Care of Antiques

Asia2America has learned over the decades many special techniques that enhance and ensure long life of your antique furniture. You can take some simple steps to help maintain the piece after purchase. With proper care, you should enjoy your fine antique for many, many years.

BEFORE WE SHIP
Very few Chinese antiques have enjoyed proper maintenance throughout their life, and those that have are both rare and expensive. We sell pieces that have been in continual use for over 100 years. Asia2America takes extra steps to properly prepare each piece.

This restoration process is key to recreating the original characteristics and protecting the value of your antique. Chinese furniture makers used joinery and tongue and groove construction (without using nails), which means that a piece usually can be restored to 'original' condition. These artisans often used floating panels for the tops, sides and doors to allow for seasonal contraction and expansion as humidity changes.

If you have not planned for it, moisture is a particular problem that can cause serious issues with antique furniture. Too much moisture can cause mold, smells and many bad effects. Too little moisture will cause wood to crack, split or simply disintegrate.

We handle moisture by placing each piece in our 1,500 square foot kilns at just the right temperature until the wood's moisture content is at the optimum level. This helps us to deliver to America a piece that will last a very long time. We also use special treatments to elimitate odors and other undesirable characteristics. Very old yak butter smells like...you don't have to know! We take care of that for you as well.

As one example, our Mongolian antique restoration starts by first removing parts of the finish that will not maintain their integrity. After refinishing, we apply sealing agents to preserve the original look and keep the value of the antique. A piece of the right age has a history and spiritual integrity that we can "freeze in time". You benefit in that it is easy to maintain.

We hope you can see that we care for your antique a lot so that you may enjoy simple maintenance and the simple beauty of your Asia2America purchase.

CLEANING
Use a soft, damp cloth such as an old white cotton undershirt or cotton baby diaper on your antique. Moisten the cloth with a little water and dust lightly. Then dry using a separate, soft dry cloth. Do not leave any moisture on the wood.

POLISHING
Wood surfaces also benefit from semi-annual polishing. We happen to like Goddard's furniture care products. If you choose another brand of polish, be sure to avoid those that contain silicone, such as all spray polishes. They will damage the finish.

LOW HUMIDITY
For our friends in more arid areas such as Palm Springs & Scottsdale, we recommend placing a glass of water inside the piece. A half-full glass inside the cabinet will do the trick. Repeat as necessary until evaporation slows. Alternately, you can use a humidifier in the room with your antique. Placing houseplants near the piece will help as well.

PLACEMENT
DO NOT place in direct sunlight as this will cause the finish to fade. DO NOT place next to a radiator, heating unit, fireplace or other placement that would cause the wood to dry out. When moving a piece, be sure to lift it. DO NOT drag the piece when moving it.

MINOR IMPERFECTIONS
All of our antiques are imperfect. That is part of their beauty. Individual characteristics will vary from piece to piece. Should you accidentally nick or mar the surface, use a clean cloth and a little Old English for Dark Woods furniture stain to touch up the area.

If you find the perfect placement for your piece and a door will not stay closed, just put a small piece of felt on the bottom of the door. This should keep the door closed.

We hope that these tips add to your enjoyment of your Asia2America purchase.