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Icons are not only the images used for the prayer to God, but also the objects that often have not only sacral, but also historical or personal value. For example, an icon written three hundred years ago may be valuable due to its style of writing or whoever has written it. A family image, handed down from generation to generation, may have no cultural value, but be very important for an individual family or genus. If valuable ancient icons are preserved in museum or private collections, in the second case the question always arises, what to do with old icons?
Answering this question, you should distinguish between old icons according to certain criteria. First, based on the material and the degree of preservation of the image itself..jpg)
Painted icons
If the faces or the plot is clearly visible on the painted icon, if it is not stitched with a deep crack or not stoned, then such an image can be stored in a frame and not addressed to restorers. The same applies to icons that are crooked by sunlight. The only difference is that the curved image should be stored without a frame and in a place inaccessible to the sun. An icon damaged by the bark beetle should be given to restorers, because the use of improvised tools can sometimes damage paints. Also, do not store it with other icons, as the beetle larvae can move on them. Painted icons, split in half, or images on which it is impossible to disassemble the image should be attributed to the restorers. And if the latter confirm that the image is not subject to restoration, then such an icon can be given to the church for burning in the church’s furnace or burned itself in a place that is not trampled underfoot.
Lithographs in foil
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Many of the old icons were made of lithographs, which, together with a frame of foil were placed in wooden frames. Such old icons are very common, as even poor people could acquire them in their time. In the case of lithographs, first it is necessary to assess the degree of its preservation: the quality of the image, the state of the foil and the frame. Usually pre-revolutionary lithographs were made of very high quality. The image on such icons can suffer only if they were under solar radiation. The image itself and the foil are often simply covered with a large layer of dust and, if you gently brush dust, they will immediately become brighter. Bark beetles often damage wooden frames of lithographic icons. If the image itself and the foil are not damaged - they can simply be transferred to a new frame.
Modern lithography and laminated icons
With the revival of church life in the 1990s, a flood of new printed lithographs of various sizes poured into the masses. Later small laminated icons joined them. Among the advantages of such images of their low cost and affordability. However, print quality was not always high. Because after a dozen years, many lithographs have faded or lost their shape. If you have such icons, you should do the same with written icons that are not subject to restoration, that is, be taken to the temple and asked to burn in a church stove, or burn yourself in a secluded place. Laminated small icons eventually become covered in soot and dust that cannot be brushed off with an ordinary brush. In this case, you can safely wash them with detergent and then wipe dry. Laminate does not let water through, and the picture itself will not suffer. If it is impossible to remove the pollution and the image is highly distorted, then with such an icon you should do the same as already described above.
Conclusion
As we can see, icons, as well as any objects related to the church cult, can also lose their appearance so much that their further use for their intended purpose, that is, prayer near them, is no longer possible. However, if there is even the slightest opportunity to correct any shortcomings of the old image, use it. After all, the old icon is not only a valuable historical artifact, but also a unique symbol of prayer succession between generations of Orthodox Christians.
