Displaying an Antique Collection Safely and Beautifully

Antiques can be displayed in a multitude of different ways, but it is important that the method you select should be appropriate to your lifestyle. You may long to display your collection of antiques throughout your home; however, if, for example, you have pets or children, fragile or potentially hazardous objects should probably be kept well out of their reach - perhaps up on a shelf or in a cabinet.

Bear in mind that not only can children or pets damage vulnerable and valuable objects, but that antiques can also pose a threat to their safety. Even something as seemingly innocent-looking as an old teddy bear may contain wires that could harm a small child. However, so long as you take simple precautions, there is no need to feel frightened of your collection. Many types of antiques, such as furniture, glass and silver, can still be used for their original purpose, or adapted for modern-day living.

Successful display should allow you to enjoy your collection as much as possible, whilst still conserving it in good condition. Before you decide where to position your antiques, you should bear in mind how the piece was originally intended to be seen and used. Some pieces of furniture, for instance, were made to be placed against a wall, others were meant to be centrally positioned; try and display the piece in an appropriate manner.

If you have a smaller object, say a sculpture, which is meant to be seen in the round, and you have nowhere suitable to put it, you could place it in front of a mirror, so that it can still be appreciated from every angle. You may find you need to have shelves or cupboards specially constructed to house your collection.

However, before you decide where to install special fittings, do not forget that nearly all types of antiques, with the exception of ceramics, silver and other types of metalware, should be displayed away from strong sunlight and direct sources of heat. So do not, for instance, display your samplers in front of a sunny window, and try to keep the backs of antique furniture away from radiators.

If your room is a particularly sunny one, objects such as textiles and prints can be displayed behind light-resistant glass, which will allow you to enjoy them whilst protecting them from fading. If you need to mount old photographs, or printed ephemera, in order to display them behind glass it is best to use mounting tape rather than glue, which can irreversibly damage the objects themselves.