CARING FOR COLLECTIONS: PART II
Last week’s article included definitions of terms that may be helpful to understand this week’s article. You can find last week’s article here.
This dollar bill shows the effect of long-term contact with a paperclip.
A reminder that I am not an archivist, conservator, or restorer. The advice offered in this article is to assist in establishing best practices for the care of your collections. If your item is damaged or you have questions about the care of your specific assets, I encourage you to seek the assistance of a professional.Practical tips for all types of collections:
As each piece enters your collection, it would be prudent to document and photograph each piece’s condition. This will help identify future changes.
Quarantine a new item to determine if it has any pests.
Inspect your collection regularly for any signs of damage.
Do not hang paintings, photographs, textiles, etc. on the exterior walls of your home; temperatures fluctuate to extremes on exterior walls.
Do not put collectibles or artwork near open windows.
As noted last week, any abrupt or extreme change in temperature or humidity can damage many items.
Know where the sunlight enters your home and when. Display items with this in mind. You may close drapes in certain rooms at specific times when the sun is brightest or display your item where sunlight does not penetrate.
Consider rotating the display of your items throughout your house and then back into proper storage. Continual year-round display is discouraged.
Gloves are also important when handling most items. However, as you may have experienced, they cut down on dexterity. If gloves are not practical, be sure hands are thoroughly washed before touching an item. (It is my understanding that the current recommended practice is to NOT wear cotton gloves when handling most paper documents.)
Ideally, items in collections should be handled as little as possible.
My grandmother used to say “Never pick up a pan from the stove, without knowing where you are going to put it.” When moving an item, plan ahead with the knowledge of where the item is going; that the path is clear; and you have the assistance you need.
Always make sure shelves can bear the weight of the item you are displaying.
A lipped shelf can help keep items from “walking” off a shelf or consider using museum wax.
Do not forget to secure your items. Lock cabinets and secure valuable items.
Document any damage and contact your insurance company as soon as possible to report damage.
Be sure your insurance policy covers your collectibles.
As an appraiser, I suggest you have your collections appraised. The items can then be covered by insurance, and you will know that you are not paying too much or too little for your coverage.
Here are some specific recommendations for caring for different types of collectibles:
TEXTILES
Rarely will textiles be exactly alike. Even if they began their life the same, use and care will be different. Inspect your textiles for weak areas, the type of medium used to make it, how it was constructed, and then determine proper care.
Always support the item from underneath when transporting. This can be accomplished with both arms supporting the item or by using a box or cart.
Remove jewelry from your person that could snag on the item.
Storage could be in acid-free boxes with acid-free tissue. If possible, do not fold the item. If you must fold the item, support the fabric with rolled tissue paper and refold frequently. Rolling textiles is also an option, but research the proper means to do this.
Costumes can also be displayed on mannequins. Making sure the mannequin is the correct size and shape is critically important. Change the mannequin to fit the garment – not the other way around.
When displaying on a mannequin, consider if undergarments need to be acquired for the garment to be shown at its best.
Here are several examples of vintage undergarments that were sold and documented on WorthPoint:
A vintage hoop skirt sold for $15 in 2010.
A vintage corset set sold for $18.52 in 2012.
A vintage crinoline petticoat sold for $51.76 in 2011.
Having the proper foundation will also help support the displayed item. Use batting or acid free tissue to fill in where needed.
Make sure the mannequin is covered in unbleached 100% cotton muslin to prevent damage.
If hanging a garment, be sure the hangers are also padded with batting and covered with unbleached 100% cotton muslin. Be sure the item is strong enough to hang. Allow air circulation between garments and cover them with unbleached 100% cotton muslin sheets. Do not store textiles in plastic bags.
It is important to remind collectors, if displaying an item in a frame, the backing should be of washed unbleached muslin over a wood stretcher which should be covered in acid-free paper and the garment sewn to the canvas with a running, blind stitch. UV glass or Plexi should be used but should not come into contact with the garment.
Textiles should always be stored clean. However, as an appraiser of memorabilia, I understand the urge to leave Marilyn Monroe’s perspiration stains. Collectors of memorabilia need to weigh the pros and cons of cleaning such garments but understand that the garment may deteriorate if not properly cleaned.
If your collection includes costumes, I highly recommend the book The Care and Display of Historic Clothing by Karen M. DePauw.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Moisture and light are the enemies of photographs. Don’t store in an attic or basement.
Know what type of photograph you have – Tintype? Silver gelatin print? Care may be different based on what developing tool was used.
Use acid-free paper and boxes to store.
Mark photographs on the back with pencil if you need to, rather than using a pen.
Frame photographs in aluminum, stainless steel, silver, or acrylic instead of wood frames. Use acid-free mat board and leave the back open so that air can circulate.
To clean the glass of a framed photograph, spray the cleaning rag, do not spray glass cleaner directly on the glass frame.
PAINTINGS
Care for paintings is a three-prong consideration: care of the stretcher, care of the canvas, and care of the paint.
Do not hold a framed artwork from the top of the frame. Either hold the frame at each side, or hold at one side with one hand underneath.
Inspect hanging mechanisms for strength and functionality. Never reuse the same nail holes for hanging with wire.
Stretchers need to be kept square to avoid pulling the canvas out of shape.
Framed items – do not allow the glass to touch the artwork; keep the back open for air circulation; use UV filtering glass.
Do not display paintings above a working fireplace as the smoke and soot can damage the surface.
The bathroom may be too humid for your artwork to be displayed.
Do not “decorate” your paintings and framed artwork seasonally.
Paintings displayed on a dark background will require less lighting as the eye will adjust to less light easier than against a bright background.
WORKS ON PAPER/DOCUMENTS/EPHEMERA
Problems develop both internally in paper and externally. Problems for paper items are drastically reduced by having the proper climate conditions, framing, storage, and display.
Light factors: consider the type of light, intensity of light and duration of light exposure.
When framing an item, document how the item was framed and what materials were used.
Smaller documents are best housed in acid-free buffered folders that are housed in an acid free box. The folders should be ¼ to ½ inch larger than the item itself on all sides.
If possible, remove staples before storing and never use paper clips. Shown at the top of the article is an example of what a paperclip can do to a paper item over time.
If a paper item will be frequently accessed, making a copy is generally recommended.
BOOKS
Books need air circulation. Do not store books too tightly on shelves. Do provide books support to stand upright.
Books should be shelved according to size to provide support.
Take books out to “air the pages” occasionally.
Never pull a book out of the shelf by the top edge of the spine.
Books that are too tall or too flimsy should be stored on their side. Some books may be stored on their spine.
Archival slipcases, portfolios, custom boxes, or clamshell boxes should be considered for your most valued books.
Dust embedded in paper is very difficult to remove. Research the best way to clean your books.
Note that parchment and vellum will need to be handled differently than paper.
SILVER
Store silver in acid-free tissue, pacific cloth, washed cotton, linen, polyester, or tarnish shield paper. Make sure the silver is completely dry before storing.
Do not use newspaper, plastic, felt, flannel, or chamois when storing silver.
Do not use rubber gloves when handling or polishing silver. The rubber contains sulfur which encourages tarnish. (Sulfur and sulfides are also present in felt, wool and velvet.)
Do not store or display silver on wood shelves. The acid in the wood can affect the metal. Oak shelves give off tannic acid vapors. Metal shelving is best.
Do not stack silver to store.
I relied on the following books for these articles. Any misinterpretation of their advice is solely my own.Arnold, Ken. Caring for Your Collectibles. Iola: Krause Publications, 1996. Print.DePauw, Karen M. The Care and Display of Historic Clothing. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017. Print.Mailand, Harold. F. Consideration for the Care of Textile and Costumes: A Handbook for the Non-Specialist. Indianapolis: Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1980. Print.The National Committee to Save America’s Cultural Collections. Caring for Your Collections. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992. Print.Tarrant, Naomi. Collecting Costume. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1983. Print.Wright, Vera P. Pamper Your Possessions. Barre: Barre Publishing, 1979. Print.