Introduction to Object ID

The illegal trade of art, antiques, and other cultural objects is one of the most prevalent categories of international crime. Documentation is a crucial security measure, for law enforcement officials can rarely recover and return objects that have not been photographed and adequately described. Object ID is an international standard which outlines the minimum information needed to identify stolen art objects. In this volume, Robin Thornes provides a brief history of the international development of the standard and guidelines, and describes techniques for photographing cultural objects.