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Monday, March 12, 2012
Looking after ephemera (paper, cards, tickets etc)
How can I look after a collection of ephemera? I have a collection of tickets, programmes, cards and posters. What can I use to clean and repair them ?
Ephemera are easily damaged by poor handling and storage. Handle them as little as possible and keep them in clear polyester sleeves. This will protect the paper surface from absorbing harmful oils, enzymes and acids from the skin. Keep them flat unless they are too brittle to unfold safely. Keep items of approximately the same size, in their polyester sleeves, in acid-free boxes or binders in a very dry area. Check for pests because booklice (like very tiny transparent ants) and silverfish can cause serious damage to paper items and flourish in damp areas.
Cleaning and repair can cause more damage than good, so be very cautious before trying any product. Always examine an item carefully bbefore you do anything to it. If the surface is powdery or flaking, wrap the item in acid-free tissue paper and take it to a paper conservator or your local County Record Office. If the surface is smooth and the printing is stable, you can remove loose dust with a very soft brush (as used for painting watercolours).
Avoid using any kind of pressure sensitive tape as the adhesives are often unstable and deteriorate, leaving nasty stains in the paper. NEVER use a clear sticky tape.
Ephemera are easily damaged by poor handling and storage. Handle them as little as possible and keep them in clear polyester sleeves. This will protect the paper surface from absorbing harmful oils, enzymes and acids from the skin. Keep them flat unless they are too brittle to unfold safely. Keep items of approximately the same size, in their polyester sleeves, in acid-free boxes or binders in a very dry area. Check for pests because booklice (like very tiny transparent ants) and silverfish can cause serious damage to paper items and flourish in damp areas.
ReplyDeleteCleaning and repair can cause more damage than good, so be very cautious before trying any product. Always examine an item carefully bbefore you do anything to it. If the surface is powdery or flaking, wrap the item in acid-free tissue paper and take it to a paper conservator or your local County Record Office.
If the surface is smooth and the printing is stable, you can remove loose dust with a very soft brush (as used for painting watercolours).
Avoid using any kind of pressure sensitive tape as the adhesives are often unstable and deteriorate, leaving nasty stains in the paper.
NEVER use a clear sticky tape.
Useful suppliers include:
www.secol.co.uk
www.preservationequipment.com
www.memories-nostalgia.com