Art connoisseurs and collectors, this one’s for you. Today we’ll talk about how to store your antique art pieces, especially paintings and ceramics. Your collection is as precious as a loved one, and packing it to be kept in a storage facility in Qatar, or to be moved, needs to be a task undertaken with a lot of thought.
1. Pristine condition: First off, the antiques need to be in the best condition for storage. In case of paintings, this means that they should be dust, oil and moisture free, and the frame needs to be cleaned and polished best suited for the material - wood or metal.
2. Cleaning the antiques: In most cases, it is advisable for experts to handle the cleaning of antiques. Using strong products or equipment can render a valuable painting worthless. Similarly, vases and other ceramics should be cleaned with a very soft brush. You can use distilled water, compressed air or isopropyl alcohol to clean these precious items as other materials may prove to be too harsh. Minimize touching the antiques as the natural oil and sweat on our hands can prove harmful to the antiques.
3. Packing: In case of paintings, wrap them in soft muslin cloth and pack it with a lot of cushioning. Make sure that the entire painting is covered with no exposed parts. In case of ceramics, wrap them in multiple layers of paper, cloth and bubble wrap before transporting them. Use a delicate wrapping material as a rough can damage the piece or its patina.
4. Transport: You can either keep the packed antiques at your home, or keep them in storage units in Qatar. Use professional moving services to transport your antiques to the desired location or the self storage unit.
5. Maintenance: Once the antiques are safely in place, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The storage space must be dimly lit and sufficiently airy, though not too much. Also look for temperature controlled units that can regulate the temperature to prevent loss of colour, quality and value of the antique. High temperatures can cause paintings to sweat and lose form, while ceramics may start developing faults and defects if subjected to great temperature variations.
Once you’ve taken care of all these steps, you can rest assured that your antiques will keep adding value to your life for a long time. All that’s needed is some thought and checking up on them regularly.
1. Pristine condition: First off, the antiques need to be in the best condition for storage. In case of paintings, this means that they should be dust, oil and moisture free, and the frame needs to be cleaned and polished best suited for the material - wood or metal.
2. Cleaning the antiques: In most cases, it is advisable for experts to handle the cleaning of antiques. Using strong products or equipment can render a valuable painting worthless. Similarly, vases and other ceramics should be cleaned with a very soft brush. You can use distilled water, compressed air or isopropyl alcohol to clean these precious items as other materials may prove to be too harsh. Minimize touching the antiques as the natural oil and sweat on our hands can prove harmful to the antiques.
3. Packing: In case of paintings, wrap them in soft muslin cloth and pack it with a lot of cushioning. Make sure that the entire painting is covered with no exposed parts. In case of ceramics, wrap them in multiple layers of paper, cloth and bubble wrap before transporting them. Use a delicate wrapping material as a rough can damage the piece or its patina.
4. Transport: You can either keep the packed antiques at your home, or keep them in storage units in Qatar. Use professional moving services to transport your antiques to the desired location or the self storage unit.
5. Maintenance: Once the antiques are safely in place, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The storage space must be dimly lit and sufficiently airy, though not too much. Also look for temperature controlled units that can regulate the temperature to prevent loss of colour, quality and value of the antique. High temperatures can cause paintings to sweat and lose form, while ceramics may start developing faults and defects if subjected to great temperature variations.
Once you’ve taken care of all these steps, you can rest assured that your antiques will keep adding value to your life for a long time. All that’s needed is some thought and checking up on them regularly.
