Can you photograph the pages?  This is easy if you have a copy stand.  Even if you do not, you can turn a tripod upside down and photograph downward with the book on the floor.  Even if you get some distortion of the pages because they are not pressed flat, if you shoot at f8 or higher, you should have enough depth of field that everything is still in focus and readable.  But do a test to be sure.  Good luck!

Marc

American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
     4 Rockville Road
     Broad Brook, CT 06016
     www.conservator.com 
     860-386-6058 

Marc A. Williams, President
     MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
     Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
     Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Teen 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 2:38 PM
  Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Waas letters


  I have received access to a "book of letters" which were written 1850 to 1900.  The book consists of bound sheets of tissue paper containing handwritten letters.  Possibly these were duplicates of the letters sent or some sort of copy made at the same time.  The letters contain information relating to the business and personal life of the author and his son.  I would like to have suggestions on how to copy the pages of this book.  The binding is too fragile for photocopying or flatbed scanner.  Any information about this type of book and, especially, how to create digital copies for our online archives would be appreciated.

   

  Teen Peterson

  Archivist

  Amelia Island Museum History

  233 S. 3rd Street

  Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

  Phone: (904) 261-7378, x. 104

  Fax: (904) 261-9701

  E-mail: [log in to unmask]

   

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If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).