Care
How to Handle Antiquities: Gloves, Clean Hands and Safe Lifting
More ancient objects are damaged by handling than by anything else that happens in a home collection. Not by dramatic accidents, usually, but by a handle that was lifted once too often, a glove that slipped on glass, or an old repair that let go in someone's hand.
Good handling is a short list of habits. This guide covers the glove question, which has a more nuanced answer than most people expect, and the lifting and carrying routine museum staff use every day.
The glove question, by material
The old image of white cotton gloves for everything has given way to a more practical approach. The goal is to protect the surface and keep a secure grip. A dropped object is a far bigger loss than a fingerprint.
| Material | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze, copper alloys, silver, lead, iron | Nitrile gloves | Salts, moisture and oils from skin can start or speed corrosion and leave marks that etch over time. |
| Glass | Nitrile gloves, or very clean bare hands | Smooth and slippery; cotton is especially risky. Weathered or flaking glass surfaces need minimal contact. |
| Glazed or burnished ceramics, smooth stone | Nitrile gloves or clean, dry bare hands | Grip matters most. Cotton can slide on smooth surfaces. |
| Unglazed, porous terracotta | Nitrile gloves | Porous surfaces absorb oils; painted or slipped surfaces can be fragile. |
| Rough stone, coarse pottery | Nitrile gloves | Cotton fibres snag and can pull loose fragments. |
| Objects with flaking paint, slip or corrosion | Minimal handling; nitrile gloves; lift by a support | Any contact can detach material. Move on a tray or mount instead of by hand. |
| Bone, ivory, wood, textile | Nitrile gloves | Organic materials absorb oils and are often weak. Some carry legal restrictions too. |
Choose powder-free nitrile gloves in a size that fits snugly; loose fingertips reduce feel and grip. Change them if they become dirty or sticky. Don't wear the same pair to touch a bronze and then a terracotta with a fragile painted surface.
Before you pick anything up
- Decide where the object is going and clear that space first.
- Lay a padded surface where you'll set it down: polyethylene foam or a folded towel on a stable table.
- Remove rings, bracelets, watches, lanyards and anything that dangles.
- Wash and dry your hands even if you'll wear gloves. Skip hand cream.
- Look at the object closely before touching. Note old repairs, cracks, loose fragments, flaking areas and anything that moves.
- Check whether parts are separate: lids, stoppers, stands, mounts. Remove and move them separately.
- Keep pens and liquids away. Use a pencil for notes near objects.
Lifting and carrying
- One object at a time. Never stack or carry two pieces together.
- Lift from the base or the strongest part. Slide one hand under the base and steady the body with the other. Handles, rims, spouts, necks, arms and heads are the weakest points and were often repaired long ago.
- Keep it low. Handle objects over a padded table, not over a hard floor, and don't raise them higher than necessary.
- Use a tray for any distance. Place the object in a padded tray or box, with foam or tissue to stop it rolling, and carry the tray.
- Don't hand objects person to person. Put the object down on a padded surface, and let the other person pick it up. Mid-air hand-offs are where drops happen.
- Set down gently and check stability. Round-bottomed or narrow-based pieces need a ring support or a cradle so they can't roll.
Small foam ring supports and padded trays are inexpensive and transform how safely you can move things: padded trays and ring supports for round-bottomed vessels.
Old repairs are the hidden risk
Many ancient ceramics and glass vessels were restored decades ago with adhesives and fills that weaken over time. A handle that looks original may be glued on. A vessel that looks complete may be several pieces. If you are unsure, assume it is repaired and lift accordingly. The existing guide on how composite antiquities are built explains what to look for.
Handling fragments, sherds and small objects
Small pieces have their own risks. They are easy to drop, easy to lose, and easy to separate from their labels and paperwork.
- Work over a tray with raised edges so a dropped piece can't roll off the table.
- Pick up small objects with gloved fingers rather than tweezers, which can slip and scratch or chip edges.
- Keep each fragment in its own labelled bag or box compartment with its inventory number, so it never becomes an orphan with no history.
- Don't fit broken pieces together to "see if they match" more than necessary; each test rubs the break edges.
- Seals, beads and gems with drilled holes should never be threaded on modern cord for display without advice, as abrasion inside the hole is permanent.
Showing objects to guests
Sharing a collection is one of its pleasures, and most accidents happen during these moments. A few house rules help:
- Bring the object to a padded table and let guests look, rather than holding it out.
- If someone wants to hold it, have them sit down, hands over the table, with the object placed into their hands from the table.
- Offer nitrile gloves for metals; keep a box handy so it doesn't feel awkward.
- Keep children's handling to sturdy, stable pieces, or to replicas. A good reproduction is ideal for that; see Roman oil lamp replicas.
- Never let objects be passed around a group.
Handling during photography and study
Photographing every side, as the guide to photographing the back, base and breaks recommends, means turning objects over. Do it on a padded surface, close to the table, supporting the whole object as it turns. For fragile pieces, rotate the support or foam cradle instead of the object.
A loupe lets you study surfaces without bringing the object up close to your face: 10x loupes. Rest your elbows on the table and bring the loupe to the object, not the other way round.
"Tests" that damage objects
The same caution applies to cleaning. Surface deposits and patina are part of an object's history and often its evidence. Don't scrub, polish or wash ancient objects. For active corrosion on bronze, follow bronze disease: isolate first, then act and consult a conservator.
If something breaks
- Stop. Don't try to catch falling fragments with a second movement.
- Collect every piece, including crumbs and dust, onto a clean sheet of paper or into a labelled bag.
- Don't glue anything. Household adhesives are hard to reverse and can stain.
- Photograph the pieces and the place it fell, and note the time and cause for your records and insurer.
- Contact a conservator who works on that material.
A small, labelled box of zip bags and acid-free tissue in the same room as the collection makes this calm rather than frantic: acid-free tissue.
FAQ
Should I wear white cotton gloves to handle antiquities?
Usually not. Cotton gloves reduce grip and can snag on rough or flaking surfaces. Powder-free nitrile gloves are the better all-round choice, and some museums prefer clean bare hands for smooth glazed ceramics and stone.
Why do metals need gloves?
Salts, moisture and oils from skin can mark metal surfaces and contribute to corrosion over time. Nitrile gloves prevent that while keeping a good grip.
Is it safe to pick up a pot by its handle?
No. Handles, rims and spouts are weak points and are often old repairs. Lift from the base with one hand and steady the body with the other.
What should I do if an antiquity breaks?
Collect every fragment, don't glue anything, photograph the pieces, record what happened and contact a conservator who works with that material.
The habits that matter
For most collectors, three rules prevent almost all handling damage: nitrile gloves for anything metal or porous, two hands under the base every time, and a padded tray for any distance. Add a house rule that objects are never passed hand to hand, and keep a small emergency kit nearby. Those habits cost almost nothing and protect objects that have already survived a very long time.