1. Antique furniture should never be "polished" or cleaned with commercial cleaning products or polishes. Use a soft cloth sprayed with some glass cleaner instead.
2. To remove minor water marks on furniture, use a mixture of Vaseline and ashes. Sift 2 tablespoons of fine wood ashes with a dab of Vaseline or cooking oil to form a paste. Using a circular motion, work the paste into the surface with a soft cloth until the white ring vanishes.
3. Burn marks can be taken out of furniture with fine steel wool, a razor blade, a scalpel or craft knife. The shallow hole that results may be filled by artists' oil colors, mixed with linseed oil, or if a glossy finish is desired, with varnish, or mixed with turpentine, it will be matt. Filler can also be made from colored beeswax, from powder stain mixed with a medium such as epoxy resin, or shellac mixed with powder pigment.
4. To remove stains from stoneware dishes, soak them for 24 hours or more in one gallon of hot water in which two denture cleaner tablets have been dissolved.
5. To prevent mildew damage to old photographs and artwork hung on damp or outside walls, tape or glue a sheet of plastic to the back to create a vapor barrier.
6. Use only white glue to adhere broken pieces of porcelain, stoneware, or pottery together. After applying glue, press pieces together and shift slightly for a tight fit. Wipe off excess glue from both sides with a damp cloth and let dry. Use masking tape to hold pieces snuggly while drying if necessary.
7. Never use rust–remover on china as it can remove the glaze or protective coating of the china. Also, calcium, lime or rust–remover products should not be used on gold or platinum–banded crystal because these items can stain or permanently change the color of the metal–banding.
8. Wear cotton gloves as much as possible when handling your silver. This will prevent the oils and acids from your hands from ending up on the object.
9. Jade, ivory, horn, and marble should be lightly dusted with a soft brush or dry, soft cloth. Keep these objects out of direct sunlight, since they may dry out and become brittle.

We've established how to search for your perfect new addition, as well as how to care for it once it is in your possession. Since you are most likely considering a move, how should you do this with your precious "new" pieces? Great care needs to be taken in handling and moving your antiques. It has to be given priority over the dispensable domestic items in regular use in your home. You should consider the delicacy of the object and the risks it could be subjected to before handling or moving your antiques. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Make plans and determine the risk, man power, equipment, protection to be used and the distance to be covered during moving.
2. Never pick up objects by the edges or handles which are the most delicate parts. Be careful in supporting the weight of the piece.
3. Always wear gloves, as there could be stains and smudges from skin contact. Also, fingerprints could be imprinted into polished surfaces.
4. Use good quality packing and storage material. Be prepared for changes in weather, pests, structural damage, steep changes in temperature and humidity.
5. Ensure there is no other distraction or hurry when moving. Also, do not smoke, eat or drink in the area.
6. If your antiques are susceptible to loss, theft or damage, it is necessary to provide adequate security and insurance cover. Consider having each piece appraised prior to moving. That way you'll have proof of their value should any damage occur during the move.
7. To protect valuable investments, many people with fine antiques choose to have them professionally moved. Ask movers how your valuables will be protected – long distance movers often use custom crates, rather than simply packing antiques in cartons with padding and stretch wrap.
8. The key to moving fine wine is keeping the bottles at 55 to 60 degrees. That means that if you're moving in the summer, your wine won't do very well in a moving van. Consider contacting a company that specializes in moving fine wine, or if you are moving it locally, move it yourself in your air conditioned car or van.
9. Companies that specialize in moving cars from state to state offer a variety of services. If your car is worth a lot of money, you'll want to consider paying extra to have it moved in a closed carrier or at least on the top of the transport vehicle.