How to display my venetian mask and how do I keep it clean?

Very expensive masks kept in boxes. Would love to display them but not sure how. If display, how do you keep them clean without stressing the glitter or decorative attachments.How to display my venetian mask and how do I keep it clean?
I collect masks as well, but I display them. My venetian masks all have ribbons on the sides or back, so I hang them on the wall. My more precious masks, especially those with porceline faces, I have in my china chest propped up in large bowls filled with glass pebbles or fabric wadded up underneath. I live in an earthquake zone and really don't want to hang porceline faced masks on the wall in case we get a real big shaker.





For a couple of my Asian masks, I actually have them hanging above silk gowns and robes which are mounted on drapery rods. The masks are attached at the neck openings with museum wax to the rods and have picture hangers mounted on the back side of the faces to attach to the wall. The Asian masks are made of wood or papier mache, however, so there isn't much risk of them falling off in a quake.





You could also have a shadow box frame made for them. I also collect antique fans which look awesome in shadow boxes custom made to the shape of a fan. I've also seen masks in European museums that were kept in plexiglass cases. You could make them yourself rather inexpensively for each mask you want to display. Then, you could drill a hole in the back of the box to hang it on the wall or simply display the box flat on a buffet or table.





To clean them, I use either canned air to blow the dust off or use the soft brush attachment on my handi-vac to suck it off. Some of my masks have feathers and fabric around them and the vacuum works best. Now and again, I will wipe the porceline faced masks with a soft, damp terry towel when some dust or lint won't blow or be sucked off with the vac.





I didn't know anyone else collected masks...I make them, too!How to display my venetian mask and how do I keep it clean?
A few years ago my husband bought me an antique eskimo coat embellished with intricate leather and beaded details and I had the same dilemma...how to preserve it and display it at the same time. He built me a 4' x 6' shadow box with a hinged glass door in the front which he framed out. Since heat from installed lightly would cause rapid deterioration, he mounted a row of track lighting on the ceiling about three ft in front of it for a beautiful diplay. I'm sure something similar would work beautifully for you. You could find a wonderful remnant of upholstery fabric to attach to the backboard in a jewl tone color to further enhance the masks. Hope this helps.
I have ventian masks that I have attached to the wall on a small shelf and a tiny piece of the foamy double sided tape made for hanging pictures. I also use the endust cans to blow the dust off every once in a while.