Should this be sent for restoration?

DepressionscripGuy

First off, these are very rare items. They are from the Fox Meadow Elementary school sixth grade class from Scarsdale New York. They were made and used in the school to teach children about scrip during the Panic of 1933. I think they are pretty cool and one of those issues I thought I would never see in hand until now.



They are printed on a painters oil cloth / canvas. I just bought this set and they are glued to a backer board and paper. Why someone would do that is beyond me. But the question is, should I find someone who can professionally remove / restore these? Or should I just leave them as is? They are professional framed and it's actually done quite nice. But they seem to be glued down and that is really bugging me.



For less than a second, I thought about trying it myself, but I'm sure I would do more damage than good. I do know of several art restoration experts in Michigan that should be able to professionally remove them without damage. Take a look at the pics and see what you think....

STLNATS

You don't know what's in the glue nor the paper so it would be well worthwhile to have a pro look and evaluate if they're at risk and what can be done to protect/remove the notes (and the cost). There seems to be some brown staining along the left edge of the $1 which would concern me and suggest doing that sooner than later.



I've seen a number of great pieces damaged over the years and, especially given the materials involved, I don't think it is a DIY project.



Just MHO.

garrynot

They are in remarkable condition, being 80 years old with glue residue. I hope the glue is not too difficult to remove.

lettow

Awesome get. The whole group is great especially the letter from the children. One of the more interesting sets of Depression Scrip.



I would seek out a professional to see about removing them from the backing. They are too scarce an item to leave open the possibility of permanent damage. It looks like the framing was probably done relatively recently in the life of the notes (maybe 20 years at the most).

iccurrency

Does anyone know of a professional that restores this type of stuff??

cinch

Are these under plexi or glass? You should be concerned if these notes are pressed against the glass at all. That can definitely cause serious damage. Do you know if they're printed in ink or paint? I can't tell from the photo. If it's paint, I don't know what you'd holder them in afterward...



Here in New York this sort of work can be pricey. I recently asked around to get some historical documents unglued from three large pieces of ledger paper, and was quoted between $400 to $1000 by various restorers.



Very cool find, by the way! So what does the letter say?

DepressionscripGuy

Definitely not a do-it -yourself type project. My Dad saw it when I received them and he immediately went for his razor knife and I had to tackle him to keep him away from it.



They are under glass but glued to a very soft cardboard and then there is tissue paper behind that. It's all glued together as a sandwich except for the edges. The way they are mounted, there are hidden springs under the frame that put pressure along the edges to keep the mat centered and not moving. There is a tiny gap between the glass and the notes. I've already had this thing apart so there is no damage to the notes other than glued down.



As for the edge discoloration, I'm not sure if that's glue or not. I've seen a picture of another note that is loose and it has this same discoloration on the same edge.



I'll post an updated picture of the letter when I get home.

Constantine

No expert here, but my opinion is considering they were printed on painters oil cloth / canvas as you said, it sounds more likely than not that the glue can be removed with good results (by an expert). My point is that canvas or whatever it is seems much stronger than a type of paper etc.

DepressionscripGuy

Copy of the letter added.

techwriter

Since I am an expert in ZERO, I urge you to seek professional advice on these. If they are attached with the old mucilage it can really be a "sticky" situation to remove without damaging the notes.

sellitstore

I actually do have considerable experience removing notes glued to various surfaces. However, this is a new one for me. I have no experience with cloth notes nor this "ink".


My guess is that the biggest issue here is the ink or paint used to print these. It's likely to be water soluble, so these can't be soaked in water or steamed off. This isn't a currency printing ink which is never water soluble, but likely children's paint, easy to wash off little fingers with water. Remember, these particular notes weren't meant to actually circulate as currency, so insoluble inks and a professional printer probably weren't used.

Perhaps another solvent could be used, but I'd carefully explain to any restorer that the "ink" used here may very will be water soluble, and ask if he/she can still remove these safely.

The other alternative is to remove as much of the backing (especially acidic cardboard) and use a PH neutralizing spray to stabilize the notes and remaining backing. It's pretty easy to prevent further damage this way and this is something that you can do yourself. University Archives (as well as others conservation suppliers) sell the PH spray.

Tookybandit

My initial inkling would be to just leave it be. It looks fantastic in the display, but I do understand the desire for damage not to occur over time.

DepressionscripGuy

Thanks everyone for you responses. I think for now, I will leave it on the back burner. I have several irons in the fire at the moment including redoing my website which is a major undertaking alone. I have found several restoration experts in Michigan that were all recommended by the State of Michigan historical society and the University of Michigan. I will update this thread if and when I have something done.

oklahomadanny

Here's some pics of the backs for 3 of these notes that sold in the last 3 months.



back of scripGuys black 1 unit





backs of blue 1 unit & brown 5 units





Edit: Not my notes, I copied the eBay photos over to my Photobucket so I could post them here as a "public service announcement". Rod, I usually don't name who purchased an auction and the price paid, I was scolded once for doing that so I refrain from doing so.

DepressionscripGuy

I got the 1A single note and it has the same on the back as well.