Help: Don't Want to Ruin It -

Anymore than it already is. It's a great daguerreotype (I think that's what it is).

This is one of those images that you have to look at just right or else the image disappears.

As you can see from the photo, it's FILTHY. But, it's not on the outside, it's on the inside. I removed it from the case, and thought the glass would just slip off. But, I think it's taped onto the photo.



My first problem is, if I remove the tape, will the glass pulling from the photo destroy the photo? If I manage to get the glass off, what do I use to clean the photo?It's a shame if I can't do anything, it's great.

I picked this up today and it was in the bottom of a junk pile. I have no idea if it's real. But, it's in pretty good shape, and the cheeks while faded, seem to have a little red, like they did way back when. The back is in excellent shape. Almost too excellent.

Is this possibly a soldier?




THANK YOU! Happy memorial day... even to this guy, whoever he is.

 

Do not do anything to the daguerreotype. Its taped/has it's original seal as it should. If you were to remove the glass cover, that's all that you'd want to touch/clean. Daguerreotypes without their seals/covers are very very easy to damage.

That discoloration around the edges wouldn't go away anyway.

 

Thanks. I'll leave it as is. It's just disgusting. Which is a shame. It's a great photo.

That's even more eerie.

 

You got great advice from @Kronos . Don't ever touch the surface of a daguerreotype. Since this one needs lots of care, you could send it to a professional who does this type of work. Maybe they could do something with the mat, which appears to be somewhat corroded or dirty, too. But all of that would cost some money, so you'd have to factor that in. And it's true, as Kronos wrote, that some of the damage to the image is not removable. What does its case look like? It would be best left in the case.

 

@Snowman Cometh, I think it "might" be a man in the group female image - that figure that's pretty much obliterated............

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Another vote for Do Not Touch. I'm usually pretty cavalier about restoration but uh they were not meant to be taken apart, and definitely not a DIY situation. Sometimes it's good to just let something show the passage of time honestly.

 

It is a man. I would imagine the father. It's my lousy photography. He's just as visible as the women in person.

I bought this with the same group. It's a shame, the woman is perfect, and the man has vanished from existence, except at the proper angle you can see the opposite to a certain degree.

I agree with passage of time taking it's toll. But, when something is as nice as this, it deserves to be taken care of. For the last 60 years (going back to the 60s) caring for precious memories has faded. This was more than likely stored in a cardboard box in some storage unit that rained on it, had no temperature control, and had bugs crawling on it for decades. Modern photos (60s forward), just go into the garbage.

 

maybe they got a divorce....

 

@spartcom5 has done some nice restorations on daguerreotypes and gives a link to the process.
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/a...toration-lady-in-a-bonnet.50725/#post-2298546