Assessing the preservation and restoration requirements for many objects and artifacts is complex. This is due to the wide variety of organic and inorganic components from which they are made.

Ethnographic objects require information beyond the condition of the piece. Valuable cultural information plays an important role in guiding the restorer. The dissimilarities between organic materials such as leather, bone, feathers, hair, wood, paper, hemp and inorganic materials such as metals, glass and stone create conflicting conservation needs. Often a compromise must be reached that will stabilize the object and preserve the information it contains.

Art Preservation Services has extensive experience with collectors and their collections of Native Indian objects, Tribal and Oceanic Artifacts, Ivory, ancient Glass and Porcelains.