Do you care about your family history? This article is for you.
Inheriting a collection of photos, papers, books, and letters following the passing of a relative can pose both sentimental and logistical challenges. The question arises: What to do with inherited collections that may seem overwhelming due to space constraints, lack of personal interest, or inexperience in managing collections? At Fine Art Conservation Laboratories, we understand the delicate nature of such situations and offer solutions for preserving and valuing these cherished legacies, keeping the desert landscape of Las Vegas in mind.
This woman marvels at the beautiful archive now in her possession. The question remains: What to do with inherited collections?
An inherited collection often forms an archive, a unique assortment of documents, photos, and three-dimensional objects, such as artworks, digital files, and manuscripts selected to preserve the essence of a person’s life. Our team specializes in the careful assessment of these diverse items, recognizing their collective power in narrating a captivating life history. Here are some tips for taking care of collections that you can do at home:
- Take Stock and Document: Start by carefully examining and documenting each piece in your newly inherited collection. Note any wear, tear, or damage, creating a simple list or using your smartphone to take pictures. This initial step helps you understand what needs attention.
- Find a Safe Storage Spot: Look for a cool, dry storage space at home, like a closet or under a bed. Shield the collection from extreme temperatures and moisture, using airtight containers or plastic sleeves for added protection. This storage approach can go a long way in preserving your items.
- Storytelling Preservation: Preserve the stories behind each item by writing them down or recording family anecdotes. This adds a personal touch to your collection, enhancing its value without any cost. Consider creating a simple digital document or a handwritten journal to capture these narratives.
- Regular Checks and Tender Loving Care: Schedule regular checks on your collection, ensuring it remains in good condition. Simple actions like dusting, adjusting storage conditions, and handling items with clean hands can contribute to their longevity. Consistent, gentle care is key, even if professional conservation is not immediately feasible.
Remember, even on a budget, there are practical steps you can take to care for your inherited collection, ensuring it remains a cherished part of your family’s history.
One interesting new way that people are preserving their family history is through genealogy sites. By photographing cherished heirlooms, digitizing important historical documents, and uploading them to genealogy websites, people have connected with long-lost relatives, shared family stories more easily via the internet, and improved their own family’s interest in family history. We can advise what to do with inherited collections in terms of preservation, restoration, and storage.
Although dry conditions are ideal for archival storage, the desert heat, dust, and pests are something to consider when handling collections. As you navigate the task of sorting through the archive, we emphasize the importance of maintaining the collection’s integrity, ensuring it tells a coherent and valuable story. While some may lament the decline of letter writing, we appreciate the intrinsic value of authentic signatures and the stories they tell. Recent auctions have demonstrated a growing market for entire archives, underscoring the enduring allure of tangible, historical artifacts.
Documents and books within the inherited collection hold particular significance. If they align with the individual’s work or training, they contribute to the archive’s richness. We encourage clients to preserve the archive as a cohesive unit, whether they choose to keep, sell, or donate it. By keeping records together, the unique perspective of one person’s life events is preserved, adding depth and authenticity to the entire collection.
Another significant part of any collection is artwork, such as paintings. It conveys the collector’s interests and even perspective of the world. Their value isn’t only sentimental; much artwork, especially if it’s old, has significant monetary value. It is important to consult an art conservation professional to ensure the proper storage and restoration treatments that each piece needs. Provenance, the history of ownership, plays a pivotal role in retaining the archive’s value, be it evidential or monetary. Our decades of experience in painting conservation have left many families with beautifully restored artworks that can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Heirloom portraits, such as this one of George Washington, can be quite valuable.
As you grapple with the identity embedded in the archive, we encourage thoughtful consideration of its entirety before deciding what to do with inherited collections. Rather than dissecting and selling individual components, or worse, discarding the archive, consider the option of donation. Fine Art Conservation Laboratories can guide you in preserving the structural and value-based integrity of the collection and even suggest potential donation avenues, including national archives, universities, community organizations, galleries, museums, and local institutions. Preserving your family member’s legacy becomes a meaningful endeavor, and our expertise ensures that the inherited collection remains a cohesive and valued representation of their life story.
Head Conservator, Scott M. Haskins analyzing the condition of the painting on the table
Are you also having trouble navigating an insurance claim that comes along with this inheritance? Fine Art Conservation Laboratories can help.
Fine Art Conservation Laboratories’ 45 years of expertise in preserving and restoring art offers invaluable help and practical knowledge for helping people through the insurance claim process for damaged collectibles and art pieces. Our experienced team understands the complexities of insurance claims related to art, heirlooms, and antiques, providing reports that are properly prepared with information that the insurance company never puts in doubt. Fine Art Conservation Laboratories charges flat fees for this work, not a percentage of the claim settlement, and our expertise is honored nationwide. Let us help make the art, heirloom, and collectible part of the insurance claim process as seamless as possible and preserve your peace of mind.
This blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com.
What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?
It’s a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. So, enjoy and trust our content!! This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution.
When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/
This website’s syndication included:
1) Included in the ExpertClick Press Room as a ‘press release.’ (different than a ‘news release’)
2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’
3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.
4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’
5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.
6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)
7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertClick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)
8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.
This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/
