Saving Stuff

Yellowed pictures and childhood art projects fill boxes in the attic while, in the basement, prized albums (the vinyl variety) slowly warp with age. If only one had the knowledge of a museum conservator to stop the rot and preserve our collectibles for the long-haul.

Help is on the way.

Don Williams , senior conservator at the Smithsonian Institution, and co-author Louisa Jaggar was online Thursday, July 28, at Noon ET to discuss their book, "Saving Stuff," and easy methods of preserving heirlooms and collectibles at home.

A transcript follows.

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Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Hi. This is Don Williams, the saving expert from the Smithsonian, and Louisa Jaggar, the expert saver from the real world. We're here to answer as many of your questions as possible and if we don't get to you, we can promise you that almost everything you need is in our book Saving Stuff, available at booksellers everywhere for $16. Or at www.amazon.com. Read today's HOME section story in the Washington Post.

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Falls Church, Va.: I inherited a 1930's pillow made and mailed by my great-grandmother (crochet and sewn) just before their village fell victim to the pograms in Eastern Europe. It was stored for years in plastic, resulting in some damage. What is the best way to restore and store this item?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Dear Falls Church. We can't tell you how to restore it. Get in touch with Don's unit at the Smithsonian at webatscmre.si.edu. for referrals. If you want to store this, very carefully vacuum it through a fiberglass window screen. Wrap the pillow in tissue paper and place it in an acid free cardboard box. The other thing that is important - this is an object that will lose all this value once the story is lost. Please write the story down in India ink on rag paper and place it in an archival ziplock bag. This is part of your heritage - and the only way to pass it on is to make sure you write it down.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have 2 pieces of fabric that my grandmother embroidered on (very sentimental to me), but part of them are ripped. Who can help me restore these? I tried to sew it myself, but I just managed to pull more of the fabric threads apart. Also, there is a white pillow sham she embroidered and it has a rust stain on it. Is there anything I can do to try to remove the stain?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We are not able to give restoration advice which is what you are really asking for. A repair of a tear or removal of a rust stain, for that you need a specialist or textile conservator. Get a referral at webatscmre.si.edu or the American Institute for Conservation which is in D.C.

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Washington, D.C.: I have some plastic toys from when I was a baby (not hard plastic, but the kind where if you squeeze it, it has a mechanism inside that makes a horn sound). Unfortunately they were stored in the basement and smell musty, even though it doesn't appear that they have any mildew on them. What can I use to clean these to display in my new baby's room or so my baby can play with them?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Wash those with distilled water and cotton swabs and very gently test in a place that it isn't visible to make sure it doesn't damage it. For the smelly part, take charcoal briquets - the kind you would have to light with a blow torch as opposed to a Matchlite - put the charcoal in a cotton bag, wrap plastic objects in acid-free tissue paper and then place everything in a plastic tub, preferably Rubbermaid or Tupperware, seal it and wait. It might take up to six weeks - it will suck the pollutants out of the air.

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Takoma Park, Md.: Speaking of photos, what to do about photo albums with those plastic pages that lose their adhesion with age, and are probably damaging the photos they cover. A return to stick-on corners and fine paper inserts?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Good news. The photo album in question is deteriorating faster than the photos. So the photo album is irrelevant. Simply remount the photos in an acid-free archival photo album using stick on corners just like Grandma used to do. Make sure its acid-free- archival doesn't always mean acid-free. Identify the picture on the back in graphite pencil (regular #2s). Pencil won't leech through in the front.

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Short Hill, N.J.: I have about 25 letters written by a relative who was fighting on the side of the Union during the Civil War. They are folded, many in their original envelopes. I am curious about how best to go about caring for them.

Thank you.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: How great! The trick here is that the have been folded and there might be damage on the folds. If these are on rag paper, they are still in great shape. If not, it's a problem and you will see browning. They should be stored flat in its own sleeve - either glassine, Mylar or polyethylene. Store in the dark away from bugs and moisture. If you want to view them, make a copy of them so you can handle that and share it with the family.

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Orange, Va.: Congrats on the book. Do you have any advice on getting grown kids to take their keepsakes (junk) with them when they move.

Louisa, Did Courdary survive the flood?

Victoria

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: No. Corduroy got lost to a mad girlfriend.

Meanwhile, the only way to make sure to get kids to take their stuff is to tell them, its take it or the trash bin. But Louisa says, her bark has no bite so she hasn't thrown anything out yet, only threatened to.

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Falls Church, Va.: Hello, my grandmother handmade a beautiful quilt for our wedding 7 years ago. It is lovely, but I don't want it to get ruined by our young children or worn out by everyday use. What is the best way to store it and care for it? Thank you.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: If you have a guest bedroom, it is a great place to have it on display. Lay it flat so creases don't damage the fabric.

In the book, we give you a way to hang it on the wall where children can't get their hands on it. If you really want to preserve it, wrap it around an acid-free cardboard tube interlaced with acid-free paper and store properly.

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Wheaton, Md.: I have several WWII era vintage newspapers that I'd like to prevent from crumbling into dust. How can I preserve such acidic paper?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Ah life is sad. Newspapers should generally be stored fully open for preservation. Unfortunately, newspapers are on wood pulp paper and are at great risk generally. What works best is that they are put in acid free or Mylar folders the same size as the newspaper and stored flat in a dark cool place.

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Washington, D.C.: Can one live with foxing in prints or should it be removed at once?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Don says he can live with foxing but it is a sign of active deterioration.

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Central Virginia: I'd just like to say that having a bunch of "family" stuff is nice -- it's touching -- it's important -- it establishes a physical connection between the generations -- and it can be a real pain in the patootie. I am the current custodian of items from both my and my husband's families, and sometimes they're a dragging weight shackled around my neck. Yes, it's touching that I have the baby sweaters that my mother knitted fifty years ago -- but what can I do with them? Treasure them? Oh, I do. And they take up room. At least I can use Betty's iron skillets for cooking -- but I can't throw away Grandma's fragile, disintegrating hand sewn quilt, and I can't afford to have it framed in an argon atmosphere for preservation. (And where would I PUT a framed quilt??) Vases and dishes can be used, but what about the suit my mom got married in? Doesn't fit, can't be altered -- takes up space in the closet.

These things can be a really mixed blessing, folks. . .

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: This shows the importance of making a list of priorities. You can't save everything. It will drive you crazy. So choose the ten most important things to you. And save those. Then choose the next ten.

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RE: Textile conservation: There is a company in upper Northwest D.C., called Textile Conservation Services that is cleaning and mounting two small heirloom textiles for me. The Web site is Caring for Textiles. . I'm not affiliated with the company, just a customer. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Thanks. It is good to know that.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: I have a full set of Japanese dolls with porcelain faces, real hair, silk and brocade clothing. How should the set be stored?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Dear Chevy Chase. Clean them with distilled water on the porcelain. Very gently. Wrap in acid-free tissue and put in an acid-free box. All of these products are available locally at the Container Store. If you want to display them, put them in glass-front breakfronts or vitrines or curio cabinets out of the light.

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Washington, D.C.: How can I find out how much my Barbie are worth? Are there any ways to sell them other than e-bay?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We don't address Barbie or her friends.

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Autograph Collector: I collect autographs and I was wondering what was the best way to display them? Fluorescent lights and sunlight seem to fade them so to keep from damaging the autographs anymore, I keep them in dark places out of sight. I would like to be able to view and display my collection. Any ideas?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: You are doing the right thing. Cover them unless you are looking at them.

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Boston, Mass.: What's the best way to preserve posters that aren't framed?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Either put them in a giant acid-free folder or wrap around an acid-free tube.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: How safe is a hot attic for things like jewelry and gold coins?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Good question. It's not safe for costume jewelry, pearls, opals or turquoise. Or any costume jewelry in which the stone is glued rather than set in prongs. The gold coins are perfectly safe. Where exactly do you live?

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Fairfax, Va.: Where can you buy supplies like acid free cardboard boxes, India ink, rag paper and archival ziplock bags?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: India ink is sold at any art store. Rag paper is at any good stationery store such as Paper Source in Georgetown. Everything else is at the Container Store or online archival suppliers. We give an extensive list of resources in the back of our book.

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Arlington, Va.: Is it safe to keep everything of value in a safe deposit box?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Yes, but do wrap delicate items in acid-free tissue so they don't touch the metal. If you store coins in there, put them in flips available at any numismatic store.

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Maryland: Don't storage sites eventually become filled up with our past? Who decides what is worth preserving and what is really junk? How does the cost issue come into play for museums?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We personally decide what we want to keep in the Museum of Us. And it defines who we are. We are defined by what we save, to some extent. (Like having 800 cats.) Museums can't save everything because they don't have enough time, space and money for everything. The people who make those decisions are the people who work in the museums - they are influenced by what the public thinks is important like Judy Garland's slippers, Kermit the Frog and Archie Bunker's chair.

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Washington, D.C.: My 83 year-old mother has a ground level closet full of cans of home movie films taken in the 1960's. How should we begin to assess whether there are images left to preserve? Should we put all the reels in her large freezer? Assuming images are still good, what medium should they be transferred to, and how should that medium be preserved? What is the per reel cost of transferring old films to a new medium?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We don't know costs. But in terms of preserving them, they should go first into archival movie reel boxes. Then double bagged in zipper bags and then into the freezer. In terms of duplication, use the latest available technology, remembering that that technology will change in the future.

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Orange, Va.: Why do you suggest using Indian Ink over any regular ink?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: India ink doesn't fade.

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Herndon, Va.: Where do you purchase these acid free tubes/rolls and paper for the posters? Where do you purchase the mylar bags for newspapers?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We give a list in our book Saving Stuff. Some is at the Container Store. Google archival supplies.

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Mountain View, Calif.: What is the best way to store an oriental rug? I have rolled them around mothballs, but I wonder if I should attempt to encase them in plastic or do something else to prevent pests from getting at the fibers.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Make sure you never have moth balls directly in contact with the textile. The best approach Don suggests is to roll the carpet around an acid-free carpet tube and then interlace with acid-free tissue paper. You can put the moth balls inside the tube and wrap the whole thing in a clean sheet.

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San Salvador, El Salvador: I have been collecting postage stamps (mostly used) for many years. Some of them are showing signs of aging, such as yellowing and discoloring. Stamp hinges also stain the stamps and sometimes come off reducing the stamp}4hickness. Gum cracks and make the stamp stick to other stamps and to the album sheets. What can be done to reduce the effects of time and storage on these little pieces of paper? Thanks for your advice.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Check out the book Saving Stuff. You ask a lot of good questions and it's all in there but too long to go into here.

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Reston, Va.: What is the best way to repair a book's leather bindings where they have split or the leather has separated from the non-leather part of the binding?

Also, what is the best way to repair a small dent in a leather binding where the leather surface has split around the perimeter of the dent?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Take to a leather conservator. Contact a vintage book store or the American Institute for Conservation, located in D.C.

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Ernie: One of my most precious items is a 30 year old beat up Ernie doll. Short of the easy life on Sesame Street should I be doing something other then keeping him in my bedroom closet? Should I clean him? This is only about sentiment not actual value as he has had major reconstructive surgery over my childhood.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Louisa is smiling at your question. You want to vacuum him gently through a fiberglass window screen, available at the local hardware store. Make sure you seal the edges with duct tape. Place the screen on Ernie and then when you are done, wrap him in acid-free tissue, place in an acid-free box and don't forget to write the story of Ernie in your life down on good stationery with India ink and store it with Ernie.

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Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: This is a question from Jura. Is the giant Rubbermaid tub of Beanie Babies belonging to her son Nico safe? It is in her attic. The answer: Take them out of the attic if you can. If you really care about them, wrap each one in acid-free tissue (Jura says you must be kidding - there are 150 of the little creeps in there.) The Rubbermaid container keeps bugs and water out.

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Fullerton, Md.: We have alot of old 78's that are of sentimental value. The Victrola will play them but we don't really need to play them. What is the best way to store, not necessarily for display, the old records? Some are in the storage area of the Victrola laying flat, but I thought this might cause the lower ones to crack because of the weight of the upper records.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: First, you want to clean them with hypoallergenic face peel. You want to apply it and peel it off and that will make sure they are clean. After that, wipe them off with rubbing alcohol gently to remove any residue. Then the records should go into an acid-free glassine record sleeve available in places listed in Saving Stuff.

The records should be stored flat in a cool dry place.

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Washington, D.C.: If you have no choice but to store a lot of things in either the attic or basement, which is worse?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: The attic is worse. It's harder to stabilize the environment. Put it in the basement. Put a dehumidifier in there to draw the moisture and store everything on shelves in case of flooding. It's a great idea to put things in plastic containers.

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Falls Church, Va.: Outstanding article/topic for interactive discussion. I have a 1960's baseball signed by LA Dodgers and personalized to my dad. The ink autographs are fading badly, despite reasonably careful bedroom closet storage over the decades. I guess there is no way to restore the autographs? Also, recently acquired a lot of 40-60 year old personal items from sale of my folks longtime residence. Any common or weird old items come to your mind that are surprisingly valuable on the collectibles market? I'm thinking 1950's cocktail dresses, 1960's grocery store purchases, 1970's ski gear, etc, etc. Thanks.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Sorry there is no way to restore the autographs. Keep it in a acrylic vitrine and don't handle it and keep it out of the light. Vintage clothing is a big deal right now, says Louisa because Don isn't prone to wearing it. People are actively seeking old beautiful dresses, particularly Louisa.

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Washington, D.C.: I love to collect and display sterling silver decorative articles. What is best to use to polish these items without ruining them? I have a compote which when I bought it was already so black that I have not been able to get all the tarnish off. Most of my other items are in good condition and just need an occasional polishing. Thanks!

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Good question. Rule Number One. Avoid commercial polishes. The polishing should be done by first cleaning the surface with acetone/grain alcohol and swabs. Second, using a soft lint free flannel, polish the surface with a slurry (not Slurpie) of grain alcohol and whiting (not a fish, but pulverized limestone from the hardware store.)

When you are done, clean the surface with clean rags and alcohol. Then you are done. You can spray them with Krylon and that will keep them safe for tarnish for years - this is for display objects only. For food service items, wrap in silver cloth and never spray.

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Washington, D.C.: I just bought a few old (1948) copies of the New Yorker with stories I like in them - what is the best way to keep them? I currently have them in simple plastic sheeting in a dry place. Also, is it possible to somehow frame them, without any damage? Thanks so much!

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Good fine. Store individually in an acid-free or Mylar folder. Never let them get wet.

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Fairfax, Va.: I need to store a christening gown my two children, my sister and I all wore. My mother had it stored wrapped in blue tissue paper and in a cardboard box. She swears by blue tissue paper and claims that is what preserved the dress all these years.

Since it's held up for over 40 years, should I continue this practice? Also, I have a cedar chest - can I store it in there without a problem?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Excellent question. We are here to debunk a very important myth. Cedar chests are not so good. The oils in the cedar can get on the fabrics of your textiles and permanently stain them. If you want to keep your cedar chest, line it with acid-free cardboard. Also, blue tissue paper has no magical qualities. And it may do some damage. You need acid-free white tissue.

The most important thing - get out the creases. This is where you find damage in a fabric. Stuff it with polyester batting or acid-free tissue, laid as flat as possible. Wrap in acid-free tissue and put in an acid-free box. If you decide you must hang it, use a padded hanger.

Cover with a cloth - not plastic - clothing bag.

Now your great great great grandchildren will be able to enjoy that christening gown as well.

Well said. (Meanwhile, this is Jura - the title of their next book should be Acid-free Living or How to Live Without Oxygen.)

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Anonymous: I have always thought about being a conservator. I think it has something to do with the allure of being able to view and hold object art up close and personal. I have a fine art degree, but what is the proper educational path to this occupation? Or at least a class or two to see if this is my true calling?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Don't forget you wear gloves all the time! Don has a degree in fine arts, history and chemistry. Science is crucial and on the AIC Web site there is a downloadable brochure about a career in conservation.

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Mountain View, Calif.: I have a small (5 inch high) bluish-green glazed ceramic vase of Arabian origin that probably dates back hundreds of years. What can I do to preserve it? It's essentially clean although it probably has a high salt content, since it was buried in the desert. Thanks very much for any suggestions you might have!

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: How did you get this? Sounds fascinating. Rule Number One. Don't drop it. Rule Number Two. Dust it using a can of compressed air. Never put it near a pool or hot tub - the chlorine attacks everything. If you have salt crystal problems, take it to a professional conservator. To store, put in either a padded acid-free box. But you can display it behind glass. Attach to the table using earthquake gel since you happen to be in California. Keep it out of direct sunlight - the heat can cause thermal fractures to the surface.

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Maryland: What about conservation of digital images in electronic media? What is the greater concern, physical decay of media -floppy disks, CDs or obsolete storage formats?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Obsolete storage formats. Where can you find a place to play your eight-tracks anymore?

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi! Just a quick comment on preserving your vinyl. I have been a record collector/dealer for 15 years and have to inform you that the shrink wrap on an album may continue to shrink slightly; however, I have never seen it cause a distortion of a record or jacket. Furthermore the shrink wrap and earlier baggy wraps are an integral part of the record album itself. To remove it is like removing a dust jacket from a collectible book. It not only protects the jacket from ring/cover/shelf wear but can add considerable value to the record itself. Thank you for your time.

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Yes, the shrink wrap may be considered a valuable part of the record. But you may pay for it in the long run. But thanks for your expertise.

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Orange, Va.: The Post article mentioned you are going on a book tour. What is your schedule? Is it posted online somewhere?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Thanks for asking. You can go to our Web site www.savingstuff.com to find out where we will be. We hope to have something posted soon.

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Washington, D.C.: I have inherited a cane my great grandfather picked up (supposedly in Egypt) that is made from the vertebrae of some sort of animal interlayered with some sort of dark wood. It is beautiful but years of poor storage and humidity variation have made it dry and crack. Is there anything simple I can do to stop this?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Keep it in a stable environment. Changes in moisture, humidity and temperature are the biggest dangers.

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Manassas, Va.: I submitted this question before the discussion started. I know you can't include everything but I thought I'd ask again.

I have an old World War 1 booklet that advertises war bonds or stamps for warbonds. It's illustrated and written in a way that a child would read it. It's yellowing now and practically falls apart when you turn the pages. How can I keep this so it doesn't deteriorate further?

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: A fitted acid-free book box. Available at The Container Store and others. Duplicate it at Kinkod's on rag stationery so you can enjoy that while keeping the original safe.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi! I inherited a couple of beautiful wool Navajo blankets (rugs?) that have been in my family for at least 75 years now. My uncle was a reservation doctor in Gallup and oftentimes the Navajo would not have the ability to pay for his medical services, so they paid him in jewelry and rugs. I actually have a shoebox filled with all sorts of turquoise and coral squashblossom necklaces and other artifacts, all set in silver. Again, this is really old stuff.

Do you know of anyone who can help me care for these blankets? I don't know how to display them and have probably abused them by hanging them on nails on the wall. They're now simply rolled up and put away.

Also, the jewelry only has sentimental value since I can't see anyone in my family ever wearing these huge necklaces ~ they look like Medieval breastplates that the knights would wear while jousting...

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Really important. Never do anything to a textile that you would not do to grandma. Never put a nail in grandma. Never stuff her in a trunk or stick her with pins and needles. Never spill food on her. I do not know how fragile your rug is, but check out an expert at American Institute for Conservation in D.C. And check out Saving Stuff for more info.

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Anonymous: I have a rather large truck made from, what appears to be, tobacco cans and water hose for tires made for an uncle around 1940. This truck was found in a barn several years ago. How do I keep this toy from deteriorating and are there any places in the Baltimore area that does restoration? Thanks, Dwight

Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: Contact a local Baltimore museum for names of conservators. There is a train museum in Baltimore - they would know exactly who to contact.

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Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar: We have run out of time unfortunately. This was a lot fun. Good questions and interesting exchanges. Nobody had a weasel head purse though. Kansas is still in the lead for the spookiest object.

There are lots more interesting stories and tips in our book. We hope we can be with you again sometime.

Meanwhile keep up to date on our activities at www.savingstuff.com. Keep an acid-free lifestyle everyone.

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