Saving Your Treasures: Tools, Mechanical Objects, and Instruments
Saving Your Treasures
Types of Objects
TOOLS, MECHANICAL OBJECTS,
AND INSTRUMENTS
Tools, mechanical objects, and instruments are composite objects, meaning that they are made of several different materials, such as metal, wood, bone, antler, etc.
These types of object have very special and specific care needs. 
Advice about the care and conservation of clocks, for example, or scientific or musical instruments should come from knowledgeable sources. These types of objects are generally cared for by objects conservators and by furniture conservators (clock cases, wooden musical instruments). There are specialists in these categories of object types.
The videos below and handouts and websites on the right will guide you in the proper methods for preserving your items. If you have any questions, ask a conservator.
Plant Materials: Deterioration -
Environmental & Mechanical
Plant Materials: Deterioration -
Chemical & Biological
Plant Materials:
Preventative
Care
Plant Materials:
Integrated Pest Management
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
TYPES OF OBJECTS
Types of Objects
TOOLS, MECHANICAL OBJECTS,
AND INSTRUMENTS
Tools, mechanical objects, and instruments are composite objects, meaning that they are made of several different materials, such as metal, wood, bone, antler, etc.
These types of object have very special and specific care needs. Advice about the care and conservation of clocks, for example, or scientific or musical instruments should come from knowledgeable sources. These types of objects are generally cared for by objects conservators and by furniture conservators (clock cases, wooden musical instruments). There are specialists in these categories of object types.
The videos below and handouts and websites on the right will guide you in the proper methods for preserving your items. If you have any questions, ask a conservator.
Metals:
Metals: Fabrication & Technology
Metals:
Metals:
Preserving
Plant Materials:
Plant Materials:
Plant Materials:| Plant Materials: Deterioration - Environmental & Mechanical | Plant Materials: Deterioration - Chemical & Biological | Plant Materials: Preventative Care | Plant Materials: Integrated Pest Management |
| 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:TYPES OF OBJECTS
