Ensuring the long-term preservation of archives involves a number of measures, such as removing metal fasteners which corrode and eat away at paper records, placing items in acid-free folders and storage in climate-controlled conditions.
The fasteners in this photo were removed from mostly early 20th century documents in the records of the Western Pacific High Commission, which administered Britain’s colonial territories in the region from 1877 to 1978.
These simple stationery items are surprisingly diverse and detailed: petal and sunburst embossed foils that fold over page corners, tiny clam-shaped binders with 2mm-long prongs, and daisy-headed fasteners stamped with makers’ marks.
Jo Birks, Special Collections