English: A Porcelain Doll. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How Might Porcelain Break?

As mentioned above, there are a number of ways in which a porcelain masterpiece might be reduced to a pile of seemingly worthless and hopeless rubble. Many of these can happen in an instant in which you least expect it. This might happen while you are washing a porcelain dish by hand; many dishes have been known to be reduced to shards from the unhappy combination of dish soap and water. Other works of art, like porcelain dolls, have been split in two or more pieces by the natural folly and play of children. Children do not have the stability and ease of muscle control that we experience as adults, which makes sense since they have not been using them for as long as we have been using ours. Wobbly legs are unreliable legs, and if they happen to be carrying a doll made of porcelain when they go down, the doll may not survive the fall.

However, even though the most common and drastic form of damage done to porcelain happens as a result of sudden shock to the piece (whether it is caused by a human or natural causes), porcelain can also accrue damage done to it over a period of time, whether it be days, months, or even years of being improperly cared for.

How Can I Restore Porcelain after It has Been Damaged?

Damaged porcelain is nearly impossible to fix on your own, as any fearful child with a fear of Mom and a bottle of glue can tell you. It takes patience and knowledge about all types of porcelain, as well as the proper expertise and materials. It is almost always better to turn to a professional if you want your porcelain repaired correctly. Chances are, no matter how badly it is damaged, a proper porcelain restoration company will be able to help bring your plates, bowls, or teacups back to their original and beautiful state.

How is Porcelain Professionally Restored?

Porcelain restoration can be done in one of two ways: visibly and invisibly. Obviously, the latter is the preferable in many situations, especially if the piece you need restored is a national treasure and part of an important museum exhibit, but visible restoration also has its place, especially if the person having the piece restored is unable to pay for a more careful job.

Visible porcelain restoration can be either temporary or permanent. The first is useful in situations where you need to keep all of the pieces together and maintain the structural integrity of it until you can afford a permanent reconstruction. Permanent visible restoration is a choice when you don’t mind if it is possible to see where the fault lines in the piece are (maybe if the story of how it broke is a good one!), or if you are unable to afford the pricier invisible porcelain restoration. Invisible porcelain restoration is a process similar to the visible process, with a couple of extra steps added in.

It’s important to carefully consider your choices if you are planning to have your porcelain restored. Not all porcelain restoration companies are the same, and even if the one you choose has a lot of experience, it may not be with the type material you bring to them. Make sure to do your homework before you trust your family heirlooms to any company.

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A set of Lladró figurines (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Collecting and Restoring Lladro Porcelain

The origin of Lladro figurines date back to 1953 in Spain where three brothers worked on three basic elements such as earth, fire and color, which, coupled with their unique imagination and refined artistic tastes, presented the world with such amazing decorative pieces. They brought about great changes gradually in their methods of working, which finally resulted in a crystalline finish of the figurines that is unique to Lladro products found today.

All Lladro figurines are hand sculpted, painted and glazed to perfection. Although the figurines are made of hard-paste porcelain, they still need great care when handling as they are very dainty and fragile. If cracks do appear or they break completely, repair and restoration work would be needed to fix the broken Lladro.

The Essential Elements of Lladro Figurines Restoration

The first point to note is that it is essential to keep these porcelain figurines protected from all environmental harm and other damages. Dusting and cleaning them regularly with a mild soap and luke warm water is necessary. They should be wiped dry with a soft material in order to retain their shine and brightness.

Lladro figurines should be kept in a safe place out of reach of children. Display shelves and china cabinets are the best options in which to exhibit them. Harsh chemicals should never be used on them as they are harmful and may tarnish the surface of the figurine. As they are extremely delicate, careful handling must be adhered to at all times. Even though repair and restoration can take place it’s very important to protect and look after these figurines on a daily basis.

Lladro Restoration: The Process

There are a few unique methods of repairing and fixing broken Lladro pieces leaving the figurines as close to their original state as possible.  These methods include:

Invisible Lladro Restoration:

This type of repair job leaves the figurine perfectly retouched and  invisible to the naked eye. A restoration expert  glues and bonds  the broken parts together using a variety of adhesives, after which he or she matches the color and pattern/design of the figurine, replicates it using a paint brush and an airbrush, and finally glazes the surface of the figurine. It is always advised to seek professional services when undertaking such a repair job as it’s a very skilled and expensive task.

Re-bonding:

Re-bonding, also known as partial-restoration, is the least expensive method of professional restoration. Re-bonding involves the re-assembly of remaining pieces with no additional color restoration or design required for invisible repair.

Oriental Repair:

With this type of fixing, filled portions are refreshed with either a leaf of gold or viscous lacquer. Other decorative areas are not retouched.

Museum Repair:

The pieces are repaired and filled up first and then the colors are matched to the base or color of the body.

Note that of all the methods listed above, only the Invisible Lladro Restoration method reveals no traces of the repair. It is the most time consuming (three to four weeks) and most expensive method.

There are numerous Lladro figurines to be found in antique road shows, galleries, craft museums, private collections, the Web, etc., among them are valuable limited editions figurines that are worth quite a bit of money. Handling them with care will prevent much damage to these exclusive pieces and keep their value intact.

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The Mug

pottery drinking vessel – Jeiran tepe, Ozbaki, Nazar Abad, 2nd mil BC. National Museum of Iran. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The mug isn’t necessarily a pretty thing which is intended to impress guests with a fine display; instead it is intended to do a simple and practical job. Tea and coffee in particular are found in mugs and they provide the drinker with a plentiful supply of refreshing and invigorating beverage. Mugs can make great gifts as you can personalise them and make them fun and very practical. Whether at home, work, in a coffee shop or a greasy café you should find that there is always a mug never too far away.

Espresso

Caffeine is a drug and as such it has a direct effect on the human body and in the case of caffeine, the effect is it wakes us up. Espresso has a particularly high caffeine content so drinking it in the same quantities as you would tea or normal coffee is not usually a good idea. Instead, espresso is drunk from smaller cups that hold just the right amount of delicious roasted rocket fuel that you need. If you are getting a little tired and need a boost, an espresso cup will hold the perfect tonic to making you feel awake again.

The Beer Glass

When the weekend comes much of the population look forward to going to their favourite drinking establishments and beer is often the tipple of choice. Beer is often consumed in large quantities meaning that it is often served by the pint in pint glasses that are perfect for the job. Beer glasses are often quite plain but aesthetics are not always high on the consumer’s list of priorities. Some however are more elegant and designed with more moderate drinkers in mind. Others though hold more than just a pint and also take into account the fact that some nations like their beer to come with a large frothy head.

The Wine Glass

Not only is wine considered a more sophisticated drink than beer, it is also has a greater alcohol content so consuming it in the same quantities is not a good idea. Wine is often drunk in fine restaurants where appearance is important and personalised mugs and beer glasses give way to elegant wine glasses that hold your wine of choice with which to wash down your fine meal. If you are planning on impressing guests, glass may not be up to the job and crystal is used instead. When enjoying a bottle or two at home however, aesthetics are less important and larger glasses are used so the drinker doesn’t have to full their glass so often.

There are countless different vessels that you can drink from. Some of them are practical whilst others are designed for aesthetic or novelty purposes. If you are at home then you may care little about which one you use but when in the presence of other people you may be expected to get it right. Although there may be many different types of glasses, mugs and cups to choose from we often only use a select few which helps to make it easier to use the right one.

Sam Mulder is a writer who is amazed at the many different styles and sizes of drink-ware which are available to suit different purposes. He suggests that if you are looking for a perfect gift for work colleagues or friends, you should consider personalised mugs as they always make a great gift idea.

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The post Drinking Vessels Come In All Shapes And Sizes appeared first on Luel Restoration Studio.

Ceramic Repair Pots (Photo credit: oatsy40)

The first step is to thoroughly examine the damaged object to identify the what’s known as porcelain/ceramic body and decide how to approach the restoration process.  If the damaged item has been previously restored, it may have glue residue or metal rivets still in place, the joints might be improperly aligned , or the restored parts may be either over-painted or over-glazed.  So it is difficult to create a restoration map until all the previously restored parts have been cleaned.

When examining a broken ceramic object before repair,  it is imperative that you have good lighting. You should also invest in a magnifying glass.  At this stage of the process you’ll be looking for hairline cracks, chips, scrapes, and other damage that may not be clearly seen.  Often the item is dirty and covered with glue or other adhesive material, which makes it difficult to see the damage.

How to Identify the Ceramic Body

“Ceramics” is a very general definition for all objects created from fired clay. Clays are composed of many various compounds. There are two kinds of clays: Primary clays and secondary clays.

Primary clays are formed when feldspar, a mineral found in the crust of the earth, decomposes, and hasn’t been affected by weathering.  The purest form of primary clay is called kaolin. It is also known as “china clay” and is one of the most important ingredient in making porcelain.  Secondary clays are those that have been affected by the elements (wind, water, etc.) and due to that have gathered a host of impurities.  The properties of the clay can be modified by adding various components during the firing process.  There are three different ceramic bodies that result from different ways of combining the above-mentioned components:

Porcelain, Earthenware, and Stoneware.  For our purposes, however, let’s refer to a ceramic body as either “porous” or “non-porous.” The density of the porosity of the item will determine what type of cleaning solution will be applied and what type of glue or adhesive be used for bonding.

It’s not always easy to identify the body of the damaged item.  But its weight and thickness is a good indicator. Soft-paste porcelain, for example, is lighter than hard-paste porcelain. It is also less dense. Examining the edge of a broken piece will help you see the porosity of the item before beginning the first stage of ceramic repair. Earthenware need to be glazed in order to make them resistance to water and other liquids.  They’re also much more vulnerable to damage. The most easily recognized earthenware is the red-clay terracotta.

Unlike earthenware, stoneware items are sturdier and produce a ringing sound  when tapped, but not nearly as loud as porcelain.  The texture of stoneware has a combination of various crystals and other impure materials, which make them strong and low in porosity. A lot of American houseware items circa 19th century were made of stoneware.

Not every porcelain body is non-porous with glassy structure. Bone china, which is considered soft-paste porcelain, has a very dense structure but a porous body. Bone china got its name from “bone ash”, which is added to the mix and give it a very white “ceramic” color.

Hard-paste porcelain is strong, translucent, and gives off a ringing tone when tapped.

Because different ceramic bodies require different methods of restoration and different materials, it is important for anyone who wants to learn the art of ceramic repair to determine what type of body she has to work with before beginning the actual restoration.

A brief glossary of ceramic terms:

Bisque: A semi-porous material with granular structure that has been fired only once.

Bone China: The standard American and English porcelain. A very glassy, translucent soft-paste porcelain called “bone china” because of the addition of calcium phosphate (“bone ash”).

Ceramic: The Greek word “keramikes” means pottery. Any form of hard and brittle material made by firing clay.  Today it’s a collective term that describes all clay products that have been fired.

Clay: A firm, earthy material which is soft when wet and which hardens when heated.

Earthenware: All pottery that hasn’t been vitrified. The first pottery ever made and is still very popular today. Earthenware is porous, low-fired, and opaque.

Firing: The heating of items in a kiln. Different temperatures produce different results.

Stoneware: Hard, non-porous and more durable than earthenware.

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Why moths love cashmere

Not all species of moths love cashmere. In the UK, there are about 2,500 species of moths and only 2 species of them are known to have an interest in cashmere. They are the Tineola bis-selliella and the Tinea pellionella. It is not the adult moth that needs the cashmere but its larvae. The larvae are not specifically after the cashmere itself but rather a protein found in cashmere called keratin. It is found in natural fibers like feathers, human hair, wool and obviously cashmere.

Cloth-eating moths have a life cycle of 65 to 90 days which is about twice that of a mosquito. As adults the night insects have more than enough time to lay their eggs, preferably on items where they know that their larvae can feed themselves when the egg has hatched. Adult females can lay up to 40 to 50 eggs before passing away.

Once the egg hatches, the caterpillar spends another 10 days fattening itself as it feeds on whatever nutritious environment it finds itself in. In some cases it may be your precious cashmere. By the time you see an adult moth flying around, it might be too late, the caterpillar has munched its way out of your cashmere. Fortunately you can do something about it.

How to protect your cashmere

You may not necessarily need an expert to deal with the situation. Try simple things first keeping in mind that moths are seasonal so the suggestions made should be taken at the beginning of the spring.

It is important to know that moths in general love remaining still in dark corners of your house like the wardrobe. So that may not be the best place to keep your cashmere. You may have to vacuum it as often as possible and once in a while you have to take the clothes out and shake them off a bit. If a moth has got inside your wardrobe, it will fly away.

There are moth repellents that you can also use like cedar-wood and lavender but it is more important to create a situation where the moths just can’t have access to the clothes and that is by putting them in a special garment bag.

Aside from that, should you buy second hand clothes, make sure to clean and dry them properly. Failure to do so may accidentally introduce moth larvae into your wardrobe.

There is one simple technique that is believed to always work, and that is putting the clothes that you might suspect to have the larvae in the freezer for a few days. It kills all the eggs. Just make sure to put the garment in a plastic bag first.

Cashmere is to be washed frequently by hand using warm water. Ensure you do general house cleaning at regular intervals to make sure your rooms are not hosting any moths hidden somewhere.

Cashmere clothes are expensive garments, so take good care of them and they will last a long time.

Neil Maycock writes articles for I love Cashmere providers of mens and womens cashmere clothing

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China Restoration (Photo credit: carfull…Wyoming)

Although the restoration processes mainly deal with the chemical aspects of china restoration, the mechanical part of it – pins, rivets, dowels – is often required in order for gluing and fusing to be successfully applied.  Modern technology now allows the metal reinforcements to be on the inside of the item instead of the surface of the repair.

Restoration is not necessarily the mending of only valuable china. Many people have heirloom items and sentimental pieces that they want to restore no matter the cost, since the items can’t be replaced.  Many of the “sentimental” pieces are very cheap and poorly made. A figurine could be missing a leg, an angel a wing,  enamel or glaze could be peeling off a plate or vase. There’s tableware with broken handles, damaged spouts, chip, etc.

Unlike mechanical repair, which is standard for all clients across the board, chemical china restoration can be adjusted to various clients’ needs.  A private collector may want invisible repair, while a museum curator may request partial restoration,  so the mending process doesn’t mask the repair process.  An ordinary customer who wants to fix the handle on his tea pot, may not care whether or not the restoration is visible. He just wants to save his money and have his item in one piece. An antique collector, on the other hand, would probably want an invisible, flawless restoration and doesn’t mind paying for a professional, expert job.  In the world of antiques, metal rivets are not tolerated. The entire emphasis of restoration on is on the invisibility of it. If done correctly, the restoration process will render the repairs invisible even under the “black” or ultra-violet light.  Museum restoration is a highly specialized technique that instead of concealing itself sets out to emphasize which part of the job is the original and which has been restored.

It  should be clear now that the process known as china restoration, whether it’s the restoration of a plate, a vase, or a figure,  covers a wide range of processes: the joining and bonding of the broken pieces; the filling of missing chips and sculpting of additional fragments, and finally recreating and painting the coating of the surface to match the original (we’ll discuss this in future posts).  The modern advance in technology and materials has taken invisible china restoration techniques to a higher level.  But the perfect job still depends on the mastery of the restorer and how he/she applies the techniques.

And what does a restorer requires?  First of all, he needs an array of powerful adhesives that can be easily applied and that are water-proof and heat-proof.  He also needs a build-up composition that can be modeled and turned into a durable substance that will give china restoration its finish.  And finally, he must have a solution with a mild curing temperature, which can be poured around a form or pattern to create a strong yet flexible mold.

A restorer has to be an artist and a craftsman. He has to have a mechanical or engineering instinct and the eye of a sculptor.  Because of his skills and talent, and due to the fact that he handles collectible and often very expensive pieces, the restorer has to be compensated appropriately. The work requires great concentration and patience, when the smallest mistakes can entail hours, sometimes days of extra work.

Finally, an experienced restorer should know to examine all work that comes to him to see if it has been restored in any other place. If he finds that the item has been previously restored, he should discuss it first with the owner of the item before rushing to repair it.  If he gets an “okay” from the client, he should put the item in boiling water filled with mild detergent to “un-cook” the old repair before proceeding with the restoration.

A good restorer should always suggest to the client that if an item is not sentimental and can be replaced then it should be replaced rather than restored.  Professional, invisible restoration can be pricey and time consuming.

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Take it off!

It seems so simple, yet it’s surprising how few women remove their diamond jewelry, particularly rings, when doing tasks such as housework and exercising. It’s hard to believe how much dirt can build up on your ring from things like dirty washing up water, mud when gardening or from dusting. However, all of these tasks can have a severely detrimental effect on your diamond, and before you know it there’ll be a dull stone where your previously high-shining diamond used to be.

When doing tasks like cleaning it’s extremely important to take off your ring due to the chemicals you use. These chemicals can attack the metal of your ring, which can eventually lead to the stone falling out of it’s setting. To ensure this doesn’t happen, take your ring off before cleaning, or invest in a pair of rubber gloves you can wear. If you remove your ring, this is the perfect opportunity for you to perform the next tip; home cleaning. It is also extremely important to remove your ring when applying make-up, lotions and hair products as these encourage grease build-up on your diamond, resulting in a dull look for your stone.

DIY

Although some women are worried that home cleaning will worsen the quality of their diamond, others swear by do-it-yourself techniques to maintain their diamond’s sparkle. There are a number of different options available, however the good old soap and water technique seems to be most popular by far!

Simply soak your diamond jewelry in warm soapy water for a short while and then using a baby toothbrush scrub the diamond. Be careful not to use a toothbrush with too hard bristles, as these could easily damage the settings for your stone. Focus the scrubbing on the prongs of your setting, as this is where there’ll be the largest build up or grease and dirt. Once finished, rinse your diamond under cold water and dry it using a soft cloth. Ammonia cleaners are also a popular choice, especially if your ring is particularly dirty. It can be used alongside water to soak your diamond, and then use a soft toothbrush to help scrub away any remaining dirt. If you don’t feel safe using these, you can purchase jewelry cleaning kits in jewelers and some department stores which come with a jewelry cleaning solution and brush.

You can also buy vibration cleaners which use waves to remove dirt from your diamond jewelry. This is a great option if your jewellery is particularly dirty, or if you don’t want to clean your jewelry every week. However, vibration cleaners can loosen the stones in their settings, particularly with older jewelry, so use with caution.

Professional Cleaning

If you’re worried about things such as damaging your stone or it coming out of it’s setting then luckily there’s an option for you too: professional cleaning. You can take your diamond jewelry into any local jewelers  such as Brisbane diamond merchants, and they’ll be able to clean it for you, resorting it back to it’s former glory. Although it may be expensive, you know that your jewelry is in good hands. It also allows the jeweler to check your jewelry for any damage such as a loose setting or damaged prongs.

The only sure fire way to keeping your diamond sparkling and glamorous is with regular cleaning. Using the home cleaning techniques once a week will not only keep the shine, but maintain the quality of your diamond jewelry for years to come, meaning you can enjoy it in decades to come just as much as you did when you first bought it!

This article was written by Misty Angel for Diamond Queensland, one of Brisbane’s finest diamond wholesale merchants. Misty is an avid diamond enthusiast who collects diamond jewelry. She enjoys writing articles about after-care for diamonds and trying out new techniques to help maintain your jewelry.

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The post Secrets To Keeping Your Diamond Jewelry Sparkling! appeared first on Luel Restoration Studio.

First, let’s get this out of the way. The difference between repair and restoration.  Many people think the words are interchangeable, but they’re not. To repair something means to glue and bond the broken pieces so the damaged item is whole again. This method is also known as partial ceramic restoration. To restore something is to bring an item back to what it was before it got damaged. In other words, to its original condition.

Ceramic Restoration (Photo credit: oatsy40)

Now let’s talk about your damaged treasures, sentimental heirlooms, and broken ceramics (porcelain is in this category, naturally, because porcelain is ceramic fired at very high temperatures, which makes it sturdier than low-fired, porous ceramic; true porcelain contains kaolin and has a high ringing sound when tapped with a finger).  Whether the damaged item is a pot, plate or vase, it can certainly be restored, no matter what the damage is. In most cases broken ceramics usually start off with a minor crack and gradually progress to bigger cracks that are easily visible to the naked eye.

Ceramic restoration is a straightforward process that involves gluing the pieces back together, sculpting the missing fragments for a perfect fit, and bonding the pieces for conservation . Many undertake this project themselves and others prefer hiring a professional restoration expert. One of the steps involved in the restoration of ceramics would be selecting the correct adhesive. Clear, slow-drying epoxy works the best in mending all fired clay.  Before deciding on which glue to use,  the type of material you will be working with should be identified first.

Process

Ensuring that the pieces have been cleaned is vital in ceramic restoration. If the item has been fixed before then the old adhesive should be removed in order to ensure that the new one may bind together well. The pieces may need to be “uncooked” (if Gorilla glue or various types of Superglue were used); most of the time, however, the pieces can be cleaned with a mild detergent and warm water.

Using a small brush the chosen adhesive should be applied to the raw and exposed edges. Just enough glue should be spread on as too much will not allow the pieces to bond properly and too little may cause a weak repair job. Hold the pieces together, applying some pressure to help them set. Modeling clay may be used to place the item on, in order to hold it in place as it dries. If an item has been broken into many pieces, it’s imperative to follow the sequence in repairing each piece by piece. Each combined piece should be cured completely before adding on another.

Sometimes in a restoration job the fillers or glue can be seen. If this is not the look you wish to have then you can always touch up the color or design of the item, blending in to cover the glue seams.

Décor touch-ups are also advised when trying to restore a ceramic piece. Oil-based and hard drying paints are most suitable for such a job. Once the design has been re-touched the object should be set out to dry for at least a week.

Ceramic restoration is a great project for DIY enthusiasts. Setting out to complete such a task is quite time-consuming and laborious. However, with the option of expert restoration services on offer, many prefer handing over this task to them. There are a multitude of ceramic restoration companies to be found in today’s market. A simple online search will be able to guide you in finding the best one to suit your needs. The cost of restoring broken ceramics will depend on the type and extent of damage. Most repair jobs are quite affordable and as so many of these pieces have such great sentimental and financial value to them people won’t mind having them restored to their former beauty.

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The post Damaged Treasures: Ceramic Restoration of Broken Collectible Ware appeared first on Luel Restoration Studio.

It is no wonder then that in every collector’s treasured corner will be at least one Meissen porcelain item. The fact that Meissen porcelain is treasured and valued due to its antique worth means that as a ceramic enthusiast every piece would be a collector’s dream. Many collectors purchase damaged items  and spend quite a bit of money on Meissen repair so they can pass on the valuable pieces to their children or grandchildren.

However, as with any piece based on traditional art, maintaining these invaluable items could present a problem as they are quite delicate and fragile. For this reason, Meissen repair is evolving into its own art form. Many collectors would love to restore their pieces to their former glorious gleaming past while at the same time keeping their financial worth intact. Meissen items are known for their trademark which is in the form of two blue crossed swords.

Why Bother with Meissen Repair?

For a contemporary designer, certain antique items add no value unless they are classical and coveted items such as Meissen porcelain. Meissen brings an aesthetic value and functionality into your home which is quite invaluable. Unlike soft porcelain, hard paste Meissen pieces use the famous “secret” ingredient in the form of kaolin causing it to become a hard paste type of porcelain. These pieces can withstand cleaning, bonding and even gluing due to their strong texture. Meissen designs are also quite elaborate adding to the décor of your home. For a brand that has existed since the 1700s you will be guaranteed of quality from any item that bears the blue swords as its trademark.

Meissen Repair Basics

Now that you understand the importance of caring for and looking after your Meissen pieces, you need to grasp the importance of the restoration of Meissen. If you wish to repair your Meissen on your own, be aware that it is a very skilled and time-consuming task. You can work on the broken pieces by using epoxy glue and a toothbrush to glue the pieces back together again. Sculpting by hand is also possible on jarred edges to even and restore the design seamlessly.

It is always best though to seek the aid of a Meissen repair expert instead, as they fully understand the intricacies involved with fixing up broken Meissen items. Professional workmanship will allow your items to once again appear as brand new. A professional would begin by matching and recreating the base color of your Meissen piece. After that is completed the particular design will have to be matched and duplicated. As Meissen items are so intricately designed the restoration of it requires great skill and diligence on the expert’s part.

It is always best to hire an experienced Meissen repair artist to finish the job but if you wish to attempt working on it by yourself, make sure you fully comprehend the details behind restoring and repairing Meissen porcelain.

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The post Meissen Repair: A Brief Overview appeared first on Luel Restoration Studio.

photograph of ancient antique textile of Zeus in the form of a bull carrying away the maid Europa. Textile fragment currently in Dumbarton Oaks Museum, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Collecting textiles may sound like an odd or unusual hobby, but it is actually quite common. Hobbyists who focus on textiles often collect samples of various textiles, others invest in antique textiles and practice preservation, while others collect textiles which they transform into different clothing items and document them. Whatever the type of textile collecting you decide to do, they are all interesting and challenging. One type of textile collection that has become a favorite are antique textile collections because it requires plenty of knowledge about the materials, damage prevention and textile preservation.

What Are Antique Textiles?

These cloths are either woven by machine or by hand. Antique textiles are made from natural fibers derived from animals, plants and minerals, such as silk, linen, wool and cotton. Soft and absorbent fabrics are produced from cotton, while popular, strong and beautiful fabrics are produced from linen of the flax plant. On the other hand, animal fiber such as wool offers warm and comfortable fabrics and silk from the cocoons of silkworms offer lush and soft fabrics.

What Makes These Textiles Unique?

Aside from the fact that only natural fibers were used to make antique textiles, the method of how these textiles were produced makes them unique. Antique textiles were made from fibers that were twisted into yarns and then knitted or weaved into fabric. However, all the twisting, knitting and weaving were done by hand, so production of these textiles had taken weeks or even months compared to how textiles are manufactured today in textile mills with the help of technology.

The Common Cause Of Damage

There are many factors that contribute to the degradation of textiles and these include pollution, careless handling, improper cleaning, inappropriate display, fluctuating temperature and even pest infestations. Among these factors, pest infestations are a major problem as a variety of pests can inflict structural damage to antique textiles. Pests that commonly infest textiles are -

Carpet Beetles – Have a preference for protein materials and the indication of an infestation are chewed holes, small worm like insects and furry carcasses.

Clothing Moths – Feeds on protein materials. White silky cocoon webbing stuck onto the surface of infested textiles are an indication of an infestation.

Silverfish and Firebrats – Only feeds on starchy materials. Identifying an infestation is often difficult.

How To Save Your Collection From An Infestation

Good housekeeping is always the best method of pest control. When you suspect that you have an infestation problem, you can lay out sticky traps near the floor of the display or storage area of your antique textile collection. Practice periodic inspections and regular cleaning of the storage and display to monitor the presence of any pests and to prevent pests from damaging your collection.

Once an infestation has been located, be sure to have the textile isolated by having it sealed in a plastic bag until a professional has been contacted to treat the infestation. Never apply any type of pesticide as these can destroy the textiles and harm you as well. The sealed plastic bags carrying the infested textiles must then be vacuumed to remove the air. Then they must be sealed once again and placed in the freezer to kill the pests. This method can effectively kill off the pests and preserve your antique textile collection.

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in natural forms of pest control from www.PreventivePestControl.com. She also provides information about natural pest control methods on fabrics, in homes and in the garden, how pests can affect lives and how the services of professionals from help treat severe infestations.

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