Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Care for Antiques, Collectibles, and Other TreasuresWhat common baking ingredient can conceal white rings on furniture? (Crushed pecans.) How do you detect a repair in a pottery vase you want to buy? (Look at it under a black light.) What's the best way to remove water damage from your great-grandfather's Bible? (Put it in your freezer.) Answers to these questions and many more are included in this convenient handbook by long-time antiques expert Dr. Georgia Kemp Caraway. Organized alphabetically, Tips, Tools, and Techniques is easy to consult about the cleaning and maintenance of common antique and collectible objects, including metal advertising signs, glassware, clothing, and jewelry. Addenda provide information such as how to get a good deal at auction, the dates of Chinese dynasties, and U.S. patent numbers. An especially handy pronunciation guide helps the monolingual among us speak with confidence about the provenance of Gallé ware and Schlegelmilch porcelain. Compact yet authoritative, this handbook will appeal to both dealers and buyers, as well as everyone with something from Grandma in the attic. "I use this guide in my work to locate otherwise hard-to-find tips for cleaning and restoring items I find in household sales to increase the value of the items."--John Bennett, of John Bennett Estate Appraisals "The tips provided in this book are practical, the directions are easy to follow, and best of all, they work."--Brett A. Jones, manager of the Antique Gallery |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 4 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 15 | |
| 19 | |
Paper Collectibles | 94 |
Pewter | 97 |
Photography | 100 |
Plastics | 102 |
Postage Stamps | 106 |
Pottery | 107 |
Quilts | 109 |
Rugs | 113 |
Buttons | 20 |
Cast Iron | 27 |
Cedar Aroma Renewal | 29 |
China | 30 |
Christmas Ornaments | 34 |
Chrome | 35 |
Coins | 36 |
Colorfast Fabrics | 38 |
Copper | 39 |
Dolls | 42 |
Doorstops | 45 |
Enamel | 46 |
Fabrics and Textiles | 47 |
Obtaining a Vintage Look on Fabrics | 53 |
Framing | 55 |
Furniture | 57 |
Glassware | 64 |
How to Choose | 71 |
Ivory or Bone | 73 |
Jewelry | 74 |
Label Removal | 79 |
Lace | 81 |
Lacquered Items | 83 |
Leather | 84 |
How to Use | 87 |
Marble | 89 |
Identifying with a Magnet | 91 |
Mildew Cleaner | 92 |
Mirrors | 93 |
Hooked Rugs | 114 |
Rust | 115 |
Silver | 116 |
Steel | 121 |
Upholstery Rug and Carpet Cleaning | 122 |
Vintage Clothing and Textiles | 124 |
Wicker | 127 |
Appendices | 129 |
B Conducting a Successful Garage Sale | 131 |
C Smart Shopping at Garage Sales | 133 |
D Haggling at a Flea Market | 134 |
E Dates to Remember | 136 |
Centuries | 139 |
Chinese Dynasties and Emperors | 140 |
Japanese Periods | 141 |
Made in Japan | 142 |
Postal Rate Changes | 143 |
Telephone Numbers | 145 |
The Internet | 146 |
United States Invention Patents | 147 |
United States Design Patents | 149 |
F Roman Numeral Interpreter | 152 |
G Insurance and Estate Protection | 154 |
H Reproductions | 156 |
I Pronunciation Key | 157 |
J Finding an Accredited Appraiser | 165 |
| 166 | |
Common terms and phrases
acid acid-free acid-free paper additional oz ammonia Antiques Roadshow apply appraiser Bakelite baking soda bleach bottle brass buttons cast iron CAST IRON COOKWARE china clean cleaner coins cold water color copper costume jewelry cotton Country Living Magazine damage detergent dirt doll dry item enamel fabric fibers furniture gently glass glue Goo Gone hairspray handling hard-paste porcelain hydrogen peroxide item and seal jewelry lace lacquer leather linens liquid materials metal mild detergent mild soap moisture mold NONTOXIC FORMULA Number Year Number paint paper collectibles paste wax pewter piece plastic POSTAL pottery Q-Tip quilt remove repaired Rinse and dry Roman Numeral rust salt scratch seal with paste shelves silver polish soap and water soft brush soft cloth solution sponge spots stains stamps steel wool 0000 stopper sure surface tablespoons tape tarnish teaspoons textiles TIPS towel vinegar vintage warm water Wash white vinegar wipe wood wrap zip codes