Damaged Cabinet Card - restoration technique?

[TheFlyingCamera]

I have a cabinet card that when I purchased it, it was complete and undamaged. When it arrived, the seller had packed it rather casually and a piece of tape got stuck to the card and lifted a big chunk of the emulsion off the base. FORTUNATELY, the emulsion chunk remained intact and was able to be separated from the tape. I have saved the chunk. Does anyone here know the best technique for re-attaching the chunk? I believe it is an albumen print but I could be wrong, and it could be some kind of collodion print.

Here is the damaged card:

And here it is with the chunk re-attached in Photoshop:

The chunk actually fits better in real life than I was able to make it fit via Photoshop - if/when reattached, it would be a nearly seamless blend.

 

[cowanw]

I don't really know. But I thought of rice glue; then I thought of just using the wheat glue from this "Lineco Archival Museum Mounting Kit"
http://www.artsupply.com/Lineco-Archival-Museum-Mounting-Kit_p_45429.html
Wish you could have ones to practice on, so you could have a do over.

 

[Rick A]

First off, did you notify the seller that HE caused damage to the card? The response you recieve will let you know what course of action to take next. If you are determined to keep the card, then mount it on a semi rigid backing with an archival adhesive.

 

[fotch]

Please excuse my ignorence but what is a "cabinet card"?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

A Cabinet Card is a photograph mounted on a rigid cardstock type backing, roughly 4"x6" in size, most likely an albumen print (but it could be something else), made between the 1870s and 1910s.

Rick A - I did notify the seller and he offered to refund my money. I think I'll just keep the thing, as it wouldn't be worth the time and hassle to return it to London. I only paid $2 for it.