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I have also heard from Diane at Studio C about this process... seems it's
been around a bit longer than most of us supposed. Apparently, it has been used
on other non-poster art prints for some time (where linen backing is not as
acceptable to collectors and investors). I guess linen backing has been such a
default option for so many poster collectors for so long that it has become
almost automatic. I personally am glad to find out about this starch backing
process, since I have quite a few posters I'd like to clean and stabilize but
which otherwise have no reason to be put on linen.
Diane points out that this process cannot be used with every old poster --
paper condition is important. Weak, brittle, rotten, moldy, folds separating,
etc paper is not a candidate for this. Which makes sense when you think about
it, because when you peeled the hollytex off after the poster was dry, these
flaws would undoubtedly cause problems. Even for posters with tears and pieces
missing, those aspects could be repaired prior to starch backing and then
process could be used. Even so, for an old poster with good condition
paper, this process seems to be an excellent way to clean and
deacidify it -- and thus guarantee that the paper stays in good condition for
many more decades -- without altering the original state of the collectible
by gluing it to linen.
Also, Diane says with this process that missing paper can be replaced, it
is just that without a linen backing covering up the seams, they are very
obvious on the reverse, unless you touch them up. They can take a
lobby card that has been trimmed, and add the entire border to it without
backing it (!) This seems like magic to me, but professional restorers are
getting very good at what they do these days.
As for the fold lines, when this process is used on folded posters
they end up nice and flat -- but, naturally, without some touch up, there
may still be some visible lines showing because of ink loss in the fold
lines.
Seems like the restoration houses that do this cleaning and deacidifying
without backing are charging around $50 for a one sheet with paper in good
condition that does not require any repair.
-- JR
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