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ARCHIVAL PAPER

We use only the highest quality paper and canvas for your reproduction.

WHAT IS AN ARCHIVAL REPRODUCTION?

An Archival reproduction has the life capacity of One-Hundred plus years.  The quality of these reproductions are considered to be one of the highest quality reproductions.  Some even say, the highest quality!  Here at Contemporary Art Gallery Online we use the same paper and finishes of the most elite museums.  When you receive a Contemporary Art Gallery Online reproduction, you have just purchased a beautiful art reproduction which will not only meet your expectations... it will exceed them!  Purchasing reproductions is much more affordable option for completely furnishing your home or office with artwork.

 

The Best way to explain Archival Paper is to let Wikipedia explain.  According to Wikipedia;

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Paper made from wood-based pulp that has not had its lignin removed turns yellow, becomes brittle, and deteriorates over time.  When exposed to light and/or heat, the molecules in the acidic paper will break down even faster.   Acidic wood-pulp paper became commonplace in the late 19th century, and in the 1930s William Barrow (a chemist and librarian) published a report about the deterioration of acidic paper in the libraries. For fear of the gradual disintegration of written materials, measures have since been taken to improve the quality of paper.

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During production, acid-free paper may be treated with a mild base (usually calcium or magnesium bicarbonate) to neutralize the natural acids occurring in wood pulp, and it may also be buffered to prevent the formation of additional acids (as may develop from the application of sizing).

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The bicarbonate is added in excess, to supply the paper with an alkaline reserve to provide protection from further attack by acids remaining in the paper or supplied by the environment (e.g. atmospheric sulfur dioxide.  The bicarbonate during drying loses carbon dioxide and water and is converted to calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate. In order for paper to last at least 100 years it must have an alkaline reserve of 2% or more.

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Today, much of the commercially produced paper is acid-free, but this is largely the result of a shift from kaolin clay to precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) as the main filler material in the pulp: PCC reacts with acids, and therefore requires the pulp to be chemically neutral or alkaline. The sizing additives mixed into the pulp and/or applied to the surface of the paper must also be acid-free.

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Archival Quality reproduction must have certain qualities. 

 

The first is the paper itself.  The paper or canvas must be manufactured using pure alpha cellulose fibre, pure cotton fibre or a combination of the two materials.  This will ensure the paper base is pH7 or above or acid free.   A paper that contains lignin cannot be acid free as lignin is a naturally occurring acid within plant fibres. It is the lignin content in newsprint paper, which causes it to yellow and go brittle over time.

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Next, the paper is coated for preparation of printing.  This preparation changes depending on the machine and paper used.   The coating is applied to the surface of the paper base to ensure that the ink is absorbed in just the right amount. Once a coating is applied, the pH value (acidity) of the entire paper changes.  The only way for this to be addressed is for manufacturers to ensure that the coatings used on their papers are as close to acid neutral as possible and to supply the pH value of the total paper (base and coating) rather than just the base.

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Then the ink is applied to the Archival paper.  In order for a reproduction to be considered An Archival print, the inks used are pigment-based instead of dye-based.

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To maintain your Archival Reproduction, below is a highly recommended checklist of things to do.:

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1.  Ensure all the materials used to mount, frame and store finished prints are acid free.

2.  Display your own reproductions out of direct light, in an environment with stable temperature, and humidity levels.  This is the same rule for original art.

 

All of our reproductions comply with the basic industry standards and then some.  We have chosen one of the highest quality papers, which meet Museum Quality standards.  This not only ensures a beautiful reproduction, but a reproduction, which with the proper care, may last 100 years.

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