Preservation Framing for Historic Photos Preserving and presenting vintage photographs in today s world require a blend of both art and science By Paul MacFarland, MCPF, GCF Art and science have both been a part of photography since the earliest days of the medium. Not only were the scientists who made early photographs often patrons of the arts or even artists themselves, but the emerging industrial revolution required photographers to use scientific documentation while also employing good design and artistic esthetics. The combination of art and science also define the way photographs are preserved and presented in today s world. Understanding the basics of their origin and composition while recognizing the media requirements and limitations are fundamental to creating a successful design and a structurally sound enclosure. The early photographers worked with an amazing array of chemical and mechanical applications to achieve their images. For every major photographic process, there were many others that almost became accepted standards. It is much the same with framing photographic works. Photography has always been based on experimentation. The concept of reproducing an image basically has stayed the same, but the method and media vary, often on a major scale. The early photographers printed works were original and one-of-a-kind, often manipulating almost every print they made. The manipulation emphasized what the photographer intended, and rarely were two images printed exactly alike from the same negative even by the same photographer. As Ansel Adams said, Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. And so, as with any art medium, framers need to understand individual images and their specific requirements as well as their drawbacks and limitations. This typical early twentieth century silver photograph (above) shows damage from oval light burn. Handling Photographs All vintage photographs should be considered one-of-akind and irreplaceable and treated accordingly. Do not talk over an unprotected photograph. This may seem inconsequential, but a lot of photographs are damaged in this manner. Keep a cover sheet over the photograph when not working directly with it. Wear clean gloves and do not touch the image areas. If it is necessary to dust the image, use a soft brush only after 22 PFM October 2014
close examination to be certain the brush will not abrade the image. Don t blow on it as there is a lot of moisture in your breath. Nor is pressurized air appropriate for one-of-akind images. Always carry an image with two hands. Placing an image on an oversized support sheet is recommended when moving a print in a gallery or shop. Identification and Condition Reports Identification is the first step in framing vintage photography. There are several great photo identification websites as well as the classic printed books and manuals. A client often knows what type of photographic print an image is, but a framer must verify that, especially for vintage works. The first inspection is done with a magnifying glass to identify if an image has a continuous tone or dot matrix surface. Traditional metal-based (also called chemical) photographic processes produced prints ranging from light to dark, with the tones blending in an even, continuous tone. Of these, framers should become familiar with at least albumen, chromogenic, crayon prints, platinum, silver prints, and tintypes. Photomechanical prints have some kind of dot or grain pattern under magnification. The grain patterns can produce outstanding copies and are often confused by clients as true photographs. A framer should be familiar with at least the three most significant photomechanical processes of the nineteenth and early twentieth century: collotypes, photogravure, and letterpress halftones. Framers are responsible for the photography as soon as it comes in the door. Not all images should be or can be framed. There are a few processes that are so fugitive or rare that exact copies need to be made for presentation, with the original safely stored in a dark, controlled environment. By making a commitment to frame a photographic work, framers are becoming part of its legacy, so be prepared to make and keep a copy of a condition report for some time. Condition reports are a standard practice when working with any vintage work. If an image is in a frame or is matted, it should be removed in the presence of the client. The back of Early photographs should not be removed from their original cases but mounted and displayed in shadowboxes. the work must also be inspected. To assist in identifying various conditions, two exams need to be done with a bright, focused light that is portable enough to be handled safely over the surface of a photograph. A raking light inspection is performed to identify any potential problems with the image surface. The light is positioned along the outside edge of the work at about a 20 degree angle to the surface. At this low angle, the light will rake across the surface, revealing the raised edges of problem areas, create shadows in the depressions, and illuminate conditions not otherwise visible. The light should be run slowly from top to bottom, repeating the procedure from left to right, intersecting the path of the first inspection at right angles. After that, a transmitted light inspection should be done to look for voids or abrasions or punctures that allow light to pass through the photo. The image is held in front of the light, moving it up and down and then side to side to check for defects. A condition report is specifically designed for photographic works to assure that all potential issues are explored. Abrasions, creases, curling, cockling, color shifts, dog-eared corners, tears, image loss, indentations, punctures, fingerprints, foxing, window mat burn, fading, mirroring, embrittlement, smears, mold, insect damage, moisture stains, and other unforeseen issues are identified and documented on the inspection form. Framing Materials and Preservation All the materials used in framing vintage photographs must provide an environment that properly displays the image and the intent of the photographer while also prolonging the life of the work in a chemically and mechanically stable assembly. Preservation framing of historic photos involves limiting or eliminating potentially damaging contact with the enemies of all art: light, heat, humidity, pollution, biological entities, and improper care. In framing, basically everything you design either deliberately makes or prevents contact with the artwork. The goal is to stabilize the image. In theory, it should come out of a PFM October 2014 23
preservation frame package a generation or so from now in the same condition as the day it was sealed up. The materials used to create a framing package should have passed the Photographic Activity Test (PAT) as outlined in ANSI Standard IT9.2. The PAT standard ensures that the materials are chemically inert and therefore non-reactive with photographic images. Mats and Mount Boards Great design in preservation framing begins with fulfilling the physical needs of an image. Structurally, mats provide a bearing surface for glazing, allow for airspace between the image and the glazing, and work in conjunction with the mounting method to gently secure the work. The greater the paper mass of the mounts and the mats, the better they buffer changes in humidity and temperature. Deep mats, 8- ply or better, also provide much needed airspace for an image. The larger the image, the deeper the mats need to be to accommodate a slight inward bow in the glazing and a potential outward bow of the center of the image. Wood pulp paper is chemically purified but also requires calcium carbonate buffering to provide a longer lasting alkaline reserve. Cotton boards are preferred because they are 99 percent pure cellulose and do not require buffering to neutralize them. Most cotton matboard is also buffered to provide additional long-term image preservation. Some photographic processes are alkaline sensitive and may be adversely affected by buffered materials. Nonbuffered cotton mat and mount boards should be used with alkaline-sensitive mediums. These photographic emulsions include albumen, chromogenic color, cyanotypes, dye transfers, gelatin and Illfochrome Classics (Cibachrome), platinum, and vintage silver. Alkaline sensitivity is a contact issue. Any mat and mount board that makes direct contact with a photograph must be as close to ph neutral as possible. Buffering chemicals do not migrate to an unbuffered board, however, so buffered mats may be used to meet design requirements; they should just not come into direct contact with a photograph. For preservation framing, it is recommended to use like materials for mats and mounts. That is, if cotton unbuffered mats are required, then use a cotton unbuffered mount board. The mat only touches the outer edges of the image; the mount board supports all of it. This early albumen print is sink mounted with a pull tab before overmatting. Mounts The proper mount for a photograph is of primary importance. The least invasive method that will successfully support the image is usually the best. From the moment it is printed, a photographic image is susceptible to many environmental forces. The wrong mount will have a negative impact on the image quality, its lifespan, and perceived market value. Reversibility is fundamental; an image must be able to be removed in the same condition it was in prior to framing. Permanent mounting with sprays or heat-activated procedures such as dry mounting are not meant for preservation work. This practice is limited to open editions and commercial images with no potential value. Reversing a permanently mounted image is a challenge for a conservator; generally if an image has been permanently mounted, the substrate and image are considered one. There are two general categories with for preservation mounts restrictive (hinged) and nonrestrictive (perimeter mounts). Restrictive mounts are a time-proven method of mounting paper photographs using Asian-style torn paper hinges attached to the upper edge of the work with rice or wheat starch paste. A hinge is made of a paper lighter than that of the photograph to ensure that the hinge will tear away before the image, thus serving as a shock absorber in 24 PFM October 2014
the event of a trauma such as the work falling from the wall. Hinging is required for float mounting. Extreme care is needed when installing a moist hinge to the back of a photograph. Too much moisture is a danger; if the hinge paste is still shiny when applied, it will cause problems. When appropriate, a nonrestrictive or perimeter mount is a preferred because these require no direct application of adhesive to the photograph. There is no moisture and therefore no drying time, and the mounts are readily reversible. Nonrestrictive mounts may be made of Asian or European-style paper or from archival-grade polyester sheet material. Pressure sensitive adhesives are generally used to secure the perimeter mount. At no point should the adhesives come into contact with the photograph. Archival quality PAT-approved edge mounting strips that gently overlap the image are the preferred method of safe attachment. They are simple to use and easily reversible. Mounts made with semi-rigid plasticizer-free archival polyester should have the corners rounded to prevent potentially scratching the image Corner mounts have been used with photographs for more than a century; they have a long record of damaging photos, with torn or dog-eared corners almost synonymous with vintage paper images. Modern selfadhesive corner pockets often have very aggressive tack, making them difficult to position and disasters if This 1940s silver photograph shows damage due to improper corner mounts and dog earing typical of many classic photo images. This albumen image of missionaries in the Solomon Islands is retained with Asian paper perimeter mounts that cradle its brittle edges. the glue makes contact with the emulsion surface. For works under 11 x14, the pockets should be placed on the diagonals. Using two corners makes it much safer and easier to remove an image, and they allow for almost unrestricted expansion and contraction of the paper substrate. Sink mounts are used with photographs on thick or uneven substrates such as mounted albumen prints or those that are out of plane, as with a bent tintype. The edges of the mount are lined with strips of the same paper used for the mount board, creating a recess or a sink that is slightly deeper than the thickness of the work. They should be installed with a vertical pull tab made of folded Asian hinging paper behind the photograph to assist in future removal. Glazing All photography requires UV-filtering glazing. It can be glass or plastic depending on the specific requirements of the work. The glazing should block as much UV radiation as possible. While UV usually does the most damage, transmitted light (the band of radiation detected by the human eye, 380 to 760 nanometers) can also have an effect, so glazing must work in conjunction with image placement in the display environment to minimize fading. The effects of UV radiation are well known, but infrared radiation (760 to 2500 nanometers) also has a potentially detrimental effect on photographic works. Infrared radiation heats up the frame interior. This higher temperature accelerates the deterioration of photographs, with the damage basically doubling with every 10 o over 70 o F. Acrylic glazing makes a good thermal insulator, while glass is a good thermal conductor. There are several considerations when selecting glazing for a specific photographic project, but when heat is a concern acrylic is recommended. Fitting Fitting is the most overlooked and undervalued step in the framing procedure for photographs. The frame is often inverted (hopefully for the only time in 26 PFM October 2014
its life), usually with tilting, tapping, shaking, and bumping to chase a speck of dust. This puts all kinds of stress on the image and mount. It is also the point of final inspection, as photographs will show all their flaws under glazing. A picture frame must have a minimum of 1/8 fitting allowance to allow all the components to easily fit with room for expansion. Frame sealing tape is always used to line all wood surfaces that come in close proximity to the photograph, including frame rabbets, fillets, and sealing the back of the frame package. All backing and filler board must be inert, and the free transmission of air should be restricted, so the back of the frame needs to be sealed with a minimum of a thick barrier paper n Paul MacFarland, MCPF, GCF, is an internationally recognized master framer and industry historian with more than 30 years of hands-on experience. His work is found in public and private collections in the Americas, Europe, and East Asia. MacFarland has been actively training custom framers, collection preparators, and art handlers since 1984 and is the founder of Art Preservation Resources, a consulting and training organization working with fine art preparation professionals, businesses, and institutions worldwide. He is the author of numerous industry articles, procedural manuals and essays, and he lectures on fine art and framing at the National Conference in Las Vegas. 28 PFM October 2014