Many antique collectors display their wares proudly around their homes, excited as they should be to show off their treasures and share their knowledge of the pieces themselves. As a result, the pieces are often situated all around their homes, often in areas that their owners know better than to allow direct sunlight on their pieces but forgetting about the indirect sunlight which is almost just as bad. For collectors tend to forget how bad indirect sunlight is on their valuables, and only when they compare another non-faded piece to theirs, do they realize the effect the sunlight has had on their items. We all know what fade can do to the value of our pieces, but do we forget about the indirect sunlight until it is too late? Oftentimes, sadly, yes, collectors forget.
And then there is the other fade which is often unrecognized. That fade comes from ultraviolet light from flourescent lighting. Collectors try to avoid fade by putting their items in the basement, which is good. However, many do not realize that flourescent lighting tubes via ultraviolet radiation. There have been lighting studies done by the National Museums of Canada which have documented the ultraviolet lights and the damage they do to tin or cardboard like advertising. The good news is that UV lighting can be corrected with colorless plexiglass applications which can fit over flourescent lights and will essentially stop the concerning radiation from damaging the color on our advertising pieces.
In the end, it is easy with a little effort and ingenuity to preserve your advertising pieces and their value by taking a few extra steps and stop the forgotten consequences of indirect or UV lighting to our collections.