Twin Cities Collection Care provides cataloguing, condition assessment, and preservation guidance for private collections in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.
To care for objects is to care for the stories and memory they hold.
Get in touchI'm Joe Doherty. I work with private collectors who want to understand what they have, document it properly, and know it's being cared for.
Whether you've inherited a library, built an art collection over decades, or need to know that a few treasured objects are in good hands — the work starts with looking closely and listening carefully.
My primary expertise is works on paper — prints, drawings, photographs, and watercolors — along with paintings and framed works. I also catalogue books, documents, and other collection objects. For collections where art and books sit alongside each other, as they often do in private homes, I bring the same professional methodology to both.
Joe Doherty
MFA, University of Alberta
Graduate Certificate in Museum Collections Management and Care, George Washington University
Over a decade of museum experience, including collection care at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Every engagement begins with understanding what you have and what matters to you.
A visit to your home to look at your collection, understand your concerns, and give you an informed picture of your situation. Afterward, you'll receive a written summary of observations and recommendations — what's in good shape, what deserves attention, and what further work would be worthwhile.
Focused evaluation of a defined group of objects — a set of inherited prints, a shelf of first editions, photographs you're concerned about. Each object is examined and documented with a written condition report covering physical state, areas of concern, and care recommendations.
A complete, systematic record of your collection. Every object is examined, photographed, and assigned a unique identifier. The finished inventory becomes the single working document for your collection — the kind of documentation that transforms a group of objects into a collection you can manage, share, and pass on.
Professional recommendations for the long-term care of your collection — environment, shelving, housing, handling, and display. Where conservation treatment may be warranted, I can advise on priorities and help identify qualified conservators.
Most engagements follow a simple path. There's no commitment beyond the first conversation.
Start with a consultation — an in-home visit to look at your collection and talk through your goals.
Receive a written summary with observations, recommendations, and options for further work.
Decide together whether further work makes sense and what form it should take.
Move into a clearly scoped project with a defined fee, timeline, and set of deliverables.
Recent engagement
A Minneapolis-area collector had lived with his collection for decades — hundreds of books and works on paper shelved across his home. He knew the books mattered. Many had come down through two prominent local families, whose libraries were joined through marriage in the mid-twentieth century before passing into his care. Ownership inscriptions, bookplates, and even a handwritten letter laid into one volume connected the collection to generations of readers.
But none of it was documented. There was no inventory, no record of condition, and no systematic account of what the collection contained or where its objects came from.
The project involved a complete physical survey of all 458 objects. Each was examined, photographed, and assigned a unique identifier. Catalogue records captured bibliographic and material details drawn from title pages, physical examination, and provenance research. Condition was assessed using a standardized framework applied consistently across the full collection.
The cataloguing surfaced details that had been invisible without systematic examination: a volume carrying an inscription dated 1847, predating the family's arrival in Minnesota. A coordinated acquisition of eighteen first-edition volumes of Elizabethan drama, all inscribed by family members on the same date. Numbered bookplates suggesting both families had maintained organized private libraries with their own internal cataloguing systems.
The provenance record that emerged was richer and more layered than anyone had expected.
A master inventory spreadsheet with complete catalogue records for all 458 objects. Individual object factsheets with metadata, condition notes, and photographs. A collection summary covering provenance, methodology, condition findings, and preservation recommendations. A photographic archive of 2,520 images. Physical reference binders organizing the printed factsheets for use without a computer.
The client now has a complete, professionally documented record of his collection: what he owns, what condition it's in, and the family history it carries.
Before reaching out, most people want to know what to expect.
We start with your questions and concerns. I look at representative objects, assess the storage or display situation, and talk through practical next steps. Afterward, you receive a written summary with observations and recommendations.
If it matters to you or your family, it's worth caring for properly. The work isn't reserved for museums or major holdings — it's for anyone who wants to understand what they have and keep it in good condition.
No. You don't need to prepare your collection before reaching out. Seeing how things are currently stored is often part of understanding what support will be most useful.
I don't assign monetary values. My work focuses on documentation, condition, and care — understanding what you have, what shape it's in, and how to preserve it. If you need an appraisal, I can refer you to a qualified appraiser.
Consultations are offered at a flat fee so the starting point is clear. Larger projects are scoped after the consultation visit, once I've seen the collection and can quote responsibly. You'll always know the cost before committing.
My core expertise is works on paper — prints, drawings, photographs, watercolors — along with paintings, framed works, books, and documents. If you're unsure whether your collection is a fit, just ask.
Most engagements begin with a collection consultation — a low-commitment way to get professional eyes on what you have and understand your options.
If you have a collection that could benefit from professional documentation or care guidance, I'd welcome a conversation.
joe@twincitescollectioncare.com