Air France Airlines Ad, 1959

Our clipped advertisements are listed in broad categories derived from the widely accepted Overstreet Standards, which provide 25 detailed grades for collectible paper:

MINT:
Near perfect in every way.  A grade of mint means that the magazine appears to have never been touched by human hands and shows no signs of aging.  It's nearly impossible to find a magazine in true mint condition, unless you happened upon one in the unopened wrapper that had been stored in an airtight waterproof container.  Since clipping of the ad itself is a significant alteration from the original condition, you will find no grades of mint in my store.

NEAR MINT:
Nearly perfect with only minor imperfections.  Near mint describes ads that appear to be in the original pristine condition.  However, on closer examination signs of aging and human handling become evident.  Inks are generally bright with high reflectivity and a minimum of fading.  Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight blunting permitted. Almost no stress lines are apparent. The paper is off-white to cream, supple and fresh. Slight tears are allowed.  Staple holes are generally small with no discoloration or tearing.

FINE OR EXCELLENT:
An above-average copy that shows only minor wear.  Fine describes ads that have obviously been handled in the past and may have some noticeable signs of aging, but are free of major defects.  The ad is relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious flaws.  Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed.  Staple holes may be noticeable and discolored, and binding edge may be rough. 

GOOD:
Good condition is used to describe ads that show obvious signs of wear and tear but are generally quite suitable for framing and display.  The original gloss is probably injured in slight ways and the surface may have light scratches, scuffs, and noticeable dirt from age and use.  Some past exposure to moisture may be apparent, usually in the form of mild spotting or staining along the perimeter.  Page edges will likely show some wear, with dog ears and, on occasion, minor tearing or missing corners.

FAIR:
Shows heavy wear.  Fair condition or worse describes ads that are usually of no interest to collectors, but may have sentimental or artistic value to the owner and are generally still suitable for display. These ads are clipped from magazines which show their age, and may look like they were stored in grandma's attic. The paper is often highly toned (rust colored) and may show brittleness, especially around the edges. Noticeable moisture damage may be present with some running of color.  An acidic odor may be dectectible, as well as an accumulation of interior tears or missing pieces.

CLIPPED ADVERTISING:
Note that clipped advertisements from a magazine graded fair are often in better condition and merit a higher grade than the entire magazine itself.  Some cautions:  We remove pages from magazines by hand, not with cutters or trimmers.  We believe this provides a more natural look to the original piece.  There may be noticeable roughness along the binding edge.  This is especially true of pre-1940 magazines which sometimes used threaded bindings rather than staples.  Removal of the threaded pages requires great care and inevitably leaves a rough edge, often close to the picture or text.  These clippings are generally useful for display but matting of the image will be tighter.  Staples may rust over time from humidity, even if a magazine shows no other signs of moisture damage or musty smell.  Any problems described above should be fully disclosed by the seller.  As with any product, a picture is worth a thousand words.  If the photo of the item is not much more than a thumbnail or the edges have been significantly cropped, watch out!  Make sure you are aware of the seller's refund policy.

MUSTY SMELLS:
Most magazines will give off a smell of some kind simply due to the papers and inks that are used.  As paper ages it is subject to changes in humidity, condensation, skin oils, and contact with a wide variety of surfaces and materials. This is especially true of older periodicals dating from 1940 and earlier that have often been stored in less than desireable conditions.  Clipped pages, having been removed from the magazine, will generally lose much of their musty odor with time.  All of our magazines and clipped ads are stored in polyurethene sleeves in a humidity and temperature controlled environment.  Odors should generally be unnoticeable except to the most sensitive of noses.