Hello collegues

Forgive me for those to whom I have cross posted but I wanted to reach as
many as possible for advice.

My very small local history museum has the negatives from a studio which
existed here from 1897 to 1951 or so. Up to this point I have been
accessioning 8 X 10 and 5 X 7 glass negatives and we are out to 3500+
items in the Hays Studio Collection. Now we are encountering 5 X 7 film
negatives some of which are very badly damaged from standing in water
when stored in the basement of our courthouse before this museum existed.

I have been wrapping the glass negatives in 4-fold folder especially if
they had mildew damage from when they were on that courthouse floor.
Usually the mold only ate 1/8 to 1/4 inch away, sometimes up to 1 inch on
which ever was the bottom side was damaged.

With the "newer" negatives from 1938-1940 which absorbed water, they
apparently separated into two layers and then when they dried sealed
together unevenly. When they dried, some became almost like bubble-wrap
with trapped air pockets and with deep ripples (?), folds (?) in some
portions of the portraits were often there is a deep dark almost cordoroy
effect over the face(s).

At this point I have not assigned accession numbers to the most badly
damaged ones, but I have not thrown them out either. I see how a few
could be useful educationally in a care of items workshop, but should I
accession them? Even if they cannot be printed or scanned?

I await your expertise.

Mary Kirby
Historic Upshur Museum
Gilmer TX

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