Best way to store a vintage contract

[Topnotchsy]

I recently picked up a 1929 Contract of Richard "Cannonball" Redding. It appear like for most of history it has been stored folded. Given its age (and the fact that the paper it is on is not particularly thick) I was wondering whether that was the best way to store it, or stored some other way.

Thanks in advance!

[Scott Garner]

Hi Jeff,
I believe the answer for me would depend on doing with it in your collection.

If you want to display it where you could look at it, I would consider carefully sliding it open into a one pocket Ultra Pro page. This would be my personal choice. If you're not going to display it, slide it in it's current folded state into a one pocket page with archival white cardboard. The other alternative would be to store it folded in a photo top loader.

[Writehooks]

I've acquired several boxing contracts over the years, which I store/display in full unfolded length in the single pocket pages of oversized art portfolio albums. The albums can be purchased with colored backboards that accentuate the white paper of the contracts. They're easily stored, and mountable on small tabletop easels.

[Leon]

Just make sure whatever you use is archival quality and keep it out of sunshine. That way there won't be damage from the environment there might be otherwise. I have my 1930s-1950s Burdick letters in archival quality Ultra Pro pages in a binder.

[frankbmd]

My vote would be to store it the same way it has been stored for 88 years. It looks pretty good to me.

[tazdmb]

I have been staring at that contract for over 10 years on Ebay, glad to see if finally made it to a good home.