Nostalgia & History > Displaying builder's plates

I have a couple builder's plates I would like to display, but am unsure of the best way to show them. I'd like to mount them on a wooden plaque. Should I use screws or glue to hold them to the wood ?? Also, should I try to get the plates restored to their as-new condition, or does this destroy their value ??

Thanks,
Ken

Please use screws and hopefully a print of the unit above or below. My plates are just in a stack, but my brother has done several in the wood mounting style, and they look very
nice. By the way, in the very unlikely event you ever come across one from 1943, especially
4-43, I've always wanted one with my birth month. Glad to see others interested in plates.

Keith A

Just a heads up, if these are original builders plates, do not polish the backsides. The backsides are often the only clue that these are not reproductions. Mount them by their original mounting holes and do not "Glue them"

Ours are hanging on hooks in pegboard. Steam builders plates are going to be curved, so it can be a challenge to mount. Bolts or screws with washers through the original holes is about the only way to go.

My Dad built his collection by getting out an Official Guide and writing to just about every railroad in the book. Got a bunch of stuff that way. Some stuff came like it was rescued from a scrap pile and some of the marker and class lamps and builders plates were really spruced up. The N&W class lamp had a high gloss enamel finish applied, some of the plates were plated, some painted and one was polished and then a black grit probably polished a black grit applied overall and then the raised lettering and border was cleaned off and repolished. We have some Boiler Test Plates that we got from Purdy's that they cleaned up, drilled new holes in for the hangers and then plated before sending them to us.