Question for Photo Experts

[rman444]

Question for Photo Experts

Can you please tell me if any or all of the following types of photography can fade if exposed to light? If so, what is the best way to store/display?

1) Dagguerotypes
2) Ambrotypes
3) Tintypes

Thanks!

[jbsports33]

Keep them in a dry cool environment away from light especially the Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes. If you are just viewing these photos for just a few minutes under indoor light that would be okay. The tintypes are less fragile and can be exposed to sun light or other types of light for a short period of time, but you should still store them away from light.

Jimmy

[oriolesbb6]

I'm not an expert however, I've seen valuable old tintypes ruined by being placed in clear vinyl album pages (the type sold for baseball cards) and then left to cook in the sun at an outdoor market. Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and early tintypes were usually sold in small folding cases. The cases were designed to keep the fragile surfaces of these images safe behind glass. Over the years, the cover glass in the cases can crack or become dirty and ultimately result in fading.

[Ladder7]

UV glass can be purchased for short money. Ive had some valuable old photos & premiums matted and framed with this glass, at our local AC Moore frame shop.

Also, I have some not-so valuable BB photos in the large Beckett slabs, which are UV protected (SGC and PSA are not). Unfortunately, behind the plastic layering, image clarity suffers a bit.

[barrysloate]

Dags in particular can fade but keep in mind they are over 150 years old...if they haven't faded by now, they aren't likely to do so under your watch. But it's always best to keep all photographs away from direct light.

[drc]

If you use UV glass and display them in a shady area, you'll probably fine. These types fade a lot less in light than an albumen cabinet card, so are less worrisome. I know an advanced longtime collector who has a display glass of Dags in his home, and he knows all about conservation and that kind of stuff.

[rman444]

Thanks for the info.

I am currently displaying an ambro in a case, but opened up flat under an LED (which I believe is awful from a UV standpoint). I also have a bunch of tintypes displayed bare with indirect LED and ambient light. I don't think I have ever seen a faded tintype before, but I don't think I want to wait and find out. I will probably leave everything covered up until I have someone over to look at them.