paper lantern turned brown

Hi,

I hope someone is able to give some advice on this.
10 years ago we bought a paper lantern in Kyoto from an original lantern builder/restorator. At that time the paper had an off white color. We left the lantern in it's box for all those years waiting for a day to be displayed. Now we wanted to put it on display in our home and when unpacking the lantern i noticed that the paper turned brown. The print is still visible but the paper looks less attractive now to put it on display.

Does anyone have any tips what to do with it. E.g. Will sun bleach it when exposing it to it? Or should i just leave it like it is?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Marcus

Paper always turns brown as it ages. The sun will even increase the tan. For this reason, paper goods such as shouji and fusuma, that are the traditional equivalent to windows and closet doors, are expected to be renewed every year. Similarly, lanterns are consumables.

But you can use it as-is and enjoy its antique quality, just as you would an old English lantern in a traditional pub. We have a three-decade-old lantern displayed at our home (in Japan) too.