How to Store a Vintage P338 Starfish Hair Clip: Archival Care Tips

The P338 starfish hair clip from Maison Archives is a rare find — a five-pointed sea star cast in either polished brass or a warm-toned gold-toned alloy, often with a subtle stippled texture on the aboral surface that catches light like morning tide on sand. Unlike many novelty clips of the 1960s and 1970s that relied on painted plastic, the P338 was produced in small batches using a lost-wax technique, giving each piece a slightly unique casting. The clip mechanism is a spring-loaded alligator grip, originally lined with a thin layer of felt to protect both hair and the metal from abrasion.

After decades of attic finds and charity shop rescues, many of these clips arrive with the felt degraded, the spring weakened, or the metal showing verdigris at the hinge. Proper storage is not just about tidiness — it is the difference between a piece that can be worn another twenty years and one that ends up as a drawer casualty.

Understanding the P338 Construction Vulnerabilities

Before we talk about boxes and tissues, it helps to know exactly what we are protecting. The P338 starfish clip consists of three main components:

• The metal body — brass or a brass-based alloy with a gold-wash finish. This finish is thin and can wear through if rubbed against harder materials. It also reacts to perspiration, cosmetics, and ambient moisture, forming dull patches or green corrosion (copper salts).
• The hinge and spring — housed inside the clip’s back plate. These are steel, often uncoated, and highly susceptible to rust if stored in damp conditions.
• The felt lining — originally a thin adhesive felt on the inner jaw of the clip. Over time the adhesive dries out, the felt shrinks or disintegrates, and it no longer cushions the hair or the metal.

Each vulnerability dictates a specific storage requirement. For example, the brass surface must never come into contact with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) — the plasticisers used in many cheap zip-lock bags and some foam trays can chemically react with the metal finish, causing irreversible staining. Similarly, the felt should be kept away from sticky labels whose adhesive can wick into the fibres.

Best Environmental Conditions for the P338

Ideal storage for any vintage hair clip is a stable environment: temperature between 18–22°C, relative humidity between 40% and 50%. A collector I spoke to in Bath keeps her P338 starfish clip in a locked cabinet in the coolest room of the house, away from radiators and — however tempting it may be — not in the bathroom where steam can infiltrate even sealed drawers. A simple digital hygrometer placed inside the cabinet gives real-time feedback — if the reading climbs above 60%, it’s time to introduce a silica gel desiccant (the self-indicating type that turns from blue to pink when saturated).

Light is another enemy. Ultraviolet rays accelerate tarnish on gold-washed metals and break down the adhesive in the felt lining. The P338 should live in a dark drawer or a box with an opaque lid. If you prefer a display case, choose one with UV-filtering glass or acrylic, and position it away from direct sunlight. Even strong incandescent or halogen bulbs produce heat that can dry out the felt; LED lighting is far safer inside a cabinet.

Choosing the Right Storage Materials

Not all storage products are archival-safe. The term “jewellery box” from a high-street store often means a velvet-lined plastic tray — the velvet may be synthetic and can abrade the gilt finish, while the plastic base may contain sulphur compounds that promote tarnish. For the P338, I recommend a dedicated compartment within a larger system, using these materials:

• Acid-free tissue paper — wrap the clip loosely, allowing the paper to absorb any minor fluctuations in humidity without sticking to the metal.
• Unbuffered acid-free boxes — these prevent acidic breakdown of paper liners and do not off-gas harmful alkaline residues.
• Polypropylene bags (not polyethylene or PVC) — if you must bag the clip individually, choose polypropylene archival sleeves often used for silver. They are clear, inert, and do not contain plasticisers.
• Microfibre cloth — place a small piece between the clip’s jaws to reduce stress on the spring and to provide a soft buffer. Avoid cotton wool, which can snag on the star points and leave lint behind.

For those who store multiple vintage accessories together, consider dedicating a section of your drawer to clip-style pieces. The How to Store C6 Hair Accessories: A Collector's Guide to Archival Care (available on this blog) offers detailed advice on organising broader collections, and the principles for padded inserts and chemical-free trays apply perfectly to the P338.

Cleaning and Handling Before Storage

Never put a dirty P338 into long-term storage, but be gentle — aggressive cleaning can remove the gold wash. If you see only light dust, use a soft, dry, lint-free brush (a clean makeup brush works well) to dislodge particles from the star’s crevices and the hinge area. For heavier grime or traces of hairspray, lightly dampen a cotton swab with distilled water and a drop of mild soap (pH neutral, no ammonia, no alcohol). Blot the affected area, then immediately rinse with another swab dipped in distilled water and blot dry.

If the steel spring shows any rust, treat it before storage. A tiny dab of sewing machine oil on a toothpick, applied to the pivot points, can stop existing rust from spreading and protect against future moisture. Wipe away any excess oil. Do not oil the felt lining or the outer metal surface.

For the felt lining itself, removal may be the best preservation move if it is crumbling or stained. Gently lift the felt with a pair of tweezers — it often comes off in one piece if the adhesive has already failed. The clip still functions without it, and you can always re-line it later with a modern self-adhesive felt strip (available from craft stores, but cut to size and rounded at the edges to avoid snagging).

Styling the P338 Starfish Clip Today — Without Compromising Its Future

A well-preserved clip deserves to be worn, not locked away forever. The P338’s starfish silhouette is surprisingly versatile: it works as a side-swept accent on a low chignon, a playful detail on a half-up style, or even pinned to a headband for a nautical touch. The key is to minimise exposure to the elements that damage it. I always recommend these rules when wearing the P338:

• Apply all hair products (spray, gel, oil) before putting in the clip — let the products dry first so the chemicals do not settle on the metal.
• Remove the clip before sleeping, swimming, or exercising — sweat and friction are the fastest way to wear down the gold wash.
• Wipe the clip gently with a soft cloth after each wear to remove skin oils and environmental dust, then return it to its designated storage spot.

One particularly charming way to incorporate the starfish is into a modern low bun with a velvet ribbon — pair it with a black or navy dress for a subtle 1970s coastal vibe. For a bolder contrast, try it against a sleek silk scarf tied as a headband. The P338 earns its keep as a conversation piece, not just a collector’s trophy.

Documentation and Provenance

While we do not have a full archive for every P338 run, some clips arrived with a small paper tag attached to the clip’s stem — a hexagonal card printed with “Maison Archives, P338, Starfish Clip, Brass”. If your clip still has that tag, keep it. Store it in a separate acid-free envelope alongside a note about where you found the piece, the date, and any known previous owners. This provenance adds to the clip’s story and, for future collectors, its value. If the tag is lost, you can create your own record — take a clear photograph from above and from the side, note the metal colour and any hallmarks or stamps, and file it digitally with the date of acquisition. Over time, such documentation helps the community track the production history of these elusive accessories.

Final Practical Step: Creating a Dedicated P338 Home

One specific, actionable step you can take this week is to acquire a compartmentalised jewellery case with a soft, non-abrasive lining — the type sold by archival supply stores for vintage brooches works perfectly. Place your P338 starfish clip in a compartment large enough that the points do not press against the divider. Insert a strip of acid-free tissue between the clip halves to relax the spring, and add a small silica gel packet taped to the underside of the lid (out of direct contact with the metal). Label the compartment “P338 Starfish Clip” so you never forget which piece it is. Then, after every wear, follow the ritual: wipe, wrap, and return. That habit alone will keep your starfish twinkling for decades to come.