Damage to your artwork and collectibles by Bug and Rodents in Storage By Kelly Rose Almeida, Art Conservation Intern

They are everywhere, and love an environment where they can prosper. You may not be able to avoid them, but you can create an environment that helps keep them away. Many LOVE to eat your canvas and important the labels off of frames, they also love damp areas with lots of dust. Well, if you keep your storage room spick and span, these little guys will run away and find your neighbors house to settle in instead. Poisonous bait and other insecticides can be used, but don’t let them be in contact with the artwork. Remember that insect or rodent bait doesn’t last forever… you will need to replenish or replace the bait every so often. Also, make sure they are out of reach of kids and pets!!! Protect yourself  and be prepared in public storage units (even though they say they spray!)… you never know what your neighbor is storing that may be a neon welcome light to invaders.

Canvas is fabric, simple as that. Therefore, these lovely animals love to burrow into your untreated canvas for lunch and dinner, and always come back for dessert. Create an environment to prevent these critters from making your Renoir their home.

For more practical useable, real world suggestions about problems with artwork, paintings, heirlooms etc in storage, see http://tipsforfineartcollectors.org/cleaning/fighting-storage-damage-to-your-artwork-and-collectibles/

Art conservation questions? Call Fine Art Conservation Laboratories, Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438 or faclartdoc@gmail.com

Art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate at 805 895 5121 or jrholgate@yahoo.com

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Save Collectibles from Smoke Damage - Discover 5 Valuable Tips

I am a fine art conservator which is basically someone who specializes inpainting restoration. At present I am in Utah doing some work for the LDS Church on some very important murals, helping the International Pioneer Museum which belongs to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers with some follow up from the moth before and meeting private art collectors. I’m also consulted and considered an expert on saving collections and treasured memorabilia from disasters because of my book, How To Save Your Stuff From A Disaster. 


Here are 5 proven tips for getting help with your smoke damaged artwork, collectibles, memorabilia, antiques and heirlooms with valuable info on dealing with insurance claims. Click on this link to go to Save Your Stuff Blog: http://saveyourstuffblog.com/smoke-damage/smoke-damage-–-discover-5-valuable-tips-save-collectibles/

This painting was thought to be destroyed but cleaning brought it back to original pre-fire condition. Talk to us before you throw artwork away!

Fine Art Conservation Lab 805 564 3438

See a short video tour of our lab:

http://www.fineartconservationlab.com

Collectibles, artwork, memorabilia, heirlooms: Don't protect and care for them?!!!

Collectibles, memorabilia, heirlooms, scrapbooks, antiques, family history should not be protected?!!! One of my readers wrote me, "Don’t try to protect or save collectibles from an earthquake!"  Whhaaaaaaat? Here's how I answered him: http://freeearthquakeinfo.org/earthquake-proofing/don’t-prepare-to-protect-or-save-collectibles-from-an-earthquake/

Art conservation questions? Call Scott Haskins 805 564 3438

Art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate 805 895 5121

Can Collectibles Survive Until They Become Heirlooms?

 I have a client who specializes in selling things on E-Bay. What a fun personality she is! And what experiences she has with all the people she meets. She's my guest blogger for this posting: meet Michele.

As a long time eBay consignment seller and trading assistant, I’ve had a lot of collectibles pass through my hands. I’ve also been invited into many homes to review and value collections of items for owners seeking to sell at profit or who are seeking to immediately liquidate items for needed cash on the spot. I’m often shown many collectibles and keepsakes, just for “show”, but I’m told they’re too dear to the family and not for sale.

Time and again I’m struck by how little people do to protect these collectibles and heirlooms that they insist they could never part with for any amount of money. Surely then, they’re worth a very small amount of money to protect and preserve them against the damages of water, earthquakes and being mishandled? Certainly also, collectible objects should be anchored to protect against breakage from being inadvertently bumped or, heaven forbid, shaken from their shelves and wall mounts and such in the event of an earthquake or other disaster.

There are such simple steps anyone can take to preserve their precious keepsakes and collectibles. When I mention things to the people I meet like anchoring shelves to walls, or anchoring collectibles down to shelves or using archival plastic bags for photo albums and so on, I’m often given what my mom used to call the $10 stare. Lately I’ve been mentioning Scott’s book, How to Save Your Stuff from a Disaster…, to the people I’ve been meeting with. If people aren’t prompted by my advice to them, maybe they’ll at least buy a book and take action after they see what I’ve said to them reinforced in print.

Btw, here's a quick video to illustrate just how easy it can be to protect and save paper items: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A_7h4yTskE