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

"The most comprehensive book on preserving every type of collectible..." Don Williams, Senior Conservator of the Smithsonian Institution, has written a concise volume dealing with how to preserve everything from baseball cards to furniture. Easy to understand preservation practices. No hard to understand museum jargon. An excellent work for anyone who collects anything or the small museum.

If you're a collector or just a hoarder, this book will provide you with everything you need to know to both rescue and protect your treasures. From great-garandmother's crocheted popcorn stitch bedspread to that newspaper with the story of the Hindenburg disaster, learn how to treat them in the best possible way using commonplace tools and materials. Worth every penny!

Saving Stuff has excellent advice by the senior curator of the Smithsonian Institiute on how to care for collectables and heirlooms. It is written in a very readable, chatty way and can be used as reference without having to read the entire book but I'm glad I'm reading the whole thing, anyway. Often, he will tell you several ways of preserving an item, depending on how much effort or expense you wish to go to. I initially bought this for the genealogical collection for our local library but may buy myself a copy as well.

This will tell you what you need to know in order to preserve family items as well as how to decide which of those items are important enough to preserve....."importance" is in the eye of the person using this book. A great reference for sure, and tells you where to buy the speciality items needed to properly store and care for your"stuff". Love it. CSAWGEN

The Smithsonian name (author is senior conservator there) ensures you're getting top quality advice. The instructions are detailed and straight forward, making this a great reference book. The boxed sections give Smithsonian stories of rescuing artifacts and also "Don's Tips" to supplement the text. Browsing through this book, you'll find ways to take care of everything precious to you from your vintage comic books to Grandma's quilt to your tattered teddy bear. The chapter titles tell you a lot about the character of this book. *Your Treasures Want to Live in an Egyptian Tomb *Deciding What Stuff to Save, Give Away, or Toss *Preserving Your Photographs and Films *Archiving Toys for Young and Old *Saving the Stuff Only a Parent Could Love *Saving Your Family Treasures *Sorting and Preserving the Family Trash *Preserving Your Furniture *Preserving Your Sports and Political Memorabilia *Preserving Entertainment Memorabilia and Media *Preserving Magnetic Media (Audiotapes, etc.) *Saving Your Books, Comic Books, Newspapers *Preserving Your Coins and Stamps *Taking Care of Fine Art *Taking Care of Textiles *Perserving Musical Instruments