Storage of Vintage Fishing Lures
Storing Vintage Fishing Lures
How to properly store your vintage fishing lures so that the long term health of your collection is preserved is an area that many collectors of all experience levels are always interested in. Some collectors have lost several lures in only a few days due to excessive paint flaking and cracking or related issues caused by storage conditions.
A key step for proper storage of your vintage fishing lures is protection from dust, dirt, moisture, and high humidity. The best way to keep lures protected is to store them in the proper environment. Moisture and humidity can speed corrosion and rust on metal parts.
Collectors who have problems with paint cracking and flaking as discussed above have found a key problem area to be an unstable environment with too much or too long of an exposure to dry air. Dry air can cause wood in lures to shrink thus causing the paint that was adhering to that wood to become loose and either flake or crack. This damage is usually irreversible and can cause a decline in the value and enjoyment of the lure.
To minimize potential damage from improper storage and avoid paint flaking and cracking issues the storage environment needs to be stable and maintain a reasonably consistent humidity level. The common recommendation and reasonably simple solution is to use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels in the area your collection is stored. A suggested target is to maintain a relative humidity between 30 to 50 percent.
Our vintage fishing lure collectibles will age over the course of time and we cannot stop that. However, we can try to manage and maintain our collections in a way that allows them to be preserved as well as possible and to be maintained in a condition that future generations may be able to enjoy them as well.
What works for one collector, may not work for another and could depend on numerous factors including where you live. I would encourage anyone with specific concerns or who has seen any deterioration in their collections to consult with a professional conservator for individual advice.
Additional tips:
Sunlight can also cause damage to lures over time. Most people store their vintage fishing lure collections indoors, but if they are near a window, it may be advisable to cover them with a cloth or other covering to minimize exposure to the ultraviolet rays.
Hook tubing can be used if there is concern about damage to paint and finish from hook contact. If your vintage fishing lures are transported often, or without other padding for protection, hook tubing may be a good option to consider. If there are issues with high humidity, hook tubing should not be used as it will hold moisture in and can cause damage to the metal hooks. If the decision is made to use hook tubing, make sure that it doesn’t stay in contact with the lure body. Do not use PVC.
