Artwork and antique items are often left behind by elderly relatives who passed away. Maybe you have inherited an artwork collection or some antique items from your relative, but you have no idea what they are or what they are worth. At this point, you should contact a valuer to find out. You will also need to store the items safely so they don’t get destroyed. Read on to learn more about looking after art and antiques following a loved one’s death.

Showcase The Art

Find a way to showcase the artwork in your house if you can’t stand to part with It. Ultimately, you want to prevent long-term damage, especially if the paintings are valuable. Avoiding light should be your top priority. A valuable work of art should not be in direct sunlight to prevent damage from both artificial and natural light. The latter will cause the paper’s structure and colours to deteriorate. An image’s dyes, pigment, and photography style will all play a part. Ensure the lightbulb has UV filters if you intend to spotlight it with a picture light. Covering the artwork with a UV-filtering glass film or glass is the best form of protection.

Avoid placing your artwork near heaters, fires, or any other area where it could get warm. You don’t want your artwork hanging halfway up the landing or outside a constantly opened door, as these locations are busy and will draw lots of foot traffic, so your artwork will frequently come into contact with moisture and dirt.

Art TLC

If you choose to keep paintings and drawings that require some TLC, you can do this yourself with the correct know-how. This is as easy as placing the painting on a dry, clean surface, dusting off any loose dust (so it doesn’t end up on the painting again), and then sweeping it towards you with clean, dry hands. Using a soft brush with natural hair bristles, begin at the top of the painting and work your way down to remove the dust. Don’t brush a matte painting for too long if you don’t want it to become shiny. A brush may be ineffective since it could scratch and harm the artwork’s surface. The cloth threads could catch on a glob of paint or another foreign item, rendering it useless for dusting a painting. 

For help with estate planning, contact Probate London on 0208 0171029.