Archival Safe Methods and Materials: Part 3 -The METHODS. - By: Bill Harvey

I lied. It's might not be all that expensive to take some good pro-active steps to get 'er done. I also lied if I implied I had all the answers. After longish introduction in Part 1 and a bothersome vocabulary lesson in Part 2, I have comparatively little advice for you. There is just too much stuff that gets itself collected. There is too much variation in what it's made out'a. WHEN it was made makes a huge difference too. So my problem is coming up with general advice. None-the-less, I soldier on. Consider doing the following:

~~ Buy your self a few pairs of white cotton gloves and keep them close to your collection. If nothing else, this will impress people who you let -reluctantly or otherwise- handle your collectibles.

~~ Learn how to protect your specific collection. Having made it through my previous articles, you now know more then 95% of the people out there and so such an undertaking will be a piece of cake. Start by Googling The American Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. It's part of Stanford University and is an excellent resource. A slightly intimidating resource, it must be said, but an excellent resource. I know this because they say most of what I have said in my articles on preservation -they just use bigger words and a lot more of 'em. And they offer advice specific to....

* SPECIAL COLLECTIONS -sort of a catch-all article
* ARCHITECTURE
* Books (This is what I collect!)
* CERAMICS AND GLASS OBJECTS
* FURNITURE
* METAL OBJECTS
* PAINTINGS
* PHOTOGRAPHS
* DOCUMENTS AND WORKS OF ART ON PAPER
* HOME VIDEOTAPES (!?!)
* TEXTILES
* MATTING AND FRAMING WORKS OF ART ON PAPER

~~ Google your collectable and find the National Society of (fill in the blank with whatever you collect) Collectors. Any-dang-thing-you-can-name has a collectors club of some sort and they WILL have advice.
~~ Learn about DESICCANTS and get yourself some!

~~ If you are collecting photographs or things on paper, check out what the folks at Archival Methods.com have to say. (And notice that they sell desiccant kits too!)

~~ At the very least -order a bunch of their archival tissue paper. 480 sheets of the stuff -16" x 20"- will set you back just a little over $20.00. I suspect that if you have a nice collection in a collection of boxes that may or may not be archival, this tissue would go a long way to both preventing any acid migration and cushioning the objects.

~~ If all the above has succeeded only in frightening you about your really REAL valuable collections of X, find yourself a conservation consultant. The AIC has Guidelines for Selecting a Conservator. (But be prepared to spend some money.)

IMPORTANT LINKS:

The folks at GAYLORD BROTHERS, take this business pretty seriously. They also offer an absolutely excellent on-line (free!) book on simple techniques for the maintenance and repair of BOOKS. Did I mention that your humble author is a book collector from wayback?

ARCHIVAL METHODS is a good company, with helpful people and a web-site you need to see.

ART-CARE is where to go to find out where, how, and with whom to spend money -but it also has excellent information and experts.

Having explored the chemistry of stuff -particularly stuff you want to preserve and protect in Preservation: Parts 1 and 2, we now take up the actual HOW-TO preserve and protect your collectibles. Find your checkbook and pay attention.

Bill Harvey makes drawer and display cases for collectors and museums at Home-Museum.com.
He is also author of the Collector's HOW-TO series for dedicated collectors and hobbyists who wish to display and protect their very best stuff.