Submitted by : Muffie Why is this item important to you?: They are all of my relatives Expert Advice (provided by Todd Pattison): The photograph of Margaret Harlam Doll is an ambrotype, a photograph on a glass plate while the other photo is the earliest type of commercially available photograph, a daguerreotype and is on a silvered copper plate (there may have been some additional photos but one file would not open for me). Both are cased images with the enclosures made of wood, leather and velvet. Metal has a tendency to corrode, which can occur when metal comes into contact with water and oxygen (water can be present in the air as excess humidity). There is some tarnish on the silver which suggests that the case seals constructed to prevent oxygen from getting at the plate may be compromised. The ambrotype appears to have a few issues with the glass; glass is an amorphous solid, so it is somewhat between a liquid and a solid. While most glass is very stable it can also break down over a long time period. The spotting appears to be on the glass and not the photograph itself. Recommendations: Both photographs appear to be in reasonably good condition. You should get high-quality images of both. The glass on the daguerreotype can be replaced with borosilicate glass, which is much more stable than regular glass. A photograph conservator, preferably one who is a member of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and has experience treating daguerreotypes, could replace the glass and examine the photograph for possible treatment. There is a Find a Conservator page on the AIC website that allows you to search for a conservator by specialty and location. If the daguerreotype is removed from the case to check seals and replace the glass it should be professionally imaged at that time as you would get the best image capture. The photograph would also need to be resealed in the case afterwards for protection. Unfortunately, the ambrotype is done directly on the glass in the other photograph so there really isn’t anything that can be done about the spotting. Storage and Handling: You mention that these photographs are currently housed in a tub with other genealogical materials; if this is a plastic tub this can lead to a micro-environment that is higher in humidity and should be avoided. A stable environment is important, especially making sure the humidity does not get too high. You could consider getting a custom-fitted box for each item, or if you have others, getting a box specifically for daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, which are available from some commercial archival suppliers. You should avoid handling these objects, although they can be handled safely, just be sure to wash your hands first with soap and water first and be careful with the leather or cloth hinges that hold the two parts of the case together. These are usually fragile and easily damaged.
Submitted by: Linda Why is this item important to you?: It may be my g. g. grandmother (she died in 1845) or the second wife of my g. g. grandfather and I have his photo too which has similar issues. What I would like to know is if I got it restored could the spots be removed or is their any thing that can improve the quality? Also date as I would like to know which wife. Expert Advice (provided by Todd Pattison): This is the earliest type of commercially available photograph and with the original case is a combination of several materials, including metal, and not shown but usually part of case bindings, wood, leather and velvet. The photograph itself is on a copper plate with a layer of silver giving the mirrored look. Metal has a tendency to corrode, which can occur when metal comes into contact with water and oxygen (water can be present in the air as excess humidity). There is some tarnish on the silver but the case included seals when constructed to prevent oxygen from getting at the plate so this is not much of an issue. It also seems to have at least one rust spot which would be a humidity issue, the corrosion on the brass mat would seem to confirm this. Glass is an amorphous solid, so it is somewhat between a liquid and a solid. While most glass is very stable it can also break down over a long time period. Much of the spotting that you see here appears to be on the glass and not the photograph itself. Recommendations: The glass on the object can be replaced, an option being borosilicate glass, which is much more stable than regular glass. A photograph conservator, preferably one who is a member of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and has experience treating daguerreotypes, could replace the glass and examine the photograph for possible treatment. There is a Find a Conservator page on the AIC website that allows you to search for a conservator by specialty and location. If the daguerreotype is removed from the case to check seals and replace the glass it should be professionally imaged at that time as you would get the best image capture. The photograph would also need to be resealed in the case afterwards for protection. Storage and Handling: You mention that the daguerreotype is currently house in a plastic bin; this can lead to a micro-environment that is higher in humidity and should be avoided. A stable environment is important, especially making sure the humidity does not get too high. You could consider getting a custom-fitted box for the item, or if you have others, getting a box specifically for daguerreotypes, which are available from some commercial archival suppliers. You should avoid handling the object as much as possible and take precautions when you do, like washing your hands first with soap and water.
Submitted by: Mardi Why is this item important to you?: It was given to me several years no someone whose ancestor traded at this store. He wanted it kept safe. I don’t know how to do that. Expert Advice (provided by Todd Pattison): This is a quarter-leather and marbled paper binding with leather corners. The text block consists of handmade paper ruled with vertical and horizontal lines for record keeping purposes and entries in manuscript ink. The binding is worn, the joints are starting to break and there is some loss of the marbled paper. There are stubs which would indicate that some of the pages have been removed. The volume has water damage and staining; some of the staining appears to be from mold. Some of the inks have shifted, likely the result of the water damage and a few inks may be deteriorating iron gall ink. Recommendations: It is important to good high-quality images of the pages of this volume since this is a one-of-a-kind manuscript volume. You mention that the books sit on a shelf horizontally. This is much better than having the book stand vertically. This object would benefit from a custom-fitted box; ideally, this would be a drop-spine or clam-shell box that would still be best stored horizontally but could also be stored vertically. In addition, you should be careful with this volume because of the probable mold damage. Mold can be a health hazard, particularly for people with respiratory problems. Boxing the volume would help to contain any possible mold, somewhat, but you might also want to consult with a conservator to make sure this volume does not have mold issues. There is a Find a Conservator page on the AIC website that allows you to search for a conservator by specialty and location. Storage and Handling: It is very important to maintain a good environment for this volume with stable temperature and humidity. If the volume has been moldy at some point in the past it is more susceptible to mold damage in the future and higher humidity can lead to an outbreak of mold. You should also be careful to limit handling of the volume, especially because of the mold issues but also because of the condition, as the volume is somewhat fragile. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water both before and after handling this volume; you may also want to consider wearing form fitting nitrile gloves because of the possible mold issues. You should also cradle the book so as not to open it all the way flat against the table surface, which may damage the binding or sewing. If you do not have book cradles you can use some clean, soft towels rolled up and placed on either side of the book when you open them, opening the volume to no more than a 130-degree angle. Be sure to wash the towels afterwards because of the possible mold issues.
