Sterling Pear Interviews Clara Scroggins: World-Famous Ornament Collector!

We originally posted this interview with Clara Scroggins, world-famous ornament collector, back in January, 2013 and really wanted to share her amazing interview again!

Clara Scroggins of Tampa Palms owns and curates the world's largest privately owned ornament collection, which tops 1-million pieces.

She has been collecting ornaments for more than 15 years! 

Her own collection includes ornaments by many famous names including Waterford, Lalique, Versace, Hallmark, Lenox, Reed and Barton, Christopher Radko, Baccarat, Swarovski, artist Thomas Blackwell, jewelry designer Jay Strongwater, Tiffany Co. and more!

Clara is an expert on storing and caring for sterling silver, crystal, gold, cut crystal, porcelain, breakable, blown glass balls, hand painted ornaments and more! We are so excited to have spoken with her. We hope you enjoy these tips on preserving your ornaments and heirlooms so you can pass them down to your children and grandchildren for generations to come. 

SP: What is the first rule in storing fragile an collectible ornaments? 

Clara: You don’t want your ornaments to rattle around. Use white shredded paper in each department of your ornament storage box to keep ornaments comfy and nestled in each slot. You also want to be careful that ornaments are not crushed against each other. Give each one a little room to breathe, while still being protected. “The ornament storage boxes by Sterling Pear are good for this because they are strong enough to stack without crushing the ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies and options now, and many ornament storage boxes that are made, are not”.

SP: Is it important to use acid-free paper when storing ornaments and heirlooms?

Clara: While it is not necessary to use acid free paper for storing ornaments, it is very important to use acid-free paper when storing heirlooms such as a wedding dress, antiques, and baby christening dresses to prevent yellowing. Wrap the items in the paper to keep them preserved.

SP: Should ornaments be stored in an airtight container to prevent moisture? What about sterling silver? Porcelain? Christmas Cards?

Clara: If you live in an environment with extreme temperatures, do not store ornaments in an airtight container. Ornaments need room to breath. The exception to this is China, Crystal and ornaments with Swarovski crystals. These can be stored airtight. 

The Swarovski crystals, when exposed to heat, can cause the glue to melt so your crystals come off. The good news is that companies now recognize that ornaments are exposed to Christmas tree lights and windows, and have made adjustments to prevent those things from happening. You can also just glue the crystals back on if this happens, and sometimesvsmall repairs may be needed.

Clara on storing Sterling Silver: Never store sterling silver where it can’t breathe. Use the packaging that the silver comes in which is pre-treated. You can also buy the protective bags separately to preserve your silver if the bags are misplaced or damaged.

Clara on storing Porcelain: The design in porcelain is fired in so it won’t come off on regular sheet paper. Store in an ornament storage box also wrapped in paper.

Clara on storing Hallmark cards: Leave them in the original box or wrap them invbubble wrap or tissue to preserve them.

SP: Why do ornaments get little black spots on them? Is it from moisture?

Clara: Black spots can come from age, being antiques, or humidity inside the ornament. Never store your ornaments in an attic or basement to avoid humidity or extreme temperatures. The Sterling Pear Ornament Storage boxes are so elegant you can use them as an end table or display piece in your living area to showcase your ornaments and heirlooms. So there is no need to hide them because their look is elegant enough to have out in a room. Ornament such as Disney and Hallmark will be fine and do not need climate-controlled temperatures.

SP: Are there any ornament companies that we should keep on our watch list? 

Clara: Fabriche designs beautiful ornaments that will continue to be timeless for years to come. Store them in crushed paper to keep them safe. Other companies to watch are Lalique, Lenox, Versace, and Blvgari and are beautiful to be shown off in an elegant, exquisite container from Sterling Pear. 

SP: What do you like about Sterling Pear’s Ornament Storage Chests and Boxes? 

Clara: I love the ornament boxes from Sterling Pear because they show off your ornaments so well! There is no need to hide them in a closet or attic because they showcase beautifully. They are like a piece of furniture in your home and can be used as an end table or neatly stacked as they are strong and will not crush your ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies and options available now and this is not always the case. The Signature Box can be used to store Easter ornaments since its lighter, and the black Keepsake Chest year-round or winter for storing Christmas ornaments and other collectibles. 

SP: What do you currently store in your Sterling Pear boxes? 

Clara: I store blown glass ornaments in the green ornament storage box and both colors are beautiful. My father’s heirlooms, which are very precious to me, will be stored in the black elegant keepsake chest, which I plan on passing down to my son and grandchildren. That’s what’s nice about your boxes. They are elegant enough to store and display family heirlooms, baby christening dresses, wedding dresses and fine ornaments.

Although she is best known for her amazing collection of ornaments, we've learned that Clara’s goal in life is really about giving back to others. She frequently opens her doors for holiday tours to interested groups and hopes that her beautiful and extensive ornament collection continues to bring joy to the world long after she's gone. Click here to read more on Clara and her exquisite collection.

Please visit Sterling Pear if you are interested in stylishly and safely storing your cherished ornament collection this year.  Take an additional 20% your order when you enter coupon code CLARASAV at check-out.