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Preventing Deterioration Through Encapsulation

An Informative Article in 3 Parts
By
Aaron D J Brünger

Part 1
Causation and Short Term Remedies

During the time I have been collecting matchbox labels I have discovered that many of the earlier issues that I have seen and also have within my own collection are showing positive signs of age.  So, how do I prevent the ageing process ruining my labels without having to store them all in a specially prepared  room, along with pre-set humidity targets, fixed temperatures, dust extractors and special lint free gloves to handle them.

Causation

The main causes of deterioration of the paper used in the manufacture of matchbox labels at the turn of the 20th Century (1900) are:

• Humidty,
• Light & sunlight (both damage paper in similar ways but each has it’s own main contributing factor).
• Sweat from the hands of those who handle the labels, be it during manufacture, distribution, or storage.
• Oxygen.
• Age.

Therefore, if we can remove all of the list above, our labels should remain in a stable and healthy condition?    No.    Regretfully, that is  not the case as besides the five main variables listed above, there are numerous others which directly or indirectly have a bearing on the overall condition of the label.   One other significant variable is the method of manufacture of the paper used in the production of the humble label. 

As the label is being glued to a wooden box and when finished with, the box is being thrown away, the quality of the paper is generally a low grade.    After all, selling a box of matches for 1d (one old penny) would be stupid if the cost of the paper used for the label was 3d (three old pennies)!!   So the paper used would most certainly have a number of chemical impurities which even without the main variables shown above would aid the deterioration and decay of the paper.   However, when coupled with the main variables above, the chemical impurities accelerate the deterioration  process.

Unfortunately, there is very little we can do to counteract the chemical impurities present in the paper as a result of the manufacturing process.   However, we can arrest to some degree the deterioration caused by the five variables listed above.

 Short Term Remedies

In the short term, a number of remedies can be put in place to arrest deterioration until long term solutions can be implemented.   Many labels are damaged simply because as collectors we fail to understand the importance of working to a given set of rules which we ourselves set out.    We are all guilty of admiring a new addition to the collection, whether it be a single label or hundreds but, as we do, we aid the deterioration process.

Whilst we shouldn’t totally ignore our existing collections in respect of remedying deterioration, our immediate aims should be to arrest deterioration on any new labels being obtained along with ensuring that labels we already have are protected in the same way.

It is always easy to look and lay blame in retrospect when something goes wrong, but invariably, something very simple and straightforward would have prevented the problem in the first place.    There are a number of simple remedies we can implement from the outset in respect of loose labels and, these are:

• Allow them to acclimatise naturally to their new environment.
   
• Do not store them in any room where there are extremes of temperature or where there is no form of heating at all.  As, apart from them becoming damp, mould can form as spots in the paper itself as a result of the chemical impurities in the paper.
   
• Where they have been stored together, there is a chance, especially when stamp hinges have been used that they will stick to each other.  This can be exacerbated when stored in damp or humid conditions or when other weightier material is stacked on top of them!   Therefore, it is important to separate them after acquiring them and house them in a clean damp free environment.
   
• If you can, store them individually in specially designed clear fronted  (glassine) envelopes, in stock albums or on stock cards.   All of these storage methods can be obtained from your local friendly stamp dealer (see Commercial Links for Stamp Wholesalers).   When using any of these methods, they should be displayed individually and not overlapped so as to prevent sticking or chemical migration between one label and the next.
   
• They should be stored away from direct sunlight as the rays from the sun will bleach over time any paper that is left out.  This also applies to a lesser degree to natural daylight.
   
• Handle labels with care!   Use properly designed and manufactured stamp tweezers if possible to handle labels, as hands harbour sweat, grease and dirt including minute particles of debris.  If you have to use your hands, wear inert medical gloves or similar - but not the talc treated versions - as these are specially manufactured for hygiene purposes.  If you cannot use these types of gloves, buy a decent pair of lint free gloves.   Avoid directly handling labels without some form of protection on your hands.
   
• Stock books, glassine envelopes or stock cards should be placed in a darkened area such as a cabinet or draw to prevent light damaging the labels.
   
• Work methodically and carefully ensuring that you account for all the new material that you have acquired. 
   
• Where labels acquired are already mounted on paper, it is important to make a conscious judgement as to the age of the paper.  If the stamp mounts are fairly large, then it is probable that the labels have been mounted for some considerable time as, these types of hinges have not been commercially available for at least 15 years (unless you know different - in which case, please advise me using the e-mail address in the footer).  Modern papers - usually  a bright white in colour are normally manufactured chlorine free whereas older papers quite often a dirty cream colour would have used chlorine as part of the manufacturing process.
   
• It is better to err on the side of caution and re-home the labels in stock books or similar until you can give them a permanent place within your collection rather than leave them on the older types of paper.
   
• Poly covers  are another questionable source of chemical migration.  Most modern covers state clearly that they will not stick to the contents they are protecting.  Regretfully, earlier covers absorbed into the material they were made of and therefore strongly coloured labels became weak & lighter versions as the pigments were bled from them.    Unless you know the source of the covers, it is highly recommended that they be replaced with modern versions that are chemical free until you are able to incorporate the labels into your collection.
   

Page History:
Part 1 Compiled on 12th February 2008

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