Why I Built Verso Collect

After many years of navigating the art world, I’ve grown accustomed to some of its unwritten rules. One of them is informality. Compared with other industries, the art world runs on relationships above all else, and I love the relationship-driven nature of the business.

But as prices have risen and collections have grown into serious assets, I believe the art world needs a greater level of formality to match. Something has always felt off to me about collectors owning collections worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars while their records remain scattered across spreadsheets, emails, and photos on their phones. No other asset of that value would be treated this way.

As an art advisor, part of my job is making sure my clients never find themselves in that position. Every artwork receives a digital folder containing the invoice, a high-res image, provenance information, a condition report, and any other relevant documentation. I have always been happy to do this work, but I have also wanted to bring that same level of organization to every collector, not just my clients, because the benefits are significant.

Throughout my career, I have found that many collectors simply do not maintain adequate records. As a result, they are often underinsured because it is difficult to keep valuations current when information is scattered across multiple places. Also, organized records make documentation conveniently available whenever a work is sold, loaned, or donated. And, if a work is damaged, lost, or stolen, having thorough records can be invaluable.

Better organization can also lead to better collecting decisions. When your entire collection is easily accessible, you can review it regularly, consider it more holistically, and identify which artists and works may complement it best.

If you plan to pass your collection down to your children, good recordkeeping matters just as much. Heirs need invoices, images, provenance, and other pertinent details to understand what they are inheriting. Without that information, sorting through a collection can take months and cost real money. Keeping good records now can spare them that burden later.

Easy access to your collection is also part of the joy of collecting. I have watched the same scene unfold at art fairs and gallery dinners more times than I can count. A collector wants to share an artwork they love, and everyone waits while they scroll through hundreds of photos on their phone until they eventually give up. Or they want to remember what they paid for a work or when they acquired it, but finding the answer means searching through years of emails.

For many years, I have wanted to put an easy-to-use, free collection management tool into the world. I’ve finally done so with Verso Collect, a free, AI powered collection management tool.

The most daunting part of collection management has always been onboarding and maintenance. Existing tools are not only pricey, but can make uploading a collection so time consuming that many collectors give up before they finish. Even those who complete the process often struggle to keep their records current. AI changes that. Verso Collect uses AI to make adding your collection and keeping it up to date as effortless as possible.

Verso Collect is free and puts everything in one place: every artwork, image, invoice, provenance, and valuation, organized and accessible. You can try Verso Collect today in the App Store or at versocollect.com.