Laminated Ephemera. How do you handle it?

[tdogchristy90]

I saw a nice Iwo Jima ephemera grouping come up on facebook this morning. Unfortunately it looks like it was taken down but it got me to thinking. How do you handle laminated items? 
 

In our self policing collecting world we try to point out fakes and issues. Now this was a nice group based on the pics but the very nature of lamination makes it hard to authenticate and actually destroys the items by that specific process of preservation as the laminate and item fuse into one. 
 

There was a time when lamination came out and was very popular, people laminated everything. I know a local library that laminated all of the towns historic civil war letters. (Ouch). It’s possible the direct family had these Iwo Jima group items laminated themselves. So I’m not trying to pass judgment on them or the facebook seller. 

It just got me thinking about how we handle laminated ephemera in terms of the process of preservation, destruction, and authentication. Thanks.

[bunkerhillburning]

Wish I could be of help but your post reminds me of how many exceptional pieces of Americana ephemera I have seen laminated over the years. Fine postal covers, 19th century material  laminated.

 

What a shame.

[Thor996]

Laminated =destroyed MHO.

[Daytonian777]

Even if the lamination could be carefully split, you would have to worry about the acidic nature of some plastics. Unfortunately a lot of lamination has PVC, and really (as far as I know) the only "Archive Safe" plastics are polys, like polypropylene or polyethylene. Anything with vinyl will self-destruct.

[tdogchristy90]

13 minutes ago, Thor996 said:

Laminated =destroyed MHO.

Yes, this is my feeling. Just seeing that set made me think of that and having a discussion of how lamination is viewed and dealt with from a collecting point. 

[Brig]

The real value in most ephemera isn't the physical item, but the information the item contains. Letters and post cards are usually not highly valued on the market, however the information they contain are a potential treasure trove to the historian. People who laminated these things did so for a reason, and the reason was likely to preserve the content written on the piece of paper. While yes, it does reduce the monetary value of the piece, and it is best not to do it ourselves, a laminated document is far from "destroyed"

 

Unfortunately, one day it will be due to chemicals in most laminates. But odds are the paper of that letter wouldn't have made it on its own either.

 

As far as photos...laminate makes them harder to scan and photograph, and decreases the monetary value, but if you can still see the image, it isn't "destroyed"

[Thor996]

54 minutes ago, Brig said:

The real value in most ephemera isn't the physical item, but the information the item contains. Letters and post cards are usually not highly valued on the market, however the information they contain are a potential treasure trove to the historian. People who laminated these things did so for a reason, and the reason was likely to preserve the content written on the piece of paper. While yes, it does reduce the monetary value of the piece, and it is best not to do it ourselves, a laminated document is far from "destroyed"

 

Unfortunately, one day it will be due to chemicals in most laminates. But odds are the paper of that letter wouldn't have made it on its own either.

 

As far as photos...laminate makes them harder to scan and photograph, and decreases the monetary value, but if you can still see the image, it isn't "destroyed"

This is true that the information is there, and will be for some time, , what I meant and should have elaborated is that in the long run the inherent make up of the laminate will ultimately destroy what has been laminated. That's what I get for a short worded post. The PVC in laminates over time will do that to the document Any monetary value is greatly reduced by the process. That is very true. Yes, the information remains valuable that is also true.

 

From a collecting standpoint, I'd pass on laminated items unless they are inexpensive no matter what the information they contain because their value is destroyed by many times. Same as a cleaned coins value is wiped out by many a well meaning collector who decided to 'clean it up to see all the details dirt and grime' had covered up . But again, it is my opinion that they are not for me. i do not pass judgment on those who chose to laminate objects years ago. It was all the rage. Much in the same way baseballs were shellacked and IIRC helmets too. But I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for any laminated objects.

 

 

 

[tdogchristy90]

11 minutes ago, Thor996 said:

This is true that the information is there, and will be for some time, , what I meant and should have elaborated is that in the long run the inherent make up of the laminate will ultimately destroy what has been laminated. That's what I get for a short worded post. The PVC in laminates over time will do that to the document Any monetary value is greatly reduced by the process. That is very true. Yes, the information remains valuable that is also true.

 

From a collecting standpoint, I'd pass on laminated items unless they are inexpensive no matter what the information they contain because their value is destroyed by many times. Same as a cleaned coins value is wiped out by many a well meaning collector who decided to 'clean it up to see all the details dirt and grime' had covered up . But again, it is my opinion that they are not for me. i do not pass judgment on those who chose to laminate objects years ago. It was all the rage. Much in the same way baseballs were shellacked and IIRC helmets too. But I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for any laminated objects.

 

 

 

yeah, when I use the term “destroyed” I’m thinking kind of along the lines of a museums perspective. Yes, the information on a KIA certification for example may still be accessible, but the actual act of laminating permanently changes the document via adhesives, ect. and the document is no longer originally as intended when originally made.
 

Not to mention that once laminated it cannot be undone. Thus “destroyed”. I think the analogy of coin cleaning or someone taking a wire brush to a gun also hold true. Sure the item is still present to look at and examine (thus not destroyed), but to a museum or archive it would be considered a major loss.

[Thor996]

34 minutes ago, tdogchristy90 said:

yeah, when I use the term “destroyed” I’m thinking kind of along the lines of a museums perspective. Yes, the information on a KIA certification for example may still be accessible, but the actual act of laminating permanently changes the document via adhesives, ect. and the document is no longer originally as intended when originally made.
 

Not to mention that once laminated it cannot be undone. Thus “destroyed”. I think the analogy of coin cleaning or someone taking a wire brush to a gun also hold true. Sure the item is still present to look at and examine (thus not destroyed), but to a museum or archive it would be considered a major loss.

 

We are on the exact same page.

[tdogchristy90]

5 hours ago, Thor996 said:

 

We are on the exact same page.

Is that page laminated? 

[Thor996]

4 hours ago, tdogchristy90 said:

Is that page laminated? 

😂😂