Beware of Moisture

I was searching the basement “country store collection” and found some vintage Gold Dust soap powder in a cardboard box and red Putnam Dye in paper packets. The top two layers of boxes had absorbed moisture and the cardboard box had softened and they fell apart when I picked them up. The soap powder seemed fine. All of the paper dye packets had turned colors from the dye and had to be removed carefully to avoid getting red-stained hands. The basement has always been dry, no water damage, but the humidity must have caused the problem. Many other advertising collectibles from our collection are being auctioned online at Rachel Davis Fine Arts in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 17.