• Abrasion
• :
• Loss of media caused by rubbing or scraping.

• Accretion
• :
• Accumulation, adherence or embedding of extraneous matter.

• Acid / Matt Burn
• :
• Alteration to a work on paper caused by lignin containing acidic materials in contact with the artwork.

• Active infestation
• :
• A colony of one or more species actively living and breeding within or on an object. Can be: carpet beetle, clothes moths, silver fish, termites, furniture beetles, cockroach, ants, house flies. Variable: Immediate attention needed.

• Artist intent
• :
• Present condition over which the artist/maker has authority that is intentional or unintentional.

• Blanching
• :
• Milky areas in paint or varnish.

• Bleeding
• :
• Suffusion of a color into adjacent areas, often caused by moisture or solvents.

• Broken glass
• :
• Vitreous material shattered, cracked or chipped.

• Bronze disease
• :
• Greenish flaking or bubbling, damp condition of surface bronze.

• Buckling
• :
• Disruption causing ripples or ridges.

• Burn Mark
• :
• Blistering and/or charring of a surface as a result of fire or other open heat source.

• Chalking
• :
• Pigment turned to powder.

• Chip / Fracture
• :
• Small loss(es) of material e.g. paint, ceramic, veneer, gesso.

• Cleavage
• :
• Separation and lifting of media from the support layer .

• Crack
• :
• Short fault in the body of an object.

• Crackle Impact / Cracklure
• :
• Cracks in radiating circles caused by a blow, can also be caused by tension variables, changes in relative humidity or thickness of primer

• Cracklure
• :
• Network of cracks caused by the shrinking of the medium.

• Crease
• :
• Line or mark made by folding or wrinkling.

• Criselling
• :
• Network of fine cracks on the surface, caused by condensation and dissolution of some of the silicates found in glass.

• Cupping
• :
• Aged paint, loosened by cracking, with edges curling to create cup-like formations.

• Cut
• :
• A straight separation caused by sharp slicing action.

• Dent
• :
• Concave depression in surface(s) or substrate caused by blow or pressure.

• Dishing
• :
• A distortion in the canvas of a painting caused by unequal tension around the stretcher

• Edge damage
• :
• Damage in and confined to the perimeter of an object.

• Element (s) broken
• :
• Forcibly fractured-separted or loose pieces that are extant with the object and could be reattached.

• Element (s) missing
• :
• Elements or portions of any object not with the object at the time of preparing this report. May be stored elsewhere, found later or missing

• Element (s) separating
• :
• Portions of an object that have become unstable or loose.

• Embrittled
• :
• Canvas/Support has become perceptibly fragile to the point of snapping, crumbling or breaking.

• Faded / Bleached
• :
• Losses of brightenss of brilliance of the color(s). UV damage.

• Fingerprint / handling marks
• :
• Marks left behind from handling and may be permanent.

• Flaking
• :
• Serious cracking causing paint and/or ground layer to dislodge from the support.

• Flight hole
• :
• Holes created by wood-boring insects.

• Fold
• :
• Bent or doubled over on itself that can lead to cracking, breaking or fragmentation of image layer or surface

• Foxing
• :
• Reddish-brown 'stains' believed to be caused by metal particles in paper being attacked by micro-organisms.

• Frass
• :
• A powdery residue left by insects; generally associated with flight holes. Old frass may be visible when object is moved or has been transit.

• Fraying
• :
• Raveled or worn spot indicated by the separation of threads, especially on the edge of a fabric.

• Glaze damage
• :
• Surface loss.

• Gouge
• :
• A groove, indentation or cavity resulting from an object pressing or cutting into the surface without completely penetrating the support.

• Graffiti
• :
• Foreign substance applied to an existing object.

• Hole
• :
• Open or hollow loss, other than a puncture

• Larvae / eggs
• :
• Observed presence of insect eggs.

• Lifting
• :
• Areas that have lost adhesion and are no longer firmly fastened to the surface, but are still there.

• Loss
• :
• Areas of paint, finish or surface which have lost adhesion or are missing.

• Mold / mildew
• :
• Any of various fungal growths that dissolve, stain, or degrade the host material. 

• Mount damage
• :
• Some mounts are original to objects and damage should be recorded: e.g. mounted ceramics or pedestals for some sculpture.

• Normal wear
• :
• Evidence of previous use/not original condition.

• Odor
• :
• Distinctive smell emanating from the object.

• Old impact damage
• :
• Evidence of previous damage left untreated.

• Oxidation
• :
• A chemical reaction of oxygen with another material.   Metallic oxidation (rust, copper and brass corrosion), organic oxidation of leathers, woods, textile fibers, etc. are most frequently associated with furniture.

• Particulates
• :
• Very small particles on the surface or the interstices of an object such as dirt, dust, fibers

• Perforation
• :
• Hole/puncture created by a sudden blow to the surface/substrate, can be man-made or a result of natural hazard impact.

• Previous restoration / conservation
• :
• Evidence of previous repairs/treatments.

• Pull
• :
• Mechanical distortion to one or more threads in textile.

• Residue (s)
• :
• Animal, vegetable/mineral or man-made substance adhering to surfaces ---may be old or new.

• Scratch
• :
• Loss of media by marking the surface with something sharp.

• Shattered
• :
• A severe condition where object is in many pieces/contorted and should not be handled without complete documentation of circumstances, notification of all parties concerned before further decisions are made.

• Shrinkage
• :
• Reduction on size from original dimension.

• Slipped hinge / Faulty Attachment(s)
• :
• Articulated fastener that is loose or broken.

• Smear
• :
• Limited adherence of patriculate matter.

• Spalling
• :
• Freeze / thaw damage to some stone over a period of time.

• Split
• :
• A continuing break and parting of material.

• Stain
• :
• Discolored appearance caused by a foreign substance, uneven aging or micro-organisms. 

• Stretcher marks
• :
• A crease or line of cracks in the ground or paint layer of a painting, caused by the support touching against the stretcher.

• Substrate unstable
• :
• Joints may be loose. Mainly caused by temp/rH changes over time, leading to expansion and contraction of secondary woods and damage to surface coatings.

• Tarnish
• :
• Oxidation, darkened surface of silver.

• Tear
• :
• Rupture in support layer resulting from variable stresses or strains.

• Tide line
• :
• Staining in a uneven line, cause by partial immersion of item in water or capillary action.

• Transference
• :
• Presence of pigment or other material carried over to the surface of the object.

• Upholstery damage
• :
• Materials degraded.

• Warping / Bowing
• :
• A structural distortion of the support that may have become twisted, turned or bent is no longer flat or in plane.

• Water Damage
• :
• Staining, planar distortion, finish damage, loosening or other damage caused by contact with water or high RH.