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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 321973, member: 5833&quot;]Moist is shell&#039;s natural condition.&nbsp; Excessive dryness makes it brittle.&nbsp; Sometimes a good soaking will minimize the appearance of hairlines and/or tighten up a cameo that rattles a little in its bezel.</p><p><br /></p><p>I once asked a dealer in shells what collectors in her field do for care.&nbsp; She heartily endorsed soaking.&nbsp; She also recommended adding a little baby oil to the water.&nbsp; Since the oil would float on top, the benefit would be in distributing it evenly over the surface as the shell was removed.&nbsp; Probably easier than trying to spread oil by rubbing.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oiling is very much a cosmetic treatment, so very much a question of taste.&nbsp; It can definitely improve the appearance of a cameo that has suffered dulling of the background layer due to Byne&#039;s or overzealous cleaning, although it cannot repair it.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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