What should I do with these old maps?
June 12, 2012 7:15 PM Subscribe
I've come into possession of some old maps, and I'd like some suggestions on what to do with them.
So, in shopping for material for crafty type stuff, I came across two Collier Encyclopedias, dated 1928. The volumes I have are volumes 5 (J-K) and volume 10 (T-Z) They're in fairly good condition, which is why I bought them - so I could mine the pages for their illustrations and text to utilize in the crafts (don't judge).
But I just can't bring myself to cut up the maps. They're pretty nice maps. Each book has about eleven maps and I'd like to display them in some way. Don't tell me to keep 'em in the books 'cause they're already out. I'm also not interested in the value. I just like how they look, and would like to keep them looking this good for as long as possible. What I'd really like to do is make something like a coffee table book out of them since there are so many of them. But I'm not exactly sure how to do that.
The maps are not the same size, they range in size from 9 X 11.25 to 11 X 14 (the US map). They're on glossy paper if that makes a difference. I tried googling and there is information on how to store old paper in order to preserve it, but I couldn't find much on how to display it other than framing. I'm not really looking to preserve and store them away, and I don't really want to put them all on the wall. I can't think of any way to make a book out of them other than putting them in plastic sleeves, and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be good for the paper.
Suggestions?
So, in shopping for material for crafty type stuff, I came across two Collier Encyclopedias, dated 1928. The volumes I have are volumes 5 (J-K) and volume 10 (T-Z) They're in fairly good condition, which is why I bought them - so I could mine the pages for their illustrations and text to utilize in the crafts (don't judge).
But I just can't bring myself to cut up the maps. They're pretty nice maps. Each book has about eleven maps and I'd like to display them in some way. Don't tell me to keep 'em in the books 'cause they're already out. I'm also not interested in the value. I just like how they look, and would like to keep them looking this good for as long as possible. What I'd really like to do is make something like a coffee table book out of them since there are so many of them. But I'm not exactly sure how to do that.
The maps are not the same size, they range in size from 9 X 11.25 to 11 X 14 (the US map). They're on glossy paper if that makes a difference. I tried googling and there is information on how to store old paper in order to preserve it, but I couldn't find much on how to display it other than framing. I'm not really looking to preserve and store them away, and I don't really want to put them all on the wall. I can't think of any way to make a book out of them other than putting them in plastic sleeves, and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be good for the paper.
Suggestions?
Every once in a while a local art school offers a class on learning how to bind. You could take a class and bind them into a homemade book.
posted by PussKillian at 7:33 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by PussKillian at 7:33 PM on June 12, 2012
Send me some photos, if you'd like, and I can try to advise. Might be worthy of preservation/digitization; but also might be useful as wrapping-paper. Transcribing any makers-marks/metadata would also help. Email: king {AT} bigmapblog [DOT] com.
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj at 7:44 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj at 7:44 PM on June 12, 2012
I would think you could crop or size them to a page that is no bigger than the smallest map, and make a Book of Maps. No descriptions, no nothing. Just maps.
posted by rhizome at 7:45 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by rhizome at 7:45 PM on June 12, 2012
Response by poster: I wouldn't think that cropping them would be a good idea since that would cut off parts of the biggest map. Also, if I scan them, then i still have the problem of what to do with the original maps. I'd really like to display the originals in a book.
I thought of maybe gluing them to bigger pieces of paper and putting *those* in a book, but I've heard that glue isn't good for old paper. I don't really have a camera, but I'll see what I can do. The SO has an iphone. The only real metadata that I can find on them is a copyright for the publishing company of the encyclopedia.
posted by patheral at 8:07 PM on June 12, 2012
I thought of maybe gluing them to bigger pieces of paper and putting *those* in a book, but I've heard that glue isn't good for old paper. I don't really have a camera, but I'll see what I can do. The SO has an iphone. The only real metadata that I can find on them is a copyright for the publishing company of the encyclopedia.
posted by patheral at 8:07 PM on June 12, 2012
When my kids were much younger, I laminated some old maps (not as nice as the ones you describe) and made place-mats out of them. Great dinner time fun asking questions and having them find places on the maps.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:41 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:41 PM on June 12, 2012
Best answer: You can find scrapbooks with acid-free pages that are the size of the largest map. Don't glue the maps down - either use photo corners to hold them in place, or make your own archival hinges out of acid-free paper and attach them with archival glue in two or three places to the page. It sounds expensive, but it's not. You can find all this stuff at Michael's or Dick Blick, or at your local art supply store.
This will prevent yellowing and aging in general, and keep the colors vibrant while allowing easy perusal.
Library of Congress reference says the 1928 Collier's Encyclopedia was originally produced in an edition of 125,000 sets and distributed primarily in the United States by door-to-door salesmen. The current value is whatever you paid for them. No guilt.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 8:46 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
This will prevent yellowing and aging in general, and keep the colors vibrant while allowing easy perusal.
Library of Congress reference says the 1928 Collier's Encyclopedia was originally produced in an edition of 125,000 sets and distributed primarily in the United States by door-to-door salesmen. The current value is whatever you paid for them. No guilt.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 8:46 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
If you have a glass-topped table somrwhere in the house, you could arrange some of them under the glass.
Mod Podge them onto the covers of photo albums, diaries, guestbooks, etc.
Use as the backing for a shadow box of tiny treasures.
posted by lakeroon at 8:52 PM on June 12, 2012
Mod Podge them onto the covers of photo albums, diaries, guestbooks, etc.
Use as the backing for a shadow box of tiny treasures.
posted by lakeroon at 8:52 PM on June 12, 2012
As a fireplace "topper" (what do you call the piece of art over a fireplace??) my grandfather mounted a sailing chart to wood, cut the wood with a router to outline the bits that highlighted the curves of land and sea, and outlined the whole thing with nautical rope and made a swirly of the rope in the lower left corner where the map itself had natural negative space, since he had trimmed the map to follow geographical contours.
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. My grandfather also built wood furniture and other stuff for hobby.
Do something like that!
posted by jbenben at 10:04 PM on June 12, 2012
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. My grandfather also built wood furniture and other stuff for hobby.
Do something like that!
posted by jbenben at 10:04 PM on June 12, 2012
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posted by ocherdraco at 7:26 PM on June 12, 2012