Music sheet repair

I have a few original music sheets from the 30s, 40s and 50s which are film scores or theme songs of a movie from which I like to play on an electric piano.

One of my favorites is Otto Preminger's "Laura", from the novel of Vera Caspary which dates from around 1944.

Because I play from it often, each page of this 3 pages music sheet is now separated. What solution do you recommend to reattach them in a manner compatible with the subdued atmoshpere of the music, time period and general aesthetic of this cinematographic memory?

In advance, thank you for your suggestions.

How much time/money do you want to spend on the restoration. I'd just photocopy the original and only use the photocopy for playing the piece.

Since I spent 50 cents on this original, I would want ideas that could reattach the pages of the original to continue to play on it.

Yes, I welcome your suggestion dear aulsmith and I could play on a photocopy or on a print out of the music from the net assuming I could find it there free of copyrights, but the purpose of the experience is continue to play a vintage original.

The process is very much like back in time, in a time capsule like in an H.G. Wells novel.

I guess this is why certain contemporary instrumentists like to play on an 18th century instrument. Difficult to explain why exactly.

I would rather not have suggestions like go to Staples and buy a 3M adhesive tape...or to Office Depot.

As to the budget, this original is of little monetary value which leads me to research an economical solution.

You can get book repair adhesive tape at B&N or online through archival materials stores. It's made to fit into the creases and won't damage the original.

Thank you PhaedraB. How does it compare with the transparent mending tape of Lineco?

I couldn't say. I can tell you that what I have purchased from B&N is archival grade.

I always use Lineco's mending tissue.

If there is space in the margin, the easiest repair would be to punch three holes through the margin of all the pages, run a piece of thick string through the holes, and tie the string at the rear cover.

I use filmoplast P.

8> After first adding reinforcment rings around the holes. Other wise the string will rip through the paper very quickly.

please do not punch holes in this musical document , playing music is a fragile and sensitive thing.

maybe it is best to leave the sheet music as it is , let it go back to the dust with dignity.

maybe it is best to leave the sheet music as it is, let it go back to the dust with dignity.

lithecat's mending tissue and then encasing all the pages in mylar is what I'd have done by an experienced conservator. Once things are actually separated, I don't muck with them. It's only going to get more fragile over time, hence the mylar encapsulement. If you can afford it and it means a lot to you, have it deacidified before encapsulation.

PS. If you don't want the deacidification done, and lithecat can talk you through the mending tissue part, you can do the mylar yourself pretty easily. Are the pages still joined at the spine? If so, they'll have to be detached before you put it in mylar or you won't be able to play it. The mylar won't bend like the paper did.

Thank you Aulsmith. I did not know anything about mylar encapsulement but I do think that this may be the solution to continue play this piece. Any advice as to how much air should be left to let the paper continue to breathe?

Thank you Kedwer.

Unfortunately this paper is not mat and to thin to survive ring reinforcement. I leave this treatment for my Wagnerian music sheets. Thank you Martha Jeanne

Thank you Eharold. Indeed I'd rather shred this vintage piece of Hollywood history than punch holes in it.

16: The idea is to keep air out. The air has humidity which causes the acid in the paper to activate.

So, first you have to fix the page that tore, which I don't know how to do.

Then you buy mylar and archival double sided tape. Cut two sheets of mylar about 1/4 to 1/2 inch larger than the page on all sides. Put double-stick tape on one side of one of the mylar sheets, press the same side of the second sheet to the tape. Place the document between the two sheets so it DOES NOT touch the tape. Tape up the other sides so the page is as flat as possible. If the mylar isn't square at the end you can trim it (but not past the tape line). There's also a way to heat seal the mylar, but you have to have a machine to do that.

Corrections welcome from anyone who has actually done this. I've only seen it done.

Actually, according to LoC, the acid developes even more if kept sealed.

http://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/care/deterioratebrochure.html

Further googling (acid paper) shows that there is now a spray for treating acid paper. You might want to look into that.

The Collective Knowledge of the members of this group is awesome. Thank you for all your good advices.

Frankly, I'd use photocopies and keep the originals untouched in an archival folder or box.

23: With acid-free tissue in-between. That would be best practice.

21: Were you referring to this statement "The fact is that the book structure and other enclosures cannot protect paper from the air, because the paper itself contains the moisture that contributes to acid hydrolysis and, thus, destruction of the paper. Even worse, the restricted environment within a bound book efficiently retains the acidic degradation products, which accelerate its aging even more."

That's referring to books, not individual sheets of paper, which is what we're talking here. Though I've been out of the loop of several years now. Maybe they're not sealing individual pieces of paper either. In any case, if OP is going to actually use the the music, they'll need the mylar pretty flat to keep the original stiff. Perhaps more research should be done about sealing or not sealing.

(To be frank, after going back and forth on Ph-neutral vs. alkaline tissue for photos, I realized that preservation just isn't settled science and anything you do might have to be undone later.)

As others have said, encapsulation is probably the easiest, least interventive way you could keep your sheet music safe and still use it.

You can also purchase L-sealed sleeves, which are mylar 'folders' that are pre-sealed on the bottom and the left side, leaving the right and top sides open. This allows easy insertion and removal of the item without involving any tape (which is good, because even if you buy "archival" or "acid free" double-sided tape, it will still age and the adhesive will begin to creep). The natural static of the mylar will keep the item inside the folder (so it generally won't suddenly go sliding out).

Gaylord sells these in a a variety of sizes:
http://www.gaylord.com/adblock.asp?abid=1482&search_by=desc&search_for=m...

You could also buy an acid free box or folder to put the sleeved sheets in for extra protection while they are not being used.

Hello guys,

After reading this topic and finding little on google about repairing sheet music I decided to put together a little tutorial along with illustrated diagrams curtosy of my grandson about how best to repair damaged sheet music, you can find the guide here on our bookbinding website: http://www.ibookbinding.com/blog/bookbinding-projects/4/

I would welcome any comments or feedback. If people would like a little more clarity on any of the steps then please do not hesitate to let me know and I'll do my best to expand on any points.

Thanks for your time and I hope this helps a few of you out there,
Paul

Pthomson: the graphs were very useful. I have a music sheet album from the XIXth century. The sheets were bound together by thread. I has no hard cover. What would you suggest to reattach the sheets together as well as reinforcing the central parts where the sawing needs to be done?