Photo Art Ledger · physical execution

The plaque on the wall

The registry stays invisible until someone is standing in front of the work. The plaque is where it becomes concrete: beside the print, carrying the edition number in plain text, two seconds from the registry.

Five materials, same information, same size. Switch material below and the whole page follows.

Simulated mounting. The plaque sits 60 mm from the frame, level with the centre of the work. The work shown is demo data.
Close-up, same wall

Brass, etched

Solid brass with chemically etched lettering. The surface darkens slowly and takes a patina, which suits work meant to hang for a long time.

Material
Brass 3 mm, brushed, clear lacquered
Lettering
Chemical etching, filled with dark oxide
Mounting
Four brass standoff screws, 6 mm off the wall
Best for
Classical galleries, permanent hangs, collections
Worth knowing: the most expensive option and the slowest to make.

What the plaque says

Two columns, divided by a hairline. The left column is what any gallery already puts on a label. The right column is the part only PAL can add.

  • Work, photographer, yearSet in Playfair Display, the same face as the registry. The title in italic, the way a catalogue sets it.
  • Process, paper, sizeThe paper is named, because the paper decides how the print ages. That field stays editable in the registry if the stock changes.
  • Print number and editionLarge and unambiguous, with the words edition permanently sealed above it. This is the whole point of PAL, and the one line an ordinary gallery label cannot claim.
  • Certificate code in plain textCan be typed into the verification page by hand. The plaque still works if the code gets scratched, or if the visitor would rather not scan anything.
  • Code linking to verificationThe address is static and never changes. The page behind it updates on every change of ownership, so the plaque never goes out of date.

The code works, try it

PAL-2026-0042

The codes in these images are live. Point a phone camera at the plaque beside this text and PAL's verification page opens. Same code, same route a visitor takes in the gallery.

On slate the code sits in a lighter etched field. Light code on dark stone reads slowly on many phones, or not at all, so the field is a technical necessity rather than a design choice.

Size and specification

One format across all five, 120 × 80 mm landscape. Large enough to read from a metre away, small enough not to compete with the work.

Indicative specifications for requesting quotes, not final supplier pricing.
Finish Thickness Lettering Mounting On change of owner
Brass3 mmChemical etching4 standoff screwsNew plaque required
Brushed stainless2 mmLaser polishing4 standoff screwsNew plaque required
Slate8 mmLaser etchingConcealed, flush to wallNew plaque required
Museum board1,5 mmLetterpressMagnet or pinsReprinted on site
Acrylic5 mmReverse-side print4 polished standoffsNew plaque required

About the example. The work, the photographer and the certificate code shown are demo data and represent no real edition. The gallery setting is a simulation, made to show proportion and placement.

Photo Art Ledger · photoartledger.com