Caring for Photographs & Paper Workshop

Preservation notes compiled by Julia Donaldson formerly from the Commercial Conservation Service of
the State Library of Queensland, 2000

These notes were assembled from various sources and personal notes based on reading and experience.
The main source of this information is from Wendy Smith course notes on Preservation Management in
Library and Archives University of NSW Bachelor of Commerce. Other sources are listed in the reference
section. Special mention must be made to associates and colleagues with whom I have worked with over
the past seven years for their invaluable sharing of knowledge and common sense approach to
preservation of library, gallery and museum cultural material in sub-tropical/tropical Queensland. These
people are listed in no particular order or preference.

Christine Ianna Senior Conservator, Qld Museum, Lydia Egunnike Senior Conservator, State Library of
Queensland, Tristan Koch, Conservation Officer, SLQ, Robin Tait, Senior Conservator Paper and Textiles,
National Museum of Australia, Lynda Upton, Museum Development Officer for Central Queensland,
Gregor McCaskie, Museum Development Officer for South Western Queensland, Grant Collins, Manager
Preservation Services, State Library of Queensland, Dana Kahabka, Conservator National Maritime
Museum, Jane Jacoby, Conservator, formerly from Commercial Conservation Service, SLQ, Amanda
Pagliarino, Conservator Queensland Art Gallery & Queensland Museum, Michael Marendy, Conservator
Studio 105, Lynda Black, Conservator/Artist, Reina Irmer, Photographic Supervisor State Library of
Queensland, Christine Harrington, Conservator/Bookbinder State Library of Victoria

PART 1: The Environment:

1.1. Humidity
1.2. Heat
1.3. Stability of Temperature and Relative Humidity
1.4. Light
1.5. Water Damage
1.6. Air Pollutants
1.7. Insects / Animals
1.8. Controlling Mould
1.9. Humans
PART 2: Storage and Display
2.1 Pollutants and their sources
2.2 Understanding material composition (Paper and Photographic Materials)
2.3 Creating Storage Enclosures – Natural Materials to use
2.4 Handling & Display Systems
PART 3: Resources, References and Suppliers
3.1 Resources
3.2 References
3.3 Suppliers

PART 1: The Environment:

1. Optimum vs achievable storage & display conditions.

Variables that determine the optimum life of materials are listed:

1. humidity
2. temperature
3. light
4. water
5. pollution
6. biological ( animals, insects, mould/fungi and humans)
The following table lists the optimum preservation guidelines.

Variable Optimum Preservation Guidelines for paper based collections

Humidity 50 – 55% RH +/- 5%
Temperature/Heat 19°c +/- 1°c Winter and 24°c +/- 1°c Summer (photographs require 15°c)
Light Maximum of 50 lux
Water No risk of water leaks, burst plumbing, rising damp/flood water
Pollution Filtered air and exhaust of internal air. No dust/Food/Organic Solvents etc.
Animal No rodents etc.
Insects Quarantine, disinfection of introduced collections, regular monitoring etc.
Mould Quarantine, disinfection of introduced collections, regular monitoring etc
Human Constant supervision, and education for the user. Security for collection
Most major collecting institutions struggle to realise these guidelines. Recent work in Australia and Canada
suggests that relaxation of some guidelines is possible. It is known that collections do last longer in
lower temperatures with low light levels and with moderated and stable relative humidity.

Before this all seems “too hard” and “unachievable”, it is important to know and understand the material of
a collection and what risk collections might face if exposed to inappropriate conditions. It is then possible
to develop a framework for preservation of the collection based on the knowledge of what factors of
environment control are the most important to be managed and controlled. For example, in areas of high
humidity (coastal communities) it is probably more important to control humidity – the reason being that
mould growth may be more damaging than the effects of high temperature. The following table lists the
achievable guidelines for preservation of paper based collections.

Variable Achievable Preservation Guidelines for Paper based collections

Humidity Stabilised by site design and the “box within a box principle”*
Temperature Stabilised by site design and the “box within a box principle”*
Light Controlled by UV filters, ‘window dressing’/awnings
Water Regular maintenance to the collection site and site design.
Pollution Storage + Regular ‘house keeping’. No consumption of food in collection site
Animal With the regular control of pollution, animals will not be encouraged.
Insects Storage + Control of pollution. Regular monitoring, quarantine, and immediate action
Mould/fungi Storage + Control of pollution. Regular monitoring, quarantine, and immediate action
Humans Education, supervision, good storage + any form of security.
*
With the knowledge that materials undergo less physical stress if kept in a stable environment, this
principle is explained by the example of a environmental test that a Japanese conservator, Katsukhiko
Masuda performed on a system of boxing. The test parameters were to monitor the rate of temperature
and relative humidity change in the internal box of the box system. The test was monitored over a number
of days in which the system was exposed to extremes in temperature and relative humidity. The test
revealed that during the test period, the conditions in the internal box were stable and did not fluctuate.
Eventually the external conditions would be found to penetrate into the internal system, but the rate of
change is a lot slower due to the buffering of the box system. If we apply the analogy of the box within a
box principle to passive environmental control, we can use the building as our outer box, the next box
would be an internal room, followed by a cupboard or shelf placed near an internal wall. Lastly, our objects
are given extra buffering by having them stored in boxing.

Damaging environmental effects are usually insidious and gradual. Damage may not be noticed until it is
too late to save the collection.
Examples:

1. fading of colours in prints / colour photographs

2. shrinking / cracking of vellum / parchment
3. wet / mouldy books
4. loss of strength of leather bindings
5. family papers chewed by rodents and insects

The following list describes the effects of environmental conditions and some of the common observations
of deterioration in collections exposed to inappropriate environmental conditions.

1.1. Humidity

Loosely explained as the Dew Point or ‘Dampness’ in the air. When the relative humidity exceeds 70%,
this encourages the growth of mould. Very low humidity can cause desiccation / or cracking. For example
wooden objects moved from high humidity to areas of low humidity often crack, this occurs with furniture
moved from Sydney to Canberra. Solution: These objects should be stored at slightly elevated humidity.

1.2. Heat

Lowering the temperature can avoid desiccation and embrittlement. A 5οC rise in temperature halves the
optimum lifetime of most materials.

1.3. Stability of Temperature and Relative Humidity

Fluctuating temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) cause objects including paper to change
dimensionally – expanding or contracting. This change can induce stresses in objects. The damage
observed from these stresses can be cracking, detaching of paint layers and cracking of adhesives used in
bookbinding. Paper subjected to these conditions can deteriorate at a much faster rate than paper kept in
constant temperature and RH.

Stability of temperature is relatively easy to control because human beings are sensitive to temperature
change. However, RH is not so easy to detect. In most cases stability of RH is more important for
collection materials than stable temperature. It is difficult to control in extreme climates without expensive
equipment and good building design.

Controlling Temperature and Relative Humidity

There are two ways of controlling temperature and RH and they are:

1. Passive i.e. Building design and site location &”box within a box system”
2. Active i.e. Air-conditioning, heating, dehumidification and humidification.

Passive control can be successful for temperature control but is less successful for RH. If funding /
infrastructure exists, levels of temperature / RH can be controlled by 24 hour a day air-conditioning. Most
domestic air-conditioning will NOT control humidity. Beware of running small domestic appliances 24 hours
a day as there are fire hazards associated with them.

If the RH cannot be lowered, it is suggested that circulating fans be used. The combination of still air and
high relative humidity is an unwanted recipe for encouraging mould growth. Open, anodised storage
shelving positioned 10-20 cm out from an internal wall will encourage good ventilation around the stored
collection.

If you cannot afford air-conditioning, examine buildings to see where the best conditions are for collections.
This is likely to be an inner room with no external walls or windows and plumbing. Make use of an existing
buildings’ architecture (especially if the building is a ‘Queenslander’ style house or building with its
characteristic high stumps and the high pitched roof to cushion the hot air from the cool internal air). You
can promote cool air circulation by capitalising on open fanlights, louvres, breezeways, passages between
rooms, verandas around internal cool/dark rooms, hallways that are cool and dark (these are not
necessarily secure for display purposes). Avoid attics, basements and sheds. Planting trees around a
building will also promote cool air to enter the building. However, do be aware of the obtrusive foundation
destroying root systems of some trees and also the wildlife they attract, if planted too close to the building.
If evenings are cooler, open the building to change the air at this time and close during the day.

Some handy tips:

1. Consider creating a microenvironment by air-conditioning a small room and also ensure that fire
protection is adequate.

2. Refrigerated transport containers ‘nested’ into buildings can work well to stabilise larger collections.

3. For smaller collections, consider the use of refrigerators or freezers for film materials and large insulated
containers for smaller collections of paper and photographs etc. N.B. Beware of some domestic
refrigeration as the temperature can fluctuate causing unwanted condensation on the film. Also film has to
be gently re-conditioned to bring it slowly back to room temperature before use, otherwise condensation
will occur on the film.

4. There are custom-made cabinets for CD’s and computer discs that are very good for storage of precious
materials.

1.4. Light

Light exposure can cause fading of textile dyes, watercolours, colour prints, photographs and accelerate
the chemical degradation of paper. Light has two factors influencing its effects.

1. Intensity
2. Wavelength distribution

Exposure is cumulative and permanent i.e. the longer an object is exposed to light, the more it is
damaged. The greater the intensity, the greater the damage. Hence an object on display for 6 months at
50 lux would receive the same exposure as an object displayed for 3 months at 100 lux.

The Ultra Violet end of the spectrum is the most damaging as it has the most energy. The Infra Red end of
the spectrum causes heat build up. Exposure to the UV/blue range causes fading, strength reduction and
colour changes. Example: Expose a sample of newsprint to the sunlight for a couple of hours –
observe/compare changes with the control sample. Watercolours are the most vulnerable. Unfiltered
sunlight is damaging, but so are many artificial light sources. Picture lights are the worst offenders.

Controlling Light

Keep collections in the dark when not in use. Limit the length of light exposure by automatic switches or by
the intensity of the light.

1. Put UV absorbing filters on light sources

2. Protect materials from daylight by the use of curtains / blinds.
3. Consider the use of diffused light by bouncing the light off ceiling / walls painted with Titanium
Dioxide paint (white). The reflected light has a much lower level of UV as the Titanium Dioxide
absorbs it.
4. Consider using UV absorbing acrylic sheeting as a glazing material for framed works (excepting
friable materials). It comes under a number of names such as Perspex, Plexiglas and Lucite. This
is preferable to glass with exceptions for friable materials like pastel/charcoal artworks as it is less
 likely to break and the additional UV absorbers protect the work from light damage.
5. Have separate activity areas ie. An area for reading, an area for display and storage and lit only
when access is required. Install automatic light switches.
6. The brightness of the light should be no greater than 50 lux.
7. The exposure in one year should be no greater than 200 kilolux hours.
8. The UV content of the light on sensitive materials should be no greater than 75µW/lm-(microwatts
per lumen) and preferably below 30µW/lm.

1.5. Water Damage

Leaks, storm damage, faulty plumbing and fire sprinklers can all cause damage to collections. Water can
make inks, and dyes run, lift photographic emulsions, interfere with various layers in magnetic tape and
videos and if left long enough, serious mould outbreaks can occur.

Controlling Water Leaks

Eternal vigilance for water leaks, storm damage, rising damp must be in place for any collection. Inspect
your collections regularly. Boxing or secondary protection can often save collections, which would
otherwise be destroyed.

Move collections away from obvious water hazards like plumbing. Lift all collections off the floor, water
from a roof leak always ends up on the floor. Lifting the collections at least 10cm off the floor by placing
shelving and drawers up on house bricks is a cost effective and relatively easy procedure that can mean
all the difference in a flood. It would take a lot of water from a domestic plumbing or roof leak to reach such
a collection.

1.6. Air Pollutants

Air pollutants can be gases like Sulphur dioxide, Nitrous dioxide, ozone or peroxides and are produced by
domestic heating, industrial emissions, car exhausts and office equipment such as photocopiers. Building
and storage materials can off gas for long periods of time. Paints, chipboard, cement and unsealed wood
are common offenders.

Dust can be abrasive and disfiguring. It can damage paper and bindings, photographs, machine-readable
materials and other collection materials.

Controlling Air quality

Consider secondary storage such as boxes / folders to keep out dust, dirt. Objects on display should be
protected in secure, sealed display cases.

1.7. Insects / Animals

Most organic materials, including paper, books and textiles are subject to attack by cockroaches, silverfish,
moths, termites, beetles, rats and mice. Not only do they destroy objects by gnawing / chewing but their
droppings can cause staining and are often corrosive.

Controlling Insects and Animals

Quarantine introduced collections until they can be inspected and cleaned.

Again eternal vigilance and frequent inspections are the best methods of minimising damage from such
pests. Pinniger states 99% of successful pest control depends on good hygiene. Pest control is a
combination of the following:

• If you rely on opening windows and doors to circulate air, try and screen these (screens also have
 to be regularly cleaned to remove dust/pollution build-up.)
• Good housekeeping and cleanliness
• Identification of the species involved
• Understanding the life cycle (some species create more damage at different stages of their life)
• Physical methods of control – barriers, traps, temp. / RH control
• Chemicals are a last resort. (If used alone the chemical rarely kills the perpetrator, leaves oxidising
stain-creating residue, and often leaves the environment unchanged for future attack and attack
from other non-targeted insects and animals. Most are also very dangerous to human health)

Prevention is better than cure. Some chemical pest - control techniques used in the past and are
sometimes still used:

• repellents i.e., naphthalene (a dangerous chemical which sublimes from solid to gaseous state –
very bad for human health. Not recommended.), camphor and herbs like cloves and lavender are
quite good. (Freeze non-food grade herbs for a few days and then thaw them before placing into
calico/muslin bags into the collection. This destroys any potential insect activity within the herbs)
• Toxics – DDT, Arsenic. Ethylene Oxide (not used now)
• Pyrethrums – naturally found in marigold flowers and daisies. It is a contact poison usually applied
as a barrier spray or as an area spray. NEVER applied to the collections themselves.
• Rodents – stomach poison, as bait is the preferred method of control, because the animal will
leave the building searching for a water source. You can see that this is a drastic measure and if
there is a rodent problem, obviously there is housekeeping or building maintenance problems that
must first be attended to. (Obviously there is the exception of plagues of mice as experienced by
some very unfortunate collectors. Maintenance of the building is still the primary prevention, a hole
as small as the diameter of your index finger is enough space for a mouse to enter. This
information was offered by Frances Neal of Meandarra.)

Physical methods – These techniques use low temperature and low Oxygen, often in combination or by
themselves. The low temperature requires freezing and maintaining -20οC for 3 – 7 days while the low
oxygen requires sealing for 3 weeks. Whether used in combination or not, these techniques are dependant
on the type of material being decontaminated. (Photographs with glass supports should not be frozen and
books with hemp cords should not be frozen.) If unsure seek professional advice from a conservator.

Other physical techniques are the use of sticky traps that can be used both as a trap and a monitoring
device for insect populations and their growth. Abrasive powders are also used. These act by disrupting
the skeletal structure of the insect.

Biological methods of control include the use of pheromones particularly when combined with sticky traps.
Other biological methods induce mutations or sterility in the insect populations and IGR (Insect Growth
Regulators)

Termites are controlled with the usual vigilance, cleanliness and chemical / physical or biological methods.

1.8. Controlling Mould

Quarantine introduced collections until they can be inspected and cleaned.

The best control for mould is to keep the RH below 70%. If you do get an outbreak of mould – remove the
mould by either brushing it off in a well-ventilated space, or by using a vacuum cleaner. Ensure that the
nozzle of the vacuum cleaner has gauze over it and that the suction is low, otherwise your will remove the
object as well. Some mould spores and exposure to the same over an extended period of time can cause
severe respiratory irritation. DO NOT BREATH IN THE DUST, if necessary wear an agricultural facemask.

Once the item has been cleaned, leave in the mid-morning/afternoon sunlight or under a UV light for a
couple of minutes to ensure mould dormancy. DO NOT put photographs or watercolours in sunlight. Seek
professional advice from a conservator if unsure of a treatment. Given the conditions conducive to mould
growth i.e. RH 70% and above, or poor ventilation, the mould growth will become active again.

1.9. Humans

People love to handle collections – the more irreplaceable the better, however, this can be turned around.
The best way to preserve collections and allow access is through good housekeeping practices and staff
and user education. By offering an object some primary protection, i.e. a wrapper around a book, or a
wallet or envelope, a user will instantly treat the object with some degree of reverence. If people are not
accustomed to handling materials with gloves, it can often reduce their manual dexterity and more damage
can occur. If an object will be handled for a short period of time it is usually sufficient to ensure that hands
are clean and dry. Of course if it is handled for a long period of time i.e. more than 15 minutes, or it is a
collection policy to handle collections with gloves then, this must be observed.

Handy tip:

A handy tip from Linda Upton MDO for Central Queensland is to cut a cross in top of the glove to allow
ventilation. Wear the gloves over the top of a pair of cotton or silk gloves. The surgical glove will increase
handling capabilities.

If only one action was ever possible – keeping collections clean from dirt, dust and other air-borne
contaminants must be voted the most useful preservation step.

PART 2: Storage and Display

The fabric of the building, the internal fitting and arrangements of the collection have an important role to
play in maintaining and preserving paper and photographic collections in good condition.

2.1 Pollutants and their sources

Pollutants are not limited only to what we normally consider as air pollution, they also occur in things that
we use everyday. The most damaging pollutants and their sources are listed below:

Acid gases:

Sulphur Dioxide is an acidic gas created by the burning of fossil fuels. Paper normally contains between 6-
7% bound water by weight. When Sulphur dioxide comes into contact with this moisture in the paper and
the relative humidity that occurs within a framed piece, the combined reaction produces an acid.

Nitrogen Dioxide is an acid gas generated mainly by car exhaust. When it reacts with moisture, nitrous and
nitric acids are formed. Both are acids that break down the cellulose fibres in paper, making the paper
friable.

Oxidising Gases:

Ozone is a powerful oxidising gas produced by sunlight (UV) reacting with oxygen.

Peroxides originate from fumes in wall paint, cardboard and household cleaners.

Ammonia is present in household cleaning solutions such as ammonium hydroxide, and in solvents.

Formaldehyde commonly out-gasses from glues in plywood and particleboard, masonite, wood, insulation
and carpeting. Formaldehyde hydrolyses to become Formic Acid, another acid which actively damages
cellulose and other artefact material.

These oxidising gases discolour organic-based colorants in artwork and can enhance the formation of
acids. Using products that contain these pollutants for the purpose of storage and display actively
accelerate the deterioration of an object.

Shelving:

Should be strong and deep enough to fully support all items.

All wood should be sealed. Paints recommended are oven-baked enamels and lacquers. Paints to avoid
are alkyd or other oil based enamels dried at normal temperatures (not oven-baked).

Steel or aluminium coated with baked enamel, chrome or nickel-plated steel, anodised aluminium and
stainless steel are recommended for shelving. Commercially made shelves, filing cabinets and plan
drawers that are coated with baked enamel are quite acceptable. Material to be avoided is plywood,
particleboard, Masonite and Formica covered plywood.

The lowest part of the shelving should be at least 10 centimetres off the floor.

Shelving should allow good ventilation. Items stored on shelving should facilitate careful handling by
having room to retrieve them. Books should not be tightly packed for this reason. The use of appropriate
sized bookends is a good idea to stop physical damage to books. Polythene sheeting should cover the top
shelf to prevent water damage from the unexpected disaster.

Materials benefit from extra archival quality protection. Achieved by:

1. Wrapping or interleaving or placing in a wrapper, folder or box.

2. Any protection is better than none at all. An alternative is to use ordinary boxes with lining of the
box or wrapping /interleaving objects with archival paper before storing.

2.2 Understanding material composition (Paper and Photographic Materials)

It is important to understand the material composition and inherent problems that cause deterioration of
paper and photographic material to enable you to create optimum storage conditions or halt the rate of
deterioration for the same. There are numerous references to help in identifying the composition of paper
and photographic materials. Below are summaries that may help to identify some of the elements of
material composition and understand the cause of deterioration for paper and photographic materials.

It is important to exercise caution wherever possible in preparing objects for storage. Much damage if not
more can occur to collections by the act of well meaning ignorance through handling and storage/display
and reference systems as that which can occur by negligence.

Paper

Description:

Paper is mainly composed of cellulose. Cellulose forms the dominant part of the cell walls of plants. It is
extracted as a fibrous product by subjecting vegetable material to certain mechanical or pulping
processes. In chemical terms, cellulose is an organic substance (carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) that is
composed of repeating glucose units that link to form a chainlike molecule. These straight chains can pack
tightly side by side aggregating to form bundles, which eventually build to form cellulose fibres. During the
paper making process the individual fibre bundles are beaten while suspended in water to form a pulp.
This action increases the surface area and therefore the bonding strength between the fibres. The
disadvantage is that it also makes them highly sensitive to wetting. (Wet paper having only 1/20 the
strength of dry paper).
The paper sheet is formed by depositing from a dilute water suspension of pulp an even layer of cellulose
fibres onto a fine screen that permits the water to drain through but retain the fibres. This layer of fibres is
removed from the screen and finally dried to become a cohesive sheet of paper.

Paper quality is dependent on the quality of the fibres used. Early European paper used linen fibres and
then with the industrial revolution saw the use of cotton fibres sourced from textiles. These two fibres have
high cellulose content: almost 100% for cotton and 95% for linen. Most of the documents produced from
these fibres have survived well only to be compromised by the age and quality of the textiles and the
additions of acidic size and paper making alum.

By the mid 1800’s mechanical means of paper production was introduced with experimentation in a range
of plant sources such as straw and wood. Wood has remained the most used paper fibre source as it is
readily available and a renewable resource. The disadvantage is that it has a lower percentage of cellulose
in its overall fibre composition: 40-50% cellulose balanced by 20-35% lignin. Lignin is a necessary
component for supporting the tall structure of a tree and assists in cementing the other wood fibres
together but as it is highly acidic, it also initiates the chemical breakdown of cellulose.

To extract the cellulose fibres from the woody tree structure, two main processes are utilised:
mechanical/groundwood and chemical processes.

The mechanical grinding of wood chips produces a pulp that is high in yield, lignin and other wood
impurities. This makes a low cost pulp, which is designed to be used for limited currency such as
newsprint. The low quality of this paper can be seen in the rapid discoloration, which occurs in newspaper
when exposed to bright light.

There are a number of chemical processes, which to varying degrees separate the cellulose from the lignin
using a range of chemicals. Acid chemicals were first used which has long term effects on wood pulp
paper made between the 1850’s and 1950’s after which alkaline chemical treatments were introduced and
now can produce archival ‘long life’ paper.

Additional chemicals are often added to the pulp vat to produce papers with specific end uses such as:

Bleaches

Optical brighteners and dyes

Sizes

Fillers / clay

Alkaline buffering agents

Many of these chemicals can contribute to the sensitivity of the paper. An example is coated paper, which
is characterised by a glossy surface usually used for high quality coloured printing. The shiny surface is
produced by the addition of fine clay to the surface, which is then highly polished. This forms a suitable
surface for the printing of high resolution coloured graphics. Coated paper can be further identified under
magnification where the paper fibres will appear covered and partially hidden. The clay is extremely water
sensitive and when wet, the pages tend to stick together and on drying forms an intractable block of paper.

Weaknesses:

Degradation of paper due to inherent problems such as:

Selection of poor quality pulp fibre; production processes

Acidic chemicals in composition

Iron impurities (brown spots)

Fibre swelling and sheet expansion on saturation and subsequent distortion on drying

Susceptible to attack by micro-organisms

Problems occur as a result of manufacture into book form including text and image:

Introduces a range of incongruous materials e.g. leather for book covers up to 1800 and cloth covers from
1820. Tensions are formed between paper and cloth as they are saturated as the cloth contracts when wet
while paper expands. These contrary movements cause drying stresses resulting in distortion.

Bindings that restrict the movement of the paper as it responds to the fluctuation in relative humidity.

Inks and pigments which are layered onto the surface of the paper are also susceptible from damage to
differential movement between their inimitable characteristics and that of the paper often resulting in
cracking and flaking

They can become soluble when wet bleeding into the paper with a loss of information

Photographic Materials

Description:

Early photographic objects are the daguerreotype and talbotype (calotype). They were introduced in
France and England consecutively in 1839. These objects are extremely rare to find. Modern photographic
processes have generally developed from the calotype technology (negative and positive). Photographic
objects produced after the 1850’s consist of at least two components. These components are the primary
support which can be transparent (glass or plastic film) or can be opaque (paper) and an emulsion layer
which consists of a binder (e.g. Gelatin) and an image forming material (e.g. Silver halide metal). Some
photographic materials also use a smooth, opaque middle layer between the primary support and
emulsion. This is called a baryta layer. The term stems from the first use of such technology in silver
gelatin prints, which used barium sulphate as the opaque substance covering the support. A photographic
image can be either ‘positive’ or ‘negative’.

The emulsions in photographic materials differ in the binder and image forming materials used. Albumen,
gelatin, collodian, carbon and woodburytypes, photomechanical prints (e.g. Collotypes, photogravures),
opalotypes (milk glass), gum bichromate, cyanotypes, dye transfer prints (colour) and chromogenic prints
and negatives (colour) are just some of the materials found in photographic collections. Most of the
emulsions are proteinaceous (i.e. made from animal source-gelatin & albumen) and when exposed to
certain conditions, have the same problems as leather, vellum and silk.

Some 19th Century photographs with paper supports can be identified by their size. However the two
different printing processes Collodio-Chloride and Albumen sometimes look alike in colour and were
mounted on same historical sized cards which makes them harder to identify. Generally speaking the
Collodio-Chloride print is thicker than the Albumen print. Some Gelatin Silver Prints were also mounted on
these historical mounts.
Mount Sizes
Type Size Type Size
Carte-de-Viste 1859 4 ¼” x 2 ½” Victoria 1870 3 ¼” x 5”
Cabinet 1886 4 ¼” x 6 ½” Stereocard (round 3” x 7” (approx.)
corners)
Promenade 1875 4” x 7” Boudoir 5 ¼” x 8 ½”
Imperial 6 7/8” x 9 7/8” Panel 8 ¼” x 4”
Artist/Cabinet/Deluxe 4 ½” x 7” or 5” x
1873 7”
See reference ‘Identification
chart’ from Reilly, J., Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints Eastman Kodak Co., 1986

Weaknesses:

The effects of inherent materials used in the manufacture of photographs and environmental variables on
19th Century and 20th Century Photographic prints can cause three major changes (chemical, biological
and physical). Examples of deterioration as a result of such variables are categorised below:

1. Chemical

• High RH - Oxidation of Silver Images (Fading), deterioration of supports, yellowing of albumen .

• Processing and atmospheric pollutants (particulate, oxidant gases, acidic gases and sulfiding
gases) – sulfiding of a silver image due to residual processing chemicals or atmospheric sulphur.
Stains on the support or binder layer due to residual processing chemicals.
• Handling – the pitting of a binder due to the transfer of perspiration salts and grease.

1. Biological

• High RH - Growth of fungi, bacteria and greater insect attack

• Growth of Fungi / Insect attack – pitting of gelatin emulsions and foxing (Brown spots)
• Insect / Rodent attack – discoloration of the image by frass.

1. Physical

• High RH - Sticking of gelatin to enclosures, distortion.

• Fluctuating RH and Temp. – Distortion
• Water damage – Distortion
• High RH / Excessive moisture – softening of emulsion / separation from supports
• High RH / Excessive moisture – waterlogging of ivory (ivory supports are rare)
• Extraneous materials (tapes, rubber bands, acidic/alkaline papers) - Discoloration
• Brittle supports – risk breakage of glass or deteriorated nitrate film.
• Low RH – cracking of a binder layer due to contraction and curling (desiccation)
• Handling – tears and rips in paper supports due to poor preparation and handling.
• High Temp. – distortion of plastics

An important mention must be made for the identification of Cellulose Nitrate and Cellulose Acetate film as
it has certain inherent characteristics that have caused its degradation. When these degraded films are
exposed to certain conditions and not separated in collections there is the potential for them to become a
hazardous combination. It is important to identify such film i.e. nitrate vs. acetate and copy immediately (if
not too degraded), store separated and in cold storage. The following is a list of clues in identifying such
films, which is followed by a flame test. If this is not conclusive, a solvent float test is recommended. (The
solvent float test must be conducted with the assistance of a conservator and observe safety data sheet
for the use of such chemicals). High or fluctuating Relative Humidity and temperature accelerate
degradation of Cellulose Nitrate and Acetate Films.

Cellulose Nitrate (1889 – 1939)

1929 – 1951 (gradually replaced by Cellulose Acetate)

• Early non-curl roll film (1889 – 1903) was extremely thin and curled easily.
• Later non-curl roll film (1903 – 1939) was thicker with gelatin anti-curl layer to minimise curling.
• Machine cut sheets (1913 – 1939) were uniformly rectangular and had the edge embossed with
“NITRATE”.
• Degraded samples smell of nitric acid, become brittle, and may have sticky or water soluble
emulsion.

Flame Test

A very flammable substance. ( When burnt, it contributes to combustion) Take a sample from a non-image
section of film and conduct test using tweezers to hold the sample and open flame in a well – ventilated
area.

Cellulose Acetate (1923 – Present)

Has the word “SAFETY” embossed on the edge of the film.

Early acetates may show bubbling or lifting between the emulsion layer and the base.

Older acetates may smell of acetic acid. Commonly termed as “Vinegar Syndrome”

Flame Test

When burnt in a flame, it will burn with difficulty but it will not flame up or add to the combustion. Again, use
tweezers to hold the sample, which was taken from a non- image section of film, and hold to an open
flame in a well-ventilated area.

Polyester (1960 – Present)

Some of these products will have “ESTAR” embossed on the film edge.

Flame Test

• Base burns with difficulty

Microforms (Microfilm rolls, aperture cards, jacketed microfilm, diazo and vesicular microfiche)

Description:

Developed to store a large amount of information in a small area. Experimental miniaturisation of

text information on photographic film began in the middle of the nineteenth century. Commercial
applications began in the 1920’s.

Common roll microforms consist of varying lengths of 16mm or 35-mm microfilm wound on a reel
or loaded into a cartridge or cassette. Image forming materials can be silver-gelatin, diazo or
vesicular.
Flat microforms consist of sheets of film to make microfiche and microfilm jackets.

Silver gelatin microform uses the same technology as for photographic negatives and silver
gelatin prints. The binder is gelatin and the image forming material is a silver halide. It is the most
stable, and hence permanent process but is also expensive to produce. Commonly used as a
master copy from the first generation negative. The emulsion side is matte looking in appearance.
The support side is glossy. Image is black.

Diazo microform is a slow print film sensitised by diazonium salts. When exposed to UV light, the
salts are dispersed and decomposed in areas corresponding to light areas of original image. Dark
areas are protected from exposure forming a latent image, which is developed with ammonia
fumes. Ammonia couples with the remaining diazonium salts to produce deeply coloured azo dyes.
Appears the same on emulsion and non-emulsion side. The colour varies on exposure length from
black, blue to sepia.

Vesicular microform is a dry photographic process. Exposure to UV and developed by heat.

Vesicular films have a light sensitive emulsion (diazonium salts) suspended in thermoplastic resin
on a plastic support. Upon exposure, the salts deteriorate giving off nitrogen gas. Gas is confined
to the polymer layer. These imperfections form a latent image, which becomes visible after heating
and cooling. The vesicular image consists of small bubbles within the plastic layer. The bubbles
scatter light, thus producing a visible image. It appears beige, grey or light blue in colour.

Weaknesses:

• Silver gelatin microforms have the same concerns as for other silver gelatin photographic
processes. They can also have redox blemishes upon lengthy exposure to pollutants.
• Diazo microform can become unstable with excessive exposure to light causing fading and
humidity causing staining or darkening of the image.
• Vesicular microform can become unstable with pressure and excessive heat (above 80
degrees Celsius) which cause bubble collapse.
• Microform supports have the same problems as glass and plastic photographic processes
as described above when exposed to physical damage, excessive moisture and heat.

Motion Picture Film

Contains an image forming emulsion and plastic support layer as for silver gelatin microfilm rolls. It also
has a protective plastic coating over the emulsion to protect from abrasion.

Storage Systems

Paper

Preparation for storage

Never choose lamination as an option for preserving historical material. Lamination is okay for office
signage or copied material but it is a permanent process where the plastic is bonded in to the object
surface by a combined adhesive/heat process. Store items in polyester oven bags where possible and if
items are quite large there are commercial places who offer an encapsulation process using polyester film.
Encapsulation using a welded edge is preferable to double sided tape where the objects are at risk from
slipping, making contact with the tape.

Interleave large flat material with buffered (alkaline buffered) paper if encapsulation for each object is not a
financial option and store the interleaved material in plan file cabinets. Label the interleaving with graphite
pencil. The buffered paper is preferred for acidic objects whereby the alkaline buffering performs a passive
conservation treatment by neutralising the acid. The storage papers/tissues/boxes would have to be
replaced when their use has expired (when they discolour to the colour of the acidic object)

Material should be stored flat and unfolded where possible. If it is not possible to store unfolded, minimise
folds and locate them at areas that do not contain information.

Rolling large objects on to a suitable cardboard core is sometimes recommended. Ensure that the roll
diameter is large enough so that the object is not tightly rolled. If the centre roller is not archival, an inert
material like polyester should be wrapped around it or alternatively, cover with archival wrapping paper.
Once the object has been rolled onto the roller, wrap a covering archival paper around the outer to protect
the object from exposure to dust etc.

Extraneous objects ie. Metal pins, staples, paper clips and rubber bands should be removed carefully but
only if the physical arrangement of the material is not interfered with or altered by this. Can be replaced by
plastic paper clips or white cotton tape or brass attachments. Non-archival plastic envelopes or sheets,
wrapping paper, cross-linked or loose carriers for ‘sticky tape’ can also be removed if they are not integral
to the work.

TREATMENTS

Condition Treatment
Mould Brush off in well-ventilated area in sunlight
DO NOT breath in dust (Wear an agricultural face mask)
Dirt/Dust Brush/vacuum. Light surface clean with eraser crumbs.
Watch for friable media ie.drawings in pencil, charcoal, watercolour/ pastel/annotations
in pencil/ desiccating inks /other writing.
Crumpled/ rolled Relax in high humidity – carefully straighten. Dry with blotters and weight down.
folds DO NOT keep in humidity for too long. Risk of creating mould attack.
Brittle material Very little treatment
Carefully copy onto archival photocopy paper, or encapsulate object between Mylar™
(polyester) sheets, Polywelds™ (polyester), or LDPE bags (Low Density Polyethylene).

Tears Repair using tissue and starch paste

Encapsulate/polyweld/LDPE
Damaged Binding Wrapper
Wrap in archival paper, put into a box
Wet materials See Appendix notes on disaster recovery
Dry in front of a circulating air fan
Seek advice if there is a large amount of material

Photographic collections

• The most important thing to remember when purchasing tissues and papers to store photographic
collections is the photographic collections require a neutral pH environment. This is because the
photographic emulsion (image) is generally proteinaceous (animal by-product) and therefore very
sensitive to alkaline or acidic conditions. Purchase unbuffered tissues and papers or that which
states that it passes the photographic activity test (PAT)

• Unsleeved negatives and prints –regardless of support should be handled with surgical gloves.
(Wear cotton or silk gloves underneath to avoid skin irritation) Cotton gloves alone can be quite
 clumsy and risk creating damage.

• Avoid folding photographs or leaving unprotected from dust or light sources.

• Prints or negatives must not be stapled or attached to other documents with paper clips.

• Use archival photographic corners to attach photographs to a neutral pH album board.

• It is preferable to use pure cellulose paper or board that is not alkaline buffered. The neutral pH of
pure cellulose paper will not cause discoloration of proteinaceous materials like gelatin and
albumen. (This applies also for textile storage of silk and wool items)

• It is essential to know exactly what a product consists of before purchasing (especially if great
expense is required). Purchase storage materials directly from reputable archival and conservation
suppliers. Ask for a data sheet or specification information about the intended purchase. If a
plastic product smells, this would indicate that it is off gassing and would therefore potentially react
with the enclosed object. Purchase plastics which state that they pass the Photographic Activity
Test (PAT)

• Every image (slide, print or negative) should be stored in individual envelopes or sleeves.

• Envelopes with seams should be avoided, as the risk from physical pressure of a stack of
photographs can emboss the seam mark into the photographic emulsions. Flap type seamless
paper enclosures are preferable. It is also a good idea to place original material into this type of
enclosure before placing into a polyester pocket. The reason for this is that whilst plastic
encapsulates and enclosures provide immediate visual identification without hands-on contact, the
disadvantage is that moisture can build up within the sleeves. Moisture build up can cause
ferreotyping (ie.glazing, or the appearance of shiny patches on the emulsion surface.) Static
electricity in plastic sleeves may also attract dirt and dust.

• Once enclosed in individual sleeves, photographs should be placed flat in suitable archival storage
boxes. If there are many photographs of the same size, they may be stored vertically in an archival
storage box (like a card file system), so long as they cannot slump (place archival packing into the
box to pad out extra space).

• If vertical storage is used in filing cabinets, hanging folders are recommend for inhibiting items
from slumping in drawers and becoming crumpled or curled. Photographic material is predisposed
to curl because the emulsion layer is on one side of the support. This imbalance or unequal pull on
the support creates a tendency for the photograph to curl towards the emulsion.

• Oversized photographs should be stored flat. Framed items should be disassembled if they have
been affixed to acidic backing board, then re-matted using neutral pH photographic board. (A
conservator should be consulted, as this is a difficult process. Original mounts should be left alone
if the support is an historical mount or presents important reference information).

• Wrap cased photographs such as daguerreotypes and tintypes in acid free tissue and place them
flat in boxes.

• Glass plates and lantern slides need to be individually sleeved in a seamless enclosure, and
stored vertically in a grooved (finger catch) archival box which has been lined with archival
padding such as ethafoam and archival corrugated multi-use board. Have glass plate negatives
copied for reference purposes. The originals should not be used unless the copy is lost or
damaged.

• See demonstration notes and example for the method in housing broken glass plate negatives.
 • Always make copies of original photographs for reference purposes and or display. Make
duplicates of valuable slides and any slides displaying signs of fading or staining. The duplicates
are then used as working copies.

• Certain slide films are unstable. (Pre-1978 Ektachrome films, pre-1989 Agfachrome film, 3M
Scotch Chrome films, and Polaroid Presentation Chrome film.) These should be duplicated.

• Store slides in the dark. Place original valuable slides in humidity controlled storage. Avoid leaving
slides out for extensive periods of time to be exposed to irregular and harmful artificial light
sources.

• Handle slides by support border only, to avoid fingerprints, scratches and abrasion.

• Purchase glass mounts from Photo Continental and mount developed slide film yourself. This is
more economical and the glass mounts are more stable than the plastic mounts. Glass mounts
also do not jam in a slide projector.

2.3 Creating Storage Enclosures – Natural Materials to use

Method Natural Material

Create, wrap, interleave Paper and boards with neutral pH or alkaline buffer (minimal to
no lignin content) and non-acidic sizes
Photographic material must only be stored/displayed in neutral
pH paper and board.
Wrap, line showcases, use in treatments Woven and non – woven fabrics (cotton, linen)

Stick, mend and size Starch pastes, cellulose gum adhesives (methyl cellulose,
sodium carboxy-methyl-cellulose)

Tie up and seal Cotton or linen tapes

Adhesive backed cotton/linen tape (gummed, not self-
adhesive.)
Edges of lick-on postage stamps (Not self-adhesive stamps)

N.B. Do not Use the Following: Protein based materials i.e., wool, silk, animal product glues that attract
insects and also degrade.

-Synthetic materials to use

Synthetic materials for use with collections should fulfil two important criteria.

1. They should be inert and not emit harmful chemicals such as acids, peroxides or plasticisers.
2. They should be stable.

Low Density Polyethylene, uncoated Polypropylene and uncoated Polyester are three plastics that can be
used with collections. LDPE (shopping bags) are inexpensive, are not as stable as Polyester but are
recommended for short term (1-2 years) protection of collections in the interim until better quality products
can be purchased. Most food grade plastics (with the exception of Styrofoam packaging) are acceptable
for short-term protection. Polyester oven bags are very stable it is just a thinner micron plastic and is the
same material used in the preservation polyesters like Mylar D & Melinex 516.
Other synthetic materials used are:

• Poly acrylates for glazing “perspex”

• Poly carbonates for clear sheeting
• Poly styrene for foam (expand) in foam core (NB This is acidic and must be covered with acid free
paper)
• Ethafoam sheeting used in lining polypropylene boxes when storing glass plate photographic
media.

Plastic materials containing chlorine are to be AVOIDED. Most common of these is polyvinyl chloride or
PVC.

It contains chloride which can break down and lead to the production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and also
contains plasticisers to make it soft and pliable. Over time, the plasticisers leach out (the PVC becomes
brittle) and the leached chemical can react with various paints and inks and photographic emulsions. PVC
has the potential to harm material both through the migration of plasticisers and by its degradation, break
down into acidic gases.

Testing plastics for identification of PVC

To identify whether plastics contain chloride, a simple but destructive test can be performed on samples.
Cut a piece of copper wire and insert into a cork. Heat the wire over a flame and then melt some of the test
plastic on the wire. Re-expose the wire with the melted plastic over the flame. Observe the flame. If a
blue/green flash in the flame were visible, this would indicate the presence of copper chloride. (The copper
is from the wire and the chloride is from the tested plastic) The tested plastic would possibly be a PVC
(polyvinyl chloride) It is important to have several copper wire/cork implements to test the range of plastics
you might have to avoid contamination of the test wire.

Examples of Various Synthetic Materials

POLYESTER POLYOLEFINS i.e. ACRYLICS i.e.

POLYETHLENE POLY ACRYLATES
POLYPROPYLENE
Mylar Plastic bags Perspex
Dacron Bubble wrap
Reemay Boxes
Oven bags
Sewing threads
Cotton polyester
Fabrics
Archival materials are the first
choice for use with paper-based collections and photographic collection (neutral pH materials) so long as
they can be obtained and their cost can be justified. However, even use of lower quality materials is almost
always better than leaving collections totally unprotected. So long as this interim use of lower quality
material is for short term (1-2 years).

See reference: Identification of Plastic Films from Keefe, Laurence, E. & Inch, Dennis The Life of a
Photograph Focal Press. 1990 p 366-369

2.4 Handling & Display Systems

• Always have clean, dry hands when handling objects. Keep food and drink well away. Do not
touch the actual image area with fingers, especially where photographic collections are concerned.
Use surgical gloves if handling collections for extended periods of time.
 • Provide some form of extra protection to the object – a suitable plastic bag, or an archival folder,
box or mount. Ensure that the object is fully supported while it is being looked at. Maps and other
large paper objects need to be laid out on a clean and cleared flat surface. Plastic coverings are
not suitable for objects with friable media eg. Charcoal and pastel artworks.
• It is best to display objects behind ultraviolet absorbing acrylic sheet to reduce the harmful
components of light. Rotate displays on a regular basis so that they are not exposed to light for
extended periods of time. The method of display, ie. Prints mounted and framed should not cause
additional damage to the object.
• If the material to be used and or displayed is fragile, make a copy for this purpose and store away
the original in a safe environment.
• Objects to be displayed in frames should be suitably mounted. Plastic acrylic sheet rather than
glass are preferred as the glazing material with the exception of friable media objects. Avoid
framing systems where the object is in contact with the glazing material. Use window or aperture
matting or spacers to create a distance between the glazing material and object. The backing
boards should not be made out of chipboard or other acidic wood product, since they can cause
staining and permanent chemical damage of the framed object, particularly in damp conditions.
Ensure that any framing is conducted on a mild day (not too dry and not too damp) and ensure
that the frame is sealed with inert waterproof materials such as coreflute (real estate signage is
usually printed on coreflute) and an archival frame sealing tape.
• If notes or annotations need to be made onto any item, use a soft graphite pencil. An
inconspicuous place on the object is recommended to make any notes. If possible, make the notes
on a separate sheet of paper or on the enclosure for the item.
• Most damage to objects is caused when they are moved. Good practice includes: staff training in
the best procedures such as only carrying a few items in your hands; training of staff and users if
collections are circulated; use a trolley for more items; and don’t overload the trolley. If materials
are travelling from institutions for exhibitions, special care and the use of suitable packing
procedures and materials are needed.

Paper

Types of Conservation mounting/matting: (these are best described by demonstration). Materials required
are rectangles of Japanese tissues, prepared starch paste, strips of spun polyester Reemay (or non-
adhesive dressmakers polyester Vilene), strips of blotting paper or scraps of non coloured matt boards.

1. L-Hinge: Japanese tissue strips (made in proportion to object size and number to support object)
Starch paste adhesive. Used for float mounting artworks or maps/posters where it is desired that
the edge should be visible.
2. Drop Hinges (or ‘T-tabs’): Japanese tissue strips (made in proportion to object size and number to
support object). A small part of a hinge is adhered to the back of the object with starch paste. A
Cross tab holds the Hinge in place with starch paste adhesive. Mostly used in matting paper
objects. The hinge is left on the object and the object can easily be removed or de-mounted from
display to be placed into storage by moistening the Cross tab with water.
3. Float mount: Japanese tissue attached to object like an L-Hinge then drawn through matt board
and adhered with wheat starch to the verso of the conservation backing board. Used for large
posters etc. Spaces are used to provide an interface for the object from the glazing.
4. Sink Mount: Mylar™ (polyester) strips at corners, which hold the object in place. The strips are
passed through to the verso of the conservation backing board and adhered with archival double-
sided tape. Alternative to use envelope corners from Polyweld™ pockets adhered with archival
double –sided tape or cut the corners off polyester oven bags. Conservation board is then cut to fit
the exact thickness and shape of the object to support it. Used for friable media eg. Pastel on
paper.

Technique

Place artwork face down on a strip of polyester Reemay or Vilene and blotter. Paste out Japanese
tissue on a piece of oven bag to support the tissue. Place a small part of the long edge of tissue on
the back & top edge of the object then rub down well. Place polyester Reemay or polyester Vilene
over the tissue followed by a strip of blotter. Replace the blotter often to absorb moisture. The
more often the blotter is changed, the quicker the job will dry. If the tissue is cold to touch, it is still
wet. Use this technique when applying your chosen matting application as described in the four
points above.

Photographs

Types of Conservation mounting/matting:

The entire above but especially the sink mount technique for photographs that are hard mounted onto
historical mount boards.

See demonstration.

PART 3: Resources, References and Suppliers

3.1 Resources

Processing Photographs for Long Term Stability

Develop according to instructions

Use an acid stop-bath

Fix and wash to produce images that are essentially free of processing chemicals

Use control test to determine if fixer solution has been reduced to a safe level.

Treat with diluted toner solution to protect the silver image against contaminants

Dry in an environment that will avoid contamination from chemicals and physical stress.

Permanent Photographic Materials.

The following list of photographic film and paper products is quoted from Wilhelm 1993: The
Longest-Lasting Films and Print Materials

Transparency films

Best overall

• Fujichrome films of all types, including Fujichrome Velvia and Fujichrome Duplicating Films.
• Kodachrome films of all types

Color-Negative Films

• ISO 25: Kodak Ektar 25 and Ektar 25 Professional

• ISO 100-125: 3M ScotchColor 100
• ISO 160-200: Kodak Vericolor 111 Professional, Type S; Fujicolor 160 Professional, Type L;
Fujicolor Super HG 200; Konica SR-G 200.
• ISO 400: Kodak Vericolor Professional 400; Kodak Ektapress 400; Kodak kodacolor Gold 400;
Konica Super DD 400; Konica SR-G 400
• ISO 1000-3200: Kodak Ektapress 1600; Kodak Kodacolor Gold 1600; Kodak Ektar 1000; Konica
SR-G 3200 Professional
Color Internegative Film

• Fujicolor Internegative Film IT-N

Color-Negative Papers

Best overall

• Fujicolor Super FA Type 11

• Fujicolor Professional Super FA
• Best Process EP-2 Papers
• Konica Color Type SR
• Konica Color Professional Type EX

Papers for Printing Color Transparencies

Best overall

• Cibachrome 11(glossy polyester base)

• Cibachrome-A 11(glossy polyester base)
• Best Process R-3 Paper Fujichrome Type 34

Most Permanent Color-Print Process of any Type-But Costly

• Polaroid Permanent-Color

Recipe for Starch Paste

1 part starch flour (Food grade, wheaten cornflour or Silver Star Laundry Starch. )

3 parts deionised water

To make stock:

Mix flour with the water and let stand overnight to allow the starch to swell. Cook gently as for a white
sauce in a double boiler until the mix looks translucent. Cool the mix by standing in a bath of cold water.
Remove from the pan and place into a container covered with cool deionised water. This is the stock.
Keep refrigerated. If the water is regularly refreshed, the paste can last up to four weeks.

To make paste:

Take a desired quantity of stock for the intended application, work the stock through a sieve and gradually
mix in deionised water for the desired consistency. (Alternatively, blend the stock and water in a blender,
ensuring that there are no lumps then pass through a sieve) Keep refrigerated in an airtight container
when not in use.

Application:

A drier semi-thick paste is preferred when a fast drying time is required. Using a piece of blotting paper
you can reduce the moisture in the paste by working the paste over the blotting paper with a brush before
applying the paste to the repair tissue or hinge in the case of matting photos and artworks. This is
essential if media (i.e. pen or ink information near a tear in paper) is sensitive to excessive moisture.

Method: Apply to a blotter first to reduce moisture, then pick up paste with a fine art brush and apply to
tissue. Tissue can be supported by a scrap piece of plastic (cut up a polyester oven bag) when applying to
job.

3.2 References

Environment:

Selected Bibliography on the Effects of Relative Humidity and Temperature in the Museum, Prepared by
David Erhardt, Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution

Relative Humidity re-examined, David Erhardt & Marion Mecklenburg, Preventive Conservation: Practice,
Theory and Research, 11C, London, 1994, pp 32-38

Guidelines for Climate Control of the State Library of Queensland, Professor Colin Person, October 1998

Temperature and Relative humidity effects on the mechanical and chemical stability of collections, Marion
F. Mecklenburg and Charles Tumosa, ASHRAE Journal, April 1999, pp 77-82

Understanding What humidity does and Why, Kenneth M. Elovitz., ASHRAE Journal, April 1999, pp 84-90.

Special Problems of Preservation in the Tropics, CAN No.31, pp 4-5

Environmental Control for Cultural Institutions: Appropriate Design and the Use of Alternative
Technologies, Steve King and Colin Pearson, 3rd Colloque internationale de l’ARAAFU-Paris 1992, pp 63-
73

Practical Climate Control; A selected Annotated Bibliography, Richard L. Kerschner & Jennifer Baker
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byauth/kerschner/ccbiblio.html

Passive Environmental Control for small Cultural Institutions in Australia, Professor Colin Pearson,
University of Canberra

Building Conservation into Museum Construction Projects, Conservation News, Number 67, November
1998, pp 8-10

Smith, W., University of NSW Bachelor of Commerce: course notes Preservation Management in Library
and Archives 1998 Internet Silas class.

Pollutants:

Assessment of formaldehyde and VOC emissions from wood-based panels, Stephen K. Brown, CSIRO
Building Construction and Engineering, PO Box 56, Highett, Vic, 3190, pp 25-30

Case Studies of Poor indoor air quality in Australian Buildings, Stephen K. Brown, 14th International Clean
Air Environment Conference, Melbourne, 18-22 October 1998

Insects & Mould:

Mould Growth in Tropical Environments: a discussion, Graeme Scott, ICOM Committee for Conservation,
1996, Volume 1, pp 91-96

Pinninger, David. Insect pests in museums, Institute of Archaeology publications, 1989 (ISBN 1 873132 10
7)
Lee, Mary Wood. Prevention and treatment of mould in library collections with an emphasis on tropical
climates: a RAMP study, UNESCO, Paris, 1988, 81p (PGI – 88/WS/9)

A simple method for temporary conservation of Art Objects: Effect of air flow on Preventing fungal growth,
Kurara Sakamoto, Namiko Kurozami and Toshiko Kenjo, Bio-deterioration of Cultural Property 3,
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference, Bangkok, July 1995, pp 308-323

Storage in Low Oxygen Environments, Vinod Daniel, Storage of Natural History Collections: A Preventive
Conservation Approach, pp 147-155

Storage:

Bainbridge publication, Nielson & Bainbridge. 1995. pp 4-5

Greenfield, Jane. Books: their care and repair. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1983 (Hedi Kyle: “Kyle Wrappers”)

Protective enclosures for books and paper artefacts, publication from the Canadian Conservation Institute
CCI Notes 11/1

Masuda, Katsuhiko Japanese customs and the conservation of historical paintings (Paper presented at the
1997 AICCM Conference Rottnest Is. W.A.) In Press.

Zeir, Franz. Books, Boxes and Portfolios 1990 Design Press, New York (ISBN 0-8306-4383-5)

Display:

Shenton, Helen “Developments in the display of books at the Victoria and Albert Museum” Paper
Conservator, volume 21, 1997, pp 63-79

Matting and Framing Works of Art on Paper, publication produced by AIC (The American Institute for the
Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works)

Conservation by Design Limited www.conservation-by-design.co.uk

Photographs:

Eastman Kodak Company Conservation of Photographs Eastman Kodak Co., 1985

Gill, A.T., Photographic processes, a Glossary and a Chart for Recognition Museums Association, London,
1978

Nizette, Mark & Hess Norris, Debbie Introduction to the Conservation of Photographs workbook National
Film and Sound Archive, November 1993

Reilly, J., Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints Eastman Kodak Co., 1986

Wilhelm, H., The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs Preservation Publishing Company, Iowa,
1993

Paper:

Baynes-Cope, AD. Caring for books and documents, 2nd ed. British Library Preservation Office, London,
1989 (ISBN 0 71230 151 8 pbk)
Harvey, Ross Preservation in Libraries: A Reader 1993 Bowker-Saur Melbourne

Horie, C.V., Materials for conservation: organic consolidants adhesives & coatings, 1987. ISBN 0-4080-
1531-4

Queensland Bookbinders’ Guild Inc. www.maxlink.com.au/qbg

Stolow, N., Conservation Standards for Works of Art in Transit and on Exhibition UNESCO, 1979

Mayer, Ralph. The Artist’s Handbook of Materials & Techniques, 5th ed. NY.USA: Viking, 1991. ISBN 0-
6708-3701-6

Plastics:

Keefe, Laurence E. & Inch, Dennis The Life of a Photograph (Appendix C- Plastics Used for Photographic
Enclosures) 2nd Ed. Focal Press, 1990 pp 366-369

Pagliarino, Amanda ‘Plain Plastics’ AICCM National Newsletter No. 71 June 1999 pp 1-8

Other Websites:

www.nrm.se/re/premal/pmaktuellt2.html.en

www.gowncare.com/keepsafe/index.html

Tschudi archival products – Eterno Board® www.tschudi.com

Heritage Collections Council AMOL website for reCollections guide http://amol.org.au

AICCM (Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material)

http://www.vicnet.au/~conserv/aiccmhc.htm

The Society of American Archivists Preservation Section http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/saapreserv/prindex.htm

AIC Journal InfoAIC@aol.com

http:/aic.stanford.edu

3.3 Suppliers
SUPPLIER’S NAME & DETAILS PRODUCTS
ALBOX AUSTRALIA Polypropylene boxes, photograph albums, photographic
56 North Terrace sleeves for prints and negatives. Polypropylene liners for boxing
Kent Town, SA 5067
Tel:08 8362 4811
Garrard’s Pesticides Pty Ltd Agrisense Window traps. For survey purposes to monitor
32 Kenworth Place cockroach infestations.
Tel: 07 3881 1693
All Signs & Plastics Supply and cut to specified dimensions UV Absorbing perspex
PO Box 826 GS231
Hamilton Central QLD 4007
Tel: 07 3260 1444
Bentex Library Stationary supplier. Supplies polypropylene label
20 Huntingwood Drive holders for boxing etc.
Huntingwood NSW 2148
Tel: 1300 655 667
BOC Gases Low solvent – charcoal filter Absorbent Face Mask
PO Box 133
Virginia QLD 4104
Fax: 07 3865 2234
Conservation Resources Polyester products. Mylar™ polyester pockets (Polywelds) to
International standard sizes. Guarded pockets for albums, polypropylene
PO Box 6184 albums with polyester sleeves. Photo corners.
Fairfield Gardens, QLD 4103
Tel:07 3848 0199
Corex Plastics (Australia) Pty Ltd Supplier of Polypropylene Coreflute™ (Real Estate Signs)
261 Frankston – Dandenong Road Great for packaging and backing for frames.
Dandenong VIC 3175
Tel:(03) 9791 0111
Dollars & Sense (Cheap nick nacks) Supplier of a range of sizes in storage containers with lids (ideal
for a disaster kit because it is see-through plastic and has
wheels + handles to cart to salvage site)
Ekersley’s Suppliers of artists papers and cards, brushes.
Cnr., Edward & Mary Streets Good quality rag papers. Some Japanese tissues, and crepe
Brisbane City erasers.
(07) 3221 4866
Fire Fighting Services Fire safety training in the event of a fire, fire fighting equipment
Limited

1/1075 Beaudesert Road

Archerfield
Tel 3320 3800
Fax 3320 3820
A/H 3830 4191
Fire and Safety Training

10 Kakirra Place
Eight Mile Plains
Tel/Fax 3219 0657
Mob. 0411 885 280
Fire Protection Association
Australia – Qld Division

45 Nandala Drive
Tanah Merah Tel 3209 8555
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Professional Development Program
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Site last updated: Thursday March 17
2005
URL: http://www.magsq.com.au