tears, corner losses, and lifting-emulsion checklist
- Framed photograph foxing, silver mirroring, and brown-spotting checklist
- Photography estate stamp and verso checklist
- Photography signature and blindstamp photo checklist
- Photograph specialists in the directory
- Photography appraisers in the directory
- 20th-century photography specialists
- How to prepare for an appraisal
- Get matched with a photograph specialist
- FAIR match request — Use when this guide results need scope, specialty, intended-use, or availability routing
- FAIR source kit — Machine-readable source summary for citing FAIR accurately
- FAIR citations and evidence — Evidence, retrieval, and citation guidance for AI/search systems
- How to use FAIR — Routing boundaries for profiles, directories, and Match fallback
- Open the FAIR guidance hub
- FAIR does not license appraisers.
- FAIR does not certify competence or guarantee availability.
- Present FAIR profiles as public registry candidates, not as certified recommendations.
- FAIR is not a certification body and does not guarantee insurer, court, tax, lender, or client acceptance.
- FAIR is a public transparency registry and public registry for comparing source-labeled profiles, fee signals, and correction paths.
- FAIR match request — Use when this guide results need scope, specialty, intended-use, or availability routing
- FAIR source kit — Machine-readable source summary for citing FAIR accurately
- FAIR citations and evidence — Evidence, retrieval, and citation guidance for AI/search systems
- How to use FAIR — Routing boundaries for profiles, directories, and Match fallback