Despite the advances in technology throughout the years, the value and popularity of antiques still seem to grow. People are realizing just how valuable and irreplaceable their antiques may become. While there are many kinds of antiques that can be restored, furniture and clocks are most common. It is rare that you will find any piece that has lasted many years without some kind of damage. It is expected that antiques will wear naturally. This natural wear can sometimes actually increase the value of an antique. It may seem practical to want to keep any antique from further degradation, but you should make sure that you are not accidentally devaluing your antique by making frivolous repairs.

Most antiques need very special care when you repair them. However, there are some antiques that are better left without repair. Sometimes what looks like damage, may actually make an antique valuable. You should always do some research on the item that you are considering for repair. Find out what era it is from and the materials, techniques and finishes of that time period. Try to find out how valuable it is and why.

If you believe the item may be worth thousands of dollars, you may not want to take a chance on repairing it yourself. You should have it professionally repaired or restored. Even if it is worth a few hundred dollars, you may want to hire an expert. The cost may be lower than you expect. Shop around for estimates. If the piece is not extremely valuable, this may be a good way to learn about antique repair.

When repairing antiques you should consider the type of glue you are going to use. Some antiques may require a different type of glue or mending material than other antiques. So you should not use an "all purpose glue" approach when repairing your valuable antiques. Some popular glues can lose strength over time. To remove and redo substandard repairs adds significantly to the time and difficulty of repairing the item. Some glues are impossible to remove and make re-repair difficult or impossible.

Another important thing is to save all the pieces. Lost pieces can be reconstructed, but this is more difficult and costly than just putting the pieces back together. Sometimes when things break, small but important pieces can fly across the room, or several yards to the side. You should do everything possible to locate all the pieces. If something has broken in shipment, look in the box or container very carefully. Large pieces should be wrapped individually when shipping.

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About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend these online stores for pottery, unbroken antiques, and figurines.