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Preserving
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| If your albums are from the
1950s or earlier, they have probably already caused as much deterioration
to the photographs as will occur; in addition, the albums themselves
have become important keepsakes of the person who originally collected
and arranged the photographs. If you can keep the album intact, it
will preserve another piece of your family's history. These albums
can simply be stored in an archival box. If, however, the album is so damaged that it must be repaired or replaced, follow these guidelines. If you have any hesitation about what you want to do, ask a photographic preservation specialist. |
| Replace or repair
damaged pages. If the album as a whole is in good condition, but one or two pages are damaged, replacing or repairing those few pages is the best idea. Simple repairs with the correct materials can add life to your albums. If it is not a job you want to tackle yourself, have it done by a book conservator or bookbinder. |
| Encapsulate pages.
This is a more involved process, used only when the pages of the album must be kept intact, but are in dangerously deteriorated condition. In this process, a photographic or paper conservator seals each album page between two sheets of Mylar-D¨, thus protecting the page from further contact with pollutants or handling. These encapsulated pages can often be reassembled into an album. |
| Move photos to a new album. When the entire album has become too deteriorated to protect the photographs inside, or when an album is made from or is using materials that will damage the photographs, it is time to transfer the images into a new, archival album. |
| Copy images and construct
a new album. If the photographs are so firmly attached to the page that to remove them would put them in danger, the entire album can be taken to a photographer, who can re-photograph each photograph and make copies of them. From these copies, a new album can be constructed. The original album as well as the modern copy should then be stored in archival boxes. |
| Members
Gallery Main Caring For Your Old Albums Two Types of Modern Album Pages to Avoid Replacing Albums |
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