620a6e673b7b2 3

Antiques and art are covered in clues—signatures, shop stamps, hallmarks, edition fractions, and the cryptic inventory numbers that ride on stretcher bars, frame backs, and ceramic feet. A code such as “620a6e673b7b2 3” can look meaningless, yet it may be the shortest path to provenance, authentication, and a defensible valuation. This guide shows how to read such numbers in context, corroborate them with material evidence, and translate them into appraisal conclusions that withstand scrutiny.

Why Inventory Numbers Matter in Appraisal

Inventory numbers, stock codes, and accession numbers serve as unique identifiers across the object’s life cycle:

• Dealers mark stock for internal tracking.
• Museums and foundations assign accessions for collection control.
• Auction houses attach lot identifiers and barcode labels.
• Framers, shippers, photographers, and restorers leave job numbers.
• Owners add estate tags and insurance labels.

Each mark potentially anchors the object to a dated event: a sale, a loan, a restoration, a catalog listing, or an exhibition. When a code like “620a6e673b7b2 3” can be linked to a ledger, catalog, or invoice, it bolsters both authenticity and market confidence. In valuation, solid provenance narrows the comp set, supports higher demand tiers, and mitigates risk discounts often applied to unattributed or undocumented pieces.

Not every code is meaningful, and not every label belongs to the object. But knowing how to parse, test, and document these traces is a core competency for connoisseurship and appraisal practice.

From Code to Context: Tracing “620a6e673b7b2 3”

Start with the physical evidence, not assumptions. The same string can mean very different things in different hands.

1. Locate and characterize the mark

• Placement: Is the code written on a canvas stretcher, frame reverse, rabbet, paper verso, base of a bronze, underside of a chair seat, or footrim of porcelain? Original supports carry more weight than later frames or mounts.
• Medium: Pencil, fountain ink, ballpoint, paint pen, chalk, crayon, grease pencil, label printed/typed, or branded stamp. Ink type and aging tell you about likely date.
• Carrier: Paper label stock, fabric tape, foil label, or direct inscription. A brittle browned paper with iron gall ink implies age; glossy thermal labels suggest recent origin.

2. Parse the structure

• Museum accession formats often follow Year.Collection.Sequence, like 1998.42.3, or Year.Sequence, like 68.5. A code such as “620a6e673b7b2 3” is alphanumeric and lacks dots, more typical of dealer stock or auction barcode IDs.
• Dealer stock numbers may mix letters and digits, sometimes reflecting artist, medium, or acquisition batch. A trailing “3” could mark a variant or frame size.
• Auction houses use lot numbers (simple integers) paired with sale codes, and more recently, barcoded inventory. A long hex-like string plus a short number can be an internal warehouse or photo ID linked to a lot.
• Foundry numbers on bronzes are often short and stamped; edition marks appear as fractions (e.g., 3/8), not like the example.
• Frame shop and conservator job numbers frequently include dates (YYMMDD or YYYYMMDD). If the code doesn’t fit any date logic, it likely isn’t a job date.

3. Cross-reference intelligently

• Photograph the mark in situ with a scale and transcribe it exactly, including spacing and case.
• Compare handwriting or label stock with other labels on the object. Consistency suggests a single origin; mismatches hint at later additions.
• Check internal records: prior condition reports, intake sheets, owner spreadsheets, or dealer stock books.
• Consult sale catalogs and exhibition checklists for numeric echoes—lot numbers, stock numbers printed near entries, or loan numbers. If prints or drawings carry collector’s stamps, identify them via standard mark references; codes sometimes accompany those marks.
• For silver and jewelry, prioritize hallmark interpretation over arbitrary codes; assay office marks, date letters, and maker’s marks are the primary keys. Supplementary workshop tally numbers may appear but rarely carry external provenance value.
• For British ceramics and Victorian design, registered design numbers or lozenge marks convey date and class. Distinguish these from unrelated penciled inventory.

4. Evaluate plausibility and sequence

• Does the code align with the object’s likely age? A modern barcode on a purported 18th-century frame is fine if it’s an auction sticker from a 2015 sale; it cannot support 18th-century origin.
• If you have multiple codes, build a timeline: dealer stock number → auction lot → museum loan → restoration ID. A coherent chain increases confidence.
• Beware “married” components: a coded frame may not belong to the painting; a dealer label can be transplanted.

5. Document outcomes

• If the trail connects to a catalog entry or invoice, capture bibliographic details and images, and state how the code ties the object to that record.
• If the trail is inconclusive, record the code, location, and characteristics without overstating significance. You may convert it into an extraordinary assumption only if transparent and necessary for assignment results.

Building a Defensible Valuation Using the Trail

Provenance and identification are inputs, not conclusions. Turn those inputs into value through a disciplined approach.

• Define the value type clearly:

  • Fair Market Value (FMV): the price between willing buyer and seller, neither under compulsion, with reasonable exposure in an open market.
  • Retail Replacement Value (RRV): the amount to replace a similar item with one of like kind and quality, usually in a retail context.
  • Marketable Cash Value (MCV) or Orderly Liquidation Value (OLV): forced-sale or time-constrained contexts with discounts for urgency and marketing limits.

• Select the market level:

  • Primary (gallery retail), secondary (auction/dealer resale), trade (wholesale), or private brokerage. Align with the intended use/user of the appraisal.

• Build your comp set:

  • Use sales for the same artist/maker, medium, size class, date range, and subject matter.
  • Weight comps with comparable condition, completeness (original frame, untouched surface), and provenance quality. A well-documented chain that includes a recognizable collection, exhibition history, or a prior museum loan usually justifies selection into higher-demand comps.
  • Time-adjust only when the market shows trend evidence; cite data windows and note volatility by segment.

• Analyze and reconcile:

  • Adjust for condition (e.g., overcleaned surface, relined canvas, replaced hardware, regilding, reglued joints).
  • Adjust for edition size and state in prints; lifetime versus posthumous impressions can diverge dramatically.
  • Adjust for exceptional or adverse provenance (celebrity ownership versus stolen-art red flags).
  • Reconcile into a single value conclusion (or range, if assignment scope allows), stating weighting logic explicitly.

The code “620a6e673b7b2 3,” if matched to a 2012 auction lot with images, can confirm the object’s identity, verify that current condition is consistent with past photos, and validate dimensions. That reduces identification risk, supports market selection, and may narrow the range in reconciliation.

Material and Technical Examination That Corroborates the Story

Inventory numbers gain probative value when they agree with the object’s materials and construction.

• Furniture:

  • Wood species and secondary woods: e.g., oak carcass with pine drawer bottoms typical for certain regions/periods.
  • Joinery: hand-cut dovetails with irregular spacing versus machine-cut; presence of scribe lines; saw marks (pit-sawn vs circular saw).
  • Fasteners: hand-wrought nails, rosehead nails, cut nails, and screw types (handmade with off-center slots vs modern rolled threads).
  • Wear and oxidation: consistent wear to edges, oxidized interiors, shrinkage cracks appropriate to age. Beware artificially distressed surfaces or mismatched wear between components.

• Paintings:

  • Supports and grounds: canvas weave density, tacking margins, keys in stretcher, ground color and preparation.
  • Surface: craquelure patterns, cupping, cleaning fluorescence under UV, inpainting, overvarnish.
  • Underlayers: underdrawing visible in infrared (IR), pentimenti supporting originality.
  • Signatures: pigment sit-on, crossing of cracks, natural aging versus ink that sits atop recent varnish.

• Prints and works on paper:

  • Plate mark and bevel, burr on drypoint, ink tone and wiping.
  • Paper: laid versus wove, chain lines, watermarks; pulp fluorescence under UV suggests modern paper.
  • Edition clues: lifetime signatures versus later estate stamps; unauthorized restrikes often on modern paper or with different platemarks.

• Metals and jewelry:

  • Hallmarks: sequence of standard, assay office, date letter, maker’s mark; fineness stamps (e.g., 925) and their period use.
  • Fabrication: cast, chased, soldered; evidence of later assembly (“married” parts).
  • Patina and tool marks: honest oxidation and wear patterns, not acid-accelerated patina.

• Ceramics and glass:

  • Paste and glaze: body color and translucency, crazing patterns, spur marks, kiln grit on footrim.
  • Mark authenticity: underglaze marks with proper brush rhythm; spurious printed marks overglaze; registry marks decoding date ranges.
  • Glass: pontil scar type, inclusions/bubbles, wear to foot consistent with age.

• Textiles and rugs:

  • Structure: warp/weft materials, knot type (symmetric/asymmetric), knot count per square inch.
  • Dyes: natural versus synthetic era, migration, and abrash.
  • Edge and end finishes: original selvedges, overcasting, repair history.

When material evidence agrees with the implied timeline from codes like “620a6e673b7b2 3,” confidence rises. When it diverges, prioritize physical facts and treat the code as non-probative.

Reporting, Compliance, and File Hygiene

A strong appraisal report ties identification, analysis, and valuation together with clarity and disclosure.

Include:

• Object ID: maker/artist attribution level (attributed to, workshop of, after), title/subject, medium, materials.
• Dimensions: state units and whether framed or unframed; for furniture, H x W x D; for rugs, pile direction noted.
• Marks and inscriptions: exact transcription and location maps; photographs with arrows.
• Condition report: concise, structured, avoiding ambiguous terms; note prior restorations and stability.
• Provenance summary: chronologically ordered, with confidence levels; explicitly tie items to codes and documents.
• Market analysis: market level, comp table narrative, adjustments, and reconciliation.
• Value conclusion: value type, currency, effective date, and any extraordinary assumptions or hypothetical conditions.
• Intended use and users: e.g., insurance scheduling, charitable donation, estate tax, equitable distribution.
• Limiting conditions and certification: scope limits, inspection extent, and certification language appropriate to jurisdiction and standards.

Maintain a workfile:

• Full image set (overall, details, labels), measurement notes, mark rubbings or tracings.
• Copies of comp records, catalog pages, and any correspondence with archivists or dealers.
• Technical exam notes (UV/IR findings, magnification observations), clearly dated.
• Chain-of-custody or access notes if applicable.

Write plainly. Define specialized terms at first use. Avoid overstating: if “620a6e673b7b2 3” remains unverified, say so and separate it from your value rationale unless you employ a clearly stated extraordinary assumption.

Practical Checklist: Decoding and Using Inventory Numbers

• Photograph the code in place with scale and raking light.
• Record exact transcription, including spacing, punctuation, and font/hand.
• Note substrate, medium, apparent age, and label construction.
• Determine whether the support is original to the object.
• Compare with other labels/marks on the object for internal consistency.
• Classify the code type (accession, dealer stock, auction, job number) based on format.
• Build a timeline of all marks and events tied to the object.
• Cross-reference against available catalogs, invoices, and collection records.
• Corroborate timeline with material/technical evidence from the object itself.
• Weigh how (or if) the code affects market selection and adjustments.
• Disclose uncertainties; avoid making unsupported attributions from a code alone.
• Preserve all labels and codes; never remove or cover without documentation.

FAQ

Q: The code “620a6e673b7b2 3” doesn’t match any catalog I can find. What now? A: Treat it as an unverified identifier. Document it carefully, include high-quality images, and proceed with identification and valuation using material evidence and standard comps. Note in the report that the code was observed but could not be linked to external records. Refrain from relying on it to elevate attribution or value.

Q: How much value can provenance add? A: Credible, relevant provenance can shift an object into a higher demand tier, improving salability and sometimes price. The impact depends on market segment, the prestige of prior ownership, exhibition history, and whether provenance resolves authenticity risk. It is not a fixed premium; it must be contextualized within comparable sales.

Q: Should I remove old labels or repaint backs to “clean up” an object? A: No. Labels, inscriptions, and surface history are evidence. Photograph and protect them. If conservation requires label removal, document before and after, retain the label, and note the intervention in the file and report.

Q: What’s the difference between an accession number and an inventory number? A: An accession number is a museum or institutional control number tied to a formal acquisition, typically following a structured format. An inventory number is a broader term that can refer to any owner’s or business’s tracking code, including dealer stock and auction IDs. Both can aid provenance, but accession numbers are generally more authoritative.

Q: Can I rely on digital tools (barcode scanners, OCR, databases) for these codes? A: They’re useful for capture and search, especially for modern labels, but they don’t replace connoisseurship. Always verify matches visually and contextually, confirm dimensions and details against images, and reconcile with material evidence before drawing conclusions.

By approaching cryptic marks methodically—starting with what’s physically present, parsing structure, cross-referencing, and then integrating findings with material analysis—you convert stray numbers like “620a6e673b7b2 3” into narrative threads. Some threads weave into compelling provenance; others remain loose. The appraisal’s strength lies in how transparently you handle both.