Researching Antiques and Collectibles: Care and Conservation

Nearly everybody has a small art object in the attic, or a piece of unusual porcelain in a cabinet, or perhaps a very old table or chair -- but has no clear idea of the item's value. It might have no value at all -- or it might be worth thousands! How do you begin to find out? This handsomely illustrated large-format volume is a good place to start the investigation. It offers advice on how to identify the key characteristics, shapes, and forms by style from every historical period. Author and antiques expert Paul Davidson discusses objects of every kind: architecture, room interiors, furniture, cabinets, pottery, glassware, metalware, porcelain figurines and vases, clocks, cutlery, dolls, and much more. He educates his readers in -- The art of dating antiques ... -- The ability to identify styles by name, time, and place of manufacture ... -- An understanding of how styles are born, evolve, and are adapted to many different media, from architecture to silverware, ceramics, and textiles ... -- What to look out for when buying a piece, establishing whether or not it has been repaired, and knowing whether or not repairs matter.

One way to turn a profit when buying and selling antiques is to purchase a damaged piece, then repair and restore it. But it can be difficult to assess what you should and should not do to get the highest possible return on your collectible. Miller's, the antiques authority, provides invaluable guidance, with this heavily illustrated guide filled with step-by-step sequences and artwork. It clearly explains what an amateur can safely undertake...and when to call in the professionals. Each section, from furniture to ceramics to musical boxes, explains the materials and their common problems, together with causes and prevention. There's advice on siting, display, care, cleaning, handling, and transportation. You'll find categories that similar books often ignore, so whether you're into arms and armor or teddy bears, Miller's has you covered.

Step by step, readers will learn how to store and handle art properly, photograph art, insure and secure art, set up proper environmental controls, mat and frame safely, and utilize manual and computer systems for record keeping. This third edition also features all-new information on technological advances, materials, methods, and art forms, plus interviews with leading experts.

This fully illustrated step-by-step guide gives a clear account of all aspects of the repair of objects from the simplest everyday plate to a complex porcelain figurine. It is written not only for those who may need good practical and technical information to enable them to restore their own pieces, but also as an invaluable handbook for students and for those working professionally. Along with detailed methods and advice on materials and techniques, the authors discuss the question of conservation and restoration and whether and to what extent valuable items should be restored. Sections range from how to recognize the different types of ceramic body and assess the appropriate technique for their repair, to using fillers to restore and remold missing fragments, and finishing, painting, and gilding. (6 x 9, 112 pages, color photos, b&w photos, diagrams, charts)