Archival tips | Research Arsenal

How to Handle and Store Glass Plate Negatives

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Steve

In this blog and the next entry, I’ll be going over how to handle, clean, store and digitize your glass plate negatives. Properly caring for these negatives is important to ensure that they continue to survive for decades (and centuries) to come, and so that the image emulsion is not inadvertently damaged by improper storage and handling. Please also consider cataloging your negatives as you go through this process. A related blog entry on cataloging can be found here.

If you’re starting an extensive archive of 19^th century archives that includes photographic material, you will likely eventually run into glass plate negatives. These are different from tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerreotypes. There are two types of glass negatives: wet collodion (used between 1855 and late 1880s) and gelatin dry (used from the late 1880s to the early 1920s). The main difference between the two is that the wet collodion glass plates would need to be prepared by the photographer and immediately exposed and then processed by the photographer, all while remaining wet. The invention of gelatin dry plate negatives allowed the photographer to prepare the glass plates in advance before exposing them to light. By the 1880s ready-made gelatin dry plates were available for purchase to photography studios and amateur photographers alike. By the 1920s these plates were being replaced by dry gelatin paper negatives and flexible celluloid film rolls.

How NOT to Store Glass Plate Negatives

In all honesty, coming across a batch of glass negatives in this situation is not the worst-case scenario. They are at least wrapped and somewhat protected from the environment and each other, which far beats them just scattered loose in a box without any protection. Still, this is not ideal.

How to Store Glass Plate Negatives Instead

This is an example of glass negatives in protective archival sleeves stored in an archival box designed to house glass plate negatives. These boxes come in all sizes to house different sized glass plate negatives.

Here you can see some glass negatives in protective sleeves inside an archival box specifically made to house them. These dividers accommodate 3-4 plates (depending on thickness) in each pocket. Now, special note here: I have these plates sitting vertically in this picture. This is because I am in the process of digitizing them and it allows me easier access to remove each plate. For proper long-term storage, these plates would be turned onto their long edge so that they would fit snugly between the dividers of the box.

There are a few archival businesses who sell specially made glass plate negative boxes and dividers. The one seen in the photographs here is from Talas and can be purchased here. You will need both the box and the folding protective sleeves.

Important things to Consider

You will want to wear gloves when handling these negatives. You don’t want to run the risk of getting fingerprints on them or scratching the emulsion. However, cotton gloves can snag on the emulsion (especially if it is already flaking) and they also can make your grip slippery, and dropping a glass plate negative would be very BAD. Instead of cotton gloves, use latex or nitrile gloves that have a more rubbery texture.
The emulsion side of the negative is EXTREMELY fragile. It can scratch off, be washed off, and even just flake off over time. Be extremely careful when handling and do not handle the negative where that can be damaged. Grip it from opposite edges, like you’d hold a CD, do not place your fingers on the emulsion.
Your negative may discolor over time. This is natural and due to the chemicals involved. Wet collodion plate negatives tend to turn brown or have a sepia tone due to the varnish that was applied to them. Gelatin dry plate negatives were sometimes varnished and can have a purplish tone but usually have a grey or black image tone.

Cleaning Your Glass Plate Negative

Ideally, this is something that should be done by a professional, but I know there are some antiques dealers and collectors (I’m not pointing fingers…) who can be a little brazen with their attempts to “spruce up” their collectibles, and I’d rather provide solid information for those who are going to forge ahead anyway, instead of not including it.

This is important and also very risky, as you do not want to damage the negative in the process. Do not attempt to clean the emulsion side with any liquids, chemicals or solvents.

The West Virginia University Library outlines a good step-by-step process to clean the glass side (non-emulsion) side of a glass plate negative using ONLY distilled water. If you choose to do this, please follow their steps closely and carefully in order to avoid any unintentional damage.

As opposed to doing this yourself, you may find that your local museum or university archive may be able to help you—or may even help clean them for you. In the next post I’ll go over how to digitize your glass plate negatives and that is also something that your local museum or archive may also be able to assist with.

The most important thing to remember is to not do anything that is irreversible—in other words, don’t wash off the emulsion! And always remember to ask questions if you are unsure of what to do. There are resources available online and also locally at museums and archives who can help you.

Angry Archivist: Taping a Tintype

Posted on April 30, 2025May 4, 2025 by Steve

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!

How to Label Your Collection

Posted on April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 by Steve

Last week we discussed how museum and archive numbering systems work, and this week we are going to discuss how to label your collection. This is a relatively straightforward process, but there are a few key things to keep in mind as you go. The main rule of thumb is that however you add your catalog number to your object or document, it is done in a non-permanent way. In other words, don’t pull out the Sharpie and start writing all over your things! Sadly, I have seen that happen in museums, and that’s definitely something we want to avoid!

How to Label Your Collection: Writing Directly on the Document Vs. Archival Sleeves

When you’re working with paper or photographic archives there are two schools of thought with regard to how they should be numbered. Some folks will write VERY lightly in pencil the catalog numbers on the bottom right (or left) corner of the document—typically on the back. This way the writing is not visible from the front if it is on display, the writing is reversible because it can be erased, and the size of the writing is very small so that it is not intrusive. This method can work for relatively modern documents. For example, if you have someone’s 1980s era research notes that you are adding into your collection you may choose to number it that way. For Civil War era paper materials (including CDVs), I would hesitate to use this method, simply because the documents are often very fragile—and in some cases disintegrating—to the point that should that number ever be erased, doing so would likely destroy the paper. The advantage of lightly writing the number in pencil on the document directly ensures that it will never be separated from the number. If using this method, do not use a mechanical pencil as it is often too sharp and can damage old paper or leave an imprint that shows through the front. Use a 2B soft leaded pencil, sharpen it, and then use a piece of scratch paper to soften the tip of the lead so that it is a bit duller. The below video shows how to mark papers, photographs, and books using this method.

Personally, the method I prefer (and the one we use at the Research Arsenal) is to write the number on the clear archival sleeve that protects the document. This ensures that the document is not directly affected by the writing. Should the number ever need to be changed it only needs to be placed in a new sleeve with the correct number. You can use a fine point Sharpie to write on the sleeve and the ink will not smear. Be sure it has dried completely before you place a document inside just in case the document touches the ink.

Here is an example of writing the catalog number directly on the archival sleeve.

If your documents are digitized (which they all should be eventually) then there will be minimal need to handle the original documents in the future. If you want to read through them or look up something with them, you only need to use the digital scan, rather than handling the original document which can further degrade it.

How to Label Your Collection: Tagging Objects

How to tag your collection, artifact tags — This is an example of a museum artifact tag sold by Gaylord here.

In this case, I am going to include tintypes (in cases) and ambrotypes as objects as opposed to archives simply because they are not made of paper material. Anything not made of paper will typically fall into the object category and use tags. Tintype photos not in cases can be safely stored in archival sleeves and can be numbered using the above method of numbering the sleeve.

Objects will need an archival tag which consists of a small square of archival cardstock strung on a loop of archival string. These come in all sorts of sizes and shapes and can be used on a variety of objects. They are also easily removed if need be and can be arranged in such a way that they are not obtrusive if the object is on exhibit.

To use a tag, you will want to write the catalog number on the tag and if there is room, a one- or two-word description. A tag for a M1851 Colt Navy Revolver might look like “2025.002.0014 M1851 Colt Navy Revolver” and that’s it. You can shorten or lengthen in to your preference, the intention being that it allows you to easily identify what item the tag goes with, should it become separated, and also so that you can easily identify what the object is without needing to look it up. To write on the tags you can use the fine point Sharpie again.

You’ll want to loop the tag around the object in some fashion so that it is unlikely to fall off. In the above example of the Colt Navy Revolver, you could loop it around the trigger guard. For objects that don’t have an obvious way to loop the tag, you’ll have to get a bit more creative. You can tuck the tag inside the case of a tintype, loop it around a buttonhole, tuck it in the band of a hat, etc. It will vary from object to object. No matter what the object is and how difficult it is to find a way to secure the tag, do NOT tape, glue, or otherwise use adhesives to attach it. If you are working with small objects, maybe say, Minie balls, you may wish to keep them in a small Riker mount and then tag the mount or keep them in a small archival box with the tag inside the box. The most important thing to consider in all of this is that what we are doing does not have any permanent effect on the object.

I’ll leave you with this link to some “horror stories” of museum numbering fiascos that you may find entertaining. Whatever you do, don’t do what these folks did! https://world.museumsprojekte.de/how-not-to-number-objects/

Tracing Civil War History With a Ballpoint Pen

Posted on March 19, 2025April 23, 2025 by Steve

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.