Saving Your Treasures: Jewelry
Saving Your Treasures
Types of Objects
JEWELRY
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
Plastics in
Museum Collections
Plastics:
Chemistry
Plastics: Properties
& Technology
Plastics:
History
Plastics:
Deterioration
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
TYPES OF OBJECTS
Types of Objects
JEWELRY
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:| Plastics in Museum Collections | Plastics: Chemistry | Plastics: Properties & Technology |
| Plastics: History | Plastics: Deterioration |
Plastics:| 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 |
TYPES OF OBJECTS
