How To Preserve Your Autographs

[goswannies]

What about Ziplock bags?

no, moisture will form in the bag, and will ruin your autographs.

I put those little desiccator packs inside the zip-lock bags. You get usually get as many as you want from your local shoe store as they throw them out when they open new boxes of shoes.

[goswannies]

For my "valuable" autographs on photos, if I want to frame them, I scan them at high resolution, re-print them and frame the re-print. So my original is still safe and sound, stored away from direct sunlight in an moisture free zip-locked bag (with desiccator packets) and the original is on display for all to see (behind glass, you can't tell the difference, but still know o have the original).

[Ripsqueak]

I think I go a bit overboard but I use top loaders (for my 8x10s) and these protective sleeves that have a nice flap on them to ensure nothing (dust or whatever) to get inside. You can find these type of sleeves at Office Max 20 sleeve package for about $8. Definitely worth it. I also use these for my signed magazines etc.

[Jordann]

I have an acid free photo album.

This is fine, right?

[wereout4050]

What do you do about keeping your autographs cool if you do not have air conditioning (and are unable to get it) and it gets hot in the whole house (no cooler place in house)? How do you cool down the room where your autographs are stored? A fan only cools it down a little and it's still pretty hot in my room. I have actually noticed some deterioration due to the heat. Thanks for any ideas.

~ Juli

[andz]

I'm planning on making a scrapbook of my autographed photos. However, seeing how my old photos turned out in scrapbooks, I'm having second thoughts cos some of my photos got stuck with each other! How different are autographs from ordinary pictures, anyway? I don't want to put them in a box either, because I live in a very tropical country, and they might get stuck too!

I'm thinking of keeping them in their respective envelopes, and store them in scrapbook pages. That would be better, right? Not directly gluing the picture on the paper? I need help!

[Ripsqueak]

I'm planning on making a scrapbook of my autographed photos. However, seeing how my old photos turned out in scrapbooks, I'm having second thoughts cos some of my photos got stuck with each other! How different are autographs from ordinary pictures, anyway? I don't want to put them in a box either, because I live in a very tropical country, and they might get stuck too!

I'm thinking of keeping them in their respective envelopes, and store them in scrapbook pages. That would be better, right? Not directly gluing the picture on the paper? I need help!

Yeah definitely never glue them ever. If you really wanna make it scrap book style, maybe just making copies of the originals and using the copies in the scrap binder. I would keep them separate in their own protective sleeve. I'd imagine in a much warmer climate you want there to be as much "breathing" space as possible. So personally, I wouldn't do the scrapbook unless you have multiples you are willing to test or copies of originals..and keep the autographs in its original envelops or in protective sleeves within a binder (but not too many in a binder to allow "breathing" room. More pressure in a binder or scrapbook may increase likelihood of getting stuck or whatever. At least IMO.

[clash6361]

For my "valuable" autographs on photos, if I want to frame them, I scan them at high resolution, re-print them and frame the re-print. So my original is still safe and sound, stored away from direct sunlight in an moisture free zip-locked bag (with desiccator packets) and the original is on display for all to see (behind glass, you can't tell the difference, but still know o have the original).

I've done this!! It works so well, everyone thinks they're real and no sunlight damages your originals!

[harry potter]

the best way to preserve the autograohs is that we need an dark place and get away from the sunlinght.

[Sheep]

I just have mine is plastic wallets in a folder.
Easy, Cheap.