Original Heidelberg Roller question

Question on rollers in pic below.
Can anyone determine how old they likely are (from packaging)?

Regarding performance, will these rollers degrade heavily with age or will they be relatively equal to new ones?

Wrapping is pealed back in one end, they are still soft. but look a little more porous than modern rollers I have used.

Should these be used or preserved?

Thanks.

image: IMG_0891.JPG

IMG_0891.JPG

image: IMG_0892.JPG

IMG_0892.JPG

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It appears that Felix Bottcher (don’t know how to make the umlaut on the “o”) is still in business. Why don’t you send them the picture and ask them how old they are:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_B%C3%B6ttcher

http://www.boettcher.de/Boettcher-Website/en/Products/Products/Rollers.h...

I would say that if they are still soft, give them a try. I don’t know of anyone who collects rollers. They are probably still soft because they have been wrapped and kept from light and stored well. I hope they have been supported by the ends of the cores (shafts), and have not been supported by being laid on the rubber surfaces. If they have been laid on the rubber, they will likely be unusable due to flat spots. If they are usable, if nothing else you can keep them around for jobs which are hard on rollers like printing and perfing at the same time, numbering, printing long rules in the direction of the roller travel, etc.