Whenever possible, unframe photos and store it like the others. If its frame evokes the vintage of the photo and is in good shape, mark the frame with the number or location of the photo and store it separately.
If a photo must stay in the frame, remove any old wooden backing boards and replace them with PAT-tested board, such as good-quality 100% ragboard.
Image: "Friends of the deceased's family at an annual memorial meeting in the family cemetery - Jackson, KY, 1944" (Office of War Information, Library of Congress)
Saving Kentucky's Past -- Preserving Matting, Mounting, and Framing
A frame may be important in its own right. Consult an expert before replacing or repairing it.
Dust frames with a magnetic cloth or a soft brush and do not decorate them with holiday greenery or ornaments.
Always identify the items you are mounting or framing. Any paper-based treasure can be labeled on the back along the edge with a soft No. 2 pencil. Write gently.
Use only acid-free matting and backing boards.
Select safe materials to attach the paper to the backing board; acid-free photo corners; tissue-paper hinges applied with wheat starch paste; or gummed acid-free paper.
Never use spray mount, rubber cement or other glue, adhesive tape or pressure-sensitive backing.
Cover the image with acrylic sheets or glass to filter out ultraviolet light. Use only glass for artworks in powdery media like chalk, charcoal, or pastels.
Don't let photographs, paper treasures, prints, paintings, or drawings touch glass that covers them. Use a window mat to separate the work from the acrylic or glass.
Fabrics can be mounted onto a support made by covering an acid-free board or stretcher with washed 100% cotton. Sew the fabric onto the cloth by hand. You can identify the heirloom with a hand-stitched label made from cotton tape.
Glossary
acid-free tissue - In the course of time most tissue paper will become acidic and brittle with age. The acidity will transfer to adjacent objects causing these objects to become weaker and possibly discolored. Acid free tissue papers are specially processed to remove such contaminants. An 18 pound weight paper is useful for quilts, coverlets, and the storage of other flat textiles. For stuffing or interleaving, a lighter 12 pound paper is better. This lighter acid free paper is also known as "laminating tissue."
conservator - persons who periodically
examine objects, document their condition, and, if necessary, treat and repair
them to protect collections over time.
For more information or to locate a professional conservator, visit The
American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works.
muslin - a thin plain-weave cotton cloth used for curtains, sheets, and dresses
PAT test (photographic activity test) - a test that predicts possible interactions between photographic images and the enclosures in which they are stored. Boxes or other types of enclosures that hold several images, even if those images are in envelopes or sleeves, should be tested too. Many of the harmful chemicals in poor-quality enclosures can become airborne and, over time, work their way to the photograph.
PVC pipe - a lightweight, durable, and waterproof plastic pipe used for plumbing
polyethylene bags - flexible, extremely tough, and chemical-resistant plastic bags commonly used as sandwich or freezer storage
ragboard - board made from cotton and contains no wood (lignins). Little pulping or purification is required because cotton is the purest natural form of cellulose. Rag board is also called Museum Board, is acid-free and meets the standards set by the Library of Congress for museum quality matboard. It is available with or without buffering.
unbuffered - containing neither alkaline nor acid