Stamp Collection for Beginners – 06. Mounting up of Stamps

When this hobby had just started the collectors did not hear of hinges and mounts. They used different odd methods, such as sticking them with tape and use of different types of glues to paste their stamps on to their albums consisting of small exercise books to large plain leaf bound registers.

Later on they realised that these methods had done more harm than good to the stamps as the oil from the tape would leave a mark on the stamp and would not stick thereon, cheap quality glue would change the colour of the stamp while other pastes would make it almost impossible to remove them except by soaking the whole page in water.

So collectors started making efforts for a more safe method of mounting and the result was the manufacturing of stock books and hinges, which are now extensively used.These small bits of transparent paper are glued on one side and are available in packets of hundred and upwards. These are the best, quite reliable and cheap. These are also available in different qualities and the best of them are already folded.

For using these hinges, tongs and a small camel hairbrush should be used. Fingers should never be used to mount the stamps as they might give off oil that can damage the stamps.
While using the hinges, the following procedure should be adopted.

1. Place the stamp face downward with the help of the tongs on the sheets it is to be mounted on.
2. Fold one third of the hinge with the help of the tongs.
3. Dip the camel hair brush in water and shake it.
4. Then moisten the folded part i.e., one third of the hinge.
5. Next place the hinge on the stamp facing downward i.e., the moistened portion should touch the stamp just below the perforation.
6. Now press the hinged part of the stamp from its back with the nail of first finger. This sticks the hinge firmly on to the stamp.

Now to paste the stamp on to the sheet, the next procedure should be repeated when affixing the hinged stamp on to the album page.

Here again one third of the total hinge should be moistened with the brush before it is placed on the album page. Care should be taken that it is mounted straight and not slanting from the sides.

If mistake has been made, wait for half-an-hour before removing the stamp or else leave it till the next time as the gum sticks strongly while still wet, but peels of easily after it is fully dry.

All this work of hinging the stamp should be done on a hard surface (table) After all the stamps have been hinged and the album should be kept under some weight for some time before they finally dry.

For the last four decades another expensive item known as mounts have been brought into use. These are cellophane strips with pockets to insert stamps and are available in black and transparent backing. They are moistened on the back and can be hinged strongly on the page.

It is very useful for preserving the mint stamps, because of this it does not damage the original gum. For mounting items other than stamps such as envelopes and souvenir sheets, photo corners should be used as is done in a photograph album.