Ask a Conservator- how to care for your antiques and special possesions- museum style

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
41

[QUOTE=Yllaria]
These acid free tissue papers and boxes. What kind of stores would be likely to sell them? Would most picture framers have them available?
[/QUOTE]

Some craft stores have them, but most museums and special collections departments that I’ve worked/volunteered with* have gotten theirs from companies like Gaylord and Demco. Places that have scrapbooking supplies will often have a selection of acid free materials, sometimes including boxes, papers, and pens; the more they emphasize archival quality items, the more likely it is for them to have the stuff.

[sub]*I took museum studies courses in undergrad and we had a lot of hands-on work in the classes. Right now, I’m working on my MLIS and will be taking an archival work class this fall. I am by no means anything beyond a novice on the subject, but do find the work of conservation to be interesting. I am, however, not cut out for the rigorous organic chemistry prerequisites that many conservation focus graduate programs require, and will not be likely to be spending a ton of time in conservation work (beyond simple book repair) in my career. [/sub]

42

[QUOTE=mischievous]
It was only on the hanger for taking the picture - it has been stored by layering it between two layers of tissue paper and gently rolling it up. It’s impossibly small, only a ten-year old could wear it.

I’d like to put it on a mannequin, but where would I find a clothing conservator?
[/QUOTE]

If you consult a larger museum, they will be happy to give you a few leads for clothing conservators. A conservation grade manniquin is generally made from ethafoam, coated with unbleached cotton. They can be pricey…

FML

43

I’m pretty sure it’s a mixture of polyester and cotton materials. She made it out of pieces of old clothing in her rag bag. The backing is a solid piece of white cotton, and instead of quilt batting, she used a blanket. (Not sure what it’s made of–store bought in the early 80s, so probably a cotton-poly blend?)

I’ll fix the pillowcases before I move at the end of the month. The embroidery is dyed cotton thread on white cotton pillowcases. The afghans are made of acrylic yarn.

I’ve been considering getting a shelf with doors when we move–I’ll think about moving that up in the list of priorities.

Thank you! :slight_smile:

44

Missed the edit window:

My brother-in-law has a katana that was given to him new in 2006. Any tips for that? The value at the time was around $800. It’s real folded steel. My dad collects knives, and when he was here he showed my BIL how to clean it and oil it. He said 1) that he should immediately clean it if he touched the blade with his fingers because the oils in his hands would be corrosive if left on it for a while, 2) to always make sure there’s a coat of oil on the blade before storing it in its case, and 3) to make sure only a professional with lots of experience sharpens it because the layers on the steel could be easily screwed up by an amateur.

It’s currently oiled and stored on a wall rack in the sheath. Are these proper care instructions?

45

What is the best way to store canvas-and-rubber basketball shoes? I have a collection of Converse Chuck Taylors that I would like to keep in good condition.

46

My sister and brother-in-law are both lawyers and live a fancy lifestyle. My sister, being my sister, has begun to build her art collection. From her years in undergrad she has an artist friend who is good - renowned - enough to make a living off her art work. My sister’s collection started with a bunch of stuff from her friend, but recently she has started purchasing “expensive” art. I have no idea the worth of her art, but knowing her, the several pieces she has bought recently must be worth ~$20,000. Currently I attend a faculty which has a Museum Studies department, so I intend to ask around at school, but if the OP could provide some insight, my question is basically, “how should she care for the art?”

Presently they are stored as purchased. A few are in frames, one or two behind glass frames, and one, the largest (must be 2x2 meters), is completely unprotected, just the painted canvas resting on a bureau next to a large bay window.

Should anything be done? Is there any special considerations to take into account when having “professional” art in your house?

If the OP needs additional details about type of paint or whatnot, please ask and I can find out. Oh, and thanks.

47

[QUOTE=beanpod]
My brother-in-law has a katana that was given to him new in 2006. Any tips for that? The value at the time was around $800. It’s real folded steel. My dad collects knives, and when he was here he showed my BIL how to clean it and oil it. He said 1) that he should immediately clean it if he touched the blade with his fingers because the oils in his hands would be corrosive if left on it for a while, 2) to always make sure there’s a coat of oil on the blade before storing it in its case, and 3) to make sure only a professional with lots of experience sharpens it because the layers on the steel could be easily screwed up by an amateur.

It’s currently oiled and stored on a wall rack in the sheath. Are these proper care instructions?
[/QUOTE]

Swords are kind of my thing, so if FML doesn’t mind too much, I’ll horn in a bit.

If it was only about $800, it’s unlikely to be a very good piece, though I’m sure your brother values it. I’m not being snobby about this, it’s just a fact that authentic Japanese swords are absurdly expensive due to very restrictive rules about production (they’re only allowed to produce 2 long blades for sale every month, supposedly to keep quality high) the high cost of traditional materials, the very few people making them, and the amount of apprenticeship time they have to put in, among many other factors. It is expensive enough, however, to be worth taking care of properly, and who knows, your brother in law may go on to collect better blades in the future. The time spent in practice taking care of this one could pay dividends and will keep this piece in good shape.

Your dad’s guidelines are right on. You don’t have to be paranoid about cleaning it the instant after touching the blade, but you should absolutely, positively, without fail clean it before putting it away. Don’t neglect the furniture either. Almost all tsuba (hand guard) are made of iron and will rust easily if not cleaned of skin secretions and protected with a light layer of oil. Other parts might also be iron or bronze, or even silver, and also need to be cleaned and protected after handling. Be careful not to let oil soak the wrappings. Wipe the metal parts with a lightly oiled cloth rather than applying the oil directly.

There is a tutorial on cleaning the blade here and that site also has cleaning kits. More extensive kits and individual components are available at the Bugei Trading Company site. This kind of full cleaning and inspection only needs to be done a couple of times a year unless he is using the sword. If he uses it for cutting, he should definitely inspect and clean the blade after each use, or before storing it away again. Do not use any kind of polishing compound or metal cleaner on the blade. It will ruin whatever polish was provided by the maker or professional sword polisher, might etch the metal oddly, and can actually promote rust.

Be very careful in removing the tsuka (handle). First, make sure it’s removable. Not all Japanese-style swords are made with traditional furniture, so it may not actually be removable at all, or may require a slightly different procedure from the tutorial I provided above. Next, absolutely do not attempt to even loosen it if the blade is not firmly sheathed. It’s very easy to cut yourself badly on a properly sharpened blade. And then you’ll still have to clean your blood off it when you get back from getting your fingers reattached.

If the edge becomes damaged, he should follow your father’s point 3 and find a specialist to sharpen it. DO NOT EVER let a normal knife sharpener near the thing. A sword polisher shapes, polishes, and sharpens the blade as part of the same process. He will use several stones of varying grits and ensure that the blade geometry is correct while correcting the damage to the edge. A non-specialist could easily ruin any value the sword has, and could possibly mess the sword up badly, to the point where it’s not really usable anymore. The drawback is that a proper polishing can cost about half the value of a decent blade or more. If he doesn’t do any cutting with it and keeps it from ever developing any rust through proper cleaning, then he’ll probably never have to get this done. He can also take the sword to a polisher for appraisal; that’s part of what they do.

The blade should be lightly oiled, not dripping. More is not better here. The sword should be put in its saya (sheath) and put in a storage box, or in a sword bag, for storage. Store it with the blade up. Storing blade down will create a pool of oil and gunk along the edge, which is the most valuable and vulnerable part of the sword. It doesn’t matter how clean the saya and blade are, there will always be contaminants that creep in, so keep them away from the edge.

The storage place should be temperature and humidity moderate, as FML cited for most materials. One thing you might have to watch out for is if you live in a very dry place. Japan is pretty humid most of the year, and the traditional wood materials for the sheath and hilt were designed with that environment in mind. You might actually have to add a bit of humidity if you live in the desert in order to keep the wood from drying out too much and potentially cracking. Conversely, if it’s very humid, like Georgia or Florida, he should probably inspect the blade for rust more often.

There are swords that have been kept for hundreds of years with not much more extensive care than this. Hopefully, he’ll have his sword to pass on to his grandkids.

48

[QUOTE=beanpod]
Missed the edit window:

My brother-in-law has a katana that was given to him new in 2006. Any tips for that? The value at the time was around $800. It’s real folded steel. My dad collects knives, and when he was here he showed my BIL how to clean it and oil it. He said 1) that he should immediately clean it if he touched the blade with his fingers because the oils in his hands would be corrosive if left on it for a while, 2) to always make sure there’s a coat of oil on the blade before storing it in its case, and 3) to make sure only a professional with lots of experience sharpens it because the layers on the steel could be easily screwed up by an amateur.

It’s currently oiled and stored on a wall rack in the sheath. Are these proper care instructions?
[/QUOTE]

For display, your method is pretty good, although you should avoid areas with lots of changes in temp and humidity. Clean the blade and reoil it once or twice a year, and make sure the mount/wall attachment is secure (to prevent damage from falling).

I am assuming the hadle is lacuered wood. Avoid polishes, waxes and such. Dust with a very slightly damp, clean cotton rag. If it has inlays, be especially sure to avoid polishes etc, as the chemicals in these can cause delamination (ungluing), and discolouration. Avoid direct sunlight, and wipe down after handling.

Regards
FML

49

[QUOTE=Terrifel]
What is the best way to store canvas-and-rubber basketball shoes? I have a collection of Converse Chuck Taylors that I would like to keep in good condition.
[/QUOTE]

The “rubber” is proabably a urethane, neophrene or other polymer, but even if it is real rubber, these type of materials are very difficult to store for long periods of time. (greater than 10 yrs). They tend to off gas and loose their componet “plastisizers”, and more bad news, if they are “real” rubber, they off gas sulfur compounds that actively attack the cotton and other organic materials in the shoe.

But its not all bad news.. You can store these for very long times (20-30 yrs) by simply freezing them. Stuff them with tissue (to hold their shape), put them in freezer bags and remove the air, seal, then into a crush proof container and freeze. Be sure to let them thaw completely before handling or use (to avoid cracking the rubber parts. additionally the laces, fasteners should be loose during storage.

If you want to just store them in a more casual/instantly accessable way, try and achieve the following:

  1. If worn, gently clean, avoid soap, but use a clean moist cotton cloth.
  2. Store them in a well ventilated area (to get rid of those nasty off gased compounds)
  3. Avoid sunlight, heat and cotton eating vermin (mice, moths, etc)
  4. For long term storage (more than 6 months,) stuff them gently with tissue
  5. Also, never store them with laces/fasteners tight - always store loose open and “relaxed”.

Regards
FML

More bad

50

[QUOTE=Spezza]
My sister and brother-in-law are both lawyers and live a fancy lifestyle. My sister, being my sister, has begun to build her art collection. From her years in undergrad she has an artist friend who is good - renowned - enough to make a living off her art work. My sister’s collection started with a bunch of stuff from her friend, but recently she has started purchasing “expensive” art. I have no idea the worth of her art, but knowing her, the several pieces she has bought recently must be worth ~$20,000. Currently I attend a faculty which has a Museum Studies department, so I intend to ask around at school, but if the OP could provide some insight, my question is basically, “how should she care for the art?”

Presently they are stored as purchased. A few are in frames, one or two behind glass frames, and one, the largest (must be 2x2 meters), is completely unprotected, just the painted canvas resting on a bureau next to a large bay window.

Should anything be done? Is there any special considerations to take into account when having “professional” art in your house?

If the OP needs additional details about type of paint or whatnot, please ask and I can find out. Oh, and thanks.
[/QUOTE]

Frankly, without knowing each piece, I can only give a few general rules. You can probably find someone at your school for more specifics. I am assuming art of that value level was/will be proffesionally framed using conservation grade materials and techniques.

In all cases: Glass should not touch work (if glass is used), lighting should be indirect and UV filtered. The mounting hook(s) on the wall should be mounted into the stud and rated for at least twice the weight of the work. Unframed works should never be leaned against anything, or frame warp will occur. Until they can be properly framed, they should be stored flat, face up with a unbleached cotton cloth dust cover. Do NOT stack them. In all cases, humidity and temp should be moderate 72 f 45% rH or so. No direct sunlight, of course.

FML

51

[QUOTE=Sleel]
Swords are kind of my thing, so if FML doesn’t mind too much, I’ll horn in a bit.

If it was only about $800, it’s unlikely to be a very good piece, though I’m sure your brother values it. I’m not being snobby about this, it’s just a fact that authentic Japanese swords are absurdly expensive due to very restrictive rules about production (they’re only allowed to produce 2 long blades for sale every month, supposedly to keep quality high) the high cost of traditional materials, the very few people making them, and the amount of apprenticeship time they have to put in, among many other factors. It is expensive enough, however, to be worth taking care of properly, and who knows, your brother in law may go on to collect better blades in the future. The time spent in practice taking care of this one could pay dividends and will keep this piece in good shape.

Your dad’s guidelines are right on. You don’t have to be paranoid about cleaning it the instant after touching the blade, but you should absolutely, positively, without fail clean it before putting it away. Don’t neglect the furniture either. Almost all tsuba (hand guard) are made of iron and will rust easily if not cleaned of skin secretions and protected with a light layer of oil. Other parts might also be iron or bronze, or even silver, and also need to be cleaned and protected after handling. Be careful not to let oil soak the wrappings. Wipe the metal parts with a lightly oiled cloth rather than applying the oil directly.

There is a tutorial on cleaning the blade here and that site also has cleaning kits. More extensive kits and individual components are available at the Bugei Trading Company site. This kind of full cleaning and inspection only needs to be done a couple of times a year unless he is using the sword. If he uses it for cutting, he should definitely inspect and clean the blade after each use, or before storing it away again. Do not use any kind of polishing compound or metal cleaner on the blade. It will ruin whatever polish was provided by the maker or professional sword polisher, might etch the metal oddly, and can actually promote rust.

Be very careful in removing the tsuka (handle). First, make sure it’s removable. Not all Japanese-style swords are made with traditional furniture, so it may not actually be removable at all, or may require a slightly different procedure from the tutorial I provided above. Next, absolutely do not attempt to even loosen it if the blade is not firmly sheathed. It’s very easy to cut yourself badly on a properly sharpened blade. And then you’ll still have to clean your blood off it when you get back from getting your fingers reattached.

If the edge becomes damaged, he should follow your father’s point 3 and find a specialist to sharpen it. DO NOT EVER let a normal knife sharpener near the thing. A sword polisher shapes, polishes, and sharpens the blade as part of the same process. He will use several stones of varying grits and ensure that the blade geometry is correct while correcting the damage to the edge. A non-specialist could easily ruin any value the sword has, and could possibly mess the sword up badly, to the point where it’s not really usable anymore. The drawback is that a proper polishing can cost about half the value of a decent blade or more. If he doesn’t do any cutting with it and keeps it from ever developing any rust through proper cleaning, then he’ll probably never have to get this done. He can also take the sword to a polisher for appraisal; that’s part of what they do.

The blade should be lightly oiled, not dripping. More is not better here. The sword should be put in its saya (sheath) and put in a storage box, or in a sword bag, for storage. Store it with the blade up. Storing blade down will create a pool of oil and gunk along the edge, which is the most valuable and vulnerable part of the sword. It doesn’t matter how clean the saya and blade are, there will always be contaminants that creep in, so keep them away from the edge.

The storage place should be temperature and humidity moderate, as FML cited for most materials. One thing you might have to watch out for is if you live in a very dry place. Japan is pretty humid most of the year, and the traditional wood materials for the sheath and hilt were designed with that environment in mind. You might actually have to add a bit of humidity if you live in the desert in order to keep the wood from drying out too much and potentially cracking. Conversely, if it’s very humid, like Georgia or Florida, he should probably inspect the blade for rust more often.

There are swords that have been kept for hundreds of years with not much more extensive care than this. Hopefully, he’ll have his sword to pass on to his grandkids.
[/QUOTE]

Sorry, I replied before I saw your extensive post - thanks for the extra info.

Regards
FML

52

[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus]
Sorry, I replied before I saw your extensive post - thanks for the extra info.
[/QUOTE]

No need to apologize. I’m the one who barged into your thread. Thanks for giving me a chance to show off the bit of knowledge I have in this area.

53

Is this serious? If so, then I offer this:

My mother has a set of Enclyclopedia Brittanica from 1939 (I love it…under Adolph Hitler what is mostly says is, “Current Chancellor of Germany.”) I don’t want to sell it…I’m an enclyclopedia buff. The books have been stored in garages mostly. How do I preserve these books?

Love, Phil

54

[QUOTE=phil417]
Is this serious? If so, then I offer this:

My mother has a set of Enclyclopedia Brittanica from 1939 (I love it..under Adolph Hitler what is mostly says is, “Current Chancellor of Germany.”) I don’t want to sell it..I’m an enclyclopedia buff. The books have been stored in garages mostly. How do I preserve these books?

Love, Phil
[/QUOTE]

To “preserve them” you would individually box and use cold storage in an atmospherically controlled vault.

But to keep them in good condition, put them on a shelf, so that they are not “compacted” together, away from sunshine, in a moderate temp/humidity area. Be on the look lout for pests (mice/insects).

Encycopeadia Brittania from that period were usually made with very high quality paper, low lignin and low acid/bleach, and keep very well “on their own”.

You may want to use clean cotton gloves when actually reading, as your skin oils can and will cause yellowing/burning over time.

Be sure to look up “World’s Fair” for a whiz bang look at the future!

Regards
FML

55

Thanks Sleel! I’ll pass the info along.

56

Awesome, FML, thanks for starting this!

I have an original John Constable watercolor. While it is behind glass, what secures it from behind are just a few small nails set into the frame that swing over and hold the board in place. In other words, it’s not airtight. Is this an issue? Should I have the back of the picture sealed? Also, how should I go about having it appraised?

My grandmom was a fine antiques dealer who would never let the really nice pieces go but would instead keep them for family members. I have from her a beautiful, handmade wooden chair. I’m guessing it’s possibly American Chestnut, heavily burled and has a seat that intentionally is a little lower on one side than the other. It’s heavier than this, armed and has, as mentioned, a side-sloping seat but this is the closest pic I could find online. Over the years the pieces have started to loosen and I’d like to have it restored but not loose any of its value which is, I’ve been told, quite substantial. Where and how should I go about having it repaired?

57

[QUOTE=lieu]
Awesome, FML, thanks for starting this!

I have an original John Constable watercolor. While it is behind glass, what secures it from behind are just a few small nails set into the frame that swing over and hold the board in place. In other words, it’s not airtight. Is this an issue? Should I have the back of the picture sealed? Also, how should I go about having it appraised?

My grandmom was a fine antiques dealer who would never let the really nice pieces go but would instead keep them for family members. I have from her a beautiful, handmade wooden chair. I’m guessing it’s possibly American Chestnut, heavily burled and has a seat that intentionally is a little lower on one side than the other. It’s heavier than this, armed and has, as mentioned, a side-sloping seat but this is the closest pic I could find online. Over the years the pieces have started to loosen and I’d like to have it restored but not loose any of its value which is, I’ve been told, quite substantial. Where and how should I go about having it repaired?
[/QUOTE]

The water colour should be profesionally remounted, by a framing technician who can show you a conservational framing/mounting certificate. If the glass is in contact with the surface of the painting, do not take it to a framer, take it to an art conservator (try your local museum for a reference). A painting of this siugnifigance and value is worth the investment this represents. (If the paper is in contact with the glass, it may have bonded over the years, and “peeling it off” could damage destroy the painting’s surface.) Opinions vary on back sealing water colours, and there are many variables involved (type/composition of paper and paints, material provenance of previous mounts, and condition of the peice) - again a certified conservation framer can help you here.

The chair should be examined by a conservation trained antique furnature specialist. The original joinery techniques used must be respected in any repair, and the uniqueness and potential value of the piece will be affected drastically either up or down by the quality of the work done. Get an estimate and description of any work to be done before authorizing it. Again, you should talk to a local conservator (see your musuem) who can physically examine the chair.

Regards
FML

58

Do you have any recommendations for a pen? I’ve bought a few different types of pens to write on the back of my photos, they have all been acid free, but they all bleed, some for days after I’ve written on the photos. Luckily the photos I’ve practiced on were much newer, but I really don’t want to ruin my older photos. Are there any good brands that will not bleed and smudge so much?

59

[QUOTE=Edward The Head]
Do you have any recommendations for a pen? I’ve bought a few different types of pens to write on the back of my photos, they have all been acid free, but they all bleed, some for days after I’ve written on the photos. Luckily the photos I’ve practiced on were much newer, but I really don’t want to ruin my older photos. Are there any good brands that will not bleed and smudge so much?
[/QUOTE]

PLEASE don’t write on your photos. Make mylar enclosures for them. Then put a self stick lable on the enclosure and put your annotations on it.

I described how to make Mylar enclosure up thread, but it was a waaays back so I will address it again. Mylar "encapsulation is good for any flat document, photo or even slim booklets, pamphlets etc.

Making a mylar encapsulation:

Measure your photo , add about 1 inch in both height and width and cut two sheets of Mylar to those dimensions. Place double sided tape along the edges ONLY of the bottom sheet, Place your photo/document inside that (it should NOT touch the tape) then put the top Mylar sheet on, press out the air and seal. Lable and annotate the mylar enclosure as desired - note: many put the lable on the back so as not to obscure/block any part of the photo.

Writing on photos is evil.

Regards
FML

60

I own a 200AD bronze bracelet from the Romans- Should I polish the blue stuff off? Its not thin.