Photographs and dust

[DLCO]

I have a few photographs in small hinged cases under glass and there is alot of dust under the glass. The have felt around the edges and gold tin for borders. I am taking photographs of the photographs but the dust under the glass causes problems with clarity. I have not tried to take anything apart and the border felt is either tight or glued possibly. My goal is to post the photographs here and try to put names with them and may need some help with uniform and insignia.

So should I leave them as is and deal with it or attempt to get the glass off and get the dust out? The tin borders are very thin. I don't want to damage them.

 

[UCVRelics]

Looking forward to seeing them.

 

[JOHN42768]

If no one has a suitable suggestion, I would talk to a conservator at your local or state museum for their input. I guess, first do no harm would apply.

 

[lelliott19]

So should I leave them as is and deal with it or attempt to get the glass off and get the dust out? The tin borders are very thin. I don't want to damage them.

As @JOHN42768 said, don't do anything that might damage the original images. If you are unsure what kind of image you have (tintype, ambrotype, daguerrotype, etc.) it's best not to remove it from the foil matting. Just take the best photographs of the original images you can, in good light and from several angles. Some of the folks here are good at identifying uniform and insignia - even if there is dust.

If the images are ambrotypes or daguerrotypes, the image itself is actually on one piece of glass and the two pieces are sealed together. Although the originals are pretty stable inside the foil border mattings, the sealant can break down over time. But if you remove them from the foil matting, the seal can be accidentally broken. If the seal has broken down or is damaged, normal humidity can creep between and cause damage to the image. Seals can be replaced, but the process should only be attempted by a skilled conservator.

 

[DixieRifles]

Just take the best photographs of the original images you can, in good light and from several angles.

@DLCO I sent out 50-year old negatives that had scratches on them. The company scanned them and the algorithm (who really knows what that is) removed the scratches. You don't have to send it out, but you can get software that cleans up images---or find a friend who has the software. Then you can have a pristine copy of the original image.

 

[DLCO]

Thanks for the suggestions. I live in Cozumel MX and it is not only humid (especially now as the rainy season has started) but we have salt air so I think will leave them as is and take the photos I can. I have AC which will help with humidity and keep them sealed in bags. I don't have option of local conservators so if I decide to do something like that I will need to mule them up to the states myself. Maybe ultimately they need to go to a museum or perhaps to the families (which I know for sure I have one).
I got out my good/better camera and also tried some macro shots so I will see what I get. I can open up photoshop to enhance but I am wary of changing the appearance when viewed when I post. Hopefully some clarity and contrast will be enough for better viewing.