How Do I
Ensign Hugh J. Adams
(1889-1919):
Preservation of Photographs
Some basic guidelines on preserving old photographs & a
listing of useful books & websites, &tc.
Some Basic Preservation Guidelines
Store photographs away from light, especially sunlight.
- Store photographs away from heat.
- Store photographs where cool but not damp.
- Handle prints and negatives by edges, corners or with white cotton gloves.
- Keep as dust-free as possible.
- Do not write on the backs of photographs.
- Use acid-free envelopes for storage--ideally one image per enclosure.
- Do not store negatives with prints.
- Use albums without harmful glues, harmful plastic sheeting;
- do not use albums that are considered "magnetic."
- Framed photographs should be behind ultraviolet-protected glass.
- Matted photographs should be mounted with hinges--not dry mounted.
- Matted photographs should be matted only with acid-free board.
- Matted photographs should be mounted with hinges--not dry mounted.
Since you probably don't want to live in an archives, you want to observe these guidelines sensibly and practically and not go too overboard. The value of your photos may be primarily their value to you or as a record of the story of your family.
At the same time remember that with the advent of the digital age, old photographs have become an increasingly valuable commodity--especially those that document history, a region, an industry or the work of a particular photographer.
It is hoped that the modest selection of books, organizations and websites listed below may assist you in better understanding and protecting your photographs.
Books
Images
of America: A Panorama of History in Photographs.
- Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian Books, 1989.
Braun, Bev.
- New Ideas
for Crafting Heritage Albums.
- Cincinnati : Betterway Books, 2001.
Douglas, Althea.
- Help! I've
Inherited an Attic Full of History.
- Toronto : Ontario Genealogical Society, 1998-1999.
Frisch-Ripley, Karen.
- Unlocking the
Secrets in Old Photographs.
- Salt Lake City : Ancestry, 1991.
Gagel, Diane V.
- Windows on
the Past: Identifying, Dating, & Preserving Photographs.
- Bowie, MD : Heritage Books, 2000.
Jensen, Oliver, et al.
- American
Album.
- [New York] : American Heritage Pub. Co.,
- book trade distribution by Simon and Schuster, [1968].
Ogden, Sherelyn, editor.
- book trade distribution by Simon and Schuster, [1968].
-
Preservation of Library & Archival Materials: A Manual. 3rd ed.
- Andover, MA : Northeast Document Conservation Center, 1999.
- Online Edition
Reilly, James M.
- Online Edition
- Care and
Identification of 19th Century Photographic Prints.
- Rochester, NY : Eastman Kodak Company, 1986.
Sagraves, Barbara.
- A
Preservation Guide: Saving the Past and the Present for the Future.
- Salt Lake City, UT : Ancestry, 1995.
Stephani, Julie.
- More Than
Memories: The Complete Guide for Preserving Your Family History.
- Iola, WI : Krause Publications, 1998.
Taylor, Maureen.
- Uncovering
Your Ancestry through Family Photographs.
- Cincinnati : Betterway Books, 2000.
Tuttle, Craig A.
- An Ounce of
Preservation: A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs.
- Highland City, FL : Rainbow Books, Inc., 1995.
Weinstein, Robert A. and Larry Booth.
- Collection,
Use, and Care of Historical Photographs.
- Nashville : American Association for State and Local History,
1977.
Weprich, Thomas M.
- The Early
Photographic History of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1839-1904.
- [University Park, PA] : The Pennsylvania State University, 1991.
Wilhelm, Henry.
- The
Permanence and Care of Color Photographs.
- Grinnell, Iowa : Preservation Publishing Co., 1993.
Preservation Organizations & Resources
Brodart.
[Archival Supplies]
- PO Box 3037
- Williamsport, PA
- (888) 820-4377
- <http://www.brodart.com/>
- Williamsport, PA
- Gaylord
Bros. [Archival Supplies]
- Box #4901
- Syracuse, NY 13221
- (800) 448-6160
- <http://archival.gaylord.com/>
- Syracuse, NY 13221
- Light
Impressions [Archival Supplies]
- P.O. Box 22708
- Rochester, NY 14692
- (800) 828-6216
- <http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/>
- Rochester, NY 14692
- Metal Edge,
Inc. [Archival Supplies]
- 6340 Bandini Blvd.
- Commerce, CA 90040
- (800) 862-2228
- <http://www.metaledgeinc.com/>
- Commerce, CA 90040
- Northeast
Document Conservation Center
- 100 Brickstone Square
- Andover, MA 01810
- (978) 470-1010
- <http://www.nedcc.org>
- Andover, MA 01810
Websites
Advice
for Framing Art, Documents, Letters, Photographs and other Paper
Items.
- Minnesota Historical Society
- Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village
- Library of Congress
- Stanford University
- Conservation Online
Website (COOL).
- Stanford University
- George Eastman House
International Museum of Photography and Film.
- Rochester, New York
- Rochester Institute of Technology
Hanthorn, Ivan.
- Tips on Preserving
Photographs.
- University of Northern Iowa
Otto, Susan.
- Preserving Your Family
Photographs.
- Milwaukee Public Museum
- Northeast Document Conservation Center
- Minnesota Historical Society
Wilson, Bonnie.
- Ask an
Expert: Preserving Your Photographs: Windows to the Past.
- Minnesota Historical Society
Western Pennsylvania Photographic Collections
Archives
Service Center
- University of Pittsburgh
- 400 North Lexington Avenue
- Pittsburgh, PA 15260
- (412) 244-7090
- <http://www.library.pitt.edu/libraries/archives/archives.html>
- 400 North Lexington Avenue
-
Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
- 1212 Smallman Street
- Pittsburgh, PA 15222
- (412) 454-6364
- <http://www.hswp.org/>
- Pittsburgh, PA 15222
- Pennsylvania
Department
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
- 4400 Forbes Avenue
- Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- (412) 622-3154
- <http://www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/pennsylvania/>
- 4400 Forbes Avenue
- Photo
Antiquities
- 531 E. Ohio St.
- Pittsburgh, PA 15212
- (412) 231-7881
- <http://www.photoantiquities.org/>
- Pittsburgh, PA 15212
-
Silver Eye Center for Photography
- 1015 E. Carson St.
- Pittsburgh, PA 15203
- (412) 431-1810
- < http://www.silvereye.org/ >
- Pittsburgh, PA 15203
-
University Archives
- Hunt Library
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- (412) 268-5021
- <http://www.library.cmu.edu/Research/Archives/ >
- Carnegie Mellon University
With assistance from Ms. Jacalyn Mignogna,
Preservation Project Manager, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
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