How to Keep Your Objets d'Art Looking Magnifique

Preservation, Conservation, Restoration: When To Turn to the Pros

If you have learned even a bit about caring for fine furniture, artwork and collectibles, you know that all preservation techniques are not created equal. Some actually can be detrimental to the history and resale value of a piece.

Fortunately, Washington area residents have a nearby resource, the Smithsonian's Lunder Conservation Center, to bombard with questions. The center, which occupies the third-floor mezzanine of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, has workrooms surrounded by glass where visitors can watch conservators in action, cleaning a painting or restoring folk art. The center's staff offers guidance, along with tips on what nonprofessionals can do to maintain their art and what is better left to the experts.

One of the most important things to understand in caring for any piece, be it a bronze sculpture, an oil painting or a wooden idol, is the distinction among preservation, conservation and restoration:

· Preservation is a way to control agents of deterioration, such as humidity, temperature, pests, light, dust and air pollution.

· Conservation is a more involved process that includes ethics and a scientific understanding of materials. "Conservation is accepting the condition that the artwork is in . . . and trying to stick to what the artists intended as much as possible," says Amber Kerr-Allison, the center's conservation paintings intern. Conservators study organic chemistry and art history and have had hands-on experience as an intern or apprentice. Some may have completed a graduate program in fine art conservation.

· Restoration is less about a piece's history and more about its aesthetics. It's about making an object "look new, polished up, everything looks fine like nothing has happened to the work" if it has been damaged, Kerr-Allison says. Restorers doesn't usually reference material science or an object's background to the degree a conservator does.

No matter whether you do some basic care yourself or hire someone, it's best to take care of any piece before deterioration sets in. "Damaged and deteriorated [objects] are never the same. It's very hard, if not impossible, to completely reverse damage," so respecting keepsakes, knowing how and where to set objects, is essential to preventing deterioration from fast-forwarding, says Catherine Maynor, the paper conservator at the Smithsonian center.

What you can do at home: Keep paper, paintings, textiles and plastic objects out of direct sunlight with filtering films or curtains to prevent fading and structural weakening. (Metals, stones, and generally glass and ceramics aren't light sensitive.) Also, lightly dust your objects with a soft brush, says Helen Ingalls, the center's object conservator. Dust absorbs water, Ingalls says, which can cause corrosion and attract insects that leave droppings on your objects. Moreover, beware of placing objects in attics, basements and bathrooms. These rooms are prone to drastic changes in humidity and temperature or are too hot or cold. Plus, basements are prone to flooding and damp conditions.

If you've already noticed signs of damage, such as corrosion, instability, surface damage and grime, conservators agree it's a good idea to consult a professional. "This is not a do-it-yourself type of endeavor, especially for any objects with monetary or sentimental value," says Hugh Shockey, an object conservator at the center.

Once you've determined what level of care you need, the key is finding a professional with credentials and experience. First, check whether he or she is a member of the Washington Conservation Guild or American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. (The AIC established the conservator's Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.) Both are good sources to start your hunt, Lunder programs coordinator Julie Heath says, though they don't guarantee a conservator's work. Also get a list of past clients and referrals from a conservator to double-check his or her professional history.

Once you've narrowed your list of conservators, he or she will want to see the piece on site to judge environmental conditions. The conservator will then write a treatment proposal and give you an estimate on how long the conservation will take and how much it will cost. Expect to spend between $75 and $120 per hour for the treatment, Ingalls says. "If they're charging you $30, they might not be that great" because they may rush through your piece. Beware that a conservator may turn down work or not be able to solve every problem, too. "Sometimes the best thing to do is to [just] stabilize and preserve the artwork until technology advances enough to safely address the problem," Kerr-Allison says. For example, conservators won't touch an accidental mark made after someone dragged a pencil along an unprimed canvas because technology hasn't advanced enough to safely address that issue.

While working on a piece, a conservator will document the project with a written report and photographs. This is for "protection from liability, an illustration for what we've done and a record for the next generation," Ingalls says.

Depending on the piece and how much it is damaged, seeking a conservator can run into real money, so your piece should be worth the investment. "Much of what you see at the Smithsonian was originally from personal collections," Kerr-Allison says, so it may pay if you feel "your personal treasures deserve as much attention as a van Gogh."