Preservation

Selected Bibliographv Eaton, G. T. ( 1985) C ol1serl'at 10/1 ofpl70tographs. Rochester, NY: Eastman Kodak Co. Keefe, L. E. & Inch, D. (1984). The life ofa photo­ graph: archival processing, malting. framing. Boslon, MA: Focal Press.

Family photogrnph courtesy of Monique Lloyd

Storage •

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Controlling sand monitoring relative humidity, temperature, light levels, air quality, biological activity, housing material quality, and artifact quality is essential. Ideal temperature 65-70 degrees. less if can be maintained with RH between 30% to 50%. The biggest culprit is extreme changes in temperature or relative humidity, throughout the day it should be less than 10% fluctuation. Cold storage (below freezing) is recommended for unstable materials (cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate). Customize housing to meet specific needs of indi­ vidualized photographs and groups based on process, formal. condition. and value. Sleeves should be made of clear polyesler or polypropylene and mats should be made of four ply paperboard. Any enclosure, including sleeves, mats, overleafs, and boxes, should meet or exceed the benchmarks established by the Photographic Activity Tesl (P.A.T.) An lntemational Standards Organization (ISO) standard.

Henricks. K. B (1977) Preservati on 0 f photograph ic records, Archivaria, 5. 77-78. Retrieved July 10, 2008 http://jouma Is.s fu. calarch ivar/index. phpJarch ivari a! article/view/10568/11416 Lavidrine, B. (2003). A guide to the prevel1lotivc conservation oj"photograph coflcctions. Los Angeles, CA: Getty Conservation [nstitUle. Library of Congress. Care, handling. and storage of photographs informal ion leaflet. Retrieved July 10, 2008 from hrrp://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/ phololea.htln 1 NEDCC preservation leaflets on photographs http://www.nedee.orglresourcesileaflets.list.php Preservation ofphotographs. (1979). Rochester, NY: Eastman Kodak Co.

Reilly, J. M. (1986). Care and idemijicalion of 19117­ century photographic prints. Rochester, NY: Photographic Products Group, Eastman Kodak Co.

Family photograph courtesy of Jennifer Sokol Blosser

Rempel. S. (1987). The Care of Pholograph~. New York, N.Y.: Nick Lyons Books. Ritzenthaler, M. L., Munoff, G.J. & Long" M. S. (1984). Archives and manuscripls: Administration of photographic collections. SAA Basic Manual Series. Chicago, IL: Society of American Archivists. Weinstein, R.A. & Booth, L. (1977). Collection. use, and care of histoncal photographs. Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History.

Jennifer Sokol Blosser Monique Lloyd Robyn Ward Emporia State University LI827XO July 2008

History •

Photograph comes from the root phol- or phos-, ("light' in Greek): an art fonn WTitten by light.

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/826 First photograph taken by Niet':phore Niepce using sun WTiting or heliophore.

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/834 Henry Fox Talbot creates first salted paper print (calotype).

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/837 Louis Daguerre creates images on silver plated copper (daguerreotype).

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/852 Frederick Scott Archer developed '"the wet

plate process" (collodion).

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/855-1857 Direct positive images on glass

(ambrotypes) and metal (tintypes or ferrotypes) become popular.

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! 871 Richard Leach Maddox develops an emulsion of gelatin and silver bromide on a glass plate, the "dry plate" process.

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/884 George Eastman develops technOlogy of film to replace photographic plates.

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With the exception of daguelTeotypes and plain paper photos, most black and white photographs consist ora base material, topped with a lightsensitive emulsion. Base materials include metal. glass, film or paper. Emulsions are usually made of albumen. collodion. or gelarin. The most common light-sensitive materials added to the emulsion are silver salts. The emulsion side of prints is the side thai contains the image.

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Handling •

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A void bending or flexing old prints. Place a secondary support, like a good quality piece of mat board or heavyweight polyester sleeve, behind a print during handling. Photographs should be handled carefully at the edges only.

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Paper bases and binders can become increasingly brittle which can lead to greater opportunities for creases. tears and cracks in albumen and gelatin binders.

NaMal body oi Is can leave marks on the surface of a print and eventually cause severe damage by staining the photograph. Cotton gloves should be worn.

Exhibition

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Factors to consider when deciding to exhibit photographs include condition and value, vulnerability to light, and past exhibition history.

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Knowing whether an item can be conserved or not significantly aids in the handling, access and housing 0 f fragi Ie photographs.

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Digitized and reproduced photographs can be used for outreach and access purposes. Preservation copies or surrogates should be considered when handling originals is likely suit in damage or loss.

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Displays should be regularly rotated. Items should nol be on exhibit for more than three months.

Reproductions may be used when exhibition space and conditions do not meet preservation requirements.

A conservator specializing in photographs should be consulted before any treatment should occw-. He or she can identity active deterioration problems and then introduce treatments that will stabilize the condition of photographs.

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Additional factors include location and security of exhibition site. and environmental conditions.

Tum off lights when not needed and/or cover lights with filters. For natural light considerations use ultraviolet filters on windows or use drapesiblinds to alleviate sunlight.

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Digitizing can be used by repositories to develop collaborations and pannerships .

Life Expectancv •

Most forms orblack and white photographs are chemically stable and, with optimal storage conditions. can be expected to last several hundred years or more.

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Cellulose nitrate negatives or prints are the exception to this general rule, being chemically unstable and combustible as a result.

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Factors contribut ing to the deterioration of photographs include poor environmen(~1 conditions (fumes from other materials. biological! microbial threats, improper lighlJhealJhumidiry exposure), inappropriate photo housing (enclosw·es), and rough handling (fingerprints and tears).