Not all hold the obsession for collecting antiques; and from all those who collect antiques, not all know how to keep them well. Collecting antiques is one thing and keeping them well is another. As an antiquarian, you must know how to care about your precious pieces. When it comes to antique paintings, it becomes crucial to preserve them carefully. So, how exactly do you preserve your antique paintings for a long?
1 – Frames are great
Frames do a lot more good to paintings than to people. But when it comes to painting, not all paintings are framed in the same way. Depending upon the type of painting – be it oil, acrylic, water, etc. – the way of framing them differs. For example, deep frames provide excellence to oil paintings. It is best to take your painting to an expert for a better understanding.
If you are buying antique paintings from sites like Shopify, keep ample knowledge about antiques beforehand.
2 – Store them the right way
Although frames provide strength and protection to paintings, they alone cannot ensure their lifespan. For a longer life, paintings must be kept in an environment that supports their condition.
The first thing is to keep your paintings away from humidity. A room with open circulation ensures that no humidity gets built up inside the room. Humidity can mess up with everything including frames, painting, canvas, etc.
The second thing is to keep it away from any heat source. Heat can make the painting change its shape. You would not want this. Furthermore, it can make the acrylic in the acrylic painting melt. So, always make sure that your painting is away from any heat sources like radiators, fireplaces, etc.
When it comes to storing them inside a box, don’t stack them over each other. Also, make sure that any material doesn’t get brushed up against the surface. This can create scratch marks or even rub the paint off.
3 – Consider climate-controlled storage units
If you are planning to store your precious antique pieces, think about climate-controlled storage units. These units help you set the required temperature conditions thus promoting the quality of your paintings. A moderate temperature and humidity are best for paintings. Generally, a 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit temperature and a 45-55% humidity level are considered best for the paintings.
These are all the basic things that you must keep in mind while storing antique paintings. But storing is always the second part, the first part is to procure the antique paintings in the right way. Here are a few tips to help you with how to get antique paintings:
- Make sure that the paintings are at least 100 years old. If you do not know how to tell a faux piece from a real antique, try taking the help of an expert.
- Look for stores or websites that specially deal in antiques. This can help you narrow down your search while ensuring quality.
- Learn a bit about paintings. It will help you buy the right thing rather than wander in confusion.
- Mind the condition of the antique paintings. These paintings have suffered the test of time. Due to the same reason, you might find some paintings to be in terrible condition.
Now, once you have bought that precious painting that once saw the brush strokes of a genius, it is time to take care of it the right way.