Saving Your Treasures: Jewelry

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Types of Objects

JEWELRY

 

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Jewelry has been used as personal ornaments throughout the ages and around the world. These small, intricate pieces of art and workmanship are very complex and often fragile. 

Jewelry can be hand-made or machine-made of a variety of materials, including metals, glass, ceramics, bone, stone, shell, pearl, etc. Anthropologists suggest the first ornaments were the by-products of a hunt, such as vertebrae, teeth, claws, and horns. Ancient and historic jewelry are often made of metals (gold, silver, alloys) or organic materials (teeth, shell, pearls, etc.).

Jewelry is cared for by objects conservators and by specialist jewelers who have studied historic and ancient technology and materials. The videos below and handouts and websites on the right will guide you in preserving your items.

If you have any questions, ask a conservator.

Animal Materials:
Skin & Leather		 Animal Materials:
Hair, Hooves, Etc.		 Animal Materials:
Bones, Shells, Etc.
Animal Materials:
Deterioration

Animal Materials:
Preventative Care
Plastics in
Museum Collections		 Plastics:
Chemistry		 Plastics: Properties
& Technology
Plastics:
History		 Plastics:
Deterioration

Plastics:
Preventative Care
Stone:
Origins & Properties		 Stone: Fabrication & Technology Stone:
Deterioration		 Stone:
Preventative Care
Glass:
Origins & Properties		 Glass: Fabrication & Technology Glass:
Deterioration		 Glass:
Preventative Care
Metals:
Origins & Properties		 Metals: Fabrication & Technology Metals:
Deterioration		 Metals:
Preventative Care
Ceramics:
Origins & Properties		 Ceramics: Fabrication & Technology Ceramics:
Deterioration		 Ceramics:
Preventative Care
Issues Facing
Small Museums		 Plastics in
Museum Collections		 Plastics:
Chemistry		  
Plastics:
History		 Plastics:
Deterioration

Plastics:
Preventative Care

TYPES OF OBJECTS

Books, Bibles, Scrapbooks Dishes, Glassware, Silverware Firearms Furniture Jewelry
Native American Items Natural History Specimens Newspaper Photographs
Textiles, Clothing, Uniforms Tools, Mechanical Objects, Instruments Toys Works of Art