Quadrille Leaves, Albums, Mounts

After nearly finishing my first custom Vario album for my topical collection, I've realized I'm not satisfied enough with this system to continue any further. I'm too much of a perfectionist to overlook the dust and scratches of the plastic pages, and I think I would much prefer an album of mounted stamps on quadrille paper.

Can you please recommend to me your favorite quadrille paper and mounting supplies? I'd prefer a brand that has matching blank pages that I can print onto, if I decide to. I prefer the look of hand-annotated albums, but am probably too OCD to be content with my own handwriting, unfortunately. I'd also like to know which albums can accommodate this paper.

I'd like to buy the best looking supplies available that fit my budget. I'm willing to splurge a bit on attractive pages and albums, but do have to consider something that will be practical over time. I'd like to total album cost (of pages and binder) to be somewhere in the ballpark of $75.

Thanks in advance for your tips!

The major album manufacturers - Lighthouse, Yvert, Schaubek etc - produce quadrille pages, and you can either use the binders they provide or (subject to oage size) hole-punch the pages to fit an appropriately sized binder of the Lighthouse Grande type. I use quite a lot of the pages and binders sold by Dauwalders in the UK. Its Lighthouse-made springback binder with 125 quadrille leaves costs around £35. This may give you a base price with which to compare material from Amos et al.

https://www.dauwalders.co.uk/wessex...101911-p.asp

A thousand blank leaves cost around £100

Its binder with fifty black leaves costs around £38.

https://www.dauwalders.co.uk/wessex...145369-p.asp

Blank pages from named manufacturers will have a higher GSM, but will be more expensive.

Hi profgreeley

I have been using quadrille pages almost since day 1. Every thing is in a mount, 1¢ or dollars, and on quadrille pages.

I was using commercial pages but they kept changing the page style and color. Since I a knew a little typesetting, I went to the local "mom and pop" printer. He and I worked out a suitable page. I had the pages printed on 65# paper, but, in retrospect, any further printings will be on 55# paper. A binder of 65# weighs a ton

Bottom line. Go to a local "mom and pop" printer. Definitely not a big box store such as Office Depot. The local printer is friendly and knowledgeable and will work with you and has reasonable prices, which will include minimal typesetting cost. Mine cost about 8¢ / sheet for 500 sheets (including typesetting, 3 hole drilling, etc.). You may not have to pay for typesetting again as most printers will save the typesetting file, mine does (don't know for how long though).

For binders, you can ask the printer or go to the local office supply. Try not to get vinyl covered binders as it gets "sticky" in hot weather.

Concerning mounts. That is a personal choice. I prefer Showgard split-back as I feel they are a little heavier than the other brands.
If you want more information, e-mail me through the forum.

Jerry B

Geoff, thank you for the links! I think the Wessex Superb album looks great, and it's the right price.

Jerry, thank you for your advice. Unfortunately, I don't have a local printer in town aside from our university print shop, and I'm not sure they'd be up for designing quadrille pages for me. I am going to message you about the mounts, though...

Nevermind, Jerry – I can't email you yet, since I lack the requisite forum credibility! :)

Can you recommend anything online that can acquaint me with split-back mounts and how to prepare them? I assume you must think them superior to other types of mounts?

prof greeley:

There are two types of mounts, split back and top loading.

Split back mounts are sealed at the top and bottom. The backside is split down the middle horizontally to provide access for the stamp. It requires a little practice to put a stamp in the mount without damaging the stamp.

Top loading are open at the top and only sealed at the bottom. It's much easier to put a stamp in this type of mount.

I use Hawid brand, which are top loading. I prefer them for that reason and because they are thinner than Showgard split backs.

I suggest you buy one of each and experiment.

One more thing. All mounts are fully gummed on the back. But you don't wet all the gum. Only the very smallest area, about 5 mm by 5 mm, gets wetted. Stamps don't weigh much so the stamp and mount are completely secure on the page.

This is an image of a clear split back mount.

Thank you Germania and Angore. I will experiment and see what works best.

Is there any advantage to putting black Hawid mounts, rather than clear, on a black page?

Also Geoff – does anyone manufacture a slipcase that will fit the Wessex Superb albums?

There may be a slipcase out there, but I'm not aware of one that will fit. Whilst the album is roughly the same size as a standard Gibbon springback album, it's rather wider. Also, do check the postage costs by e-mail before you order - transatlantic postage can be frightening!

If you are truly using black pages to mount your stamps, I would try them both out.

There is very definitely a DISadvantage to using black mounts on a WHITE page!

I make my own hingeless pages for my state revenue collection. Getting the mounts exactly parallel is very, very difficult, even when you use a black framed box around each stamp. Sounds like you have OCD, and I promise it will drive you crazy!!! For that reason, I use clear mounts so that if the 3rd mount in a row of 4 mounts is not exactly straight like the others, it doesn't make you bonkers.

Look at the mount for L3 below. It is slightly wonky and if they were black mounts I would have to redo the entire page.

Geoff – I remember the insane postage from when I lived in England, and my family and I would send things back and forth! Perhaps I can find a US vendor... Since you don't use slipcases, I assume dust hasn't been a problem for your albums?

StateRevs – Thank you for the info! I can see how the black mounts on white would be a nuisance. That's a nice looking page you posted!

I think my final question about mounts for now is whether it's better to buy precut mounts or not. Thoughts on this?

I would suggest that depends on what you are putting on the pages? If they are a standard size and match the precut mounts, that might be easier. Using the Hawid mounts allows you to custom cut any size mount. My revenues are not the same size as postage stamps and so there are several pages where I have had to cut larger mounts down in height to match what I wanted to mount. You can easily do this with top loaders, not so much for split-back mounts.

Precut mounts are more expensive, but are convenient if the sizes work. Time equals money to some folks and they are willing to buy the precut mounts. I do not.

I have never used a glue pen to make custom split-back mounts. You would have to ask someone who has done that how easy or hard it is and whether those mounts last or have issues.

Thanks for the compliment! The advantage of doing pages yourself is you get to make them as crowded or open as you like. I like whitespace and uncrowded pages.

A typical Showgard definitive 25mm x 20mm mount cut from a strip runs about 4 cents each. It is much more expensive if precuts.

Again, this is all very helpful. Thank you!

Geoff, I've just purchased the Wessex Superb album after discovering a company that will make custom slipcases. I'm appreciate the recommendation!

I use the black split back mounts. For mounting several stamps onto a new blank page (like the revenue example above), I will lay a ruler across the page before adding a row of mounts. That helps me keep the rows straight.

profgreeley...if you don't mind, what is the company that will make custom slipcases? is it a company local to you or a company with an internet presence? I have an old album that I've been searching in vain for a slipcover.

Also, if you decide not to go with pre-cut mounts, you might want to ivest in a mount cutter. For me, it is almost impossible to get a nice, square cut using scissors. Most of the mount companies make them and they are readily available from philatelic supply houses. Mine is made by Lighthouse.