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Re: Framed photographs [and photos in waxy-paged albums]



In my past years withing the collections unit of CA State Railroad Museum,
we often got such photos from rail afficionados -- framed in drug & discount
store frames. We, too, removed the images as quickly as possible -- for
three principal reasons:

1) to make sure the photos were (once accessioned) marked and made available
to researchers as part of the museum reference library's larger collections

2) to ascertain that there were no creepy-crawlies hidden (eating away)
behind the usually acidic and crummy brown cardboard backing insert.
Silverfish love spaces like these!

3) and to make certain that the frames were put away in locations that
wouldn't get in the way of other more valuable materials. By this, I mean
that we had set up open shelves (vertical slots of varying sizes) for
oversize frames and framed images, and for others, designated 1 cu. ft.
cartons to hold 8x10-inch frames in bulk. If the frames were in not
great shape, they were trashed and a note was made for inclusion in the
donor file(s).

We did make every effort to get the donor accession number on the separated
frames so as to make the entire gift/accessions process reversible and to
ensure proper provenance.

Photos in waxy-sticky album pages were handled in similar fashion for
preservation purposes more than anything else. The albums would be marked
with the donor number and stashed, unless beat-up or otherwise not worth
saving.

Kevin V. Bunker
Student Assistant
California State Archives

> ----------
> From:         Rob Dishon[SMTP:rdishon@LAGCC.CUNY.EDU]
> Reply To:     Rob Dishon
> Sent:         Thursday, May 17, 2001 11:53 AM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      Framed photographs
>
> Hello listers-
>
> Wanted to get some feedback on a topic that i am sure we have all
> struggled with.
>
> We will be accessioning a large number of framed photographs in the very
> near future.  I would like to and probably will remove those photos from
> the frames, sleeve and box the photos.
>
> For arguements sake lets say that the frames are of the Kmart 1.99 variety
> and are matless.  Is there any real argument for keeping these photos
> framed?
>
> I am of the thought that removing them will be better presevationwise as
> well as storagewise and am pretty set on my course.  Would just like to
> have any additional thougths on the matter.
>
> Thanks
> Rob Dishon
> Archivist
> LaGuardia & Wagner Archives
>
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>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
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Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>