General & Miscellaneous Antiques & Collectibles, Care & Restoration of Antiques, Art Conservation, Restoration & Museum Studies

Caring for your family treasures

Name: Caring for your family treasures
Author: Jane S. Long and Richard W. Long; general editor, Inge-Lise Eckmann; project director, Clare Bouton Hansen; foreword by Lawrence L. Reger
ISBN: 9780810929098

by Jane S. Long and Richard W. Long; general editor, Inge-Lise Eckmann; project director, Clare Bouton Hansen; foreword by Lawrence L. Reger

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Overview

Few of us think to preserve our family treasures until it's too late. Now, this practical guide shows just how to safeguard cherished photo albums, a fragile wedding dress, antique furniture, and numerous other precious family heirlooms for future generations.

Clearly written care instructions accompany a lively visual presentation that includes information boxes, checklists, and full-color pictures showing how to preserve leather-bound books, scrapbooks, family documents and other treasures on paper, home movies and videotape, clocks and watches, holiday ornaments, silverware, jewelry, musical instruments, military mementos, dolls, teddy bears, toy soldiers, and more. The text identifies organic and inorganic materials, items that are sensitive to humidity, and the special care required for each. Security and insurance issues, and the best materials and tools for cleaning, display, and storage, and where to find them, round out this immensely useful volume.

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Editorials

Library Journal

Although there are plenty of guidebooks on preserving museum-quality antiques, this book is unique in that it focuses on the care and handling of precious family heirlooms such as old silver, wedding gowns, scrapbooks, photos, books, and dolls. It was assembled under the guidance of Heritage Preservation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving cultural artifacts, sites, natural science specimens, buildings, and works of art. (It has also published the highly regarded Caring for Your Collections and, more recently, Caring for Your Historic House.) In addition to providing solid and easy-to-understand information on object preservation, the book offers advice on where to find archival supplies, genealogical information, and, if need be, a professional conservator. The many color photos show how artifactual damage is caused and in some instances how it can be treated. Highly recommended for all public libraries and for decorative arts collections everywhere. Margarete Gross, Chicago P.L. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

An informative, practical guide, charmingly designed and illustrated, by two authors with considerable expertise. While their previous book was aimed at private collectors, small museums, and historical societies, this one is for the individual who would like to properly care for some family keepsakes. Among the types of items they discuss are books, photos, home movies, paintings, fabrics, furniture, musical instruments, military mementos, and toys. Here's authoritative advice on how to, say, avoid diminishing the value of that beautiful lamp by polishing it, as well as how to avoid having treasured family photos turn to dust over time. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)