There are many books that can help you think about preservation and conservation of your collectibles. This is a good one to start with. It's easy to understand and gives concrete examples of what to do with what you have.
The book provides a wealth of invaluable advice to anyone who wishes to care for, preserve, and display personal collections and family treasures. The authors have distilled years of research and museum experience into practical advice for anyone concerned with preserving a collection -- from the beginning collector to the connoisseur. Don Williams, for instance, served many years as the Smithsonian's Senior Conservator.
You do not need deep pockets or oodles of time: using Don Williams's simple instructions, you can preserve anything quickly and inexpensively. In Saving Stuff, he demystifies preservation and presents easy, foolproof methods anyone can use to save nearly everything, including:
- Photographs -- in print and digital form
- Stuff only a parent could love -- from baby teeth to old blankets and first artworks
- Furniture -- whether it's painted, varnished, or upholstered
- Family heirlooms -- from silver to rugs to wedding dresses
- Sports and political memorabilia -- trading cards, posters, equipment, buttons, stickers
- Attic leftovers -- scrapbooks, military uniforms, medals
- Musical instruments
- Fine art -- oil paintings, etchings, lithographs
- Printed matter -- comic books, magazines, old letters
- And much, much more
With step-by-step instructions, detailed illustrations, tips for making the things you use every day last, and stories about how the Smithsonian takes care of our national treasures, Saving Stuff is the only book you need to take care of the stuff you love.