*COMPLETED THANK YOU* Scottish 1803 document

[angelan]

My husband's Uncle has an 1803 document which has been passed down through several generations. When it was given to him it was rolled and stored in a small cardboard tube. It looks as though it may have been folded at some time.

The material it is written on is quite thick and I wondered if this could be parchment. It is mottled and stained in places and the script is difficult to read. I scanned it yesterday and by zooming in, we were able to read every word! There is also a different type of material used on the document. It's about 2 inches square and a blackish colour. It has a wax-like appearance and has been imprinted with a stamp. We can only read the word SHILLINGS on this stamp.

I know this document should be stored in a cool dry place, away from light. To preserve it for as long as possible i would like some further advice please.

Would it be better to store this document flat?
If so, would it be best in an acid-free wallet or perhaps wrapped in tissue paper?

I would appreciate some advice please
Thank you
Angela

[PaulStaffs]

Angela,

Two points from a layman... if it is vellum then there's less to fear than if it's paper. Reading won't do it any harm (oils in the skin help if anything) but moisture or extreme temperature might. Secondly, if you take it to any museum a professional conservator (perhaps via a 'finds liason officer') will probably give you free advice and help.

Personally I wouldn't put it in an enclosed wallet but acid-free tissue would be good. Oh, that's three points!

What a fantastic document, look after it!

Paul

[angelan]

Paul

Thank you for your advice. Acid free tissue paper sounds like a good idea for the moment so I will suggest this to the relatives in possession of this document.

Taking it to a museum for advice sounds like a good idea too. Thank you so much for your help. Much appreciated.

Angela

[PrueM]

Hi Angela 

It is definitely parchment (or vellum if you prefer) which is a very resilient material and can withstand just about anything except for direct heat and direct moisture.  As long as you don't iron it, or get it wet, it should survive very well.  It is naturally alkaline and will buffer itself against acidic storage conditions which is why it has survived so well in an old cardboard tube.

If you have the room to store it flat, that would be my advice.  Pop some acid-free tissue on top and underneath, and then sandwich it (not too tight) between two pieces of archival cardboard (your museum can tell you where to get this).  Then store it somewhere cool and dark and dry and it should be a happy chappy 

The other material is a duty or tax stamp.  They are usually square or rectangular pieces of paper, stuck to the parchment or attached with some kind of metal (lead?) staple - and nearly always blue 

Cheers
Prue

[angelan]

Hello Prue

Many thanks for advice on storage. I will get some acid-free tissue and find out about archival cardboard and let my husband's Uncle know what you have recommended.

The great thing about today's technology is that because the document has recently been scanned, we can now view the document on a computer, zoom in and read every word on a 206 year old document that was previously unreadable in many parts!

Lets hope this document will survive for another 200 years if we take good care of it.

Regards
Angela