Folded documents

This is a question that probably seems elementary to some--but I am
unclear about current opinion and practice. Your comments and help
are appreciated. I am working with a large collection of 19th
Century documents, deeds, and letters (mainly stampless covers),
several thousand items. These were folded and stored for over 100
years. The question:  Should these be flattened out and stored flat
or left folded.

I think that the vellum deeds are fine folded unless needed for
display. They are not really fond of being flattened.

The letters are where I am of two minds. Their 'original' format is
folded and thus they have long remained (though many have been
mis-folded through the years). If they are used at all, folding and
unfolding them seems to certainly cause damage.  Flat they'd
definitely be more usable and easier to store. What's your opinion?

Ron Lieberman
The Family Album / ABAA
RR 1, Box 42
Glen Rock, PA 17327
717-235-2134 /
Fax: 717-235-8765

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:35
                 Distributed: Tuesday, October 14, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-35-015
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