As you might guess, it is important to read the label of any cleaning solution you intend to use on your piece of antique jewelry. It is important to make sure the cleaning solution doesn’t contain ammonia, vinegar, or any other acids or alcohols. These chemicals might harm the finish of your antique jewelry. They could also damage any stones or materials used to mount the stones. But it’s not just chemicals you have to watch out for.

Although the old standby of good old soap and water might be good for some cleaning situations, it isn’t the best choice for cleaning your piece of antique jewelry. Soaps can leave a residue on your jewelry, making the metal look flat and the stones look dull. Aside from that, the water might dissolve mounting materials such as glue and run the risk of losing the gems from your piece.

If the primary problem is dust, you can simply use a very soft toothbrush to clean your piece of antique jewelry. Use the softest toothbrush you can find, and of course make sure there is no toothpaste residue left on the bristles. A brand new toothbrush, set aside for cleaning your older pieces of jewelry, might be the safest bet.

A very important step in cleaning any piece of antique jewelry is ensuring it is thoroughly dried when you’re finished with it. Keep moisture and dampness away from stored jewelry also, since dampness is a culprit who encourages verdigris, rust, pitting of plated metals, and other damaging conditions.

So there you have a quick rundown on the care and cleaning of your antique jewelry. Of course, if you’re still a little gun shy about damaging a piece from cleaning, you could always take it to a professional jeweler to have it cleaned. Remember it is important that you don’t do anything to modify a piece of antique jewelry, since doing so could drastically decrease its value as a collectible.

An antique book collection can be a treasure of a lifetime and is usually the owner’s pride and prized possession. Therefore, you need to take a lot of care of your antique books. The more the rarity and value of the book, the more you will be inspired to take care and preserve the same. Similarly, the fact that many of these books are available in single copies and cannot be obtained again, makes it a must for you to take good care of your antique books.

When handling an antique book or even a collection, a few basics need to be adhered to, which otherwise we tend to take lightly. Making notes and having food and drinks along with the book must be avoided at all costs. Shelving the book in the right manner certainly increases its life. Books must be shelved in a standing upright position and they should have enough space on top to avoid hitting the top shelf, which could damage the binding of the books.

The main causes of damage are heat and moisture, as sunlight can dry out the pages and cause them to crumble. Likewise excess moisture can cause mildew which will eventually damage the prized possession. Covering the books with Mylar, an acid free plastic, will keep the oil on your fingertips from creating smudges on the cover. Do not use plastic covers or bags of poor quality to store your books in. The plastic could stick to the outer cover of the book, and cause damage to it.

Do not fold the corners of the pages, while reading the books. Instead, make use of bookmarks to mark your place in the book. Care should be taken not to leave any pen or clips in the books as this tends to damage the spine of the books. If the pages are yellowing, there is nothing that can be done to reverse the process; keeping it in an airtight container can be the only remedy to arrest the yellowing of pages.