In the wake of the fire salvage, we were faced with the task of cleaning up the book lab where we were storing our damaged materials for salvage and perusal. By the end of the endeavor, we mostly looked like chimney sweeps, but before the cleaning up, we experimented with a stack of photographs we had salvaged from the fire.
For the most part, these photos sustained little damage from the fire, with the exception of a few with soot or burn marks. They were, however, subject to water damage as the fire was extinguished. Because they had been stacked together initially, and because they remained that way while drying, they stuck to one another.
Most modern photographs contain three layers: a paper backing, a baryta layer which increases the sharpness of the image, and the emulsion layer which contains the imaging material. When exposed to water, the emulsion layer softens. If not dried, eventually the emulsion may run or delaminate. If the photo is dried in contact with something else, say the paper backing of another photo, it can stick. It may be impossible to separate the photos without causing some damage, or total destruction in some cases, but we made an effort to liberate as many photos as possible.
Simply peeling the photos apart may seem like the obvious solution, but this can cause catastrophic damage. Pulling can cause the photos to bend, which may not cause visible damage immediately, but may show over time. Materials should always be handled on a horizontal plane, keeping them as flat and supported as possible. Consequently, you can see how peeling may not be the best solution. Instead, we approached the photos with a milder tactic. Using a variety of spatulas (Teflon, wood, and metal) we held the photos flat and used the spatulas in small circular motions to separate the photos. Due to the limited visibility between the photos, we had to practice using our hands to feel if we were delaminating (separating the layers instead of the whole photo). In some cases, damage was inevitable. Large areas of the photos were stuck, making it difficult to separate them. A portion of the stack was completely adhered together, so we decided to take drastic measures—in the name of science!
We do not suggest the following method when working with valuable or keepsake photos!
For the blocked stack, we had few options. If necessary, the photos might have been recovered by a photo conservator, or simply stored as is. However, we did not like those options, so we submerged them in water. Potentially, this method could work, but it is also very radical, and you should be prepared for the possibility of losing the materials. Within an hour, the photos were loosened but still pretty well stuck. After a week (not suggested), most of them were loose, but much of the emulsion, which contains the image, was also floating freely in the water. While highly educational, this was not the best technique for salvaging water damaged photos!
When we finished with the photos, we began the undertaking of sanitizing the book lab, a task which mainly consisted of discarding our lovely, toasty-scented fire-damaged materials, as well as any materials left after the flooding. In a sooty process, we examined our handiwork—both destruction and salvage—and gave our valiant materials a grand send off. Among the departed: A Guide to Punchcard Programming; Thermodynamics; Alfred Lord Tennyson: A Biography; and many un-mourned copies of a tome on L. Ron Hubbard. May they find peace.
For the most part, these photos sustained little damage from the fire, with the exception of a few with soot or burn marks. They were, however, subject to water damage as the fire was extinguished. Because they had been stacked together initially, and because they remained that way while drying, they stuck to one another.
Most modern photographs contain three layers: a paper backing, a baryta layer which increases the sharpness of the image, and the emulsion layer which contains the imaging material. When exposed to water, the emulsion layer softens. If not dried, eventually the emulsion may run or delaminate. If the photo is dried in contact with something else, say the paper backing of another photo, it can stick. It may be impossible to separate the photos without causing some damage, or total destruction in some cases, but we made an effort to liberate as many photos as possible.
Simply peeling the photos apart may seem like the obvious solution, but this can cause catastrophic damage. Pulling can cause the photos to bend, which may not cause visible damage immediately, but may show over time. Materials should always be handled on a horizontal plane, keeping them as flat and supported as possible. Consequently, you can see how peeling may not be the best solution. Instead, we approached the photos with a milder tactic. Using a variety of spatulas (Teflon, wood, and metal) we held the photos flat and used the spatulas in small circular motions to separate the photos. Due to the limited visibility between the photos, we had to practice using our hands to feel if we were delaminating (separating the layers instead of the whole photo). In some cases, damage was inevitable. Large areas of the photos were stuck, making it difficult to separate them. A portion of the stack was completely adhered together, so we decided to take drastic measures—in the name of science!
We do not suggest the following method when working with valuable or keepsake photos!
For the blocked stack, we had few options. If necessary, the photos might have been recovered by a photo conservator, or simply stored as is. However, we did not like those options, so we submerged them in water. Potentially, this method could work, but it is also very radical, and you should be prepared for the possibility of losing the materials. Within an hour, the photos were loosened but still pretty well stuck. After a week (not suggested), most of them were loose, but much of the emulsion, which contains the image, was also floating freely in the water. While highly educational, this was not the best technique for salvaging water damaged photos!
When we finished with the photos, we began the undertaking of sanitizing the book lab, a task which mainly consisted of discarding our lovely, toasty-scented fire-damaged materials, as well as any materials left after the flooding. In a sooty process, we examined our handiwork—both destruction and salvage—and gave our valiant materials a grand send off. Among the departed: A Guide to Punchcard Programming; Thermodynamics; Alfred Lord Tennyson: A Biography; and many un-mourned copies of a tome on L. Ron Hubbard. May they find peace.
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