Soaking/Storing Engraved Pictorals

[Jerry Weirich]

I'm seeking information on techniques or methods used by other collectors when soaking the 1899 engraved (recess-printed) pictorials to prevent them from curling. Whenever I soak them they curl up quite tight sometimes to the diameter of a pencil and it is difficult to unwind them without creasing the stamps. I would also like any information on storing mint copies to prevent them from curling. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Jerry

[Postagedues]

Jerry,

Some people swear by drying books, but I'm not fond of leaving stamps wet for days at a time.

When I soak stamps, I let them spend as little time in water as possible, dry them on disposable paper towelling an then put them into hagners for an initial sort before the study of them begins.

Perhaps covering them with a dry cloth with a book or similar on top may assist?

I have upwards of 1,000 postage dues stored this way.

[Jerry Weirich]

Thanks "postagedues". I always place a dry cloth over drying stamps, but have started to use antique 8- and 6-pound irons to flatten the stamps. It helps but does not completely remove the curl. One thing that I have since learned is that removing all gum from the used stamps during soaking helps a lot. Still have no solution for my mint sheets that are curling. Thanks again, Jerry