Good Guardianship of Your Ivory Will Ensure its Long Life!

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(1) Not only does this material go brittle, it also yellows with age as well as darkness. If you observe carefully when you handle ivory objects, the parts exposed to light are lighter hued than those surfaces that have only encountered darkness.

(2) Sulphur is another enemy of ivory, destroying its natural color and giving it an orangish or yellowish hue. So, when storing your antiques, ensure that they are kept at a distance from building materials, keratin-based objects such as tortoiseshell, paints, different kinds of adhesives, rubber, etc.

(3) Then again, mold and mildew flourish in environments presenting a relative humidity of more than 70%. You do not want etches and black spots dotting the surfaces of your precious objects.

(4) The above-mentioned feature plays a very important role if your ivory items have to be transported to another place. If climates and temperatures change without warning (say, dry to humid or vice-versa), your ivory is in danger. Maybe, courier services can give you some advice on what to do.

(5) Basements, attics, cold windows, and external walls are a big no-no where storage or display of ivory objects is concerned—because of the moisture factor!

(6) This stuff is so sensitive that excessive heat from your hands can also cause harm! What of photo lights, lamps, direct sunlight or a direct heat source then? The damage is faster if the veneer is quite thin such as the key of the piano.

(7) In the case that you want some repair work to be carried out, do not attempt anything yourself; let a trained conservator take care of it.

Now, even antiques need cleaning from time to time. Be extremely, extremely gentle with your ivory! No methods involving water or liquids are to be adopted; only dry cleaning will do. Here is what you do—

(1) Wear well-fitting white cotton gloves as you wish to avoid any stains or oil marks getting onto the objects that are being cleaned. These affordable gloves are readily available at photography shops and drug stores.

(2) Dirt can be brushed off with the aid of a soft and clean paint brush. Start at the center and move towards the edges.

(3) Small patches can be cleaned with the aid of a white vinyl eraser. This ungrated tool ensures that too much pressure is not applied over the surface.

(4) If a zester is used to grate this white vinyl eraser, you will have powdered eraser. Do avoid pink-colored or other-colored erasers for they contain sulphur, colorants, etc. which act like contaminants. With the aid of the soft brush or your glove-covered fingertips, gently apply the grated eraser on the ivory objects. Once that is done, brush away the eraser flakes in a gentle manner.

(5) A natural rubber product, Groomstik is sticky. Your local museum will provide you with one. Take a small piece and roll it gently across the surface of the object. It will get rid of all the dirt. Of course, take utmost care that you do not pull off loose or small pieces of the object itself. Original pigments or patinas, or surface coats are not to be removed.

Of course, if you do not have much confidence in your abilities, get hold of an experienced conservator.

Okay, the cleaning is done—do you want to store it now?

To absorb impurities such as sulphur, you could utilize unbleached cotton to make a small bag. Fill it up with activated charcoal that is used for fish tank filters. Sew the bag closed. This bag is your charcoal scavenger! The best places to house your ivory antiques are closed containers of the Tupperware brand or polyethylene bags like Ziplock. But first, wrap them up in acid-free tissue or cotton. Ensure that the storage containers are moisture-free, rust-free, and colorfast.

Now, go to sleep without any worries!