antique
tips...
TIP #1 - Antique furniture should never be
"polished" or cleaned with commercial cleaning products or
polishes. Instead, use a soft cloth sprayed with some glass cleaner.
TIP #2 - To remove stains from stoneware dishes, soak them for 24 hours or more in one gallon of hot water in which two denture cleaner tablets have been dissolved.
TIP #3 - Never use furniture oil such
as lemon oil on antique furniture. Just wipe it with a damp cloth or use
only clear paste wax (Minwax or beeswax) to keep the wood in good
condition.
TIP #4 - To prevent
mildew damage to old photographs and art work hung on damp or outside
walls, tape or glue a sheet of plastic to the back to create a vapor
barrier.
TIP #5 -
Use only
white glue to adhere broken pieces of porcelain, stoneware, or pottery
together. After applying glue, press pieces together and shift slightly
for a tight fit. Wipe off excess glue from both sides with a damp cloth
and let dry. Use masking tape to hold pieces snuggly while drying if
necessary.
TIP #6 - To
remove minor water marks on furniture, use a mixture of Vaseline and
ashes. Sift 2 tablespoons of fine wood ashes with a dab of Vaseline or
cooking oil to form a paste. Using a circular motion, work the paste
into the surface with a soft cloth until the white ring
vanishes.
TIP #7 - Never
use rust-remover on china as it can remove the glaze or protective
coating of the china. Also, calcium, lime or rust-remover products
should not be used on gold or platinum-banded crystal because these
items can stain or permanently change the color of the metal-banding.
TIP #8 - Wear
cotton gloves as much as possible when handling your silver. This will
prevent the oils and acids from your hands from ending up on the object.
Cotton gloves are very inexpensive, and can be purchased at photography
supply stores and some drug stores.
TIP #9 -
Burn marks can be taken out of furniture with fine steel wool, a razor
blade, a scalpel or craft knife. The shallow hole that results may be
filled by artists' oil colors, mixed with linseed oil, or if a glossy
finish is desired, with varnish, or mixed with turpentine, it will be
matt. A filler can also be made from colored beeswax, from powder stain
mixed with a medium such as epoxy resin, or shellac mixed with powder
pigment.
TIP #10 -
Jade,
ivory, horn, and marble should be lightly dusted with a soft brush or
dry, soft cloth. Keep these objects out of direct sunlight, since they
may dry out and become brittle. Always handle these objects with care
when moving them.
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If
you’re like many collectors today, you’ve already discovered the
Internet, specifically eBay, for buying and perhaps selling antiques and
collectibles–for good or bad.
