Conservation Treatment of Photographs

Current Status of Treatment Practices in Photograph Conservation Interview questionnaire a. Could you please tell me your name, job title and affiliation? b. When was this conservation lab established and for how long have you been working here? (if applicable) c. Could you describe your clientele? [for private practice] Definition 1. How do you define treatment? Need 2. How do you determine the need for treatment? 3. Would you propose the establishment of a regular treatment program for the collection? [for institutions] Type & Aim 4. What is the scope of treatments that you perform and the types of photographs you treat most frequently? 5. What is the aim of the treatments? 6. Could you describe, as an example, the intervention of a photograph you treated (methodology followed)? 7. How do you evaluate treatment results? Degree/Extent of intervention 8. What do you consider as a minor, moderate and major intervention? 9. Do you consider the creation and application of secondary ho...

After producing the first questionnaires and analyzing the project scope, it was decided that the interviews would only include North American Conservators (conservators working in US). After presenting the project at the George Eastman House in December 2008 , the project description had evolved to the following: Current Status of Treatment Practices in Photograph Conservation Statement of Purpose This research will create a basic reference resource (interviews-based) that describes and addresses the current status of treatment within the profession, its philosophies, history; and the criteria and methodologies used for its evaluation. The objective of this resource is to gather and make accessible the knowledge and experience of a group of key individuals in the field, answering fundamental questions that relate to our work. Significance Treatment is one of the activities that characterize and differentiate a photograph conservator from other closely related specialists. The possibil...

Project proposal - September 2008 Statement of Purpose This research will create a basic reference resource (interviews-based) that describes and addresses the current status of treatment within the profession, its philosophies, history; and the criteria and methodologies used for its evaluation. The objective of this resource is to gather and make accessible the knowledge and experience of a group of key individuals in the field, answering fundamental questions that relate to our work. Significance Treatment is one of the activities that characterize and differentiate a photograph conservator from other closely related specialists. The possibilities for treating photographic materials depend on a series of complex case-based variables (not only considering the materiality of the object but its present and future context and use) and international accepted standards of practice. Therefore it is important to understand, document and communicate the way in which treatment is approached, ...