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Family History Documents and Artefacts => FH Documents and Artefacts => Topic started by: lambchop on Sunday 13 April 08 00:26 BST (UK)
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Hello. I just joined the this forum today. Hopefully this is the correct area to pose my question.
I inherited many old postcards from my grandparents. They have been all cut out of a scrapbook....with the backing paper still on...not sure what kind of adhesive...glue I think. Mostly of Scotland and England but there are many from other countries as well.
Is there a way of removing them from the paper while retaining the integrity of the postcard ? I am sure the written information is valuable information and I don't want to destroy it. I'm also a stamp collector and want to recover the stamps if possible. Soaking is the preferred method for stamps...but I know the PCs won't fare well using this method...and I want to read all the attractive handwritten messages. These postcards are old, historical and beautiful. If anyone has found the 'fix' for this delemna please let me hear from you. Also do people contribute scans of old postcards on this site ? It would be lovely to share them.
Many thanks, May
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Hello May,
Here is someone discussing this very problem - and offering a number of solutions to different scenarios. Hopefully, one of the solutions will prove suitable for you.
http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-Remove-Vintage-Cards-from-Scrapbooks-Part-1_W0QQugidZ10000000000106235
Additionally, there are no end of clever people on Rootschat, so it is worth waiting for a few replies from them before starting work.
Good luck – it sounds like a particularly rewarding project. :)
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Welcome to Rootschat & the Restoration thread Lambchop ;D
I couldn't help looking up the 'Lambchop' puppet,
it would make a good Avatar ;D
Yvonne
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Hello Lambchop & welcome.
There are a number of topics from Berlin Bob on the main page that shows you how to scan & post,but basically scan at 300dpi & size to about 600 x 600.You need to keep the image at about 500Kb.You may have to rename the image prior to posting.
Love to see some.
jim
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Hi Lambchop and welcome to Rootschat!
I love your username - when I was a youngster I LOVED Shari Lewis and Lambchop...Yvonne, that piccie brings back some memories!
I posted some answers to a similar question yesterday, about removing photos from old album pages. There are also, as Jim mentions, some topics at the top of this board about conservation of your treasures. Have a look through the threads here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,66915.0.html
The adhesive is probably either animal/hide glue, rubber cement, or flour/starch paste. If you can see any of it at all, and it's yellow or orange, then it's one of the first two. It goes quite dry and crumbly when it's old, so if you're lucky the cards might pop off the page without too much coaxing.
What sort of paper are the pages made from? is it thinnish, or thick? If thin, and there's nothing on the other side, you could try removing the paper by placing the card face down on a flat surface, and then putting a damp (not wet) folded-up tea towel or face washer on the paper side (which should be facing up). Leave it there for a while (it might take 10 minutes or an hour, so keep checking) and hopefully the paper will gradually soften enough for you to gently lift or scrape it away with a blunt butter knife or very thin letter opener.
If you are concerned you're going to damage them more than you would like to, then I recommend taking them to a conservator who will be able to remove them relatively easily for you.
Hope that helps :)
Prue
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Hi Lambchop and welcome to Rootschat!
I love your username - when I was a youngster I LOVED Shari Lewis and Lambchop...Yvonne, that piccie brings back some memories!
Prue
Hi Prue, ;D
I remember her shows well, here are a few more pics ;D
Yvonne
http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&q=%27Lambchop%27&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
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Hello to all on this fabulous list !! I am astounded at and so grateful for the quick responses you have given. I took Yvonne's advice ( "hugs") and added the graphic to my profile. Took alot of time tho' ....newbie at this ! If it's too big could someone let me know how to change it ?
My numerous postcards are tightly adhered to medium weight beige-colored scrapbook paper. Another problem is that most are "back-to-back" which increases the difficulty of working speedily with whatever method I end up using. I do remember once trying soaking one in water. Complete disaster...pictures fading, inks bleeding, pencil-written messages "disappearing", and the paper literally peeling apart into layers. Some could be very valuable...but to me the messages are what makes them valuable. Plus the pictoral history they offer. So I'll continue to investigate all the info I see before I decide.
Thanks to all for the amazing links and info you have offered. I will review them thoroughly over the coming week and will post my attempts and results back onto this board. I look forward to getting further acquainted with you all in the coming future. You're a great lot !!
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Hi Lambchop, ;D
You did a good job with the Avatar, :D
glad you liked it, ...... good luck with finding the right method for removing the paper.
Yes they are a great bunch of people here,
have fun & many finds,
Yvonne