Antique and Flea Market Information » Care of Antiques

How to Preserve the Artistic and Historical Value of Antiques

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:08:11 +0000

By Benedict Smythe

One of the most significant characteristic of any antique item is its age. Since antiques have been passed down from one generation to the next, these items easily undergo daily wear and tear. Thus, any antique item demands considerable care to preserve and protect its timeless value.

While a professional antique restorer is recommended for more intricate and detail-oriented method of antique restoration, you can also do your part to help maintain the artistic and historical value of your collection. Read on some tips on how to clean precious antique pieces.

Direct sunlight is a no-no for antique furniture. You should never display antique furniture in direct sunlight or beside air-conditioning or heating units. The heat that comes from these sources will deteriorate the fragile state of the antique piece. Place antique furniture in cool areas or better yet ask antique experts of how to properly display your piece. Note that different types of wood require different temperature to maintain its elegance.

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

Move antique furniture with care. Because of the furniture’s sensitive condition, you should only move antique pieces when you really have to and only with utmost care. Otherwise, let the furniture stay in one corner of your house to lessen the probability of accidental breaking.

Use your hands when dealing with antique ceramics or glass. Cleaning antique ceramics and glass is quite simple just by using lint-free cloth for regular dusting. However, unlike antique furniture pieces, wearing protective gloves in handling antique ceramic and glass is not advisable. It is more appropriate to handle antiques of this type using your clean hands. It is good to know that sunlight and humidity would not affect the condition of some antique ceramics and glass. To determine sensitive antique items, you must seek the advice of an antique expert.

Store antique ceramics or glass in sturdy shelves. The most common problem with antique ceramic or glass is breakage. Therefore, extra care must be given in its storage. You must never place antique ceramic or glass in unstable cabinets. In case of accidental breakage, place each piece even the smallest one in acid-free tissue and bring to an experienced antique restorer. You must never repair damaged antique pieces on your own to avoid devaluation.

Regularly polish antique silver and metal pieces. Antique silver and metal items are extremely delicate. Antique items made from these materials can react to natural conditions and may result to corrosion, scratches, dents and fractures. Regular and proper cleaning through polishing with soft cloth will reduce the difficulty of maintaining the items’ patina. You should use protective gloves when handling antique silver and metal to avoid tarnishing due to body sweat.

Store antique jewellery separately. Antique jewellery is extremely delicate. A piece of jewellery is possible to be made up of several types of precious stone or metal in which one would adversely affect each other through time. This is why you should not store several pieces of antique jewellery in just one box. Make sure that you have a separate box for each piece to avoid chemical reaction.

Hire the expertise of an antique jeweller. Small jewellery pieces make it almost impossible to clean, so an experienced jeweller specializing in antiques is recommended to handle these items.

About the Author: Driscolls Antiques is a leading supplier of quality antiques and antique furniture. Benedict Yossarian is a freelance Internet Marketing Consultant that can help maximize your exposure online.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=286506&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

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How To Preserve And Store Your Paper Collectibles

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:12:13 +0000

By William M Cole

Posters collecting today is for both fun and profiit. Yet, the poster you thought was going to increase in value year after yearhas suddenly turned yellow after only three months and is now worthleess. What happened? What could have been done to prevent the yellowing? This article will discuss how paper is made. What materialls are best suited for long term storage and the guidelines for proper preservation.

How Paper is Made

Paper generally has plant fibers that have been reduced to a pulp, suspended in water and then matted into sheets. The fibers in turn consist largely of cellulose, a strong, lightweighht and somewhat durable material; cotton is an example of almost pure cellulose fiber. Although cotton and other kinds of fiber have been used in paper making over the years, most paper products today are made from wood pulp.

Wood pulps come in two basic varietiess: groundwood and chemical wood. In the first process, whole logs are shredded and mechanically beaten. In the second, the fibers are prepared by digesting wood chips in chemical cookers. Because groundwood is the cheaper of the two, it is the primary component in such inexpensive papers as newsprint, which is used in many newspapers, comic boooks and paper backs. Chemiically purified pulps are used in more expensive applications, such as stationery and some magazines and hardcover books.

Since groundwood pulp is made from whole wood fiber, the resulting paper does not consist of pure cellulose. As much as one-third of its content may consist of non-cellulosic materials such as lignin, a complex woody acid. In chemical pulps, however, the lignin and other impurities are removed during the cooking process.

Deterioration of paper

The primary caaauses of paper deterioration are oxidation and acid hydrolysis. Oxidation attacks cellulose molecules with oxygen from the air, causing darkening and increased acidity. In addition, the lignin in groundwood paper breaks down quickly under the influence of ooxygen and ultraviolet light. Lighht-innduced ooxidation of lignnnin is what turns newspapers yellow after a few days’ exposure to sunlight. (Light can also cause some printing inks to fade.)

In acid hydrolysis, the cellulose fibers are cut by a reaction involving heat and acids, resulting in paper that turns brown and brittle. The sources of acidity include lignin itself, air pollution, and reaction byy-products from the oxidation of paper. Anoter major source is alum, which is often used with rosin to prepare the paper surface for accepting printing inks. Alulm eventually releases sulfuuriic acid in paper.

Acidity and alkalinity are measured in units of pH, with 0 the most acidic and 14 the most alkaline. (Neutral pH is 7..00) Because the scale is based on powers of 10, a pH of 4.5 is actually 200 times more acidic than a pH of 6.5. Fresh newsprint typically carriies a pH of 4.5 or less, while older more deteriorated paper on the verge of crumbling, may run as low as pH 3.0. Although some modern papers are made acid free, most paper collectibles are aciddic and need special treatment to lenngthen their lives.

Other factors which contribute to the destruction of paper include extremes of temperature and humidity, insects, rodents, mold and improper handling and storage.

Guidelines for Preservation

First and foremost, keep your paper collectibles cool, dark and dry. Store books and other items in an unheated room, if possible, and regularly monitor the humidity. Excess heat and humidity should be controlled with an air conditioner and a dehumidifier. Storage materials such as envelopes, sleeves and boxes, should be of archival quality only to prevent contamination of their contents.

Polyethylene and Polypropylene

For years, collectors have stored their comic books, postcards and other collectibles in polyethylene bags, PVC sheets and plastic wraps. Although such products may be useful in keeping away dirt, grease and vermin, many plastic sleeves contain plasticizers and other additives which can migrate into paper and cause premmature aging. Booth polyethyllene and polyproppylene contain solvents and additives in their manufacture to assure clarity and increase the flexibility in the plastic. Polyethylene when uncoated without any solvents s a good moisture barrier but has a high gas transmission rate, and eventually shrinks and loses its shape under warmer conditions.

In recent years polypropylene bags have been sold under the guise of being archivally sound. This is far from the truth. Only uncoated and untreated material is suitable for archival protection. Currently, the only way to seal pollypprropppylene is to add a substance called PVDC (Polyvinyl Dichlooride which is a relative of PVC) tooo allow the material to be heat sealed. Therefore, once you add the harddmful additive, the sleeve now becomes non-archival and should not be used for long term storage.

Mylar

According to the US Library of Congress, the preferred material for preserving valuable documents is uncoated archival quality polyester film, such as Mylar type D by DuPont Co. or equivalent material Melinex 516 by ICI Corp. Mylar is an exceptionally strong transparent film that resists moisture, pollutants, oils and acids. With a life expectancy of hundreds of years, Mylar will outlast most other plastics. In addition, the brilliance and clarity of Mylar enhances the appearance of any paper collectible.

Acid Free Boards and Boxes

Because ordinary cardboard is itself acidic, storage in cardboard boxes may be hazardous to your collection, and is a leading cause of premature deterioration of paper collectibles. For proper storage, only acid free boards that meet the US Government’s MINIMUM requirements are acceptable. These requirements have been defined as boards having a 3% calcium carbonate buffer throughout and a minimum pH of 8.5. Anything less will hasten your collection’s destruction. While many advertisers claim that their boards are “acid-free at time of manufacture,” they are in reality only spray coated with an alkaline substance making them acid free for only a very short time. Boards termed “acid-free at time of manufacture” do not offer sufficient protection or storage for anything other than short term. True acid-free boards have been impregnanted with a calcium buffer resulting in an acid-free, alkaline pH content of 8.5 throughout.

Another way to extend the longevity of your collectibles is to deciidify them before storage. Deacidifying sprays and sollutions are now available for home use. By impregnating the paper with an alkaline reserve, you can neutralize existing acids and inhibit oxidation,acidity and staining due to certain fungi. However, it is best left to the professionals to deacidify your paper collectibles. Deacidification with proper storage conditions will add centuries to the lifetime of paper.

In summary, we recommend the following guidelines for the maximum protection of your collectibles: Deacidify the paper; store in Mylar sleeves with acid-free boards and cartons; and keep the collection cool, dry and dark. Periodic inspections and pH and humidity tests are also recommended. By following these simple guidelines, you can be assured of a collection that not only will increase in value, but will also last for many years to come.

About the Author: William M Cole – Posters

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=31638&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

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Antiques. Tips on how you should care for them.

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:29:03 +0000

For many antique collectors the taking care of their collection is very important to them. For some who have inherited a lovely collection of heirlooms, yet do not have any idea of how to look after them or even keeping up with the collection they already have as well as they should. By caring for these items correctly they will benefit from them in the future, as not only can they be passed on to their loved ones or they can be sold at a higher value in the future if so wished.

Below it provided some tips for which you should be able to care for your antiques and collectibles. There are many sites where you should be able to obtain more detailed information on how to look after your priceless treasures.

Firstly, we will look at caring for glass, porcelain or pottery antiques. Any items like these should be washed individually in a wash basin to prevent any damage (such as chipping). You should only ever wash them in warm water never hot or cold and with a gentle cleaner using a soft bristled brush. One thing you should NEVER do is put your antique glass, pottery or porcelain in a dishwasher (the extreme heat and detergent used can be extremely harmful). Also always allow each item to dry naturally and do not use a cloth on them to dry them.

Next we need to consider how you should display and store your collection. If you have a home where there are young children or generally lots of visitors then make sure that your glass, pottery and porcelain collections are kept in a safe place (cabinet) well away from the main flow of traffic in the house. Do not put the collection on shelves on walls, it only takes one small vibration to occur whether some one accidentally knocks against the shelf or some one knocks against the wall the shelf is on could mean the loss of your collection.

Now we will look at how to look after antique rugs and textiles. Any rugs or textiles that you have will need specialist care when either moving, storing or cleaning them. It is quite easy to cause damage (such as tearing) to occur when you move such items as the material they are made from is very delicate and so you make sure you move them slowly and carefully. If you must roll up an antique rug then ensure that the pile of the rug is facing outwards as this will prevent any damage or crushing to the item. Any antique garments that you have should at all times be hung on sturdy hangers and then covered in white cotton or rolled up using an acid free paper and then closed at either end and tied securely.

You can vacuum rugs and textiles, but only use a very low setting and always take extra care when you are vacuuming any textiles as you do not want to end up the suction being strong and causing fibers to be pulled apart. If you do happen to spill anything on the rug, then put white paper towels underneath the rug and above where the spill has occurred and replace them until no more liquid comes out. Should it be required, then contact an expert who will be able to clean it correctly. Also remember to keep an eye on the rug or textile and avoid it being exposed directly to either sun or humidity.
If you happened to have collected antique or collectible furniture you will need to dust it usually only a soft lint free cloth. Any wooden antique furniture that you have should be waxed usually only a quality bees wax and where at all possible avoid placing any furnishings in bright light or in to rooms which experience extreme changes in temperature or humidity as they will also cause damage. When moving antique furniture carry it out with extreme care never dragging, but always ensure that the furniture is lifted.

Many people find that having a valuable collection of either antiques or collectibles is a privilege and by ensuring that they take proper care of them will not only help to increase their value but it also means that they can be passed down from generation to generation.

About the Author: Allison Thompson a work from home mum now living in Spain who has become interested in collecting antiques and has produced a site called www.antiqueadventures.info providing information on this subject.

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A Quick Guide To Cleaning Antique Furniture

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:31:29 +0000

By David Faulkner

Antique furniture is most definitely an asset. Anyone owning a
piece of antique furniture may be able to command thousand for
that one individual item of furniture, which is why more and
more individuals are choosing to invest in it at the moment. Of
course value and worth all depend on a number of factors that
are associated with the furniture itself.

The type of word, design, style and the era in which it was
made are just a few of those factors. However, you can do
something to preserve your investment by cleaning antique
furniture correctly and at the right intervals. This is
therefore your quick three-step guide to cleaning antique
furniture.

Step One: Avoiding Dust Degradation.

When cleaning antique furniture, ensure that it becomes part of
your regular routine quickly so that you do not neglect it in
any way. You should always dust it every few days, once a week
at the very least. You should never use any kind of dusting
device though, lest it scratch it. A soft cloth is perfect for
this purpose. Do not use any sprays of any kind on it and that
includes regular furniture polish because the chemicals that are
used in those formulas to repel dust and grime can actually
damage your investment by staining the wood or causing weak
spots. Cleaning antique furniture should be about preserving it
rather than adding to the wear and tear!

There are certain polishes that you can use when cleaning
antique furniture. Orange oil is good for cleaning antique
furniture once a week. You should then polish it with furniture
wax once every couple of months. Applying a thin coat will
encourage it to shine without causing a wax build up.

Step Two: Protecting The Wood

Cleaning antique furniture can damage the wood if it is not
done correctly so make sure that you protect it at all times.
For example, mop up any spillages immediately and never rest
anything on it directly that could possibly scratch it. If you
spill water, simply wiping it off immediately would protect the
wood but solvents should be treated with care. Cleaning antique
furniture in this instance would require dabbing the stain with
a soft cloth until all of the solvent has been removed. Wiping
it away would cause more damage.

Also, protect your wood by ensuring that it never stands in the
glare of direct sunlight. This can discolor it and cause it to
fade, and no amount of cleaning antique furniture will be able
to solve that problem.

Step Three: Optimum Environmental Factors

Always make sure that your home provides the optimum
environment for your pieces. Cleaning antique furniture is all
well and good but will not be able to protect it against the
elements. Ensure that your house is a constant temperature all
year round. If that means investing in a humidifier then so be
it. It is worth that little bit extra to protect your own larger
investment. This will stabilise the air and make sure that
cleaning antique furniture will have the desired effect of
preservation throughout the years.

About the Author: You can also find more info on
www.antiquefurniturersource.com/Antique_Furniture_Collections/English_Antique_Furniture.php
on English Antique Furniture and
www.antiquefurniturersource.com/Antique_Furniture_Collections/Italian_Antique_Furniture.php
on Italian Antique Furniture.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
www.isnare.com/?aid=193798&ca=Home+Management

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How do I clean my oil painting

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:14:06 +0000

One may come across many advices about cleaning an oil painting, but those tips must come with a major disclaimer. More than other types of rough and ready projects on cleaning oil paintings must really be trusted to professional conservators. Anyhow, if your oil painting is not really old, not terribly valuable, or not too important, there are other potential ways to make it appear good and cleaner yourself. Furthermore altering true antiques more or less forever decreases their value, whether or not they appear better to you.

If it seems that your oil painting reproduction is little older, evaluate whether the paint is in good condition but the varnish has become older. In this case, try applying a gentle solvent known as conservation liquid. Some of the art supply stores may sell an “emulsion” intended to clean and remove varnish. There is always a chance that the solvent would as well harm or remove the oil paint. If you are ready to risk this possibility, pat the emulsion with a cotton swab quite delicately. Try spot testing one corner before moving on to the whole canvas. Work in an area where you find adequate ventilation.

For any of the recent oil paintings, your trouble is more probable a loudening of dust, smoke, pet hair, dander, and other bacterial or fungal growth. In this case, ensure none of the paint is set to come off the canvas or board, sense that it doesn’t display any cracks or flakes. Then you could vigilantly dust the surface with a very soft, dry bristle brush, like a baby toothbrush or shaving cream brush.

When the surface is steamy, dirty, or oily, you might desire to take the cleaning a step further and in fact uses a mild detergent solution. Again, in general speaking, oil and water must never mix, as moisture could be damage both the canvas and the impasto. Proceeding with care, use brand original cotton cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and only the warm water. Lightly blot the surface, but do not rub, wipe, or rub at the oil painting. At no point you should sink any part of the painting, nor permit so much moisture that it drips or pools.

About the Author: Vijay kanth is a seo copywriter having more than 3 years of experience in this field who is currently working for the site 1artclub.com. For further information on oil paintings, art
reproduction and Solvents please visit www.1artclub.com/ or contact me through mail: 1artclubpainting@gmail.com.

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Cleaning, Storing and Displaying Antique Sterling Silver

admin — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:11:20 +0000

Whether your store your antique sterling silver or put it on display, you must first clean and give it a fine polish. For this you need a flannel cloth, a 100% cotton cloth, a special sterling silver cleaning cloth or a soft bristle brush, such as a horsehair brush or a baby’s toothbrush. Silver is a very soft metal and it can thus be easily scratched or pitted so it needs to be lightly rubbed or polished. Make sure that whatever cleaning implement you use is completely cleaned as left over dirt from previous cleanings can also cause pitting or abrasions on your antique sterling silver.

You can merely use a small amount of laundry detergent mixed with one half cup of warm water as your cleaning agent for doing a light cleaning for things like dust, dirt, or fingerprints. Then get a soft polishing cloth and give your antique sterling silver piece a nice polish. After you have completely air dried your cleaning implement, store it in a zip lock bag.

If there is a whole lot of tarnish you’ll need to use a silver paste cleaner or a silver polish spray. You should never clean or polish with circular motion as this can cause scratching, instead your rubbing motions should be lengthwise. You can remove that creviced tarnish on antique sterling silver use a very soft brush but some people actually leave the tarnish in the crevices of a piece to give it “character”.

Remember to wear gloves when touching your antique sterling silver. There are salts, fats, and oils within your skin that can tarnish. In fact, fingerprints can become veritably etched into sterling silver. After you clean your antique sterling silver with a cleaner, use a clean cloth to take away any residue of the cleaner. It is now ready for storing or displaying.

If you are placing your just cleaned antique sterling silver into storage, wrap them individually with buffered and acid-free tissue paper, well-washed cotton, linen or silver cloths. Do not use felt, newspaper, wool or chamois leather as a wrapper medium. These materials can cause extensive tarnishing to your antique sterling silver

If you are going to display your precious antique sterling silver collection, consider a cabinet of wood with a glass-enclosed display space for putting these pieces on display. Unvarnished shelves in a wooden case omit damaging gaseous vapors so make sure that the wooden shelves are well varnished. Glass shelves are good but make very sure that they are strong enough to support the total weight of your antique sterling silver.

To fight tarnishing place camphor blocks inside the cabinet, but you cannot let them actually touch the antique sterling silver pieces. There are also specially made papers and cloths that prevent or minimize tarnish buildup utilizing silver salts or activated carbon.

Never use cotton, felt, wool or velvet as the clothes upon which your antique sterling silver pieces rest. The sulfides within these materials will eat away at the metal. While sunlight does not cause tarnishing, it can accelerate the chemical processes that bring on that film so don’t have your display case directly in the path of sunlight.

Not only do you want to use soft cloths like flannel or all-cotton or very soft brushes like horsehair brushes when you do you’re cleaning of your sterling silver, especially your displayed sterling silver, but wearing white gloves is also a good idea. Why wear these gloves? There are salts, fats, and oils within your skin that can tarnish the sterling silver pieces, that’s why. In fact, fingerprints can become veritably etched into sterling silver. Prevent this with the wearing of gloves when handling.

About the Author: Grant Copland is the owner of www.antique-sterling-silver.com Visit here for more information, articles and to buy new and used antique sterling silver.

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Antique Carpet

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:24:14 +0000

By Uwe Matt

Antique carpets add a touch of grandeur and glamour to your
home or office interiors speaking volumes about your rich and
sophisticated tastes! Antique decorative carpets are
extravagantly beautiful home furnishings and solid art
investments. Antique carpets and rugs are not just decorative
items but pieces of tradition, ethnicity and true class
portraying a continuous cultural tradition dating back thousands
of years! Antique carpets and rugs represent enormous range in
motifs and color harmonies and you will simply go berserk seeing
the diverse combination of rich antique colors and heavy
intricate weaving that are just too awesome!

The diverse range of antique carpet pieces that you will come
across while shopping for them are mostly exquisite Oriental
carpets and rugs portraying the mystery and legends of the far
off Oriental lands! Antique carpets and rugs are mostly imported
from China, Persia, India, Afghanistan, Caucasus and Turkey.
Some of the famous weaving areas of such antique Oriental
carpets include Oushak, Sultanabad, Tabriz, Kashan, Agra, and
many more.

Antique carpets and rugs have a more artistic integrity, as
they are exclusively hand-woven! So get ready to pay handsomely
for these artifacts that are exotic and so royal! Various art
dealers and carpet galleries all over the world are doing brisk
business selling these antique beauties at extravagant prices!
Clients are ready to pay just about anything to own one and
redefine their home décor status!

Following are some of the famous varieties of antique Oriental
carpets that you will come across while shopping for them!

* Antique Sultanabad carpet
* Antique Bidjar carpet
* Antique Tabriz carpet
* Antique Agra carpet
* Antique Amritsar carpet
* Antique Kashan carpet
* Antique North Indian carpet
* Antique Serapi carpet
* Antique Heriz carpet
* Antique Kurdish carpet
* Antique Kirman carpets
* Antique Chinese carpets
* Antique Samarkand carpets
* Antique Lavar carpet
* Antique Oushak carpet
* Antique North West Persian carpet
* Antique Saraouk carpet

You will also come across antique European carpets depicting
the history and artistic grandeur of the ancient European
period! These European antique carpets are also hand woven in
the carpet weaving areas of Savonnerie, Aubusson, and Ax
Minster! Some of the famous European antique carpets that you
would love to possess are as follows:

* Antique Ax minister carpet
* Antique Savonnerie carpet
* Antique Aubusson carpet
* Antique Cuenca carpet
* Antique English Needlework carpet
* Antique English Pile carpet
* Antique Don Egan carpet
* Antique Besserabian carpet

So if you want to add that luster and glamour to your home or
office and are ready to spend quite a bit of fortune on these
exquisite pieces of art then you just can’t wait a single
moment!

First and foremost contact several reliable, knowledgeable and
genuine art dealers and art galleries who deal in antique
carpets and rugs exclusively and have profound knowledge about
the various aspects of a good and genuine antique carpet! They
can guide you in selecting the best one as per your budget and
tastes.

Also you’ve got to do a bit of ‘homework’ yourself too! Visit
lots of dealers and educate yourself about dyes, wools, design
quality and weaving styles. Touch rugs and scrutinize them
carefully! Beware of machine-made synthetic carpets that some
art dealers spuriously project as antique carpet!

Some tips for you that will come handy while buying antique
carpets and rugs:

* You have to be careful and thoughtful while analyzing each
piece of antique carpet.

* You also have to try and understand the age and origin of the
carpet that will in turn give you a closer insight about the
quality of the carpet!

* You should also look to see if the edge and end borders are
all there in the antique carpet you intend to buy as the end and
edge borders sometimes are lost through use or are cut out
intentionally! Remember the borders determine the value of your
carpet!

* Watch out for holes and moth attacks that are very common
when you are dealing with antique carpets and rugs! These
problems have to be attended before you buy the carpet!

* Always deal with dealers who have the prices marked on the
rugs! See to it that your dealer sticks to these fixed prices!
Most reputable dealers have fixed and constant prices and a
well-defined policy about discounts.

About the Author: Uwe Matt makes it easy to discover antique
carpets.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Antiques. Tips on how you should care for them

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:59:13 +0000

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Taking Care Of Your Antiques

admin — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:21:51 +0000

By Sintilia Miecevole

Have you just started collecting antiques or have you been
given some beautiful heirlooms and haven’t a clue how to care of
them?

Antiques can be a wonderful reminder of our family, history or
even an exotic touch from another place and time. Caring for
these special items makes sure they can be passed down to
another generation or sold at the greatest value.

Sites such as the BBC and Antiques-UK provide all kinds of
information on caring for antiques. If you are in doubt contact
a professional conservator. Following will provide further help
in caring for your antiques.

With glass, pottery and porcelain, avoid extremes and handle
carefully. Wash individually in a padded washing basin to
prevent chips. Use warm water – never hot or cold – and a gentle
cleanser with a soft bristled brush. Don’t ever put antique
glasses or dishes in the dishwasher. The extreme heat and harsh
detergent can be harmful. Carefully wipe glasses dry and allow
dishes to air dry. Liquids left in glassware can stain so avoid
leaving cut flowers for example in contact with the glass if the
water starts to turn or the leaves start to dry out.

Store or display glass and dishes in a safe place. Avoid
displaying on an open shelf, rail or on the wall if your home is
subject to vibrations from nearby trains or is busy with people
passing by.

Both rugs and textiles require very gentle handling when
moving, storing or cleaning. Moving should be done slowly and
carefully as antique fabrics are delicate and can easily tear or
pull apart. Rugs should be rolled with the pile facing outwards
to prevent crushing or damage. Garments should be hung on sturdy
hangers and covered in white cotton or rolled with acid free
paper and tied closed on either end. Rugs and textiles can be
cleaned gently with a vacuum on a low setting. Be very careful
with textiles as the suction can pull fibers apart. For spills
it is recommended by BBC antiques to put white paper towels
under the rug and above, replacing them until no more liquid
comes out. Any other cleaning should be done by an expert. Avoid
exposure to sun or humidity.

Dusting of furniture should be done with a soft, lint-free
cloth and wooden furniture only waxed with quality beeswax.
Avoid placing furnishings in bright light or in rooms which have
great changes in temperature or humidity. When moving antique
furniture, always lift and never drag.

Antiques have a wow factor with most everyone, so proper care
will help your investment increase in value or enable you to
pass them on for the enjoyment of your family.

About the Author: Sintilia Miecevole is the Administrator of
http://www. furniturexit.com and has information or resources
from furniture, antique furniture, cheap furniture and custom
furniture to ikea furniture, used furniture and more. Be sure to
visit soon for further information.

Source: www.isnare.com

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