The Distance

Human history comes with a long paper trail, and Graphic Conservation Company's mission is to preserve and restore that record. The 95-year-old lab specializes in repairing works on paper, which range from priceless historical artifacts and artwork to personal items like someone's old letter to Santa Claus. After nearly a century of smoothing wrinkles, patching holes and removing acid burns, there are few problems—on paper, anyway—that Graphic Conservation's staff can't fix.