How Archival Can You Get?

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

A recurrent type of posting on this and other medal collecting forums I frequent concerns the storage of medals. There are repeated warnings of the dangers of using PVC medal pockets to keep medals in, and the dreaded ‘green slime’ is invoked to reinforce the warnings. I bought my pockets from a well-known supplier of collectors’ supplies and thought I was safe, but I recently found one of the earliest medals in my collection, and so the one that’s been in its pocket longest, has developed a green deposit – ‘Green Slime’? – and others are sticky, which apparently is a common fault of PVC pockets.

I thought that I would look for an alternative method of storage, so Googled for archival medal pockets – answer came there none – and acid-free medal pockets – I got one hit for a firm in the USA, but in the accompanying photo they look just the same as the ones I have. I then did some research into what is meant by archival, and was introduced to the world of the museum conservator, which seems fraught with dangers and requires everything to be made of this magic ‘archival’ material. I did some research into the properties of plastics and which ones were archivally ‘good’. I found that there are two types of plastic – polyester and polypropylene – that are recommended for their safe properties. Polyester, also known as Mylar or Melinex, is very good for the storage of photos and other paper artefacts, as it is very clear, chemically stable, strong and impermeable to gases. There is a short outline of the desirable properties of plastic storage enclosures here http://www.albox.com.au/pages/Archival-quality-%252d-what-type-of-enclosures-should-I-buy%3F.html and a detailed view of the virtues of polyester film here http://www.ukinsulations.co.uk/flexible-films/polyester-film

I thought that polyester was the answer so Googled for medal pockets under the three designations, but there are none available. I then looked for firms that sell archival products, to see if I could find anything that would fit the bill, even if it was designed for something else. The standard medal pocket is 55mm wide and 115 mm long, with a flap, so I wanted something like that. There are lots of these firms, but most of their wares are mostly larger than the medal pocket – some very much larger – and a few are smaller, usually meant for the storage of coins. I found a company in the US that sells Mylar pockets and has one 2” wide – close enough – but much longer, meant I think for the storage of 35mm film negative strips. I thought that would be usable, and they only cost $4.10 for 100. Then I found the snag – postage to the UK is $52, plus a fee (?) of $7.

Finally, I made a short-list of firms in the UK who make archival products and started to ring around to see if they had any suggestions. After a couple of failures I found a company called Conservation Resources, and spoke to their Sales Manager. I explained what I was after and what I wanted it for and he confirmed that they don’t have a stock item that’s anything like that. I was just about to give up when he said that they could make something to order that would be close. The dimensions we agreed are 55mm width, with one side 115mm long and the other 125mm long – effectively making a very short flap. I seemed to be onto something.

One advantage of PVC is that it’s cheap, while archival materials are usually more expensive. In this case the cost was about twice that of the PVC pockets - £16 for 100, plus VAT. As I had found nothing else I decided to go ahead and ordered 100, and the pockets arrived two day later – how’s that for service!

I usually place a sticky label on the medal pockets giving details of the medal inside – the type of label you can get in any stationers in sheets which can be run though a printer. Some of the attitude of those museum conservators must have rubbed off on me, because I started to worry about the effect these labels might have on the pockets and medals. So, Google for archival sticky labels – no problem, lots of firms make them, so an order was placed.

I put my medals in their pockets into an album – again from that well-known purveyor of collector’s supplies – with those 6-pocket plastic pages. Plastic?? A quick check showed that they must be made from PVC as well, so it was back to Google for archival album pages. Again, there are plenty of firms that make archival pages, mainly for photographs, but not with pockets of the required size. In the end I found an archival supplier that produces medal album pages. Again, these are more expensive than the PVC equivalent - £9.95 for 10 – but there seem to be no others, so my order went off. These also arrived within 2 days – great service.

So, having put my medal in a polyester pocket, labelled it with an archival-quality label and put the pocket into the archival-quality album page – am I going to put the page in an album with a PVC cover (from the well-known supplier)? No way, so back to Google for polypropylene albums. Nothing under that term but there are several under box binders. I found a very nice polypropylene one designed for storage of photos under the trade name Beseler Besfile Archival Storage Binder Box. This has a three-ring binder attached to the spine, and works like the old VHS tape cases, in that it opens out flat, and closes into a box with two snap fasteners. When closed the contents are fully enclosed, so kept free from dust and secured from falling out. They only cost £8.99 each. If anyone is interested in getting the medal pockets you can contact Conservation Resources direct – their web site www.conservation-resources.co.uk has their email address and phone number - just ask for the Sales Manager and explain what you want. The 6-pocket album pages I got from http://www.arrowfile.com/collectables-standard-pocket-refills-deptreficoll/ The box binders I found here http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/3864/beseler-besfile-archival-storage-binder-box-black I hope this information is of use – I know that the products I’ve described are available in the UK, but you may be able to source them in other countries. I have no connection with these firms except as a satisfied customer.

Bill

[nigelcave]

Phew!

[Old Tom]

I am not a medal collector but the following makes me wonder what the fuss is all about. I have my fathers Great War Medal which was sent to me by the current owner of the house where my father lived. The medal had been found in the garden. It seems, to my uncritical eye, to be in fair condition. No slime.

Old Tom

[trajan]

... I hope this information is of use – I know that the products I’ve described are available in the UK, but you may be able to source them in other countries. ...

I'm sure it will be! Well done on a piece of very thorough research!

Trajan

[centurion]

There used to be a semi humorous saying that an actuary was someone who found accounting too exciting. This research is doubtless very (very) thorough and worthy but a little devil is whispering in my ear "an archivist is someone who finds librarians reckless and imprecise"

As someone who used to collect old cameras (until my wife and bank manager [two different people I hasten to add] persuaded me to desist) I would add the advice I received from a different kind of kagoul who collected and dealt in old fashioned lenses (the kind that came in a metal holder) which was eschew all kinds of transparent (or even opaque) plastic and use only pouches or pockets made from microfibres which will neither scratch or produce a chemical reaction. If you do have to display the objects neoprene is OK but not for long term storage

[depaor01]

Excellent post Bilco. Some of my medals have fallen victim to the sticky stuff. Specifically a Victory medal (but others are unaffected) and a QSA to a Dublin Fusilier. I had a whimsical thought that because some medals were affected and other identical ones were not, there might be a disgruntled deceased veteran involved in the deterioration!

I will examine the options you list.

Thanks again,

Dave

[seaJane]

a little devil is whispering in my ear "an archivist is someone who finds librarians reckless and imprecise"

*giggles* thank goodness I'm only a librarian.

That said, even I had mild conniptions when I discovered that several of our medals were attached to their display by means of sticky-back Velcro...

[depaor01]

A former librarian colleague had severe conniptions when she saw historical documents in the National Library of Ireland still sporting rusty early 20th Century pins holding them together. Oh the Horror!

[Guest]

Some advice from The Australian War Memorial

Mike

[trajan]

*giggles* thank goodness I'm only a librarian.

That said, even I had mild conniptions when I discovered that several of our medals were attached to their display by means of sticky-back Velcro...

Conniptions... Like it!

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

I thought I'd better show that I've put my archival delvings into practice. Having assembled all the components and given my medals a gentle clean to remove PVC-induced nasties this is the current state of play:

The Mylar medal pocket - as bought, and filled and labelled.

The archival medal album page with contents.

The polypropylene binder box open with pages - the insides of the covers are lined with the blue Plastazote foam sheet.

The polypropylene binder box closed, showing the fastenings. Contents held safe and protected.

Bill

[douglynn]

thanks I have a similar set up but find when I have 2 or more in the pocket it becomes very heavy and distorts the sleeve, thanks for showing doug