What is the best way to preserve historical negatives?

mohmad khatab · Jul 11, 2020

Hello .
Indeed, we are in severe misfortune in Egypt regarding the scientific method of preserving the Egyptian photographic heritage.
There was an Egyptian expert taking care of this.
- But this man died and there were no disciples,
And a young girl, a graduate of the Faculty of Archeology, was assigned to the restoration department for that mission .. and that girl is crying out for help,
- She found the archive in a dilapidated state and doesn't know what to do?
There are thousands of slices of glass and thousands of negatives and positives of all sizes, some of which are in good condition and some that need rescue.
I know that the best scientific method for preserving photographic archives is a stand-alone science.
- But we, as Egyptians, hope you will help us guide us towards the most important advice that helps in this context.
We will not talk about restoring damaged slices, but I just want to keep the remaining good slices so that they live for as long as possible, maybe we can talk about the issue of restoring damaged slices later, but the important priority now is to find out the most important guidelines for the best method of preserving Slides and negatives are in good condition.
God bless you
Greetings to you

Frank53 · Jul 12, 2020

You could try to contact https://www.nederlandsfotomuseum.nl/ Some years ago the received the complete work of a famous local photographer. It had been lying around in the cellar of his below sea level farmhouse and partly damaged severely. They managed to develop a method to restore the color slides and negatives. Maybe they can be of any help.
Regards,
Frank

Daniela · Jul 12, 2020

I agree with @Frank53 about contacting professional organizations. Universities with photography conservation programs would also be a good resource, and I bet they'd jump at the opportunity to collaborate. While I think finding local professionals would be best, my lack of knowledge of Arabic doesn't allow me to search for that. A quick google search in English shows a university in Amsterdam with potential contacts here: https://www.uva.nl/en/discipline/co...hotography.html?origin=UQ++tp8JRA6Ln7GTf1WoRQ and NYU: https://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/conservation/photographs.htm
Good luck!

ic-racer · Jul 12, 2020

Some on-line resources in PDF format (everyone should download these):

https://s3.cad.rit.edu/ipi-assets/publications/msqr.pdf
http://wilhelm-research.com/book_toc.html

cowanw · Jul 12, 2020

Is this problem with the American University in Cairo? If not perhaps you should talk to them. The Rare books and special collections libraries (RBSCL) holds may wonderful photographs.
https://library.aucegypt.edu/libraries/rbscl/photographs
It would be devastating to hear if this is thing you are referring to.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · Jul 12, 2020

Useful information on the topic can be found here:

summicron1 · Jul 12, 2020

archival sheets/sleeves, cool dry and dark.

BAC1967 · Jul 12, 2020

Here are some good resources.

https://www.eastman.org/l-jeffrey-selznick-school-film-preservation

https://www.filmpreservation.org/

https://www.kodak.com/uploadedfiles...wsletters_filmEss_12_Storage_and_Handling.pdf

NB23 · Jul 12, 2020

Wow. I admire your egyptian patriotism. There is not a single post of yours where the egyptian factor isn’t evoqued.

For your question, I think the best would be to store those egyptian negatives in one of the egyptian pyramids. The egyptian pyramid should do a good job to preserve the negatives.

GRHazelton · Jul 12, 2020

See this link to the U.S. Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/photo.html And I salute your courage and perseverance!

mohmad khatab · Nov 21, 2021

NB23 said:
Wow. I admire your egyptian patriotism. There is not a single post of yours where the egyptian factor isn’t evoqued.

For your question, I think the best would be to store those egyptian negatives in one of the egyptian pyramids. The egyptian pyramid should do a good job to preserve the negatives.

Hello, I apologize for the long delay.
Thanks for your great advice.
I didn't know you were such a comical character.
Did you dream of becoming a comedian or what?

mohmad khatab · Nov 21, 2021

Hello, I apologize for the long delay.
Thank you to all dear colleagues for their rush to provide advice and guidance.
God bless you all .
All these links have been sent to the woman researcher responsible for this huge file, and a committee has been formed to study all these means and techniques, and most of them have been applied on the ground,,
Thank God

wiltw · Nov 21, 2021

Some general comments based upon information provided via Kodak decades ago

Some woods outgas fumes which attack organic dyes, so wood cabinets should be avoided, and careful selection of paper boxes is warranted
For all paper materials, use LOW-ACID content paper.
Plastic sleeves can outgas fumes which attack organic dyes, avoid PVC sleeves; use polyethelene sleeves...if a photocopy eventually sticks to a sleeve, DON'T use that material!
Avoid exposure to light as much as possible.
Storage is best in a cool and dry place

Current methods espoused in the US by Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/photo.html

from the National Archives of the US
https://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/storing

Although not government agencies, these sites carry additional useful informattion
https://www.gaylord.com/resources/guide-to-collections-care/section-2
https://www.getty.edu/conservation/our_projects/education/cons_photo/

And from a library association, more useful information
https://www.ala.org/alcts/preservationweek/howto/photos

Procure a copy of this Kodak publication (still available):
Preservation of photographs (Kodak publication ; no. F-30) Paperback – January 1, 1979

cowanw · Nov 22, 2021

Does anybody know what it is with daguerreotypes and buffered materials?

wiltw · Nov 22, 2021

cowanw said:
Does anybody know what it is with daguerreotypes and buffered materials?

https://psap.library.illinois.edu/collection-id-guide/directimage

https://capc-acrp.ca/en/news/2019/askaconservator-how-to-preserve-tintypes

cowanw · Nov 23, 2021

Thanks for the effort. i know about acid free etc. (even though Daguerreotypes are encased in wood, eh?) but I have been told buffering in the acid free material is a no-no. I am looking for why that is.
Thanks
Bill

Romanko · Nov 30, 2021

Hi Mohmad,
Australian War Memorial (https://www.awm.gov.au/) in Canberra has a big collection of photographic material and many decades' experience in its preservation. I would recommend contacting their Research Centre or even some of their experts directly (you can find them on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/australian-war-memorial/).

Rrrgcy · Oct 27, 2022

My thought is the Smithsonian in the US. Our nation’s leading experts and standard in Conservation (photographic and otherwise). If your organization is government, you could easily coordinate with the U.S Embassy to ask for assistance through the U.S. Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (directly linked to the Smithsonian program and directors). While this committee regards our government arm in cultural property anti-trafficking, it will assist you with your issues through further coordination with the Smithsonian Institution. At the Egyptian embassy in Washington DC or the US embassy in Egypt, simply ask to speak to the U.S. FBI Legat Attaché (the enforcement liaison for that agency which serves w the committee) and or the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s liaison (also serves with that committee in an enforcement capacity) and they’ll likely help.

What is the best way to preserve historical negatives?

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