In the situation you describe I would recommend to the person to allow the
rolled photos to lie in a non-dry room until they begin to relax and flatten
themselves through gravity. At that point a judgment call will need to be
made. One could partially flatten them without cracking by anchoring one end
of the unfurling photo and allow gravity to flatten the rest until such
point that the photo is flat enough that an acid-free piece of tissue can be
placed on top of the picture and an appropriate weight be applied to
complete the flattening process. Saying this, I would still recommend a
professional conservator.
nburlakoff

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Kimberly Kenney, Curator
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 11:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: unrolling photographs

Someone came in and asked me for advice on unrolling
some large photographs in his personal collection that
have been stored that way for decades.  He says that
when he tried to unroll some of them, they are brittle
and start to crack.

He is looking for a "home method" he can do himself.
He is not interested in finding a paper conservator
(which was my first suggestion) and he is not planning
to give the photos to us as a donation.

What advice can I offer him that can be replicated at
home, yet still not damage his photos?

You can respond on or off list.

Kim Kenney

PS -- I understand the value of professional
conservation, so no soap boxes please.  That is not a
route he is willing to take.

=====
Kimberly A. Kenney, Curator
McKinley Museum
800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW
Canton OH 44708 * 330-455-7043
Visit the Ohio Memory Project at http://www.ohiomemory.org
"Let us ever remember that our interests are in concord, not conflict; and
that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of
ar."  --25th United States President William McKinley


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