I'm a registrar, and I tend to consider the frame and the photo as parts of
the same object.  My suggestion would be to remat with archival backing to
protect the photo from any possibility of further damage and keep it in the
same frame.  I think that adds to the photo's integrity.

Chantel Y. Cummings
Registrar
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Jacksonville, Florida
-----Original Message-----
From: SOHS Collections Department <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 1998 7:50 PM
Subject: care of framed photographs


>How do you manage your collection of framed photographic portraits? (I'm
>talking about photographs that are in their original frames...like the
>wonderful gilded frames) Do you keep the original image in the frame? Do
>you make an archival copy of the image? (Say for use in your library) Do
>you separate the image from the frame and store them separately? Do you
>re-mat the photos in their frames but with archivally sound backing
>material? I'm curious. I'd also like to know if your perspective is that
>of a curator, librarian/archivist, conservator, and so forth. I'm sure
>there are varying opinions on this question. Thanks!
>
>Mary Ames Sheret
>Curator of Collections
>Southern Oregon Historical Society
>