Digitalmyths

Remember that paper items and ephemera can be repaired like other vintage items. Tho a repaired paper item does not hold as much value as one without rips, stains or holes, they can get a face lift to make them look more appealing. Tears are probably the easiest of the three flaws to repair; stains and holes are the hardest. When considering repairing your torn paper items, take into consideration how fragile the paper is or if a home repair compared to a professional repair would damage the value of the peice. I like to repair items that I know do not have a high market value. This is the best way to experiment first. If the paper has a simple tear and is not missing peices, this is the easiest to repair. All you will need is a paint brush with a small fine tip, some wallpaper paste, a hard wood or rubber roller and a flat surface. First start by gently brushing off any noticable dust from the torn area (it should be as clean as possible without using water of course.) Make sure to clean both torn pieces where the paper has come apart. Then apply the wallpaper paste to the two torn edges of the paper. Only apply the past on the edges that are torn trying not to get access on any other part of the paper. Place the peices together making sure to line up the tear pattern as best as possible. Once you feel confident about the placement, use a roller to gentle press the peices together. Using a heavy book or other flat object to put on top of the paper item will help keep it flat while it dries. Please remember that torn photographs can be repaired this way, but if you get any glue or water on the photo, you may damage the image.