Archival requirements for Golden Age books

[JohnBull]

I realise there have been many threads like this in many places, but I'd appreciate any distillation of knowledge given my specific needs.

 

My collection is pretty firmly placed on GA DC now and up to this point I have used whatever mylars/boards I have accumulated along the way. Some of them are probably good, but some are probably not so good and I'm concerned about the long term future of the issues.

 

What is the best way to protect GA DC books of the size prevalent around the late 30's and early 40's? As well as a specific mylar/mylite/board recommendation, I need a link to a supplier who can ship to England. Cost is not really an issue and my quantity requirement would be around a few hundred, depending on specific price breaks.

 

Any help is gratefully received and will be rewarded by the mandatory

 

Thanks.

[Paris_Fred]

Hello Frankie & all the ones I know

 

Well, this is what I use for Golden age books, it's not a fortress but almost:

 

Some pictures first

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now some explanations:

 

- Step 1:

Microchamber paper between cover and first page & between last page and back cover. Link

 

- Step 2:

Sandwich Mylar, Golden age size, made of 10 mil virgin Mylar, "Snap Happy" was used to make them for a very brief period. I hide the few I still have.

If you don't have any, try to find some or go to step 3.

 

- Step 3:

Backing Boards, "Full Backs", Gerber # 778FB. Link

 

- Step 4:

Bags, "Mylites 2", Gerber # 800M2. Link

Note that the book is upside-down to make the flap fit in the Mylar with no tape. Note, you have to only bend the flap, not the Mylite.

 

- Step 5:

Final protection, "Archives Mylars super Gold size", Gerber # 825R. Link

 

Hope this will please all of you, now I'm going to sleep, almost Midnight for me in Paris.

 

 

Off course I did crack the book

[Silver Surfer]

Hey Fred,

 

Just curious by why no tape? I can't see how it could harm the book given the mylar and good storage conditions. Of course when its time to read it, I always discard the tape before taking it out of the bag.

[Artboy99]

I just want to make sure I understand this:

 

1. Microchamber Paper between covers and interior of book

2. Backing Board

3. Put into mylite 2 upside down and fold flap in

4. Place right side up into archival mylar

 

yes?

 

If I was going to do Silver age this way what sizes would I need?

anyone know?

 

Artboy99

[tth2]

Wow, I thought I was anal! I never thought of putting a book in a mylar first and then putting it into a mylite.

 

I put my books into a mylite first, as snug as I can find. Then I insert the mylited book and two thick acid free backing boards (the biggest GA size I can find) into a mylar. I like putting the book in the mylite so it never rubs against the backing boards. The two backing boards are to reinforce the book against bending.

[FFB]

Wow, I thought I was anal! I never thought of putting a book in a mylar first and then putting it into a mylite.

 

I put my books into a mylite first, as snug as I can find. Then I insert the mylited book and two thick acid free backing boards (the biggest GA size I can find) into a mylar. I like putting the book in the mylite so it never rubs against the backing boards. The two backing boards are to reinforce the book against bending.

 

The problem with that is that the Full Back back boards have an alkaline reserve. Unless they are next to the comic, the boards can't absorb the acids created within the mylar.

[dgillock]

The problem with that is that the Full Back back boards have an alkaline reserve. Unless they are next to the comic, the boards can't absorb the acids created within the mylar.

 

This is a good point. Here's my method for higher-end books: The book gets backed with a Fullback and then into a Mylite2. I then back this with a magazine-sized acid free board and finally that goes into a magazine sized snug or a "turtle" (you know, those top loading hard plastic sleeves). I don't currently use micro-chamber paper, but I've been considering getting some.

 

Question- Once you have a book backed with a Fullback type board and inside a Mylar bag, how necessary is it to have any additional "outer shell" also be archival? And if it is important, is CGC's outer slab archival?

[Jayman]

The problem with that is that the Full Back back boards have an alkaline reserve. Unless they are next to the comic, the boards can't absorb the acids created within the mylar.

 

For this same reason that is why I'm not thrilled with all the talk of those "clear" mylar backing boards. While they sound like a good idea and probably look smart, they can't absorb those deadly acids. My 2 cents.

[FFB]

The problem with that is that the Full Back back boards have an alkaline reserve. Unless they are next to the comic, the boards can't absorb the acids created within the mylar.

 

This is a good point. Here's my method for higher-end books: The book gets backed with a Fullback and then into a Mylite2. I then back this with a magazine-sized acid free board and finally that goes into a magazine sized snug or a "turtle" (you know, those top loading hard plastic sleeves). I don't currently use micro-chamber paper, but I've been considering getting some.

 

Question- Once you have a book backed with a Fullback type board and inside a Mylar bag, how necessary is it to have any additional "outer shell" also be archival? And if it is important, is CGC's outer slab archival?

 

The outer CGC slab is not archival. The outer shell you mention could theoretically off-gas, but if the book is stored in appropriate environmental conditions with mylar and fullback next to the book, I doubt it would make any difference. Unless your comic boxes are archival quality, you'll get off-gassing from the cardboard of the box in far greater quantities than you would from the turtle shell. And, of course, the book itself contains impurities that will degrade the paper whether you store it in archival quality materials or not.

[FFB]

The problem with that is that the Full Back back boards have an alkaline reserve. Unless they are next to the comic, the boards can't absorb the acids created within the mylar.

 

For this same reason that is why I'm not thrilled with all the talk of those "clear" mylar backing boards. While they sound like a good idea and probably look smart, they can't absorb those deadly acids. My 2 cents.

 

That's why it is recommended that you use Microchamber paper along with the clear back boards. The Microchamber probably works better than the Full Backs do, because the inner newsprint pages are high in lignin content and the Microchamber paper that is inside the cover will absorb any off-gassing without those gasses having to permeate the cover first. (I usually go with one sheet inside the front and back cover and another sheet at the centerfold.) The cover papers are of a different quality than the interior newsprint, but there is alum rosin sizing applied to the paper on the covers so they are acidic and degrade in their own way. The Microchamber paper placed just inside the cover will absorb migrating impurities from the cover, too.

[lou_fine]

I just want to make sure I understand this:

 

1. Microchamber Paper between covers and interior of book

2. Backing Board

3. Put into mylite 2 upside down and fold flap in

4. Place right side up into archival mylar

 

Wow, this process sure sounds expensive, space consuming, and time consuming. Can't imagine that you would be using this for just any run of the mill books.

 

Mooondog's method sounds a lot simpler by just placing all those uber high-grade Heritage Spideys in mouldering poly bags for 30 years.