CHAPTER 8 Organize Artifacts

Artifacts aren’t limited to objects excavated on an archeological dig. Your great-grandfather’s pocket watch and your aunt’s Depression-era quilt are good examples of the kind of objects you might find in your family archive. Curators and collectors use the term artifact for the many man-made objects that acquire historical or artistic significance. For the family historian, artifacts may assume emotional and sentimental value as well.

Preserving inherited artifacts isn’t necessarily complicated, especially if the object is on display or used in your home. Some items need a bit of extra TLC (tender loving care), but most objects likely will be just fine with the same care and attention you give everything else in your home. If you will be storing artifacts, you will need to take the standard precautions against extreme temperatures, moisture, and pests.

This chapter highlights artifacts often found in a family archive and offers practical suggestions for caring for your heirlooms. The resources at the end of this chapter will help you find archival supplies and information for specialized situations.

Art

Consider yourself most fortunate if you inherited portraits, paintings, or other fine art in your family archive. Your treasures may portray your ancestor’s likeness in paint, chalk, or ink, or they may demonstrate the skill of a family artist.

CARE

If you have your artwork framed, use only archival-quality materials.
Use recommended framing procedures. For example, oil paintings should be framed without glass; watercolors, prints, and photographs should be secured behind archival mats and then framed with UV-filter glass. Refer to the Resources section for more information.
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works recommends attaching a protective backing board available from a reputable framer to the reverse side of a painting to protect the work from exposure to environmental changes.
Stable paintings, free of flaking or loose paint, can be carefully dusted with a soft bristle brush two or three times a year. Use extreme care when working with your paintings.
Consult a conservator for repair or cleaning.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Paintings and fine art are generally best preserved by proper display in your home, away from light, moisture, and heat.
If you must store paintings, place a stiff art board, such as Foam-Cor board, on either side of the painting. An interior closet is a good place to store your painting. Place it where it will not be bumped or disturbed. Avoid attics, basements, and garages.

CAUTIONS

Avoid heat, soot, and smoke. The focal point over your mantle may not be the best place for valued artwork.
Avoid damp. Do not display original art in bathrooms.
Avoid direct sunlight or display lighting.
Use great care when handling artwork, be careful not to bump, drop, or damage the work.

TIPS

Consider using UV protection glass when reframing works under glass.
Museums recommend rotating displays of valuable pieces—six months on display, six months resting in storage—to prevent overexposure to environmental elements.

China, Glassware, and Collectibles

I am an absolute fiend for china. I know that I don’t need any more dishes, but I truly enjoy displaying and serving meals on different dishes as the whim and season strikes. My sister is the exact opposite. She has one set of all-purpose china and hesitates to add another. I’ve decided to be her family china shop, just in case she ever changes her mind.

Kitchenware, tableware, and decorative items made of ceramics, glass, crystal, porcelain, and earthenware all require similar care and storage. Vintage and antique pieces will need hand washing and drying; use care with hand-painted china and collectible figurines. Most antique china is not dishwasher, microwave, or oven safe.

CARE

Cushion your sink and countertop with thick towels when cleaning or handling your collection.
Do not wrap china in newspaper or acidic newsprint paper for long-term storage; this can cause discoloration. Use acid-free, lignin-free tissue instead.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Store china you use frequently in a buffet or china closet. Place a protective pad between plates as a cushion.
Don’t hang china cups by their handle on cup hooks. Dangling cups can be easily bumped and knocked into each other, which will cause chips.
Store cups upright on their bottom rim. If you must stack cups, cushion cups with a thin pad or layer of acid-free, lignin-free tissue paper.
If china is especially delicate or will be in long-term storage, keep it in padded, compartmentalized china cases available at housewares stores.

CAUTIONS

Use care with repaired items. Old glues are often weak and dry, causing pieces to break off again.
Consult a professional to repair important pieces.

TIPS

Make your own plate and cup pads from coffee filter papers, paper towels, or felt. Avoid plastic.
Create a photo album of your favorite pieces to enjoy, share, and itemize your collection for insurance purposes.

Furniture

When it comes to furniture (and lots of other stuff, actually) it’s best to do no harm. Resist the temptation to remake a rocker into a standard-legged chair, trim a tabletop to fit a corner, or lower a cabinet by removing the claw feet. By respecting the integrity of the original piece, you also retain the best chance of preserving its value.

CARE

Wood furniture: Clean carefully; use only solid paste wax on clear-varnished wooden furniture, applied no more than once a year. Furniture polish and oils are not recommended because they tend to dry out the wood or create a gummy surface that attracts dirt and dust.
Modern furniture: Use appropriate cleaning materials for mid-century furniture made of metal, Formica, or vinyl.

Upholstered furniture: Clean fabric using the brush or upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner at the appropriate setting.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Furniture is easily damaged. Often, the best place to store your heirloom pieces is within your living areas at the same environmental conditions that are comfortable for you.
For fragile pieces, consider placing furniture in low-traffic areas, like a guest room or living room corner.
If you must store furniture outside your house, avoid attics, basements, and garages whenever possible. Extremes in temperature and humidity, as well as exposure to insects and pests, can quickly damage your pieces.

CAUTIONS

Place furniture out of direct light and away from heating and air-conditioning registers.
Spray furniture polish is easy to use and convenient, but it is a poor choice in caring for wood furniture. Use a clean, slightly damp dust cloth instead.
Use great care when moving furniture. Cushion corners, legs, and awkward pieces before lifting. Remove loose pieces, such as finials, drawers, and drop leaves, and replace them after the furniture is in place.

Musical Instruments

“Use it or lose it” is archivist Don Williams’s recommendation for musical instruments. Williams notes that regularly playing an instrument is the best way to monitor function and needed repair. Without proper maintenance, that violin or brass horn can easily lose its function to make music and become simply another interesting artifact. Care for individual items will depend on the nature of the instrument—stringed, wind, percussion. Take time to learn about your instrument and consult a conservationist for detailed instructions.

CARE

The Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute offers links to many references for the specific care of various musical instruments <www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/musinst.html>.
Maintain a stable environment; avoid fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
Wash your hands before handling or playing.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Hire professionals to move any large instruments, such as a piano or organ.
Keep any securing straps in place.
Maintain instrument storage cases; vacuum the interior and dust the exterior. Treat metal hardware to keep it free from rust.

CAUTIONS

Handle instruments carefully.
Remove jewelry when handling to avoid scratching the instrument.

Quilts and Samplers

Many family archives contain heirloom quilts and samplers. If you are lucky enough to have these treasures, take the time to preserve them for future generations.

CARE

Display quilts and other textiles on a rotating schedule; four to six months on display and the rest of the year “resting” in storage.
Use a low-power, handheld vacuum for regular cleaning. Work slowly, avoid rubbing back and forth. Vacuum fragile fabrics through a fiberglass screen.
Wash your hands and remove rings when working with textiles.
Do not eat, smoke, or drink near your collection.
Carefully support textiles when moving them from room to room.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Select a cool, dry room with good air circulation for storing textiles. Avoid attics, basements, and garages.
When possible, store textiles flat. Small pieces can be layered with archival tissue and placed inside an archival storage box.
Large items, such as quilts, should be rolled to avoid creases. Use an archival tube to support the center; add cushioning with archival tissue to protect the surface. Use a piece of clean washed muslin longer than the roll to form a protective outer layer. Roll the muslin around the item one and a half times, tucking in the ends at the end of the tube. Use cotton twill tape or muslin strips to tie the covering in place.
Textiles may also be stored on display. The best mounts and hanging methods will depend on the type of textile. Generally, quilts and large stable items can be hung with Velcro strips or from a hand-sewn hanging sleeve. Supports and strainers can be used to distribute weight and help with displaying textiles. Consult the Textile Museum website, <www.textilemuseum.org>, for information about specific items.

CAUTIONS

Ideal climate for storing textiles is 65ºF–70ºF and 50–55 percent humidity.
Light, heat, pollution, and high humidity will speed the deterioration of textiles.
Wet cloth is weak; be careful to support quilts or clothing if they become wet.
Do not try to clean textiles yourself. Consult a conservator.
Examine textiles regularly for mold, mildew, and pests and treat immediately.

TIPS

Under some conditions, it is appropriate to consider framing a textile behind glass or Plexiglas, which contains a UV filter to reduce damage from light. Framing may be a good option if:

the item will be displayed in natural daylight
dirt and dust are a problem
the item will be displayed in an area where smoking is allowed

Clothing and Uniforms

My father’s parents weren’t great savers. They were practical people who took good care of their things and didn’t acquire more than they needed. When their home sold, we were surprised to uncover a small green trunk.

Inside the trunk, carefully wrapped in plastic dry cleaning bags, was my grandfather’s uniform and gear from his years as a doughboy in World War I. My grandmother’s meticulous housekeeping surely contributed to the excellent preservation of the trunk and its contents, although today’s archival experts would not recommend using dry cleaning plastic as a storage material.

The key is always cleanliness and common sense. Grandmother cleaned the wool greatcoat and jacket before placing it in the trunk. The leather leggings were oiled and wrapped inside a similar pair of leggings made of stout canvas. Anything metal had been removed from the uniform for storage elsewhere.

Almost everyone has at least one sentimental clothing item, such as a wedding dress, christening gown, or letterman’s jacket. Care for clothing according to the type of fabric, age of the garment, and overall fragility.

CARE

Wash your hands and remove rings when working with any textile.
Remove metal pins, bars, or badges for storing elsewhere.
Clean uniforms and clothing before storing. Dry cleaning may cause excessive drying to older fabrics; gently vacuum with a vinyl fabric screen over the nozzle on the low-volume upholstery setting.
Examine clothing regularly for traces of pests, mold, and mildew and treat immediately.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Select a cool, dry room with good air circulation for storing textiles. Avoid attics, basements, and garages.
Clothing, such as wedding dresses, uniforms, and christening gowns, can be hung for storage if they are in good condition. The items should be freshly laundered. Wrap wooden hangers in polyester quilt batting covered with a muslin sleeve to give the garment more support. Stuff a pleated piece of archival tissue in garment sleeves and legs to support the fabric. Place the entire garment in a muslin garment bag of the same size as the garment. Do not use plastic or vinyl garment bags.

CAUTIONS

The ideal climate for storing textiles is 65ºF–70ºF and 50–55 percent humidity.
Light, heat, pollution, and high humidity will speed the deterioration of textiles.

Military Insignia, Scouting Memorabilia, and Flags

Some of my best childhood memories recall adventures with friends in Girl Scouts and the challenges of new experiences. With no daughter to follow my Girl Scout footsteps, I was delighted when both sons joined Boy Scouts and eventually achieved the Eagle Scout rank. As they outgrew their scout uniforms, I snipped off the badges and arranged them in a shadow box to mark their achievement. Now, they’re the perfect decoration for my grandson’s bedrooms, and hopefully an inspiration to the next generation of scouts!

If you choose to remove insignia and pins from military or scouting uniforms, know how to care for the different items. Many options are available today for preserving uniforms, flags, and medals depending on your intended use or display. Whatever you select, do your best with the time and resources you have available.

My grandmother wisely removed metal pins and bars from my grandfather’s doughboy uniform, but his rank and unit patches remained securely attached. You will want to do the same with any type of military or scouting uniform.

CARE

Treat medals like coins or jewelry; keep free of dust by gently cleaning with a dry cloth or a soft bristle brush.
Care for fabric patches and badges like clothing. Use a vacuum to remove dust.
Handle with care. Wear cotton gloves to protect items from the natural oils of your skin.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Medals, badges, patches, and pins can be stored in glass shadow boxes, or beneath glass coffee table tops.
If archival storage is preferred, use archival collection boxes with acid-free, lignin-free tissue for cushioning individual items.
Store items in a temperate location inside your home. Avoid attics, basements, and garages.
Flags and pennants should be rolled in archival tissue paper and placed in a clean muslin sleeve.

CAUTIONS

Patches and ribbons fade easily; keep away from sunlight and UV light.
Traces of dirt, grass, or stains will hasten the deterioration of fabric.
Avoid nonarchival plastic sleeves for storing medals, patches, and pins.
Don’t use a wool backing to display medals. Wool contains sulfur that will eventually damage the medal. Cotton is a better option.
Museums recommend rotating displays—six months on display, six months resting in storage—to prevent overexposure to environmental elements.
Riker Mounts are popular display options but are intended for short-term use only. Use similar archival-grade display cases for long-term display or storage. See the Resources section at the end of the chapter.

TIP

Enjoy and share your collection by combining storage and display in glass front cases.

Watches and Jewelry

Whether you inherit one piece of jewelry or an entire chest full, one pocket watch or several, do try to keep sets intact.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Invest in a jewelry box with multiple compartments and a lid to protect your collection from dust and breakage.
To minimize wear and damage, rotate favorite pieces of jewelry or watches between storage and your jewelry box. Always clean pieces before storing.
Consider storing collections in archival compartment boxes with acid-free tissue for cushioning.

CAUTIONS

Consult a jeweler for cleaning and repair advice for specific pieces of jewelry.
Use a soft cloth to keep jewelry clean.
Keep timepieces in good working order.

TIPS

Collections are more valuable than individual items; whenever possible, try to keep a matching set intact. Keep cuff links with matching tie bars; keep matching earrings, bracelets, brooches, necklaces, and rings together.
Use your digital camera or movie camera to make a visual record of your collection.
Talk to your insurance agent about extra coverage to insure your valuable pieces against theft or loss.

Toys, Dolls, and Games

It’s hard to say good-bye to a favorite toy at any age; no wonder parents carefully pack away a scruffy stuffed dog or rag doll. Unwrapping Spot or Barbie decades later can bring back a flood of memories. The dolls from my childhood are definitely vintage, but just as definitely not highly collectable. I’m saving them to show a granddaughter one day, but I’m not investing in individual storage boxes for each doll. Instead, they all live together nestled in archival tissue like one big happy family inside one big archival box.

CARE

Wear white cotton gloves when handling stuffed animals and dolls to prevent the transfer of natural oils from your hands to the toys.
Clean toys and dolls gently by vacuuming indirectly with a brush attachment and screen or coarse fabric diffuser (attach a square of vinyl window screen or piece of coarse fabric over the nozzle of the vacuum).
Consult a conservator for advice about cleaning antique toys and dolls.
Clean modern plastic and rubber dolls only with distilled water unless you know how a particular cleaner will react with the specific plastic or rubber material.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Display stuffed animals and antique dolls in a dust-free place, such as a glass-front cabinet under low light. Keep the temperature under 70ºF.
Store clean stuffed animals and dolls wrapped in archival tissue or clean muslin and placed inside archival boxes with lids.
Store vintage and modern dolls and plastic action figures in the dark, in a cool, dry, clean place with good air circulation.
Board games and puzzles are usually made from high-wood pulp cardboard and paper. Keep separate from other papers and documents in temperate storage.
Chess sets, Dominoes, Mah-jongg Tiles: Care for these sets according to the type of material they are made from. Keep clean and dust free if placed on display; store in archival containers.

CAUTIONS

Never clean a doll or toy unless you know the material it is made of and how it will react to your cleaning agent. When it doubt, use distilled water on a cotton swab. Always test any cleaner in an inconspicuous place.

TIP

Display collectible action figures in a miniature curio cabinet. Make your own case from an archival glass-front shadow box.

Metal Tools and Outdoors Stuff

My husband’s eyes grew glazed as he peered inside the dark corners of Auntie’s single car garage. The door may have been regularly lifted to the outside, but it was obvious that the junk lining the sides and against the far back hadn’t been touched since it was quickly dumped there decades ago.

It looked like a Dumpster could make fast work of the accumulated debris, but what do I know? My husband latched on to a giant Rain Bird sprinkler, looked at me, and grinned. He knew my weakness. I do love that summertime sound—the chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, whirrrrrrr of the Rain Bird sprinkler performing in various backyard symphonies. And, you just don’t find ’em like that anymore.

If any gardeners or tool lovers in your family are involved in cleaning out a family home, I bet you brought home a few tools or outdoor garden items, too. Most of these are made of wood or metal, in varying stages of care, but with a bit of cleaning and polishing, you can safely move vintage items to your home for display in a collection, or just put them to use in your own backyard.

CARE

If your goal is to display interesting artifacts rather than preserve them, don’t worry about removing all traces of rust and use. Do, however, remove dirt, insects, and old grass to extend the life of your treasure.
If the tools are not valuable or in extremely poor repair, consider adapting Agway’s garden tool care procedure: “Disassemble tools with metal parts first. Thoroughly clean metal surfaces with a wire brush, fine steel wool or medium grit sandpaper; lubricate annually with a light synthetic oil. Clean and smooth wooden handles with light sandpaper and treat with boiled linseed oil.”
Keep tools dry.
Wipe tools and metal objects with a clean, damp cloth. Dry thoroughly before storing indoors.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Store metal and cast iron tools in a super-dry place. Heat will not damage most metal, but humidity will encourage rust.
Store and display small items, such as doorknobs, keys, or hardware, in archival artifact boxes.

CAUTIONS

Do not display or store valuable tools outdoors.
For tools with metal parts and wooden handles, clean each part appropriately and choose a compromise in storage.