Hello folks.

In the few years that I've been collecting, I've found I always end up gravitating towards gas masks. Whether it's because they're an iconic item of the period, or simply because they're easy to find and affordable, I honestly can't say. But I've noticed, in the relatively short time that I've had them, certain pieces have grown progressively worse in terms of perishing. I keep all my masks in their respective bags, boxes and canisters when they're not on display, and they're never in direct sunlight. Yet still, certain ones harden and crumble.
The main culprits are the Civilian General respirators. One I bought only recently, and the face piece shows zero signs of degradation so far. It came without a canister or box, so I display it in the open on a shelf of my display cabinet.

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Others, like this Civilian Duty mask, were rough when I got them, but haven't gotten any worse in the meantime:

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But others have proven themselves a nuisance to preserve. Chiefly this Civilian General mask, which I've stored in its carry cylinder for all the time I've owned it. It's now perished so badly, one of the harness straps has snapped off by merely removing it from the tin. Also pictured is my Light Anti-Gas respirator, which is starting to crack around the underside of the screw-in port for the filter.

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I'm at a loss, to be honest. The room I display my collection in is also the room I live and sleep in, and it does get very muggy during the summer months. It never gets to attic/shed levels of humidity, but it does get pretty uncomfortable. And I'd have thought that if this were the problem, all my masks would be suffering the effects of perishing. But they're not. I know better than to mess with chemical treatments for preservation, although I have applied Renaissance Wax to a couple of the worst-affected examples.

Any help/tips appreciated, as I don't want to have to stop collecting these fascinating and poignant artifacts. I really suspect the degradation of old rubber is beyond my control, but if there's anything I can do to combat it, I will.

best regards, B.B.