Client Appointments process

Set up an appointment with Janice Stagnitto Ellis by calling (301) 920-2071 to leave a message on her studio line. To reach her as quickly as possible, call her mobile phone: (301) 675-3949. The studio address and directions will be provided when an appointment is made. 

 It is strongly advised that the client arrive at the consultation knowing the market value of their artifact. The purpose is twofold. First, it makes economic sense to invest in conservation treatment only up to the market value of the artifact. To invest more in the repair of an object than it is worth is unwise, except if the artifact has significant sentimental value. Knowing the artifact's market value with help to make informed treatment decisions. Second, Ellis Conservation needs to establish the insurance value of items it is holding. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLIENT MUST MAINTAIN PRIMARY INSURANCE ON THEIR ARTIFACT AND ELLIS CONSERVATION MAINTAINS SECONDARY INSURANCE FOR IT. In this way, the client avoids the extra expense of an insurance rider for each artifact. 

 When the client arrives for their appointment, a gratis half-hour consultation is provided to discuss treatment options. Consultations which require more time will be billed at the studio's hourly rate of $150./hour. If the client decides to proceed with treatment, cost of additional  consultation time is included in the estimated treatment cost quoted.

Telephone consultations are not possible.

Occasionally, artifacts with complex conservation needs will need to be tested before a treatment protocol can be found. In this case, the client will be asked to leave the artifact at Ellis Conservation's studio. The client will need to sign a preliminary contract. After examination and testing, a Treatment Proposal and a final contract will be sent to the client via e-mail, mail or FAX. Examination testing time is billed to the client as indicated above and will be included in the Treatment Cost quote provided in the Proposal, or will be billed separately, if the proposal is not accepted .

 Liability insurance in the art conservation field does not exist. This is because there are very few conservators in private practice, and because conservators often work on extraordinarily valuable items, sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars. The profession cannot afford to hold liability insurance for the artifacts we treat. ELLIS CONSERVATION OF BOOKS & PAPER LLC'S CONTRACT INCLUDES A WAIVER OF LIABLITY statement which clients must initial before treatment will begin. 

Once the client and Ellis Conservation have discussed treatment options and come to a mutual understanding of the likely treatment outcome and fees, a contract is signed by both the client and the studio. The client is provided with a copy of the signed contract. 

A fifty percent pre-payment of the estimated treatment costs of the proposed treatment is due upon signing the contract.  Actual treatment cost may be up to 10% higher than the quote without requiring a new contract. (This rarely happens.) 

Treatments are undertaken in the order in which they are received, depending upon other commitments the studio may have at the time. Museum exhibition work has the highest priority and sometimes jumps to the head of the cue. Special "rush" work is accommodated whenever possible. It is not unusual for treatments to take six months from the time the contract is signed to completion. 

When work is completed, Ellis Conservation will send an electronic invoice via email which asks the client to call to make an appointment to pick up their property. We will follow up with a phone call if we do not hear from you. Clients who do not respond to the notifications after one month will incur $100/month storage fee plus 2% month interest rate. Special arrangements can be made to ship property to clients provided that they send full payment plus interest, storage fees and shipping cost in advance of shipment. If clients do not respond within one year, Ellis Conservation of Books & Paper, LLC will assume ownership of the abandoned property. The client will still be responsible for payment in full for contracted treatment costs, interest and storage fees via a collection agency.

Artifacts are returned when payment is made in full. 

Photographic and written treatment documentation is provided electronically via a shared web link to your files on our cloud storage drive.  These files will remain on our cloud storage for one month to allow you to download them. After that, the shared web link will be removed and your files will be stored as part of our corporate records.

Ellis Conservation of Books & Paper, LLC accepts payment via:

check

VISA,   MASTER CARD,  AMERICAN EXPRESS 

Government direct deposit

Payment  via SQUARE: