I recently purchased (won! at auction) a pair of pages of notes made by a historical figure that I'd like to display. I have no idea of the provenance of the staple, or whether it's original, but obviously it makes display a lot tougher (I've put similar individual documents in gallery frames - two planes of glass that allow both sides to be viewed). The pages are about 5"x8".
Clipping the staple off would I suppose be damaging the artifact (it's from the 60's), but would allow display in a way that would preserve it better than keeping it in an envelope, as well as providing more enjoyment by allowing display.
I'd appreciate any guidance on best-practices on that. Thanks!
Archival best practice is to remove staples, they rust. I cannot imagine a situation in which a historic document would have a historically vital staple in it, maybe if it had the person's blood on it and the letter said, "do not mind my blood on this historically important document, I caught a hangnail on the staple, also please do not clone me like in Jurassic Park..." That's all I've got? Of course our best practice is also never to put originals on display though! :) It is very possible to remove staples without damaging the document. I remove staples with a tool called an archival spatula, but you can use anything nicely thin and metal. Flip the document over, pry up each side, flip it back over, slide the tool under the staple and pull it out gently. Easy peasy. I can advise on other staple styles if it's not the normal type.
For questions about preservation, the National Archive's guidelines are very helpful.
If by "clipping" the staple, you mean cutting off the corner of the page, I would advise against that. There are ways to safely remove staples from documents, even if the paper is weak or brittle. The guidelines I linked outline ways that you can attempt to remove the staples.
Just to note, putting the documents on display will not help preserve them. Long-term exposure to light can result in permanent damage to the documents. If you're concerned about preservation, then invest in quality frames, non-adhesive mounting, neutral matboard, moisture barrier, glazed acrylic, etc. Additionally, avoid hanging in direct sunlight, exterior walls, near a vent, and so on.
It sounds like you have a great item to display, but there's a reason documents aren't normally on permanent exhibition. Preservation guidelines might sound like overkill, especially since deterioration can take a long time. But if you're careful with handling and displaying your documents, they will remain in better condition for longer, and you will have more time to enjoy your investment!