Found my mother's valentine collection - thoughts?

[crispini]

I definitely plan on keeping this, it's so much fun. It's all of her valentines she collected as a girl -- they look like they are from the 30s and 40s, some with movable parts. They are pasted or taped in a scrapbook, and of course some have fallen out. I'd prefer to keep them in the scrapbook, as it's such a charming old book. Does anyone have any thoughts about how I should re-attach the ones that have fallen out and are loose -- or should I not do that at all? I don't want to do anything to damage them, but I'd like to keep them together.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Lucky you! What a wonderful find!

You are probably aware that the pages in that scrapbook are not acid-free, and over time can actually do more damage to those wonderful cards.

One book that you may want to look into:
At Amazon
An Ounce of Preservation : A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs
http://www.amazon.com/Ounce-Preservation-Guide-Papers-Photographs/dp/1568250215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198886776&sr=1-1

And from this site:
(same book)


An Ounce of Preservation
A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs
By Craig A. Tuttle, Rainbow Books

Most of us have collections of old photos, letters, scrapbooks, and other items that are important artifacts of family history. Many of us also have old books, sports cards, comic books, or documents that may, over time, become valuable if they are properly preserved. Here's how to protect these artifacts for posterity and to repair some of the damage that may have already occurred.
http://www.bookch.com/howto.htm


If you don't want to redo all the pages with acid-free paper, I would think that using a glue stick would work to gently reattach the cards to their original spots might work.

[crispini]

2. Thanks, that's good advice!

I hadn't thought about acid-free paper. I'll certainly look into it! :hi:

[grasswire]

3. tape is a problem

If you remove the cards to put them in a more hospitable environment, you'll have tape still stuck to the cards. If you try to pull it off the cards, the paper will likely tear off, too. I don't know if you are thinking of preserving the value in case someone after you needs to sell them, but condition is so very important to value. But getting a book on preservation is a good thing -- perhaps the tape removal would be covered, too.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I am as far from an expert on paper as one could be ..... but I have always heard that tape is .....

..... best left in place until it falls off on its own. The glue, it is said, will always dry out to the point of losing its grip. Unless one is a professional conservator, the removal process usually does more damage than leaving it in place until the glue fails.

[pipoman]

4. I collect postcards

they are sometimes in albums. Most of the early paste and some of the tape adhesive was water based. When I remove paste residue and/or pages from postcards I remove as much of the backing as possible without damaging the card. Then I use a clean damp cloth to moisten and soften the paste. Then I use an ink eraser blade to carefully remove the paste/paper residue. If no ink eraser blade is available I would use a sharp nonserrated knife blade without a sharp point.

We would all rather not have residue on our paper goods as even when cleaned well it effects the aesthetics and value. I have found this method works best for me.

Here is a pic of a few different styles of eraser blades I use for this purpose.



As for reattaching them, if they are sentimental I think I would follow Whoa_Nelly's advise and use acid free material. It is more costly but will preserve them for all time.

[crispini]

6. Wow, eraser blades.

Hadn't heard of them, thanks!

[pipoman]

7. My suggestion

Some practice may be needed, if you have some severely damaged valentines or postcards to practice on that is good. These erasers are beveled perfectly to "shave" a thin layer of paper off. The idea when removing paste or backing is to moisten the backing and the paste enough to allow easy removal and to limit the amount of dampness which reaches the card, then to remove the paste/residue/backing while leaving the card surface intact. To get the dampness just right you might use cotton swabs then give the moisture a few minutes to work, then try it. You will find that all of a sudden the conditions are just right and the paste/residue will soften and easily scrape off leaving the card in good shape with only minor discoloration. Now most color printed postcards and valentines are not color fast so I would lay that card on a legal pad face down and avoid sliding the card around while removing the residue. Most important don't get in a hurry.

The truth about most of these Victorian valentines through the early 20th century is that the actual market value doesn't even come close to the value necessary to hire a professional conservator to archivally preserve (and probably never will). That doesn't mean that personal value or sentimental value doesn't justify some attention and expense to preserve for future generations.

I am of the opinion that old scrap book page material is far more damaging over the long run than carefully removing it. The quality of that old scrap book paper was really bad...high acid, high pulp paper. I put my postcards in acid free sleeves. If I leave that old high acid paper on the card it completely negates the use of the archival supplies. I have used this technique on cards valued at less than a dollar and some cards which would fetch several hundred dollars with good results.

Again we would all rather get mint condition without damage, we have no control over the past so we make the best of it. This card is a good example of just making me want to cry on one hand but being so thrilled with the image that I just have to 'grin and bear it'. This postcard was cut down by someone to make it fit into an album and had album backing on the card when I received it. I don't have a before but this is the after. The album paper was old pulpy black album paper. The paper was attached with paste in a few spots. The arrows indicate the discoloration which remains after the paper and paste removal. The corner damage was on the card when I received it. The damage on this card reduced the value by more than 1/2, it is still a very desirable and collectible image. I believe the card would sell higher in it's present condition than with old album paper and paste stuck to the back, and the acid damage has been stopped.

[crispini]

8. Thanks for the suggestion!

I'll definitely get them out of the album and then take stock! :hi: