Objects having a confusingly similar appearance, e.g., laboratory vessels, are provided with a random or pseudo-random pattern. The pattern can be provided during the manufacture of the object and is formed in a part or on a surface of the object, By way of example, the pattern can be a two-dimensional black/white pattern, an N-dimensional color or gray scale pattern, a one-dimensional emission spectrum with peaks of variable heights or a two-dimensional excitation spectrum with peaks of variable height. At least one section of the pattern is identified, for example, by a photographed imagine of the pattern. The so-identified section is then electronically saved and labeled as a representative of the pattern. The object is then capable of automated recognition by matching the pattern with the previously saved representative section of the identified pattern, Also disclosed is a device configured to translate the identified pattern into an electronic code and then recognize the object by the saved code.