5 Tips to Protect and Save
Art, Antiques, Collectibles and Memorabilia
from
Fine Art Conservation Laboratories
Does your office have paintings hanging on the wall? Or maybe sports memorabilia near your desk? They could be in danger of being damaged in the next earthquake… or even worse, they could come flying off the wall and hit someone!
Important risk management note: BTW, if you implement measures to protect furnishings, collectibles, artwork from damage in an earthquake, your insurance company MAY decrease your insurance premium. Inquire, of course, with your insurer.
If you live in an earthquake zone, chances are you have experienced at least a tremor or a small earthquake. When it turns into a serious shaker, you will be in danger if the pieces around the office are not completely secured on the wall. If you have your paintings or sports memorabilia held onto the wall with just a nail it will not suffice in a bigger earthquake… like the one “they” are practicing for in The Great California Shake Out this week on Oct. 17th.
The painting in this interesting 57 second educational video for collectors, for example, fell off the wall when the house began to shake in Santa Barbara (the screw holding the wire pulled out of the frame). Besides putting huge holes in the painting and causing original paint loss (and frame damage) it completely shattered the heads of the Chinese statues worth $10,000’s.
While this accident caused $50,000.00 of damage and loss of value (insurance covered it), a cherished irreplaceable heirloom would have been a heart breaker… BUT TOTALLY AVOIDABLE!!!
Here is an earthquake fact: Notice in the photos of the earthquake damage that you see on the news and/or the Internet that not all homes, building etc are completely destroyed. Yes, there is an epicenter that gets hit hard. But not even all the buildings in the critical area get hit hard… and there are millions of people in the surrounding areas that are “just” rattled. Not only could something flying around the room be dangerous, losing treasure family/personal items and be heartbreaking. IT ALWAYS PAYS TO PREPARE in order to:
- Keep things from flying around in the air during the earthquake for personal safety
- Protect important historical items
- Save financially valuable items
- Protect and save emotionally valuable items
- Know ahead of time what will impact your home of business if you lose it.
If you take these easy steps, you can worry about your safety during a disaster instead of grandma’s favorite floral vase.
Surprisingly, an easy, fast, do-it-yourself anchoring technique can save you in all of these five needs of being protected mentioned above… in all of these problem areas… this will help you BIG TIME! Here’s 1:30 sec quick fun interesting video: CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO
Do you have art collection care questions? Call Scott Haskins 805 564 3438
Art and antiques appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate at 805 895 5121
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Here is a real life testimonial…
Scott,
Thanks for writing such a good article on the Italian earthquake. I was glad to read it and send it on to friends—some of them in Italy!
We do take many of the precautions you mentioned in your article and book including having earthquake insurance in Indiana. The New Madrid fault rumbles here every once in a while and after living in CA we would never take a chance. Just last year we had a small quake that rattled all my antiques and would have broken quite a few items in a pottery collection. But we bought some Museum Wax when we visited my sister in San Diego in December. David had installed Plexiglas in the front of the open case. Plus we have wires on many bookshelves. Thanks for your tips and coaching. It pays to be prepared! All my best, Lynda
