New to collecting

Thanks. I just got some bags from bags unlimited, but unfortunately they seem to be a little too small in width. I got the 10-3/8 x 14-1/4" 3 mil polyethylene. The next size up seems to be the 3mil Polyethylene 11-1/2 x 19", but I don't think these will fit the 11x17 Itoya portfolio I have (width-wise). What bags do you recommend? Thanks for your help.

There are 11.25 x 14.25 3 mil and a 11.25 x 16.25 3 mil PE bags on bagsunlimited as well. https://www.bagsunlimited.com/c-85-poly-sleeves.aspx

I order the 2 mil sleeves usually, and for shikishi boards, I stick with the 11.25 x 14.25 bags, and for backgrounds, I go with the 11.25 x 16.25 bags. If the bags are too large lengthwise, I just fold the bag around the item to make the bag fit. I keep the end open. There have been times where I've received artwork that is too large for these bags, so I usually just use the largest bags I have, cut down one side, and put two bags together to encapsulate the item. I bought a lot of A3 sized bags at Daiso and have used them for this purpose. It was cheaper buying it at the Japanese dollar store than it was ordering it through Bagsunlimited.

Thanks for the help. I might get these in the future. Since they are just a little too small, I think I will just cut open the bag on one side. This should be fine for protecting the cels from one another if only a little is outside of the bag. They'll be stored in the portfolio anyway.

The bag size I get from Bagsunlimited is called "Large Life Magazine" (aka "Large Sheet Music" size. It is 10 7/8 x 14 1/4 inches. That's just big enough for a standard sized cel to fit in, wide side first, or for a standard sized background to fit in, narrow side first. It also fits most oversized cels, and goes into Itoya sleeves snugly without folding.

Truth to say, though, I always slit my bags down one side if I'm storing cels, as it is potentially damaging to allow fumes to build up inside. (The plastic, alas, is still chemically active and can, under bad storage conditions -- high heat and humidity -- can fall prone to the nasty condition known as vinegar syndrome.)

So I slit my bags and make sure I slip them into the Itoya book slit side toward the opening of the sleeve. And I regularly get my books out and flip through them, partly to gloat and partly to help air any trapped fumes. I have had some cels for over 13 years now and they have not changed noticeably since I obtained and scanned them.

Good luck! And come over to Anime-Beta: we could use new chatter there!

I think people mentioned the most important stuff, I just wanted to add some things that work for me.

First of all, don't stack a lot of cels on top of each other. It could put stress on the cel and paint. Since I started collecting my collection grew considerably. With all the backgrounds, sketches it could end up being massive just for a single cel. So what I started doing, from last year, I got more books and inside I put just a couple of cels with lots of space in between them. I know, this is not very cheap but ultimately it's for preservations sake. And also it gives more air as the fumes from cels are not a good thing. Remember, when they made those cels they didn't use the highest grade materials. Perfect example are the Sailor Moon cels. I'm sure you've heard of the fading lines.
Also, to avoid stacking all those albums on top and adding weight to the bottom books I got boxes that would fit the cel books. They are acid free too. I mean you never know, we're talking about art, here, expensive art. I got the acid free boxes and Itoya books in an arts supply store.

All of this of course is something that you shouldn't worry at this point, but I mention it because it is definitely something to consider when your collection becomes huge. That is why I personally, as much as I want to own everything out there, limit myself to a smaller collection, purely out of preservation reasons. The smaller the easier to manage, but again that's just me.

Hope all this helps!