Cedar storage of videogames and related goods. In regards to Odor and Value

[y9784]

So it seems like some people prefer storage of valuables in cedar. Mostly I've heard praiseworthy tales of how some rare comic book had been stored in a cedar dresser / box / whatever for decades and thus it is in very good condition. I believe the reasoning is based on the properties of cedar to control moisture and bugs (correct me if any of this is false).

I believe if you store goods in a cedar chest, they absorb the odor over time. While I enjoy the smell of cedar in lawn furniture or a deck, I like my factory manufactured videogame stuff to have no odor.

Is there a trend among collectors to overlook the cedar smell of goods stored in cedar? Don't odors drive down value?

[Niku-Sama]

to me it would depend on the smell.

cedar, although it would be odd for my game to smell of a tree, wouldn't be bad.
a chain smoker though, that's something that would damage value.

some smoking is ok and occasionally beneficial (especially in coastal areas) but when its sticky with tar and it dis colors it some times theres no coming back.

speaking of discoloring cedar isn't a cure all for collectables, you have to be careful of the oils in the wood it self that come naturally and what generally produce the smell
while good for somethings it can be bad for others, it can destroy your boxes and paper documentation. any one who stores a comic book in a cedar box with out a few layers of protection is a moron, I wouldn't rick putting it in a cedar chest unless it was lacquered and felted on the inside really good. it would keep the bug away like silverfish though.

if your thinking of storing it IN cedar, I wouldn't. although having ceader linings (http://www.homedepot.com/p/CedarSafe-Aromatic-Cedar-Natural-Closet-Liner-Planks-FL60-15N/100384021) near by isn't a bad idea

[bb_hood]

Yeah you dont get mold or mildew. Plus I love the smell of ceder.
Cant see it hurting anything.

[Greg2600]

I've had good results with a hair dryer on ciggie smoke odor manuals and games. You basically heat/evaporate the residue.

[Daria]

The house I grew up in had a cedar closet, to me it always smelled like hamsters. Not dirty hamsters, just like the cedar bedding in their cages. Not a smell I'm fond of.

Although it's funny you mention that people use cedar to store valuables and collectibles. That closet had a hidden safe in the floor. I wonder what the previous owners built it for?

[y9784]

Great answers! Though most people may jump to the thought of using a cedar cigar box when I say cedar, I want to avoid confusion. I don't know if cigars can impart their own smell over their time in storage in their cedar box.

No, I am referring to cedar dressers, large chests, or like Daria mentioned, a cedar closet.




...speaking of discoloring cedar isn't a cure all for collectables, you have to be careful of the oils in the wood...
In professional cabinetry, you shouldn't have oils that ooze and discolor your stored goods, though, I agree that the natural oils in the wood do cause that natural odor and I am not sure if it is permanent. I wonder if lining say a cedar drawer with newspaper would help prevent a permanent cedar smell.



I wouldn't rick putting it in a cedar chest unless it was lacquered and felted on the inside really good. it would keep the bug away like silverfish though.

Putting lacquer would definitely trap in those oils that create the smell, but it would also prevent it acting as a natural deterrent against bugs (silverfish, book lice, etc.) and mold.


Now, it could be the desirability of the item, but the story to which I am referring is that of the Action Comics #1 (first Superman) that was found in a cedar chest in the high mountains of West Virginia (sounds majestic, ehh?) somewhat recently (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/25/superman-action-comics-no-1-record-3m-dollars). I think the rarity of the item may drive buyers to ignore a cedar smell or even that cedar storage gives their purchase more cachet than something found in a dusy garage in Atco, NJ.

[xelement5x]

Great answers! Though most people may jump to the thought of using a cedar cigar box when I say cedar, I want to avoid confusion. I don't know if cigars can impart their own smell over their time in storage in their cedar box.

No, I am referring to cedar dressers, large chests, or like Daria mentioned, a cedar closet.



In professional cabinetry, you shouldn't have oils that ooze and discolor your stored goods, though, I agree that the natural oils in the wood do cause that natural odor and I am not sure if it is permanent. I wonder if lining say a cedar drawer with newspaper would help prevent a permanent cedar smell.


Putting lacquer would definitely trap in those oils that create the smell, but it would also prevent it acting as a natural deterrent against bugs (silverfish, book lice, etc.) and mold.


Now, it could be the desirability of the item, but the story to which I am referring is that of the Action Comics #1 (first Superman) that was found in a cedar chest in the high mountains of West Virginia (sounds majestic, ehh?) somewhat recently (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/25/superman-action-comics-no-1-record-3m-dollars). I think the rarity of the item may drive buyers to ignore a cedar smell or even that cedar storage gives their purchase more cachet than something found in a dusy garage in Atco, NJ.

The cedar chest was ideal for that comic since it was rarely disturbed, plus the location in WV was low humidity and low heat variance. Video games are a totally different medium but I would guess there is some overlap.