I Need Help With treasures!

[dfrelke]

Today and for the last couple days I found what appears to be old stamps and coins and possible leather documents along with ornate trunk locks and hardware in the Oregon mountains.Some of the china and glassware,the square nails and "SAFE" lock date it from around 1900 but the china dating seems to vary greatly.I'm currently researching styles and makers marks but they are from at least Qing and possibly Ming Dyn.all the way to Early 1900 England and Holland, So it appears to be a previous collection.But my question is...How is it best to preserve the Artifacts?(Especially whats left of the paper stamps and the leather doc. or painting?)I know with Water discoveries they freeze them in ice and get them to an expert,Is this best? or is it better to freeze them as they are or not freeze them at all?,but I fear they would instantly turn to dust! And there are STACKS of stamps! And then there are brass and Iron ornate locks,Very deteriorated silver and copper coins and silver plated spoons and plates and possible miniature Gilt Iron carousel or clock?Anyway....I need help preserving these things or storing them safely until I can get them to someone who "Knows"....Then we can all look at them and see what they are exactly!! Thanx-DF

[alwayslookin]

re-post
WOW!! it sounds like you came across a place that was abandoned rather quickly..or maybe the owners deserted it during the winter and couldn't get back to it.. did you find this "treasure" MD'ing? or was it in a long lost house/shack..really got my curiosity going..tell us the whole story..
Congrats!! looking forward to the pictures.

HH
dave

[mavrick03]

okay well there is allot of things you can do start out by checking this link there are more links to conservation of paper etc here

http://sul2.stanford.edu/
http://www.greensborohistory.org/arc...ives_final.gif
hope this helps

good luck

Mav

[Bjorn_MD]

Sounds like a bonanza of treasures. ?Way to go! ?Strange circumstance that the silver and copper coins would be very deteriorated while there are stacks of stamps still intact. ?But stranger things have happened. ?The coins should help pinpoint the time period of the cache usually to the right decade.

Seems like the conditions they are now in (in a house or storage facility), would immediately help to preserve them better than where they were (in the Oregon mountains), with the exception of excessive handling.

I'd take extra care with the paper and leather items until I learned more about how to keep them safe or how to transport them.

Again, congratulations and best of luck. ?We'd enjoy pictures.

[dfrelke]

thanks so much for the help! I was frantic....But buckram, the AIC was a great lead and I promise to get ya'all at LEAST a digital photo soon, mind you its only a polaroid 320 and they're just pieces of the "stack"....and they'll be frozen(thanx again B...)but I too need the Confirmation...My wife says...well ....nevermind that...Bjorn, I agree!! oddest of circumstances...enter into that square nails driven into bones,chinese miner evidence and burnt bones and a broken obsidian arrowheads,smeltering equipment And what appears to be a flintlock 'carcus' ...(I will send a picture of these)...Maybe a theory involving chinese miners processing pirate gold being overtaken by angry miners and native americans....Okay the theories are still wild but does any one know of any stories along those lines in OregonSomnething to chew on till tomorrow nite..talk soon

[mvSWAT]

Wow DF, sounds like you've come across a real chunk of history there. Definately a place well worth searching over and over. Happy Hunting and best of luck.

[krauseb]

Best way to protect items would be to vaccum seal.
Bob.

[Connecticut Danny]

Any updates?

[gleaner1]

Put all of the treasures in a big vat and fill it with liquid nitrogen and seal it off for eternity. This should preserve them for a real long time.

[gemee]

Any updates?

PLEASE stop digging up ANCIENT threads, when there are so many great current ones!