The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am restoring some early record albums. These are generic albums that are maroon in color and hold 16 and 17 pages in a teal green sleeve. The original sleeves have disintegrated. I went to an art supply store to get the right paper, but know luck. Does anyone know where I can either get these sleeves or the paper in case I have to make my own?
Harvey Kravitz

IMHO, you don't want to find the "right" paper because, as you said, that paper disintegrates over time, probably due to high acid content.

You could possibly buy green sleeves from Bags Unlimited instead and find some way to attach them to the binder.

Who is Bags Unlimited? I never heard of them. Do they specialize in record sleeves or paper in general? Do you have a link? Thanks,
Harvey Kravitz

https://www.bagsunlimited.com/c-56-33-1 ... ecord.aspx

Rich Gordon

It is unlikely that run-of-the-mill record sleeves will work because they will not have the extended side where sleeves are bound into an album.

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:It is unlikely that run-of-the-mill record sleeves will work because they will not have the extended side where sleeves are bound into an album.

Clay

True, but it might be possible to glue an extension to them. If you could find some heavy paper of the same color, all the better. I would fold a strip of paper to a "vee" shape and slip it part way over the sleeve and glue it down. Then punch holes into the "vee" as needed.

VintageTechnologies wrote:

FloridaClay wrote:It is unlikely that run-of-the-mill record sleeves will work because they will not have the extended side where sleeves are bound into an album.

Clay

True, but it might be possible to glue an extension to them. If you could find some heavy paper of the same color, all the better. I would fold a strip of paper to a "vee" shape and slip it part way over the sleeve and glue it down. Then punch holes into the "vee" as needed.

That might work.

Another issue to watch out for if buying off-the-shelf sleeves is that most of them are made of a much lighter weight stock than the stock typicaly used in albums.

Clay

I use the green paper sleeves from bags unlimited, but I don't think they would be sturdy enough for an album. You would probable have more luck with the heavy cardboard like sleeves from Nauck.

Andreas

I thought I saw new albums from Bags Unlimted or some other outlet.

I decided against storing records in those sleeves, it seems they break records too often. I never had much luck with the albums. For me, milk crates and cabinets.

Bags Unlimited does have post-binder albums, but looks like only for 10" records and only holding 5 records and $28 each. That could get expensive in a hurry. Not clear to me from their site whether they have post extensions and extra sleeves to insert to make them hold more.

https://www.bagsunlimited.com/p-2806-78 ... inder.aspx

I don't see any albums on Sleeve City's site.

Clay