Saving Your Treasures: Tools, Mechanical Objects, and Instruments

PRINTABLE FILES

Types of Objects

TOOLS, MECHANICAL OBJECTS,
AND INSTRUMENTS

 

WATCH FULL PROGRAM NOW

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:
Origins & Properties		Metals: Fabrication & TechnologyMetals:
Deterioration		Metals:
Preventative Care
Preserving
a Beaver Castoreum		Plant Materials:
Structure		Plant Materials:
Chemistry		Plant Materials:
Technology
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:
Preventative Care

TYPES OF OBJECTS

Books, Bibles, ScrapbooksDishes, Glassware, SilverwareFirearmsFurnitureJewelry
Native American ItemsNatural History SpecimensNewspaperPhotographs
Textiles, Clothing, UniformsTools, Mechanical Objects, InstrumentsToysWorks of Art