What is Saving Stuff?
The swirling water poured through the basement door, drenching the family scrapbooks, old toys, newspaper clippings, books, old clothes… and stuff. As I stood in two feet of water clutching my son’s sopping wet christening gown, I realized that I valued the old scrapbooks, toys and photos more than the expensive crystal sitting safely upstairs in the credenza. When I told this tale to Don Williams, he asked why I had stored stuff in the basement in the first place. I told him it was because I didn’t have an attic. I then discovered that basements and attics are often the enemies of preservation. Why didn’t I know this? Because there wasn’t one book that deals with saving stuff that is monetarily valuable as well as stuff that is valuable simply because it holds cherished memories. That's why we created SAVING STUFF. --
Louisa Jaggar
Professionals at museums, libraries, and archives are not the only ones concerned about preserving objects. Many people have objects that have special value for them whether these are personal mementos, inherited family heirlooms, or investments. In SAVING STUFF, a noted museum conservator shows how you can effectively preserve your own treasures without going to extreme effort and expense: comic books, wedding dresses, baseball cards, furniture, stamps, fine art, papers, film, pictures, records, CDs, doll houses, flags, the family Bible, insects, and weird and wacky stuff like Cousin Cecil’s African Water Buffalo head, or the collection of sheep’s eyeballs your grandfather saved in mayonnaise jars filled with moonshine.
- As a Senior Conservator for the Smithsonian Museum, Don Williams is uniquely qualified to offer guidance in caring for virtually every type of material - natural or man-made, ancient or modern... With clear step-by-step instructions accompanied by engaging personal anecdotes from Don and co-author Louisa Jaggar, SAVING STUFF provides the "right stuff" for preserving the personal artifacts of our lives and makes a great read besides!
- Robert L. Self. Architectural Conservator
- Monticello
Infused with good humor and anecdotes from the Smithsonian and personal experiences, SAVING STUFF informs and entertains. The authors present an informal tone to make the topic accessible to a wide audience: it’s almost like the reader is eavesdropping on a conversation between an internationally renowned expert and an inquisitive amateur. Unlike collector’s guides focusing solely on valuable antiques, SAVING STUFF also includes easy-to-follow instructions for preserving everyday objects important to you and your loved ones. SAVING STUFF is a guide that every teacher will want in their classroom, every family will use at home, and every connoisseur needs at their fingertips.
- Don Williams has distilled years of research and museum experience into practical advice for anyone concerned with preserving a collection... Finally, someone has stated, in a highly readable and entertaining style, how to properly store, care for, and display artwork and other valuables
- Joseph Godla, Senior Conservator
- Historic New England
The book is organized as a museum might organize its operations and collections.
Part I: The Museum of You
- Chapter 1: Your Treasures Want to Live in an Egyptian Tomb
- Chapter 2: Deciding What Stuff to Save, Give Away, or Toss
Part II: Saving Family Stuff
- Chapter 3: Preserving Your Photographs
- Chapter 4: Archiving Toys for Young and Old
- Chapter 5: Saving the Stuff only a Parent Could Love
- Chapter 6: Saving Your Family Treasures
- Chapter 7: Sorting and Preserving the Family “Trash”
- Chapter 8: Preserving Your Furniture
Part III: Pop Culture
- Chapter 9: Preserving Your Sports and Political Memorabilia
- Chapter 10: Preserving Entertainment Memorabilia and Media
- Chapter 11: Saving Your Books, Comic Books, Newspapers, Magazines, and Letters
- Chapter 12: Preserving Your Stamps and Coins
Part IV: Preserving Really Valuable Stuff
- Chapter 13: Taking Care of Fine Art
- Chapter 14: Taking Care of Textiles
- Chapter 15: Preserving Musical Instruments
Louisa Jaggar has been an educator and writer into layman’s terms, she has written scripts, curricula, and instruction manuals for PBS, the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Chicago, as well as many others. She has served as a columnist for several magazines.
Don Williams, the suspender-wearing Senior Conservator at the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education, is an artifacts restorer, writer, scholar, craftsman, and educator with more than thirty years’ experience in preservation. Don has led collections care and conservation workshops all over the United States, and written and lectured extensively for popular and scholarly audiences.
Publication Date June 2, 2005
- Contact information:
- Trina Rice, Simon & Schuster Public Relations
- Phone: 212‑698‑1296
- email: trina.rice@simonandschuster.com
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- Don and Louisa
- Phone 301-238-1230
- email: savingstuff@si.edu