One question I do occasionally get asked from people, when I tell them that my main hobby is collecting antiques, is:
“Why?”
Or more precisely:
“What do you do with them!?”
Well, to answer that publicly: It depends!
A discussion held with the mother of a longtime friend prompted this posting, and it made me think about my antiques, and what I do, or don’t do with them. And I decided it’d be interesting to examine the issue and share the answer in detail. So, what is the answer?
In short, the answer is that unless the antique is particularly fragile, small or breakable, the overwhelming chances are that I’ll probably just…use it! – as an everyday object, which I admit, I do with a lot of my antiques on a regular basis.
At least 2-3 times a week, I shave with my antique razor, from the 1880s…
I sharpen the blade, I strop the edge, and I put cold steel to my neck at least every 2-3 days, and I don’t just go through the motions – it really does shave!
On top of that, I write with my antique and vintage fountain pens from the 1910s and 1920s, 30s and 40s when I work or when I have to write out drafts or take notes. When I go to the theatre or out to some big, public event, I bring along a pair of opera glasses or binoculars from my collection of antiques, dating back as far as the 1880s…
If I’m going to see something particularly far away, then it might be my pocket telescope, from the 1890s…
If I need to tell the time, I keep a watch in my pocket, secured by a chain…
…this silver beauty is from 1925; and I have another gold-filled railroad chronometer from 1950 which I use every day.
Of course, antiques aren’t always the cute pretty things, they’re also the useful, serviceable things that we like to buy and use and decorate our homes and rooms with. Just last night, I smashed up some chili, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper and tomatoes in this antique Dutch brass mortar and pestle, while I was cooking dinner. Yes, it’s 200 years old, but these were made for regular pounding and grinding – my using it was never going to damage it if centuries of use haven’t done so already! And apart from anything else, using this instead of a food-processor is just so much more fun to do!!
That said, I don’t use all my antiques. Some are just too large, too small, too old or fragile to use on a daily, or even infrequent basis. These are ones which I collect mainly to enjoy, to photograph, to use for demonstrative purposes, or to protect and restore for future generations (what? That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!).
Is it Safe to use Antiques?
Provided that you use your antiques for the purposes for which they were intended, and don’t overtax their abilities, for the most part, it’s perfectly safe to use your antiques. of course, some things hold up better than others. Antique metalware, silverware, mechanical antiques, brassware, furniture, musical or scientific instruments, tools, domestic appliances and pieces of specialist equipment tend to hold up better, as they were intended to be used on a regular basis, anyway. So long as you store them properly, look after them, maintain them and clean them, they’ll be in no danger of damage.
Other pieces should be treated with more care. Books, newspapers, textiles and fabrics, glassware and porcelain can still be used, but are best kept for occasional use, or for special occasions. That’s not to say that you can’t use it, but it’s best to keep it for instances where you really want to show them off.
Items made of natural products (ivory, bone, leather, etc) can decay or deteriorate over time. Depending on what these items are, they should be used sparingly, or not at all. Antique leather, especially, is prone to drying out, cracking, ripping and tearing. Unless you moisturize it regularly with appropriate leather-treatment ointments and creams, it can deteriorate very quickly from improper or heavy use.
So, is it safe to use and enjoy the antiques that you have in your collection? Or do you have to keep them locked up in safes, behind glass, and in protective steel cages?
In general – yes, it is safe, provided the item isn’t obviously fragile or prone to damage, and provided you use it in a manner, and for the purpose with which it was intended.
That said, it is entirely up to you whether you use something or not. There’s no law saying that you have to use your antiques, and there’s no rule that says you can’t use them; just keep in mind that future generations will likely look upon you with scorn or smirking, if you used something recklessly and smashed it, or kept something perfectly useful up on some sort of pedestal out of a misplaced fear of damaging it!