Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions

From a fragile antique quilt to a child's macaroni artwork, this book offers expert advice on saving those priceless objects from entropy for the ""museum of you."" Williams, senior conservator at the Smithsonian Institute, shares his extensive knowledge on the art of preservation, offering at-home techniques for battling damage from light, humidity, rodents and other pests, like careless friends and family members. Divided into easily navigable chapters, the book offers step-by-step guidelines, lists of supplies needed and numerous rules for preserving everything from ""family treasures"" to ""really valuable stuff,"" with specifics on caring for objects including record players, political memorabilia, fine art, vintage clothing and more. Sidebars detail tips (e.g. how to turn the pages of a vintage book), bust myths (don't store silver in plastic wrap-it'll cause tarnish) and offer ""Smithsonian Stories,"" quirky anecdotes about the Institution's collection. Peppered with personal stories by Jaggar, an amateur collector, about her past maintenance mess-ups, the book is written in clear, concise language that explains these professional techniques to any reader looking to safeguard his loot.