# Center for the History of Collecting

> research Center in New York, NY

**Wikidata**: [Q20745457](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20745457)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_the_History_of_Collecting)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/center-for-the-history-of-collecting

## Summary
The Center for the History of Collecting is a specialized research institute founded in 2007 in New York, NY, and operates as a dedicated unit of the Frick Art Research Library. It focuses exclusively on scholarly investigation into the history of art collecting, making it a unique resource within the American art historical research landscape.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 2007 as a research institute in New York, New York
- Parent organization is the Frick Art Research Library
- Geographic coordinates are 40.771181°N, 73.96735°W
- Official website: http://www.frick.org/research/center
- Classified as a research institute (instance_of: research institute)
- Maintains a single Wikipedia sitelink in English under the title "Center for the History of Collecting"
- Japanese alias: センター・フォー・ザ・ヒストリー・オヴ・コレクティング
- VIAF ID: 279973223
- Library of Congress Authority ID: no2012147244
- Yale LUX ID: group/1fbd7e50-4400-4c76-9aed-ffd4f43154ca
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11b87vdqyd
- Located in the United States

## FAQs
**What exactly is the Center for the History of Collecting?**
The Center for the History of Collecting is a research institute established in 2007 that operates under the Frick Art Research Library in New York City. It serves as a dedicated scholarly body investigating the historical practices, patterns, and figures involved in art collecting.

**Where can I find the Center and how do I contact them?**
The Center is physically located in New York, NY at coordinates 40.771181°N, 73.96735°W. You can access information about their programs and resources through their official website at http://www.frick.org/research/center.

**What organization oversees the Center's operations?**
The Center functions as a component of the Frick Art Research Library, which provides its institutional framework, resources, and administrative support within the larger Frick Collection ecosystem.

**How is the Center cataloged in library and knowledge systems?**
The Center holds multiple authoritative identifiers: VIAF ID 279973223, Library of Congress Authority ID no2012147244, Yale LUX ID group/1fbd7e50-4400-4c76-9aed-ffd4f43154ca, and Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/11b87vdqyd.

**Does the Center have an international presence or name variants?**
While its primary Wikipedia presence is in English, the Center is recognized in Japanese as センター・フォー・ザ・ヒストリー・オヴ・コレクティング, indicating some level of international acknowledgment in academic circles.

## Why It Matters
The Center for the History of Collecting occupies a critical niche in art historical scholarship by focusing exclusively on the systematic study of collecting practices. As a dedicated research institute rather than a general museum department, it provides the sustained, focused investigation necessary to understand how artworks have been acquired, valued, and preserved across centuries. Its location within the Frick Art Research Library—one of America's premier art research institutions—gives it access to unparalleled archival resources and positions it at the epicenter of New York's art historical community. The Center's 2007 establishment reflects a growing recognition that collecting itself is a distinct historical phenomenon worthy of rigorous academic study, separate from traditional art history or museum studies. By maintaining specialized knowledge infrastructure with unique identifiers across VIAF, Library of Congress, and Yale LUX systems, the Center ensures its research outputs are permanently discoverable and citable, contributing to the global scholarly record on provenance, market history, and the formation of private and public collections.

## Notable For
- Being one of the few research institutes in the United States exclusively dedicated to the history of art collecting
- Operating as a specialized unit within the prestigious Frick Art Research Library rather than as an independent entity
- Establishment in 2007, marking a relatively recent institutional recognition of collecting history as a distinct academic discipline
- Geographic positioning in New York City, the global hub of the art market and collecting activity
- Maintaining authoritative presence across multiple knowledge systems including VIAF, Library of Congress, and Yale LUX
- Having a Japanese alias despite English-only Wikipedia coverage, suggesting specialized international recognition
- Single Wikipedia sitelink indicating focused, specialized scope rather than broad public awareness

## Body

### Overview and Mission
The Center for the History of Collecting functions as a dedicated research institute whose sole purpose is the scholarly investigation of art collecting practices throughout history. Unlike hybrid institutions that combine research with teaching or commercial activities, the Center operates with the singular focus of generating new knowledge about how art collections have been formed, maintained, and dispersed. Its classification as a research institute distinguishes it from membership-based societies or policy-oriented think tanks, positioning it firmly within the landscape of pure research organizations.

### History and Establishment
The Center came into existence in 2007, establishing itself as a relatively recent addition to the Frick Art Research Library's constellation of scholarly resources. This inception date places the Center's founding during a period of growing academic interest in provenance research and the institutional histories of private collections. As a unit of the Frick Art Research Library, the Center inherits the legacy of one of America's most significant art research institutions while carving out its own specialized domain.

### Location and Geographic Context
Situated in New York, NY at precise coordinates 40.771181°N, 73.96735°W, the Center occupies a location of immense significance for its research mission. New York City stands as the epicenter of the international art market, making it an ideal base for studying contemporary and historical collecting practices. The Center's physical presence within this geographic context provides researchers with immediate access to active auction houses, galleries, collectors, and other art world institutions that constitute primary sources for its investigations.

### Organizational Structure and Affiliation
The Center operates under the umbrella of the Frick Art Research Library, functioning as a specialized research unit rather than an autonomous organization. This parent-child relationship provides the Center with institutional stability, access to the Frick's extensive bibliographic and archival collections, and integration into a broader ecosystem of art historical research. The Frick Art Research Library's reputation and resources amplify the Center's capacity to conduct high-level scholarly work.

### Digital Presence and Accessibility
The Center maintains an official web presence at http://www.frick.org/research/center, which serves as the primary public interface for its activities. The website, documented as English-language content, likely provides information about research programs, access to resources, and scholarly outputs. This digital footprint ensures that researchers worldwide can discover and engage with the Center's work, despite its physical location in New York.

### Cataloging and Authority Control
The Center has established its identity across multiple authoritative knowledge systems, ensuring its permanent place in the bibliographic landscape. The Library of Congress has assigned authority ID no2012147244, while the Virtual International Authority File records it under VIAF ID 279973223. Yale University's LUX system includes the Center under ID group/1fbd7e50-4400-4c76-9aed-ffd4f43154ca. These identifiers facilitate precise citation and discovery of the Center's scholarly contributions. Additionally, Google Knowledge Graph recognizes the entity under ID /g/11b87vdqyd, enhancing its discoverability in web searches.

### International Recognition and Naming
While the Center's Wikipedia presence is limited to a single English-language article, it carries a Japanese alias: センター・フォー・ザ・ヒストリー・オヴ・コレクティング. This transliteration suggests that Japanese-speaking scholars or institutions have found the Center significant enough to warrant recognition in their language, despite the absence of a full Japanese Wikipedia entry. The limited sitelink count of 1 indicates that the Center maintains a specialized, focused identity rather than broad public encyclopedic coverage across multiple languages.

### Research Classification
The entity is formally classified as a research institute, distinguishing it from other organizational forms in the knowledge production ecosystem. This classification appears in its Wikidata entry and aligns with its institutional purpose. Unlike scientific societies that convene members or think tanks that influence policy, the Center's research institute designation signals its commitment to original scholarly investigation as its primary and defining activity.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File