Storing and caring for antiques

How you store and care for your antiques will of course depend largely on the type or types of antiques that you collect. There are a huge variety of antiques ranging from jewellery to pottery and anything in-between, some collectors specialise in one or two types while others will deal in several different types and of course if they are to remain in tip-top condition and increase in value then they must be stored and cared for properly.

Antiques can either be something that is stored away under glass and just considered to be nothing more than a thing of beauty and something which is just gazed upon in admiration and of course admired by others. Some antiques are used in the home to decorate it and to be used, family heirlooms for example that have been passed on down the family and used in the home but are nevertheless still classed as antique.

An antique is classed as antique if it dates back for at least 10 decades and there are many reasons that can affect the price of an antique when and if it comes to selling it. Factors that are taken into consideration include how rare the object is, the collection value of the object and of course the condition of the item, this is why it is essential that you know how to store and care for antiques particularly if you wish to put them up for auction.

The internet holds a huge amount of resources when it comes to taking care of antiques, it can provide you with the information you need to take care of your antiques yourself along with providing you with listing of specialists in antiques cleaning and restoration. Depending on the type of antique you have will depend greatly on whether you are able to care of it yourself or if you should take the advice of a specialist and turn the care of the item over into their hands.

Rugs, wall hangings and carpets have to be given some considerable consideration, even more so if the items are very delicate such as Persian or Oriental rugs. If you are going to be storing rugs, carpets or wall hangings rather than have them on show then great care will need to be taken to ensure that they cannot be infiltrated by insects such as the house dust mite or moths. Where possible you should cover them all over with acid free or cotton paper before storing in a clean and dry environment. When it comes to cleaning then take them to a specialist rug ad carpet cleaner.

Glass, breakable or very delicate antiques such as ornaments or plates of course need to be handled with kid gloves if they are not to be damaged and reduce the value. Items such as this shouldn’t be tackled by the beginner to antiques and are best put into the hands of someone who specialises in that particular antique. When storing very delicate items or displaying them it goes without saying that they should be behind glass and well away from prying fingers.