The Preservation of Antiquities: A Handbook for Curators

"The Preservation of Antiquities: A Handbook for Curators" by Friedrich Rathgen is a guide crafted for museum professionals at the dawn of the 20th century, explaining how to keep ancient treasures safe and sound. The handbook is packed with advice for curators, particularly concerning the protection of items crafted from metals, glass, and natural materials. Drawing from his work in Berlin's Royal Museums, Rathgen takes a close took at why old objects break down over time and shares the best ways to keep them from falling apart. He starts off by pointing out that more and more people are realizing how important it is to protect antiquities, which is the reason for writing the book. He mentions that there aren't many good resources about this topic, and his handbook is meant to fix that. The book's introduction focuses on understanding the causes of decay, like air and moisture, along with materials reacting chemically. Rathgen hopes to get curators and collectors working together to exchange ideas and improve how they preserve artifacts, so everyone can learn more about taking care of these objects.