Angry Archivist | Research Arsenal

Angry Archivist: Is Sandpaper Archival?

Posted on May 22, 2025May 22, 2025 by Johanna Wickman

The Angry Archivist: Is Sandpaper Archival?

The Angry Archivist returns with a question that I’m sure many collectors of Civil War memorabilia have been itching to know the answer to: Is sandpaper archival? I have to admit, sandpaper was not something I’d ever thought I’d run across when dealing with Civil War archives, but here we are.

Here is a photo of the yellow "price tag" like sticker on the front of the ambrotype case. — Here is a photo of the yellow “price tag” like sticker on the front of the ambrotype case.

Here is the second yellow "price tag" type sticker on the copper frame and ambrotype itself. — Here is the second yellow “price tag” type sticker on the copper frame and ambrotype itself.

This is the back of the sticker that was on the front of the case. Notice that it pulled up some of the layers of the case material. These adhesives are not designed for artifacts--they are designed to put price tags on merchandise--and they do cause damage when used in this way. — This is the back of the sticker that was on the front of the case. Notice that it pulled up some of the layers of the case material. These adhesives are not designed for artifacts–they are designed to put price tags on merchandise–and they do cause damage when used in this way.

This week started out like any other. I sat down to scan a couple dozen Civil War images—tintypes, ambrotypes, CDVs—the usual. Then I spotted this image. Notice the yellow “price tag” sticker on the case. My first thought was, “ugh,” but at least I can remove this. Then I opened the case and found the ambrotype inside with another yellow sticker on it. Double ugh. By the way, whoever is putting these stickers on cases—they do cause damage. They are not harmless. The adhesive is strong enough that it can peel off layers of the case and they can also leave behind sticky goo.

As much as these stickers annoy me, they are not the reason for this particular Angry Archivist rant. No, they were just the appetizer, if you will.

Now, for those not familiar with ambrotypes, here’s a bit of a backstory. Ambrotypes are made of glass and have a black varnish on the back of the picture which makes the image a positive and allows it to be seen properly. Over time, this black coating tends to flake off—not always—but it’s not uncommon to see that happen. If the black coating is gone, the image becomes very difficult to see. Collectors will often place a piece of black paper behind the image in the frame so that it can be displayed and the photograph is visible.

Once I’d removed the yellow stickers, I began to remove the ambrotype from the case and then from its copper frame so that I could scan it at high resolution on my flatbed scanner. As I was about to remove the copper frame, I found it. And if you were going to say, “Oh, she must have found the piece of smooth black paper that the previous owner/seller placed behind the image so it could be seen better,” you would be wrong. Very wrong.

That’s right folks, I did not in fact find a piece of non-descript black construction paper, instead I found BLACK SANDPAPER. Thick black paper with a white grid pattern and a SANDPAPER TEXTURE. I like to think that I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff in my nearly 20 years working in museums and archives, but I have to admit, this was a new one for me. A nice piece of gritty black sandpaper right against an ambrotype with its original black varnish flaking off. What could be better to put against something that is literally flaking off? Ugh.

The paper in question. Here is a photo of the black sandpaper like material cut to fit inside the case. Notice the specks of black material laying on top of it. Those are pieces of the ambrotype's original varnish that have flaked off onto the sandpaper. — The paper in question. Here is a photo of the black sandpaper like material cut to fit inside the case. Notice the specks of black material laying on top of it. Those are pieces of the ambrotype’s original varnish that have flaked off onto the sandpaper.

I have tried to find out what exactly this paper was. It does match some sandpaper that’s available online. It’s possible it was some other paper with a dried adhesive that is now just the texture of sandpaper. I can’t say for certain. What I can say, is that it has the texture of a medium grit sandpaper, is not sticky, and was cut to fit the frame and provide a black background for the ambrotype. Needless to say, the sandpaper was removed and discarded with prejudice.

Is sandpaper archival? No, no it is not! In this photo I tried to get a better view of the rough texture of the paper for you all to see. I am still shocked that I found this.

The Angry Archivist isn’t only about anger, I like to offer solutions too. My first piece of advice is that there is NEVER a situation where sandpaper is a good choice for an archive. Let’s just clear that one up right away. If you have an ambrotype that has lost some of its black varnish and wish to put something in the case with it to make it more visible, I would suggest a piece of archival black paper, like this: https://www.archivalmethods.com/product/black-gray-card-stock

The paper suggested above, and this black museum board are both archival quality and buffered. That fact that they are buffered will help neutralize the acid in ambrotypes, which makes them suitable for long term storage. Always pay attention to whether the archival materials are buffered or un-buffered, as some items can be damaged by buffered materials—such as cyanotypes, and high-protein materials like leather and silks. Buffered archival materials can actually damage those GAR reunion ribbons, and the like, so it’s an important characteristic to take note of.

If nothing else, I hope we have finally settled the question—is sandpaper archival? No. No it is not, and please for the sake of my blood pressure, do not put it behind your ambrotypes! Also, please don’t trace over original Civil War letters with ballpoint pens….

Angry Archivist: Taping a Tintype

Posted on April 30, 2025May 20, 2025 by Johanna Wickman

In my last “Angry Archivist” post I complained about someone who traced over an original Civil War letter with ballpoint pen and taped it, and today I’m extending that complaint to folks who tape historic photographs–specifically, taping a tintype.

Here you can see how someone used packing tape to secure the tintype image into the copper frame. Finding things like this makes me an Angry Archivist...please don't do this! — Here you can see how someone used packing tape to secure the tintype image into the copper frame. Finding things like this makes me an Angry Archivist…please don’t do this!

Just this week, while processing a new batch of photographs to add to the Research Arsenal database, I was horrified to find an extremely valuable tintype taped into its frame. Now, I understand whoever did this was probable trying to prevent it from sliding inside the copper frame, but tape is not the answer, my friend.

Not only was this tape, it was PACKING tape. This stuff is great for mailing boxes, and other uses where it is not designed to be removed without leaving a trace. It is not designed to be used to secure artifacts to frames. I guess I should be glad it wasn’t duct tape—it could have been worse!

"Action shot" of slowly peeling the packing tape from the back of the photograph. This is not something you want to end up having to do! — “Action shot” of slowly peeling the packing tape from the back of the photograph. This is not something you want to end up having to do!

Luckily, I was able to peel off the tape by going very slowly and only had to deal with gummy tape residue in a couple spots. The residue rubbed off gently without the need for additional methods likely indicating that the tape was applied recently. Typically, the older the packing tape, the more gooey it is when you try to remove it. And it’s sad that I know that because that means I’ve removed more packing tape from artifacts than I’d like to admit.

When I first posted about cataloging your collection and the different ways to number your items, the first rule I hammered home was to make sure that whatever you are doing with your items is reversible—don’t write on them when Sharpies, cut them, thumbtack them, etc. Applying packing tape to them is one of those things that can cause permanent damage.

Using Polyethylene Foam Instead

Now, I understand that collectors like to display their tintypes and sometimes the images are loose in their frames. I’m not just going to beat folks up for doing the wrong thing without offering a solution. If you are having this problem, I recommend investing in some Ethafoam or Volara foam.

Here is an example of using Volara foam to cushion boxes, the same way that you can use it to cushion the point of contact between the copper frame and the tintype. This pictured foam can be found here.

Ethafoam (or Volara) is a closed-cell polyethylene foam that is inert, waterproof, fantastic for cushioning, and comes in a variety of thicknesses. You can buy a block of it and carve it to cushion a large 3D artifact, or you can buy it in sheets, which is what you’d want to do in this case.

Using a thin sheet of polyethylene foam (about ¼ inch thick) cut it into a small strip to fit between the folding edge of the copper frame and the tintype itself. This will essentially give the tintype a little extra thickness to ensure that the frame can hold it in place. The foam will not damage the tintype in any way, in fact, it will prevent any scratches from the copper onto the back of the image.

An important thing to note is that you MUST make sure that the polyethylene foam is inert and appropriate for long-term storage. There are a number of low-cost polyethylene foam options available online, but they are for packing and shipping, not archival use. Look for brands like Ethafoam or Volara and check the item descriptions to ensure that they are safe for long-term use.

If you have fragile artifacts, you can use this foam to line their storage boxes for extra protection. You can use it to line the display shelves that your artifacts sit on, and you can use it to cushion between artifacts in boxes. It is a very useful collections care item to have on hand.

In a pinch, if you do not have foam or are unable to purchase some, I would recommend using archival tissue to do the same thing. You may need to fold some tissue several times on itself to make it thick enough, but this will also work and will not cause any damage to the image or leave any sticky tape residue.

As much as I don’t like to find these archival faux pas in my work, I am happy to take the opportunity to provide a little education and hopefully stop a future incident happening. Remember, in the world of archives, packing tape, duct tape, or scotch tape is never an option! It may be tempting as an easy fix, but it’s never a good choice!

Angry Archivist: Tracing Civil War History With a Ballpoint Pen

Posted on March 19, 2025May 22, 2025 by Johanna Wickman

This letter was written by Lt. Horatio Graves of the 10th Massachusetts Infantry in June 1864. At some point in recent history, the original writing has been traced over in spots with a modern ballpoint pen.

Working with archives and artifacts, you are bound to come across things that make you cringe or outright cry. I have been working in museums and with historic material for over 16 years now, and the things I see sometimes still shock me. No one wants an “angry archivist” so I am going to share some of the more unfortunate things I’ve encountered in this (and future) blog posts in the hopes of offering solutions so that these things can be avoided in the future.

One thing that is important to get straight right off the bat: If you are a collector of anything historic (ANY item of historical significance) you are not its owner, you are its caretaker. Bluntly, this means that this item should continue to exist long after you have kicked the proverbial bucket. Which also means that it should continue to exist in its purest form. It should not be modified in any way from its original form. Anything done to archive material or artifacts should be reversible—or in the case of conservation, be done by professionals to avoid irreversible damage. Tracing Civil War history with a ballpoint pen causes irreversible damage to documents.

The Ballpoint Pen

Civil War letter traced with ballpoint pen — This original Civil War letter written in pencil has been traced over by a modern hand with ballpoint pen.

Take a look at this wonderful original Civil War letter. Look at that lovely blue ink it is written in…wait, why is it in a mixture of pencil and ink? Why does that blue ink look like ballpoint pen ink? They didn’t have those in the Civil War, did they? No, no they did not. This letter was written in pencil, but at some point in its lifetime, a former owner of the document decided it was hard to read. So, what did they do? They busted out their trusty ballpoint pen and TRACED OVER THE ORIGINAL WRITING WITH PERMANENT BLUE INK.

Folks, I cannot stress this enough, please, please do not do this. I understand that 160-year-old pencil writing can be difficult to read, but tracing over the original writing on a period document is an archival crime.

Here are some alternatives:

Rewrite the letter onto a separate sheet of paper. Or, better yet, type it on your computer!
Scan the letter and use a photo editing program to enhance the contrast and make the writing more readable.
Literally anything that does not deface the original document.

The Tape

Civil War letter with acidic tape — Here you can see how acidic old cellophane tape is. Even where the tape has crumbled off, the yellow stain remains on the document.

As you can imagine, documents from the Civil War are extremely fragile. Some are even falling apart. Unfortunately, for this document, not only was the pencil writing difficult to read, but it was tearing along the creases where the letter had been originally folded. But not to worry! The former owner of it knew just what to do! TAPE IT. Sigh.

Crumbly acidic yellowed tape is something I see far too often on archival documents. And I understand why people did this. The paper was old, it was falling apart, and they tried their best to keep it together. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Unfortunately, tape is not archival—it is extremely acidic. Especially that old transparent cellophane tape from the 1960s and 1970s. Over time, it turns a beautiful shade of yellow, gets super crumbly, and begins to eat the paper. Lovely, isn’t it? And once it’s on there, much like the ballpoint pen, the damage is irreversible. In fact, if you look closely at this photo you can see where the acidic tape has actually eaten through the paper and dissolved it.

Here you can see how the acidic tape actually ate through the paper of the letter causing irreversible damage.

This is a quandary though. If you have historical documents like this, it’s important to preserve them. But if they are falling apart, what can you do? I’ll give you a hint, the answer is not to tape them back together. The first option I would recommend are archival sleeves. Specifically, polypropylene sleeves that are side locking. These are perfectly clear, durable, and archivally safe. This means no yellowing! Or slow acidic eating of documents! What’s better is that they are side locking. This means that you can easily open the sleeve, gently place your document inside it, and then “lock” it with the folding flap. The sleeve then safely holds your paper with a small bit of static and pressure of the top flap to ensure that it does not slide around inside. These types of sleeves come in a variety of sizes so that you can put everything from CDVs to oversized parchment certificates in them. Archival Methods is a great place to purchase some if you are interested: https://www.archivalmethods.com/product/side-loading-print-sleeves

These side-locking print sleeves from Archival Methods will keep your fragile documents safe without causing further damage and degradation.

When shopping for sleeves, I recommend the side-locking type, although there are other varieties that seal on two or three sides. I discourage using the ones that are sealed on three sides because that only allows one side to insert the document, and if it is fragile (as all Civil War era papers are) there is a much higher chance it will be damaged trying to place it in the sleeve. Because the side-locking ones are only sealed on one side, they open easily allowing you to place the document inside gently, and then fold it back over, minimizing stress on the document.

Digitize Everything

The second thing I would recommend is to digitize your documents. In museums, we always try to minimize the amount that any original document or artifact is handled. The more it is handled the more it starts to degrade. Tears on paper get bigger, edges can start to crumble, the leather on artifacts starts to deteriorate faster, etc. Once something is digitized it reduces the need to handle the original object. This is especially true with papers because they can easily be read on a high quality scan (300 dpi). Once the document is scanned, it can be stored safely in a sleeve inside an archival folder and box.

I understand that most collectors are not trained in museum and archival best practices. And I hope that sharing some of the suggestions above will help prevent more incidents like what I’ve discussed. I’ll continue to post and share helpful hints and tips on this blog and share resources of other sites that may be helpful for you in managing your collections. The most important thing to keep in mind when storing or working with your collection is: Is what you are doing permanent? If it is, do not do it. Don’t write on original documents with permanent pen, don’t cut them with scissors to better fit that neat frame you bought, don’t tape them back together, don’t hang them up in sunlight to fade, etc. You are the proud caretaker of these items, and if treated well, they will continue to last for future generations whether in private collections or museums. Once they are permanently ruined, there is no going back.

Where Can You See These Letters?

To see the letters referenced in this post visit the Research Arsenal database.

The first letter pictured can be found here: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/130324

An example of tape destruction can be found here: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/130294

The rest of the Horatio Graves letter collection can be found by searching by “Individual” and typing in “Horatio Graves” on the Research Arsenal database.