How To Preserve Your Antiques

By: Victor Epand

Most antiques have been passed down from one generation to the next, and in most cases have already gone through a good deal of ware and tare. Therefore, any antique will require proper attention and care to preserve its value.

It is usually best for a professional antique restorer to handle more delicate and intricate methods of restoration. There are some things you can do to help maintain the artistic value of your collection.

You should never expose any antique to direct sunlight. Also avoid placing antiques near heating and cooling units in your home as sudden changes in temperature can cause damage in some antiques. You should place antiques in cool areas or better yet ask antique experts how to properly display your pieces.

Soft and lint-free cloth should always be used when polishing antique pieces. You should never polish antiques the same way you may polish your modern pieces. Remember that antiques are old and can easily be torn, scratched or broken if they are mishandled.

Handle antique furniture with care. Because of the furniture's sensitive condition, you should only move antique pieces when necessary. The less the antique piece is moved the less chance it will have to become damaged.

Cleaning antique ceramics and glass is very simple just by using lint-free cloth for regular dusting. However, unlike antique furniture pieces, wearing protective gloves while handling antique ceramic and glass is not recommended. It is more appropriate to handle antiques with own your clean hands.

Store antique ceramics or glass in a secure display cabinet or on sturdy shelves to reduce the chance of breakage. In case of accidental breakage, place each piece, even the smallest one in acid-free tissue and bring to an experienced antique restorer. You should not repair damaged antique pieces on your own. This could reduce the value of your item.

Antique jewelry Should be stored separately. Some antique jewelry may be extremely delicate. An antique jewelry piece may be made up of several types of precious stones or metal in which one would adversely affect the other over time. Therefore, you should not store several pieces of antique jewelry in one box. You should have a separate box for each piece of valuable antique jewelry to avoid chemical reaction. Also, small jewelry pieces can be very difficult to clean. It is a good idea to hire an antique jeweler to clean your valuable antique jewelry pieces.

Article Source: http://www.myhotarticles.com

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend these online stores for pottery, antiques, and figurines.

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