What would YOU do? (vintage magazines)

[Tinseltown]

I have some vintage mags from the 30s and 50s with ads I want framed. Should I cut them out or get them copied?..i.e not ruining the magazine....
What would you do..and why?

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Color Copies.

Unless I was just framing the whole magazine.

I would not cut up an intact magazine for house artwork.

Part of the charm of vintage magazines is that it is a time capsule into a particular month and year and what was going on....splitting them up spoils that 'glimpse into another world' for me.

 

[scotrace]

I have to agree. There are so many images in old magazines that would look great on a wall, but it's a shame to destroy the whole for its parts, yes?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Have quality high-resolution scans done with low-fade ink. Not only will you preserve the content and context of the original magazine for a subsequent owner, but the print will last a lot longer: most 20th-century magazine paper mounted and hung where light can hit it will fade badly in a very short time.

Always remember: there is no such thing as permanent ownership of *anything.* Someday we'll be gone, and our collections will pass into the hands of someone else. It's always better to pass on original artifacts, complete and in context, than scraps and tatters.

 

[Foofoogal]

I am so nostalgic. As a dealer I have alot of vintage magazines from 1920s to 1960s. I could make so much more money if I would seperate the pages to list them seperately but just flat cannot bring myself to do it.
When the world gets flat crazy sometimes I am not kidding when I say I get some of these out and read the sweet stories and look at the pictures and it actually calms me immensely.
I am most amazed by the towels back then. Fancy towels in fancy boxes with fancy details.
So back to your ? Please scan them like LizzieMaine said.
I love crafts also but cringe a bit by some of the destruction going on to old or vintage items. Now if the thing is damaged beyond repair that is one thing but to actually take apart I am not so big on personally.

 

[Tinseltown]

It's decided then!
Ugh. I just noticed that the clips holding the 30s mags together are rusty now.
I will have to get a box for all my mags and have some sammich paper in between them.


Now the question is which ads to copy and frame LOL

 

[RetroToday]

Agree with everyone here, copy them.

Although, I admit, I've had a little trouble finding places out there to print them properly. Hardly any of the workers in print shops know what kind of ink they use. I ask "Is it low fade ink?" They say "Hunh?". :eusa_doh: Don't even try to ask if they can print using a CMYK colour file, that's a whole other story....

I usually scan the ones I like and clean them up in photoshop when needed and keep the original book intact then take it to the print shop.
The only time I will EVER cut an original is if the book is really falling apart or is at least 20% ruined, missing the cover. I also feel it's an important time capsule that should stay intact.

I'm going to have two ads (that I've scanned and cleaned) enlarged and printed - a 1912 Victor XVI Victrola and a 1930 Victor Radio-Electrola.
I was given two large antique frames that will fit them nicely (when enlarged). I'm hanging them near the actual items - I have both the 1912 Victrola and 1930 Victor mentioned.

Wish I could put so much more of those wonderful magazine ads up, but wallspace quickly becomes an issue and you have to pick your favourites to go up.

 

[SpitfireXIV]

added bonus to scanning: you are not limited to the original size

 

[Foofoogal]

fftopic:
I just went on vacation with our 2 children and spouses and 2 grandchildren so 8 of us.
We took one of those photos where everyone dresses western.
Does anyone know if I can take these to a print shop and they will print copies for me? I did pay for 3 8by10s but would like more to give out to them. I wouldn't think this would be copyrighted?

 

[Miss 1929]

Que horror, never cut them up!!!

There is nothing sadder than finding a great old magazine (particularly if it's an issue you have been hunting for) and discovering missing pages - usually the pages you want!

I don't think we have to right to destroy old stuff. Maybe legally, but not morally.

And when you folks say "print shop" are you talking about a photo shop, or actually a printers?

Foo Foo, I doubt very much if any photo shop worker will really care what you are having copies made of. They have a lot of disclaimers at places like Kinkos about copyright to cover themselves legally, but if they can see it's a picture of you? It is obviously yours. The copyright police will not be knocking on your door for that.

As far as having color copies made of stuff to hang on the wall, splurge a little and take it to a printers, not a photo place, and they can do any size, any kind of ink... putting it under glass will help a lot too, the glass cuts most of the UV.

The beauty of the internet - if you do not have a good printers in your area, it doesn't matter. You can send them your scan electronically and they can mail it to you. I highly recommend www.Scanart.com, they do all my printing and I am thrilled with their customer service and quality!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

talk to a professional framing shop & see what they say. they might me able to do very hi-res colour scans for you so it only looks like you cut up a vintage mag...

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Quality color copies, definitely. I know it's not the original, and it's different that way, but it's far better.

I see magazine pages being split up for sale, and it hurts. We've got a limited amount of historical resources, and a magazine or book is so much more valuable when it's complete. Not just monetarily, but historically. I've been known to antique modern book pages to get the proper effect, instead of using old ones from the thrift shop. (99 cent store books - nobody have a cow! )

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I scan, then clean up the image a bit, then print.

If one is really worried about fading, you can get "museum glass" that has extra UV filtering built in.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

and if money is tight at the moment......no particular method of printing -has- to be done....as long as you scan...you are not ruining the document...see? If the print fades because you only spent 10 bucks on it ...who cares...

I redecorate before it would fade.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

How does one get a nice, flat scan without the curvature at the spine of the magazine distorting the image?? [huh]

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I dunno -how- but I have scanned at least 20 Modern Priscilla magazines from the teens and 1920's with no issues....as well as some 40's hairdressing magazines.

never had an embarrassing curvature.....unless you count my spine

 

[John in Covina]

Some people will carefully remove the staples and seperate the pages to scan them. How to re-staple? I have no clue, but a book binder or printer might be able to do it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Most saddle-stitched magazines (the kind with staples thru the back of the spine, like a comic book or a pamphlet) will lay reasonably flat without problems -- and usually there's enough of a bleed space at the edge of the page that any shadow can be cropped out of the scan. Perfect-bound magazines -- the sort with a square back and a glued-on cover -- are more difficult, but if they're not too thick, you can get a reasonable scan by very careful cropping as long as the page isn't too close to the middle of the magazine.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Hmm,..maybe a heavy book on the lid of the scanner?? I've got an awesome 2 page ad from 1929 for a local housing development that never was because of the stock market crash. Would make for a cool collectible.

 

[Real Swell Gal]

fftopic:
I just went on vacation with our 2 children and spouses and 2 grandchildren so 8 of us.
We took one of those photos where everyone dresses western.
Does anyone know if I can take these to a print shop and they will print copies for me? I did pay for 3 8by10s but would like more to give out to them. I wouldn't think this would be copyrighted?

Some places would consider copyrighted just to er on the side of caution.
Like Walmart for example.
I'd just scan them at home and buy photo paper to use in your printer. If you don't have one maybe a friend would do it for you.