Archiving very old letters - how ?

[Noggin]

In the boxes I have finally looked in, there are a LOT of letters, newspaper cut out, cards and memory stuff

I really want to put the letters in some sort of folder that means both sides can be read (well I think I do, incase my niece and nephew have an interest in them in years to come).

But, I don't know what to look for

I've found scrap booking books - can't see both sides of any letter

Photo albums - if I can get 'slots' big enough, they are either only one side on view or they are adhesive


Would those plastic pages that go in a file work? Not sure if they are good for old paper with actual old fashioned ink on them

I'm ok with the plastic pages and buying some nice folders - just not sure its the best way??

Anyone know about this stuff ??


Edit : there are quite a lot of letters that are older than me

[cheb]

Send them to taipan for digitising

[Cousin Jack]

Putting old paper inside plastic is a bad idea for long term storage. For a couple of months fine, beyond that reaction between the ink/paper and the plastic is likely and all sorts of shit can happen. Paper and plastic tend to stick, and then when you peel them apart the ink stays on the plastic.

[edulord]

Acid-free plastic sleeves in ring binders are the easiest. Just make sure they’re archival quality so the ink doesn’t transfer.

[Count Steer]

Plastic usually contains plasticisers - strangely enough That's the stuff that causes the problem over time. It leaches out s'why it goes brittle eventually. (UV light doesn't help either). For storing photos and films I always used acid-free paper sleeves. Slight downside with the things I used is....they're only semi-transparent.

I have put things in albums with sheets of acid-free paper between each pair of pages.

[Horse]

In the boxes I have finally looked in, there are a LOT of letters, newspaper cut out, cards and memory stuff

I really want to put the letters in some sort of folder that means both sides can be read (well I think I do, incase my niece and nephew have an interest in them in years to come).

You might not like this

Throw it all away

OK, a bit harsh. But consider why you're keeping it all? Once you've read it all:
- will you read it again?
- will your niece and nephew actually want it all?

Re the scan option, you can get a free Adobe app for scan to PDF.

[Noggin]

In the boxes I have finally looked in, there are a LOT of letters, newspaper cut out, cards and memory stuff

I really want to put the letters in some sort of folder that means both sides can be read (well I think I do, incase my niece and nephew have an interest in them in years to come).

You might not like this

Throw it all away

OK, a bit harsh. But consider why you're keeping it all? Once you've read it all:
- will you read it again?
- will your niece and nephew actually want it all?

Re the scan option, you can get a free Adobe app for scan to PDF.

I like paper. In the same way as I like/prefer books to Kindle (I just use the kindle as it's more practical for work and living somewhere tiny°

Yes, actually I think I will read them again. Maybe not all, but yes, they are a connection to someone I've lost and can't talk to, if I can read things that connect me to him a bit, then yes, I think I will (if I don't, then sure, i'll bin them !!)

I expect they will chuck it all when I go, but I also think they will enjoy seeing the letters and photos, at least once.

My mum has some old papers from her parents time and I've asked her to keep them for me to collect. As a family whose elders were not remotely communicative about history/relatives/ancestors, I would like to see the papers, and yes, maybe bin them after but I'd like that option. If my mum chucks them before I see them, then that takes the choice away, no??

[Noggin]

Looks like I have to find some acid-free paper sleeves ! Here's hoping Amazon.fr can help

[Taipan]

I deal with a lot of paper based archival material and its often simply stored in boxes and has been for left untouched like that for decades. If the paper conservators worry about anything, its mostly humidity. If I'm working with paper and photo collections, they always tell me I have to avoid direct (sun)light and return anything to its box as I've processed it, but as I'm in a darkroom that's not an issue, but they still tell me, each and every bastard time! .

[Noggin]

I deal with a lot of paper based archival material and its often simply stored in boxes and has been for left untouched like that for decades. If the paper conservators worry about anything, its mostly humidity. If I'm working with paper and photo collections, they always tell me I have to avoid direct (sun)light and return anything to its box as I've processed it, but as I'm in a darkroom that's not an issue, but they still tell me, each and every bastard time! .

So, maybe it's better to just get a bigger box so I can lie them out flat and store them ? I was liking the idea of having them in a folder so theyd be easy to read, but maybe that's just too impractical ?

I have found loads of photos and sadly some are stuck together Luckily mostly my more modern ones, so I'll probably be soaking them one day to separate and dry them - maybe !!

[Taipan]

I deal with a lot of paper based archival material and its often simply stored in boxes and has been for left untouched like that for decades. If the paper conservators worry about anything, its mostly humidity. If I'm working with paper and photo collections, they always tell me I have to avoid direct (sun)light and return anything to its box as I've processed it, but as I'm in a darkroom that's not an issue, but they still tell me, each and every bastard time! .

So, maybe it's better to just get a bigger box so I can lie them out flat and store them ? I was liking the idea of having them in a folder so theyd be easy to read, but maybe that's just too impractical ?

I have found loads of photos and sadly some are stuck together Luckily mostly my more modern ones, so I'll probably be soaking them one day to separate and dry them - maybe !!

Always laid flat and largest at the bottom, smallest at the top etc. Sometimes I get boxes with different collections in and they are in acid free envelopes. Occasionally I get collections where each letter, or whatever, is interleaved with acid free papers, but its quite rare to see that, fortunately as it slows up capture.

Most photos I get are individually stored in a clear envelope, or packet. I can never remember the name of the material, but they are nearly always kept separate to stop them sticking like yours have. Water is generally a no no near anything paper based (ongoing mould etc) and I wouldn't use it to separate them, but it may be the the stuff conservators use, if there is a specific stuff, isn't readily available to the public? I deal with conservators most weeks so i'll ask for any tips, products etc when I see one.

[Noggin]

I deal with a lot of paper based archival material and its often simply stored in boxes and has been for left untouched like that for decades. If the paper conservators worry about anything, its mostly humidity. If I'm working with paper and photo collections, they always tell me I have to avoid direct (sun)light and return anything to its box as I've processed it, but as I'm in a darkroom that's not an issue, but they still tell me, each and every bastard time! .

So, maybe it's better to just get a bigger box so I can lie them out flat and store them ? I was liking the idea of having them in a folder so theyd be easy to read, but maybe that's just too impractical ?

I have found loads of photos and sadly some are stuck together Luckily mostly my more modern ones, so I'll probably be soaking them one day to separate and dry them - maybe !!

Always laid flat and largest at the bottom, smallest at the top etc. Sometimes I get boxes with different collections in and they are in acid free envelopes. Occasionally I get collections where each letter, or whatever, is interleaved with acid free papers, but its quite rare to see that, fortunately as it slows up capture.

Most photos I get are individually stored in a clear envelope, or packet. I can never remember the name of the material, but they are nearly always kept separate to stop them sticking like yours have. Water is generally a no no near anything paper based (ongoing mould etc) and I wouldn't use it to separate them, but it may be the the stuff conservators use, if there is a specific stuff, isn't readily available to the public? I deal with conservators most weeks so i'll ask for any tips, products etc when I see one.

Thank you loads.

And any advice on the photos you can glean would be amazing. The ones that have stuck together are relatively modern - colour and mine so anything from probably 25 years old maximum. Mostly the old ones are in albums or singly with letters, so those ones are ok !

[Count Steer]

I deal with a lot of paper based archival material and its often simply stored in boxes and has been for left untouched like that for decades. If the paper conservators worry about anything, its mostly humidity. If I'm working with paper and photo collections, they always tell me I have to avoid direct (sun)light and return anything to its box as I've processed it, but as I'm in a darkroom that's not an issue, but they still tell me, each and every bastard time! .

So, maybe it's better to just get a bigger box so I can lie them out flat and store them ? I was liking the idea of having them in a folder so theyd be easy to read, but maybe that's just too impractical ?

I have found loads of photos and sadly some are stuck together Luckily mostly my more modern ones, so I'll probably be soaking them one day to separate and dry them - maybe !!

Always laid flat and largest at the bottom, smallest at the top etc. Sometimes I get boxes with different collections in and they are in acid free envelopes. Occasionally I get collections where each letter, or whatever, is interleaved with acid free papers, but its quite rare to see that, fortunately as it slows up capture.

Most photos I get are individually stored in a clear envelope, or packet. I can never remember the name of the material, but they are nearly always kept separate to stop them sticking like yours have. Water is generally a no no near anything paper based (ongoing mould etc) and I wouldn't use it to separate them, but it may be the the stuff conservators use, if there is a specific stuff, isn't readily available to the public? I deal with conservators most weeks so i'll ask for any tips, products etc when I see one.

Is it 'glassine'?

[Taipan]

So, maybe it's better to just get a bigger box so I can lie them out flat and store them ? I was liking the idea of having them in a folder so theyd be easy to read, but maybe that's just too impractical ?

I have found loads of photos and sadly some are stuck together Luckily mostly my more modern ones, so I'll probably be soaking them one day to separate and dry them - maybe !!

Always laid flat and largest at the bottom, smallest at the top etc. Sometimes I get boxes with different collections in and they are in acid free envelopes. Occasionally I get collections where each letter, or whatever, is interleaved with acid free papers, but its quite rare to see that, fortunately as it slows up capture.

Most photos I get are individually stored in a clear envelope, or packet. I can never remember the name of the material, but they are nearly always kept separate to stop them sticking like yours have. Water is generally a no no near anything paper based (ongoing mould etc) and I wouldn't use it to separate them, but it may be the the stuff conservators use, if there is a specific stuff, isn't readily available to the public? I deal with conservators most weeks so i'll ask for any tips, products etc when I see one.

Is it 'glassine'?

No, not that, and it may even be just the trade name of the product?