When you put the time and money into obtaining a celebrity’s autograph, you want to take adequate measures to protect and preserve your autographed memorabilia. Consider these tips in order to keep your collection for years to come.

Use acid-free paper, fabric, tissue, folder, or boxes to prevent the decay of the image and actual media. Don’t allow the face of your item to be mounted against glass or standard plastic. The art could get stuck to the glass and be ruined upon removal. Consider storing your autograph in a solander box, or a print storage box. Solander boxes are really for museum-quality preservation, but provide the best protection. Solander boxes feature acid-free cloth lining and are great if you have a number of items you want to store. Use translucent acid-free folders to encase your autographs for display without having to actually handle the item.

Proper ventillation is important when storing an autograph. When sealing your item in an acid-free cover with tape, leave a tiny gap in the corner. Avoid direct light exposure because it can fade the ink from your autographed item. Buy a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level where your autographed memorabilia is being stored. Wooden cabinets tend to encourage deterioration, and metal safes can encourage condensation.

Take measures to protect and preserve your autographed memorabilia for a matter of lifetimes, and pass them down for generations to come.