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Star Wars memorabilia: Preserving and displaying your collection

Bradley Robbins
Bradley Robbins

Dork Side of the Force

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

Star Wars fans can easily spend years amassing collectibles. We’ve got you covered with some tips on displaying, lighting, storing and moving your swag.

So, you’ve been to Toy Fair, or maybe raided this year’s Force Friday selection, or perhaps you just hit it big at the local comic book store and now find yourself in possession of a Hutt’s hoard of Star Wars collectibles and memorabilia. What’s an up-and-coming Jedi to do with these highly coveted artifacts? Luckily, we’ve got you covered with some tips on displaying, lighting, storing and moving your hard-earned swag.

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

“I need someone to show me my place in all of this.”

Now that you’ve made it back to your illustrious temple, or slimy mudhole, it’s time to decide what to do with your spoils. Take stock of everything you’ve got and determine which pieces are worth displaying, which are fun trinkets or paperweights, and which need special care or belong in long-term storage. Finding the right place for your goods is paramount, as no one wants a broken heirloom.

Display Pieces

No one buys a hundred-dollar collectible to stare at the box. When you want to show off your prizes, and relive iconic Star Wars moments, you need a display case. Simple bookshelves are a great start, especially if you’re just furnishing your first apartment, but when you can do better, you should. Consider upgrading first to plastic cases designed for sports memorabilia. These are usually inexpensive and readily available.

When you’re ready to make the next big leap, pose your figures in a glass case, like the ones from IKEA. Recreate your favorite scenes or just place favorite characters together sorted by movie, theme or saga. Make sure the case features a lock if you plan on putting it in a shared space, theft of collectibles can be a major concern. Look for easily opened doors for dusting as time goes by. You do dust, right? If not, check out sealed cases.

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

Fun Toys

Lots of us buy collectibles as toys, then later display them as part of the collection. Whether it’s a NERF starfighter that shoots glowing darts or just action figures for your personal recreation of Snoke’s throne room fight when no one’s looking, these are the toys you wanna keep close at hand.

Not all of us enjoy the ability to work in environments where we can deck out our desks with 18-inch Ezra Bridgers and LEGO Millennium Falcons, but if you can sneak a few Star Wars toys into your workspace, go for it. Coworkers with a keen eye can connect with you over a love of classic cinema, modern animation or whatever Droids counts as. Otherwise, perch figures on dressers, keep them on bedside tables, wherever you want easy access. Just don’t get them wet, or feed them after galactic midnight.

“In a dark place, we find ourselves…”

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

Once your collectibles are all nicely lined up on their shelves, or in a Sarlacc’s pit of a pile on the dresser, you might want to consider lighting options. IKEA  has lighting stands that fit neatly inside their display cases, but a simple desk lamp works wonders. Don’t use a lamp directly over comic books or other paper materials, however. They can cause fading over time. These are best stored away for the future away from dampness, harsh light or grubby hands. Of course, keep heat away from your prizes.

When you hit the big time and have all the collectible cases you desire, consider adding antique bulbs to your display area. The classic lighting delivered by these is softer than that of UV-spectrum bulbs, so it casts a different look than full spectrum light, and the effect is noticeable. The raw look of this type of bulb makes it an excellent match for the Star Wars saga. A strip of these lights above the display cases can transform the space. Add a Star Wars banner or flank the cases with posters (in their appropriate archive-quality frames, of course) to create a stunning centerpiece.

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

“Jyn, I’ll be there for you. Cassian said I had to.”

There are some collectibles that just aren’t right for display. Often, we buy these as investments, knowing that they’re nearly one-of-a-kind finds that we can’t bear to expose to the elements or the grubby hands of small children and coworkers. These include signed scripts, especially those from the original trilogy, first-run collectible toys and action figures or other potentially fragile and likely irreplaceable heirlooms. These need quality storage.

Quality storage doesn’t have to cost a fortune, however. Comic books should be stored in acid-free archive paper and sleeves, and your friendly local comic book store probably has plenty in stock. Scripts should get the same treatment, as should any other paper documents. For more extensive items, make sure that the boxes are sturdy enough to withstand long-term storage demands. This includes firm corners for strength and material that resists potential exposure to humidity.

If you’ve got that $10,000 once-in-a-lifetime collectible, or George Lucas and Dave Filoni frozen in carbonite, consider a safety deposit box at a trusted local bank. Or let them out, because we need more of their good work!

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

“Always in motion is the future.”

It’s almost inevitable that you’ll need to move at least part of your collection at some point. Take it from someone who is the proud owner of a (now fixed) Hot Toys Rey that sustained broken fingers in an apartment move.  Boxing is essential! When it comes time to move your collectibles, set aside a full day to wrap them and, ideally, place them back in their original boxes. Boxes of equivalent size are also fine, especially for toys that see regular handling anyway (including Star Wars: Armada or other miniatures).

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

“Attachment leads to jealousy, the shadow of greed, that is.”

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Despite the best assurances of your moving crew (especially if they’re your best friends), don’t let them move your display cases as a whole unit. That’s the equivalent of counting on an Idiot’s Array in Sabacc. The odds aren’t in your favor.

While it may seem like you are now looking at spending as much on storing and displaying your collectibles as you spent on the purchase, remember that these cases and storage units are an investment in the future. You’ll likely use them again and again, and you may well make them a central part of your home.

You shouldn’t need a side hustle to pay for your display space, though it can help. Start small with inexpensive plastic display units and comic book bags, and move up to the bigger and more expensive stuff as your collection expands. Remember, when all is said and done, these collectibles represent our memories and our love of Star Wars.

Next: 15 top Hasbro toys from Toy Fair 2018

Learn from them, but covet them not. Keep them as a reminder of happy days spent reading and watching movies, and the Force will be with you.

Bradley Robbins

Bradley Robbins