My dad just gave me about 100 pictures and documents, from my ancestors from Canada. I have very little previous knowledge of this side of my family. But, I want to preserve these photos VERY WELL. Some of them date back to 1913. I have a slip from the first world war, when my Great grandfather was discharged because of a gunshot wound. I have cards, pictures, and lots of other things. Due to the very importance and amount of pictures, I don't think I'll have time to make them look cute in an "all-out" scrap book. What should I do? I'll take any ideas, advice, etc.
Thanks SO very much!
~shannyn

Go to a fine arts framer or similar and get acid free archival quality stuff to protect your valuable pieces of family history - whether it is to store them for now or preserve them in some formal showpiece. What a great gift! Good luck!

Here are some links that might help you:

Photos:
>http://genforum.genealogy.com/photo/
>http://antiques.about.com/library/weekly/aa022900.htm
>http://www.nlg.dk/preservtext.html
>http://www.familyhistoryland.com/archival.htm

Linens:
>http://antiques.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Clean_Old_Linens0962933987.htm
>http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/linens.html
>http://www.rebeccablood.net/domestic/textiles.html
>http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmah/antqtext.htm


Hope these are helpful! I would HIGHLY recommend scanning the pictures and burning them onto CD's to give out to family members.

Cheers! - cubby

I'm going to second the scanning idea-- having all of those images on CD will preserve them even if the paper copies get ruined.
But as far as preserving the pics, I would suggest getting a simple acid free photo box and layering the pics, dividing them with sheets of acid free paper(so they don't stick to each other if they get moist). Of course, if you get around to it an album is much more functional, even if it's simple, it prevents people from having to touch the pictures in order to look at them! Have fun, sounds like an amazing gift!
-meli>http://melimade.fuzzyspaceoutpost.com

wow, what an awesome gift.

I'm gonna third the scanning of them ,at least the ones you want to share with the rest of the family (what a cool gift you can SHARE with everyone)

untill you have the time to do a proper scrapbook you can get protective sleeves to put them in (try a office supply place or craft store)
cheers

if you decide to glue them into a scrapbook, let me recommend wheat starch paste that you cook up yourself. it's archival quality (no acids to eat up the paper) and i know you can get it at www.hollanders.com

I would use photo corners for a scrapbook, so the pictures can be removed.
You might want to select a few photos and put them in a scrapbook for your family to see.
There are a few scrapbook sources online, and lots of cities have scrapbook stores that could help you. If you have any negatives, make sure to store them in negative sleeves in a binder. It will make your life much easier.

Susannah