Take care of “memory triggers”
Some items that are collected or kept for decades in families may have historical or cultural value. But much more important are the elements to which emotions, stories and memories are attached. Therefore, what should be kept for future generations among your collectibles or family heirlooms can only be determined by YOU. Remember, too, and give some serious thought to whether or not the item you are wondering whether or not to keep will be of value to future generations as an item to keep that will be important in connecting them to their generation or earlier.
Not only is it important to choose the items that will be passed on to future generations, but the question of how to care for their “memory triggers” so as not to cause harm and to take care of them as well as possible is urgent.
Perhaps protecting and saving family heirlooms from bugs, moisture, and damage may seem like an unwelcome addition to your already busy schedule. And the question of how to do it correctly can stop you.
But you have help, expert and authorized help to make the process fast, interesting, fun and affordable.
How to get professional help for your prized possessions
In fact, there is an international interest in helping people like you get answers to your questions and how to help.
The well-known UK-based international conservation organisation, ICON, publishes primarily for professional conservators, non-profit volunteers, heritage professionals and many others who show a commitment to improving understanding of and access to cultural heritage.
Consulting with an accredited conservation professional is the best way to ensure that your artifacts are in good hands and will be preserved to the proper standards.
How ICON can help preserve your treasured items
You can easily access the ICON Conservation Register, which provides an up-to-date list of all ICON Accredited Members (ACRs).
ICON Accredited Members are a great source of help and inspiration for everyone as they work in a variety of settings; some work for museums, galleries or archives, and others work in the private sector. You can obtain collection care booklets, free of charge, that provide written preservation information for your members. Get your Collection Care Booklet here.
In the US, the American Institute for the Preservation of Historic and Artistic Works provides similar information on its website.
The most widely distributed and authoritative easy-to-use help
However, the most widely distributed authoritative aid is a series of books that are most appropriately written for public use in easy-to-understand language and instructions. The author of the Save Your Stuff series, Scott M. Haskins, is a renowned art conservator with decades of experience who also provides fun and engaging information in YouTube videos and blogs.
The Save Your Stuff series has had more than 8,000 copies distributed since the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles in 1995.
The verbiage, focus, and presentations are written for public consumption, and the 210-page multi-media book Save Your Stuff – Collection Care Tips is currently FREE to download.
Newly added to the Save Your Stuff series, the latest book recently received a prestigious international award for How to Save Your Pet from Disaster: The Essential Emergency Preparedness Guide for Feathered Friends and Fur Babies.
If your house was on fire and you had to grab it and leave, would you take your house pet or your family heirloom?
But while it may seem like a book on pet care at a glance, both family heirlooms and pets are heartfelt treasures you’ll regret losing…for years to come.
Remember though, family heirlooms and household pets don’t mix!
Mr. Haskins commented: “At any given time we can have items in the art conservation lab that are pet damaged that cost $1,000 to restore…it’s quite common to see art scratched or urinated on by cats or torn up by dogs. Even Crazed parrots have done damage to works of art”.
This book is packed with tips for protecting your pet and the care and maintenance of collectibles. Available in print and Kindle on Amazon, but visit the website to order so you can more easily take advantage of the authorized continuing education included in the price of the book.
George Clooney, playing the role of George Stout as the Monuments Men, introduced the American “war machine” to the value of protecting and saving the heritage of the European peoples. It worked!
To illustrate the importance of this idea of preserving and saving family history elements that document a family’s legacy and heritage (which after a few generations can represent many people), the movie Monuments Men teaches an important lesson.
These World War II heroes, called “Monuments Men,” received the Congressional Gold Medal. This heroic deed, as mentioned in the film, was the salvation of our heritage and history.
“While we must and will win this war, we must remember the high price that will be paid if the very foundations of modern society (or its family) are destroyed.” George Clooney. But it’s not about praising people and giving credit. It is about teaching an important and essential lesson. It wasn’t just about saving art.
It was about saving our heritage and history that was so important to the people of those European cities that it turned the tide of the war. Do what is best for your family. Anything you can do, no matter how little, can be very important in the eyes and hearts of future generations of your family.
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