Saving Your Treasures: Tools, Mechanical Objects, and Instruments

PRINTABLE FILES

Types of Objects

TOOLS, MECHANICAL OBJECTS,
AND INSTRUMENTS

 

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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 & Technology Metals:
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, 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