5 ways to preserve your collectibles' value

5. PLAN ITS FUTURE You might be one of the few lucky collectors whose children cherish the collection. But don’t count on it. “I don’t think you can expect your children to love what you

love,” says Linda ​Krasner, who runs Vintage Repairs by Linda in Queens, New York. Your heirs would benefit more from written ­information about the collection. David Seufer has a

collection of fountain pens, many of which have significiant meaning to him. Matt Nager David Seufer of suburban Denver details his fountain pen collection in his estate-planning documents,

telling his family what pens he has, why they are important to him and what they might do with them. “One of them, a Visconti pen made from Mount Etna lava, was given to me at the birth of

my first son, and I would want him to have that pen,” Seufer says. “I’ve also left information about where to liquidate the bulk of the collection.” One thing _not_ to do is stress over your

collection’s value. The going price for all but the highest-quality items can be unpredictable. Unless you own a timeless piece like a Picasso, the collectibles markets are subject to the

whims of popular culture. One TikTok video can drive the demand for a vintage toy for a month—then interest moves elsewhere. Or one billionaire’s preference for, say, Shaker furniture can

cause a sudden spike and then a likely downturn. The bottom line: Care for items while they’re in your possession, but if stuff no longer brings pleasure, sell, gift or donate it. “It served

you well,” Fesko says. “Let someone else treasure it while you enjoy having one less thing to care for.” COLLECTIBLE CARE SPECIFICS ARTWORK: The safest place to display is on an interior

wall. Avoid the bathroom (humidity), kitchen (heat), foyer (outdoor elements) or spots near radiators or air conditioners. “One of the last places you should hang a painting is over your

fireplace,” Fesko says. “You think, It’s so wonderful to have this American landscape above the fireplace, but you are frying it from above, below and behind.” PRECIOUS PAPER: Unframed art,

photos, prints, maps and trading cards are fragile, with pastels and watercolors being difficult to preserve or restore. “A watercolor that has lost its color is just gone,” Fesko says. The

only truly safe place is in an archival box, where items are separated with acid-free ­paper, foam core or cardboard. ANTIQUE FURNITURE: “The best way to clean is with a soft, damp rag,”

says Clare Horvat, owner of Excel Shop Furniture Restoration in Louisville. For intricate carvings, _Antiques Roadshow_’s Austin suggests a dry, soft brush. “Don’t vacuum under furniture

with aprons or drop pendants unless you move it,” she says. “You can always see gouges where the vacuum has bumped it over the years.” JEWELRY: Avoid the urge to polish and clean jewelry,

and never soak it, which can loosen stones or cause discoloration. “The only thing I tell people to do is to clean with a soft, dry toothbrush or a Q-tip dipped in alcohol,” Sayyah says.

SILVER: Austin suggests polishing once or twice a year and storing in flannel chamois bags, never in plastic wrap. The plastic adheres to the silver and damages the finish. _—C.F._