For Probate & Fiduciaries
The books have to go somewhere, and the file has to show where.
Printed personal property is a small line item that generates a disproportionate share of friction. It rarely justifies a formal appraisal. It is bulky enough that storage costs accrue. Beneficiaries are quick to suspect that something valuable was thrown away, and just as quick to decline the job of finding out. And whatever happens to it needs to be defensible a year later, on paper.
Provenance Revue is a private preservation archive that acquires printed material from estates. Our interest in your matter is straightforward, and so is our paperwork.
What you get in writing
- Scope, before collection. What is being removed, from where, and on what date.
- Terms, before anything moves. Purchase, contribution, or transfer — stated plainly, with the consideration if any.
- Confirmation, after collection. What was actually collected, so the file closes cleanly.
- An honest characterization. Including, frequently, that the material has little or no market value — which is itself a useful thing to have documented.
What we do not offer
We do not provide appraisals. An evaluation from us is an informed opinion, given free of charge, and it is not a substitute for a qualified appraiser’s report where one is required for tax, insurance, or court purposes. We state that limitation in writing rather than leaving it implied, and we will tell you when a matter genuinely warrants an appraiser instead of us.
We also do not currently sell anything. There is no catalog and no price list; the archive is in an accumulation phase. Where that matters to you, it means our interest in a collection is preservation rather than resale margin.
Discretion
Estates produce material that families would rather not discuss — private correspondence, photographs, and, given our specialty, magazines that a personal representative may not relish inventorying. We handle all of it as ordinary archival work, without commentary. Anything you would prefer returned or destroyed rather than accessioned is returned or destroyed. Anonymity in our public records is available to any source, permanently, and requires no explanation.
Our privacy policy and terms set out the formalities.
Questions
- Will you provide something in writing for the file?
- Yes. Scope, date, and terms are documented before collection, and a written confirmation of what was collected follows afterwards.
- Is your evaluation an appraisal?
- No. An evaluation is an informed opinion offered without charge; it is not an appraisal for insurance, tax, or court purposes, and we say so in writing. Where a formal appraisal is required, engage a qualified appraiser.
- Can beneficiaries see what happened to the material?
- Yes. Everything we do is documented, and the personal representative can share that record with anyone they choose.
- What about material that may be sensitive?
- Private papers, correspondence, and photographs are handled discreetly, and anything you ask us to return or destroy rather than accession is returned or destroyed. Anonymity in our public records is available permanently.
- Do you pay the estate directly?
- We pay whoever you direct, in the manner you direct, against written terms. Most often that is the estate account.
Request a pickup, or read the full Estate Services overview.