Mounting Covers In An Album

I would like to mount my covers on spare National white pages perhaps usually two covers to a page (one sided) I would like to have a thin black border around the entire cover, be able to remove the cover to inspect the back, and have each cover covered with clear plastic. Of course, I have many different size covers so I will need many different size mounts. I plan to intersperse the covers in my album following the stamps. Here's an example using the 1869 pictorials. The first page will be the 1869 pictorials as issued, then the next page the 1875 reissues of the pictorials, then the pictorial proofs, and then examples of pictorials used on cover. I think this would tell a nice story. For mourning covers, I will need something slightly different as the black band on the cover will not show with a black background.

Any ideas would be most appreciated.

I use Showgard Mounts size 165 ("for first day covers") with dark background for my classic-area covers.

In my personal opinion try not to use hinges but look into either mounts (showguard) or lighthose vario pages. protects them better and don't leave those awful hinge marks on them. Again this is just my personal opinion.

I use heavy black paper (often labelled card stock) to offset covers & cards, hole-punched it to fit the binder.

The usual arts'n'crafts joints carry it.

Q/ You would not put the proofs before the stamps, just to respect the chronology?

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I realize this method isn't your intention, but I would recommend not using mounts (as visually pleasing as the black background may be) due to the added bulk. You'll find the pages will plump up quickly enough with just the covers, let alone with the added thickness of the full mounts.
I would suggest mounting with adhesive corners (such as the Imperial Corner Mounts available from Subway Stamps). Staggering the covers on adjoining pages will keep the bulk down, and you'll save a pretty penny in the long run as well. I use these types of mounts on my exhibits and they hold up really well.
FWIW, for future cover storage (when you run out of spare National pages), I'd suggest using clear plastic pages (again from Subway....I think they're called 'CK' pages). In the version I use, each holds two covers on pre-punched pages that fit a 3-ring binder. You can also buy plastic black interleaving to place between the pages to get the nice black background effect.

OUCH. Thank you, docgfd.

To clarify what was in my head that did not make it to my fingers, I use the black paper as interleaving between my BCW 'pocket pages'. I use paper so that, when I change my mind & start all-over, I can recycle the interleaving.

Q/ Does the black plastic interleaving come with a recycle code?

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Some great ideas here. I knew that asking cover experts how to mount covers would provide some interesting ideas. Since I initiated the question, let me explain what I'm using presently. It's nice, but I think can be improved. Scott publishing has just released a new album cover with three ring binder and actual metal hinges. Dark Green in color. Lindner has the archival pages with pockets and one can buy them in many sizes. I mount two normal covers on each side of a Lindner page and for the oversized covers they are turned diagonally and mounted just one cover to each size of the page. Since I collect almost exclusively nineteenth century covers, they are delicate and need to be protected and corner mounts would be inappropriate. So far, I think preprinted pages with cut down Showgard mounts may work best. To accept odd size envelopes, the Showgard Mounts would need to be cut along two edges. I'm not sure the covers would be secure with just two retained edges. Anyone have experience with this?

Corner mounts are standard and are used by virtually all exhibitors for mounting covers. Multiple sizes are available (standard craft store corners work for postcards but for covers I use the larger sizes available from Subway Stamp).

I prefer using corner mounts ( 2 per cover, two covers per page ) and mount the covers on card stock, add any information that I feel is needed below the cover and slide the full sheet of card stock into a page protertor. Makes a good looking display and everything stays where I put it. If there is anything on the back of the cover that I want to display, I scan it and print that on the back of the card stock prior to mounting the covers. You can see the small mounts on the top left and bottom right of this cover.








You can custom size your showgard or hawid mounts wuth the use of the Hawid profiled ruler and gluestick. I have used this method in the past, by making a cover sized piece of card stock and trimming the mount to fit. You can glue as many sides as you want. Here's an old post of mine about the system.

https://goscf.com/t/37811