Material identity

Staff follow a particular physical possession through changes in location, use, condition, custody. They describe its identifying features, record photographs, preserve evidence of repair or alteration. A persistent reference supports continuity of account while the material thing changes.

A repaired camera can retain substantial material continuity despite a replaced component. A new camera of the same model receives a separate identifier. Staff can describe the relation between them and the reason for substitution. They also need to decide how to describe a fragmented object, a rebound book, a propagated plant, an assemblage separating into parts. The practical history guides the account.

A work, edition, copy require different references. Photographs and scans also receive their own relation to the physical instance. Staff preserve the fact of loss or destruction even if a detailed digital model survives. The Object Passport provides a route through those records while loss and replacement explains difficult cases.