Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

[TKParrott]

i hope this is in the correct sub-forum. i recently picked up a soldier's letter at an auction and would like to transcribe it, but am unsure on handling practices.

i have some vinyl powder free gloves but no white cotton conservationist type gloves, will these do?


any advice appreciated, and yes i did use the search function before posting.

thanks,

thadd parrott

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

In my experience handling archival materials, gloves are probably not necessary. More damage can be done handling delicate materials that have been folded for a length of time and are fragile at their crease points than can be done through the transfer of oils from the skin to paper goods.

How are you storing the letter? It might be good to look into purchasing an acid-free folder to keep the letter unfolded and flat.

[TKParrott]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

i just bought this letter very recently, it has been stored in its envelope so i figure if it looks this good being from 1862 thats the way i will store it. im transcribing it now. it has virtually no punctuation but the writer was a decent enough speller. i just went ahead and put the gloves on as a precautionary measure. if im able to figure out how to post images tonight ill post a couple when i post the text.

[TKParrott]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

Postmark: HUTTONSVILLE VA MAR 5 (no year on mark)

Addressee: Thomas Furman Sharonville, Hamilton Co. Ohio

Letterhead: (men in ranks, woman in foreground) Officer: FRONT FACE! “why in th' thunder don't you cast your eyes to the front!!!”

Envelope: 3 cent US patented Nov, 20 1855

Body:

Huttonsville March the 1st, 1862. Thomas Furman Dear sir I take the pleasure of writing a few lines to you hoping they will find you all in good health as we all enjoy the same blessing. Thomas we had a good old time getting here it took 8 days to beverly we staid there one day and a night then we broke for Hettensville we are now incamped on tigrett valley it is a verry pretty place the old Virginian that we incamped on his place he owns 15 niggers (end first page)

Thomas devil a girl in this place a tall a tall and the few we have seen since we came they all Chew tobaco. I thought I was bad at Chewing but they are the devil at it. I would tell you about the muddy road from ???burg to Hettenville but damn the thoughts of it I disgust them we took one Cecsh on our way comeing we did with him what the irish man done with the rattle snake swore him and let him Go
we ingaged our selves well if not for the mood we eat our dinnerlast sunday on laurel hill where the Cecsh fought we saw the graves where they berried their dead (end 2nd page)

Thouse(?) (thomas???) received your letter this evening I wrote two letters to norman mack the first I forgot to sign my name to it I wrote him a nother to satisfy him he has not answered it yet you tell him I will give him hell Thomas give my love to mary ann and the girls too & and sweet old dad and mama tell old Matty I want to ride Bill to Glendale next Sunday night the road is to muudy to walk if you go over town (?) Ride her twiced for me and as often as you Can for your self the Girls in ohio kneed not be afraid their sweet harts will run away with another for darn the one here to go with (end 3rd page)

Direct your letter to Huttenville Randolph
Co via
75 regt coa OV

No more at present but still ???? yor old friend
H(?) Michael Brady

good by thomas
good by all

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16888266@N07/4516865582/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16888266@N07/4516864122/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16888266@N07/4516864872/

hope that works^^^

[TKParrott]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

a simple google search produced this:

"Pvt. Michael Brady, Aug 31,'62, Died of wounds received in Battle of 2nd Bull Run."

but the page has apparently expired. im new here so please bear with me. is there a way to edit the thread title myself to include 75th OVI? i ask in hopes of getting more responses from folks who know more about th e 75th OVI, Co. A in particular?

respectfully,

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

I used to use darkroom gloves to handle old letters and such, but one of the local FBI agents told me he handles everything he can with folds of acid-free paper, rather than gloves. I have to say I've tried his method on a few things and it does seem to work. Gloves do tend to make my fingers clumsier than they already are. As Mr. Welch has already said, we may be overdoing the precautions. Supposedly, according to one local archivist--and I have NOT seen any studies to back this up, so take it as you will--freshly-scrubbed hands washed in a slightly alkaline soap and dried thoroughly are safe for at least a few minutes.

[toptimlrd]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

WOW! That does look to be in fantastic condition. Per above, PLEASE find some acid free paper to store it in and I concuur that flat is better. Trust me the more it is folded and unfolded the more likely it is to come apart at the folds. Remember this is paper that is nearly 150 years old. Be wary of light conditions as well, ink will fade and quickly under the wrong lighting.

[JimKindred]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

I use Melinex sleeves to store WWII manuals and other documents - http://www.gaylord.com/listing.asp?H=3&PCI=128034

[col90]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

I am an archivist by profession. You do not need gloves, particularly for paper of this era. Be sure your hands are clean, but gloves make you somewhat clumsier and more apt to tear things. As far as storage, you do need to get a flat archival sleeve (I use Gaylord for work http://www.gaylord.com/listing.asp?H=3 ) and keep it in there...continuing to fold and refold it will eventually cause it to tear at the fold lines.

Thanks for sharing!

Colleen Formby

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

Thanks for the confirmation about clean hands versus gloves when handling documents. (I enjoy the PBS "History Detectives" but always cringe when they're handling photos and documents, wondering if they're damaging historical items. Now I know better.) Thanks also for sharing the letter. I have three letters from my great grand uncle of the 10th OVI that I will be transcribing this summer. I'll post when I complete the deed.
Cheers,
Paul Hadley

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

I am an archivist by profession. You do not need gloves, particularly for paper of this era. Be sure your hands are clean, but gloves make you somewhat clumsier and more apt to tear things.

Glad to hear that I haven't been doing anything wrong, I don't know what the modern debate on gloves v. hands is now but I had heard that you could do more damage to a document with gloves on than without them. I've personally never worn them.

[VMurphy]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

I find the comments regarding handling original documents interesting. There also seems to be some controversy regarding handling original textiles. I've noticed when wearing gloves when working with many originals, they soon become very soiled. Unless you constantly change gloves, all your doing is transfering soil from one garment to the next.
In my personal collection, I just keep my hands very clean and handle them very tenderly. I also fold them differently every time they are taken out and shown.

The letter sounds wonderful...would love to read it :)

Vivian Murphy

http://www.themantuamaker.net

[Busterbuttonboy]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

Vivian
The same debate holds true for textiles. Being taught in my museums courses, and depending upon the fabric, gloves are not appropriate. You stand to either bleach, tear or compromise the fabric by either the properties of the glove or by the lack of feeling you get with the garment by using it. Washing your hands is important but its equally important to make sure you aren't using a soap with bleach, or an overly scented soap either. Storage is the biggest problem especially with collections but we could fill volumes on that. My personal pet peeve is seeing people hanging or displaying original garments on dress forms or regular old hangers but alas.

[CSchneider]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

Yup, different materials require different handling techniques. Some objects should not be handled with gloves, some should definitely be handled with gloves, and others fall somewhere in between. Speaking specifically of 19th Century pieces, at work I will typically handle documents with clean hands. Some textiles I'll handle with clean hands, others with gloves--and yes, I very often have to change soiled gloves and rarely will handle more than one piece with the same gloves. With metals, I'll almost always wear gloves. When moving most objects from place to place the gloves will often come off. Probably more importantly than what is on your hands, however, is making sure you take the time to plan out specifically what you're going to do with an object, where you are going to touch it, what surfaces it is going to touch, what help you are going to need, etc., before you touch anything.

All that said, I still bring a few original things in the field.....:confused_

-Craig Schneider

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Handling Original Documents/ correspondence.

Is there any consensus on wiping your hands down with alcohol and/or hand sanitizer to remove the last traces of dirt/grease either just after you wash them or between documents or articles? I've been doing that and drying my hands on a clean paper towel (rather than waiting for all of the alcohol to evaporate). In theory, there shouldn't be any residue. In practice...?