Storing, Handling, and Displaying Antiques

Collecting antiques requires lot of passion and hard work. However, all this passion and hard work is wasted if you do not know how to maintain and clean your antiques . Many people have seen their collection deteriorating over time because they did not take the time and effort to clean and properly store them.

When it comes to conservation of the collection made, there are three things that you should keep in mind – temperature, humidity, and light. These three factors are relevant to antique things made of wood, glass, ceramics, paper, or metal.

Temperature
When storing or displaying your antique collection, make sure that you do not keep them in extreme temperature conditions. Extreme hot or cold temperatures can damage the antiques . The ideal temperature for storing and displaying of antique collection is around 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is little bit cold for many people, thus it might not be a good idea to display your antiques in your bedroom or living room. You can either have a separate room for displaying your collection or you can display them in hallways, which tend to be cooler than the rest of the house.

Temperature should always be kept in mind when you are moving your antiques from one place to another. Whether you are moving your collection from hot to cold or vice versa, you should always do it gradually. Exposing your collection to extreme temperatures too quickly will shock them and can lead to damage. Antiques made of ceramics tend to develop cracks when exposed to too hot or cold conditions too quickly.

Humidity
Maintaining proper humidity level is another important factor in storing and handling of your antique collection. Extreme humidity or too low humidity levels are both damaging to antique collection. For instance, too low humidity level damages antique things made of paper or wood. Paintings often shrink and develop cracks when kept or displayed in an environment where there is very little humidity.

Similarly, when antiques stored in extreme humid condition, they can develop rust, mildew, and mold. Humidity can also lead to insect infestation which can damage antiques made of wood, paper, or cloth.

Most antique items should be stored or displayed at 50 percent humidity level. This ensures the long life of your antique collection.

Light
Light is the next important factor that you should consider when storing and displaying your antiques collection. Antique things made of organic materials like, wood, paper, and textile are especially prone to damage when exposed to light. Exposure to light can lead to fading of color. You might have noticed that when a printed fabric is exposed to light for a continuous period of time, the print becomes light and the fabric becomes weak. Exposure to light also speeds up the naturally occurring chemical reactions and thus speeding up the aging process of the antiques .

Handling
Besides ensuring proper storing and display environment for your antiques , you should also ensure properly handling. Antique collection should never be handled with bare hands, because oil and grease from your hands can damage them. Always use a brush to clean away dust. Never use detergents to clean an antique.

By following these storing and handling tips, you will ensure the long life of your antique collection.

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