Vet Bring Back Papers...

[John D.]

Hi all,

Quick question - I need to preserve some VET bring back papers, as one is extremely important to a piece that I'm in the middle of acquiring (I'll post pictures and a desc. at a later time - but yes, it's kind of a unique Krieg). Anyway - the papers are in rough shape - and I really want to preserve them...

Any advice/suggestions for preserving these bring-back documents would be terrific!

Best,

John

[Ron Wood]

First and foremost, get them sealed up so that air does not get to them. A transparent plastic document protector sealed around the edges with tape will allow you to see the documets but seal out the air. Most early paper was processed using one type of acid or another, so that over time the paper oxidizes and turns darker and brittle. Sealing out the air will slow this process down. Putting them in a picture frame won't help unless you put them between two pieces of glass (which is a good idea) or otherwise seal out the air from the back side of the document. Cardboard backing won't do it. Also protect them from strong light, particularly sunlight, since UV has the same degrading effect.

[John D.]

Thanks Ron...!!!

I really didn't want to use lamination - as the heat in sealing them and the adhesive backing on the laminate would bother me as well...

Honestly - I never thought of the two pieces of glass idea..! I wonder what would happen if I sandwiched them between to glass plates - and sealed the edges from the air?? Maybe a silicon sealant along the edges???

Thanks a million Ron..!

[Ron Wood]

John,

Didn't mean you should laminate them. There are transparent slip-in document protectors made to place documents in 3-ring binders. Those are what I use to protect papers. I save a lot of old magazine articles on Lugers that way.

You don't have to go to the extent of using a silicon sealer on the edges if you sandwich them in glass. Plastic or electricians tape will do the job. That way you can remove them easier if you need to transfer them to another storage or display medium. I have done that with a couple of old documents.

[John D.]

Hi Ron,

Great input - honestly - I never thought of the slip-in document protectors..! 'Course - I never thought of using electrician tape to seal the glass edges, either ..!!

Ron - thanks again - great advice - my thanks!!!!

[Edward Tinker]

Not to disagree, but they sell special paper protectors for old paper. It is coated to prevent acid deterioration and also they have a spray that will prevent paper from deteriorating. My brother in law is big into it and he will give me more information (I e-mailed him).

[Marvin]

Hello John,

A friend of mine has a very important land grant document from the late 1700s that he wanted preserved. He had a local frame dealer send it to a company that mounted it into a "shadow box" type frame and it is sealed inside the glass with an inert gas to prevent any further deterioration. The only thing has to do is keep it out of sunlight and a reasonable temperature. This cost him about $300 15 years ago.

Ed Tinker may have the best solution at a lower cost than the sealed system with inert gas. I have about 10 Capture Papers and use the system Ron Wood uses with the sheet protectors. I keep them in my vault with controlled temp & humidity, laying flat. Good Luck and take care!

Marvin

[John D.]

Hi Ed and Marvin..!!!

Thanks for the additional info!!! Ed - my thanks for sharing any info you get back from your brother in-law as well..!!! My guess is that I'm probably not alone in wanting to preserve some of these artifacts, but I don't want to harm them in the "preservation process"

Thanks again!!!

[Lugerlvr]

Hi John,

I have had several other iportatnd papers, (not capture per se') preserved very well using the "screw down" type of lucite blocks used to house paper money, and other documents. They work great and I have found no damage, going on 10+ years of storage. I really try and focus on the fact that when these papoers were created, no one thought they would be kept over a year, much less 80+

Just a thought,

Tim

[John D.]

Hi Tim..!

Another great idea - thanks! Where do you get these, though? I know what you mean, as I've seen them for money sized objects - but never purchased them before.?. Actually - this idea could be ideal, as I would like to display the papers in my display cabinet - and your idea could be just the ticket (well - Marvin had a good one - but at $300 a frame (YIKES!!! )..!

Thanks Tim..!

[Edward Tinker]

Hello John, here is the info from my brother in law, (he was gone all weekend);

Wei To is the preservation material - about 30 a bottle!

Archival protectors -- Costco has a great box of them for about $16 a 200 - made by Avery.

Ed

[John Sabato]

Appropriately sized clear zip-lock bags could be useful for short term storage... I use them for registration and insurance information in the glove box of all my cars. Even if you have a leak your documentation is not ruined. The same principle could be applied to historic documentation in the short term.

[John D.]

Hi Ed and folks!

Great info - my thanks!!! I'll post photo's of this Krieg and the papers once I make a decision on this one... Hopefully - over the next couple of weeks...

Again - thanks!!!

John