Missing provenance. Missing value.
Upload a photo. Discover its history. Protect the value.
Our Story
HeirloomIQ Founder
My grandmother passed away in 2020. Around a year later, my father passed away. My family and I found ourselves working through two estates. Houses full of items.
I'm a data scientist. I spent my career understanding and documenting data. But, I wasn't prepared.
We faced rooms full of objects where we each remembered some details, could ask friends and extended family for more. But still, some of the story was lost. We also quickly learned that collections aren't about the items themselves. They're about the history attached to them.
There was this painting I'd received from my grandmother. A beautiful, detailed painting of a ship from the age of clipper ships. Historic-looking.
We were able to discover some information about it. But we were missing one critical detail: which ship was it?
That missing piece of information, literally one or two words lost to time, reduced the painting's value by at least 30%. If my grandmother had attached a note to the back saying "This is HMS [Name]", thousands of dollars in value would have been preserved. More importantly, we'd know if there was a family connection to that ship, if it was historically significant, or just a nice painting someone liked.
Turns out, this wasn't just about one painting. It was a systematic problem.
I started researching and found that 73% of high-net-worth individuals lack proper collection documentation. The largest wealth transfer in history, $68 trillion, is happening right now. Millions of families will face exactly what we faced. The 30-70% value loss from missing provenance isn't the exception. It's the norm.
Don't let your collection's story slip away.
Founding member pricing: $149/year for 100 items
Have you recorded the story behind your collection?
Think about the items you've collected over the years. The art you've acquired. The pieces you've inherited. The objects that have meaning because of where they came from or who owned them before.
Do you know the key details for each one? Where it was made? By whom? How it came to you? What makes it significant?
More importantly: could someone else find that information if you weren't there to explain it?
But when the time comes to value, insure, sell, or pass on these items, the missing story becomes the missing value.
We'll help you discover what you don't know yet.
Upload a photo, and our research uncovers the context that brings your piece to life:
Artistic Context
That landscape you inherited? It's Hudson River School, part of America's first major art movement — painted when artists were documenting wilderness before it disappeared.
The Artist's World
Your artist studied under Thomas Cole and has three works in the Smithsonian. This was painted during their most prolific period.
Market Comparables
Similar works by this artist sold for $12,000–$18,000 at auction last year. Pieces with complete provenance commanded the higher prices.
Hidden Symbolism
The broken column in your painting? A Victorian symbol of a life cut short. This was likely a memorial piece.
You add the personal context: where it came from, what it means to you. Together, we build a complete record.
We built what we wish we'd had.
A way to capture the story. Documentation that takes minutes.
Capture the Story Fast
- One photo starts the process
- AI uncovers the artistic movement, historical period, and context you might not know
- You add what you know: the stories, the history, the connections
- Minutes per item, not hours
Protect the Value
- Complete provenance documentation that prevents 30–70% value loss
- Insurance-ready, estate-ready, resale-ready
- Professional-grade outputs that attorneys and insurers accept
Pass It On Complete
- Shareable family access so the next generation knows what they're inheriting
- Estate planning documents that establish stepped-up cost basis
- Your legacy preserved — not just the items, but their meaning
How It Works
Capture
Snap a photo. Answer a few simple prompts about what you know.
Research & Draft
Our system extracts details, researches context, and creates a draft record.
Review & Approve
You, the expert on your collection, verify everything. Your approval creates a time-stamped, defensible record.
The financial stakes are real.
Lost Provenance = Lost Value
- Buyers discount prices 30–70% when provenance gaps exist
- Auction houses reject items they can't trace
- Insurance companies reduce or deny claims without ownership history
Example: A $50,000 collection could lose $15,000–$35,000 in value.
Missing Documentation = Higher Taxes
- Collectibles are taxed at 28% capital gains (vs. 20% for stocks)
- Without timely appraisal after inheritance, heirs lose stepped-up basis
Example: $14,000 in avoidable taxes on a collection that appreciated $50k.
Built for Evidence. Designed for Trust.
Your Expertise, Professionally Documented
Automation speeds the tedious work. You, the collector and expert, have final say. Every record reflects your knowledge and creates defensible documentation.
A Clear Evidence Chain
Every record includes a complete audit trail: when it was created, what was attached, when you approved it. The verifiable history that professionals require.
Your Data Stays Private
Never sold. Never public. Bank-level encryption. Service partners bound by strict agreements. You control who sees what, when.
Your Documentation Benefits Everyone
For You (The Collector)
- Insurance protection with claim-ready documentation
- 15+ hours per month recovered
- Estate planning that identifies priority items
For Your Family (Your Heirs)
- Clear understanding of what they're inheriting
- Ability to sell, manage, or transfer with confidence
- Tax savings through established stepped-up basis
For Your Advisors
- Standardized, professional documentation
- Faster processing with pre-verified records
- Complete audit trails for their requirements
Common Questions
We designed our reports with the elements professionals require: clear photographs, detailed fields, supporting document attachments, and a verifiable audit trail. This standardized format makes it faster and easier for them to do their job.
No. We create documentation that makes formal appraisals faster and more affordable when they are required. We also track past appraisals and provenance documents, so you always have the records you need.
We can't get those answers back for our family.
But we can help you keep yours.
Your collection has a story. Document it, and protect its value.
Lock in founding member pricing at $149/year for 100 items when we launch.
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