Where and how you store your costume jewelry will depend to a great extend upon the amount of space, kind of space, and the ways in which you derive pleasure from your collection. Here are some facts, factors, and suggestions (all derived from many members of he Jewelcollect list), that may help you make a decision about storage/display and at the same time, help you avoid deterioration and damage.
Keep in mind that much of the current collectable costume jewelry was neither designed nor manufactured with the idea in mind of it becoming "vintage". It was, for the most part, meant as a temporary substitute for the real thing and probably has a place in the early beginnings of our so-called "disposable" mode of living. We are indeed fortunate that much of the early costume jewelry was designed and manufactured by people whose previous experience WAS in the fine jewelry industy, so that much of it was well-made, in similar ways to fine jewelry manufacture. We are also fortunate that there continues to be certain manufacturers and designers with a tradition of finely made costume jewelry.
Storage factors that will/may damage your precious costume jewelry:
1. Avoid storage in OAK as it apparently releases fumes which will damage costume jewelry (and other common storage items). Perhaps it therefore follows that some highly processed woods common in inexpensive furniture may also be releasing chemicals that would be harmful. A safe bet would be wood/paper containers/drawers used for storage of art. Metal and plastic would also seem to be fairly safe bets.
2. Avoid storage in CARDBOARD BOXES. This includes the cute little jewelry boxes that the jewelry arrives in. This paper has been treated with sulphur, which definitely contributes to faster tarnishing of gold/silver; so who knows what it is doing to costume jewelry finishes and glues. The exception to storing in cardboard is, of course, if the items have been sealed in plastic bags. It probably is not wise to wrap stored jewelry (in or out of the plastic bag) in tissue paper or kleenix as these are paper products and probably have been treated with undesirable chemicals.
3. Avoid storage in a DAMP ATMOSPHERE. It is widely believed that fluids and dampness definitely contribute to the deterioration of rhinestones and especially accelerate that deterioration of older rhinestone or rhinestones that are not made to top standards.If you want to know more about fluids and rhinestones, or about the cleaning & care of rhinestones, go to Sparkles website "Cleaning & Repair" section.
4. Avoid storage in a DUSTY ENVIRONMENT. Dust itself is abrasive, and when you clean that dust from the piece of jewelry, the surfaces are being slightly abraded.
5. Do not store ANYTHING with CELLULOID. Celluloid gives off fumes that will damage costume jewelry and also other plastics. It may be best if celluloid is stored unsealed so that the fumes are dissipated as they occurs.
6. If you hang necklaces (or other "strung" things) for your convenience in selecting and wearing, you may want to be sure that the "hook" is more like a fat peg than a thin metal rod in order to spread the stress on the bead cord. Rotating the item on the peg may be helpful, too.
Suitable containers for storage:
Metal map/artist drawers. Plastic boxes, Cloth of the softest kind, plastic bags, display units of mostly glass/plastic.
Some interesting ideas for display or accessibility:
Lining up bracelets on a bar - similar to a towel bar - one end must be detachable.
Displaying in picture frame boxes.
Pins and brooches pinned to pillows, drapes, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment