Step-by-step
How provenance tagging works
Six steps to turn any valuable object into one that can prove where it came from.
- 01
Create a digital identity
Register the object and give it a unique, permanent identity. Each item — even each print in an edition — gets its own record.
- 02
Gather the evidence
Photograph the object (including signatures, marks and verso), scan certificates, invoices, appraisals and letters, and note every known owner and exhibition.
- 03
Choose your tags
A visible QR code for anyone to explore, and a secure NFC chip to prove the item is the original. Read our QR vs NFC guide for details.
- 04
Apply them safely
Place tags on reversible, non-original surfaces — frames, stretcher bars, cases, linings, labels — with conservation-grade adhesive.
- 05
Link and test
Pair each tag with the identity, then scan and tap from several phones to confirm the story opens correctly.
- 06
Keep the story alive
Add new events over time: sales, loans, restorations, valuations. Transfer ownership when the item changes hands.
Ready to start? Create item identities with SmartLinks, or explore guides for art, memorabilia and luxury goods.
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Give your collection a digital identity
SmartLinks connects physical objects to a living digital record — one identity per item, readable by QR or NFC, with ownership history, documents and media that travel with it.