Stuck on photos

[SaxyJag]

I'm typing up my mum-in-law's memoirs for her with a view to publishing them. She's let me have a number of old photos to scan and use. The thing is, some well-meaning carer at the old folks' home decided she would type up the ms and put it in a presentation folder, which she's done (not very well, I hasten to add).

The real problem is that she had no idea of the archival value of the photos and actually glued them to the A4 paper. Now, I could scan them like this, but clearly, gluing old photos in place isn't ideal and I'd like to detach them from the paper. There is handwriting on the backs of some of them and many of them are of the old 'postcard' design popular in the early C20th.

Is it safe to steam them apart? I have no idea what type of glue has been used.

[gen2]

Whatever you do, don't get steam near old photos. The surface is gelatin and will melt, dissolve and disappear if you do that. You'll just be left with the plain card.

[SaxyJag]

Unfortunately the woman who committed the 'crime' has left. I'm toying with idea of just cutting around them and leaving them on the paper they're stuck to for now, until we know of a surefire way to do it. At least that way I can mount them properly using corners.

Considering the botch job she's done on the typing, I would hazard a guess that she just went down to the nearest newsagent and bought a bottle of that treacle-coloured gum.

Would it help to store the photos in damp-ish environment for a while, say the garage or the conservatory? No? I bet you'll say no!

[alan30]

What about asking at local museum of records centre? They must deal with all sorts of problems with old materials and may be able to pint you in the right direction.

[alan30]

That should read local museum or records centre. In England records centres are often County Council based.

[spook]

pva glue dries like a clear plastic, this is a water based glue but is hard to remove when dried and does not soften easily once dried.

paper sticking gums come either clear or some times golden in colour, these are water based and may soften with a application of water to moisten.

if the glue used is a tea/coffee brown coloured type of glue or even clear, but of a hard rubbery stubstance don't do anything. these glues need strong solvent chemicals such as turps to be removed. this will damage the photo even more. seek expert advice rather than tackle the unkown

[spook]

if the glue is in spots, at the corners of the photo, you could try,( if you feel confident enough to do so ), dampening the the paper on the back carefuul with a sponge to re-soften the glue. only try this though, on very sturdy photos and ones in nearly new condition.

don't try this on postcards as the inks will smudge easily.

i agree with alan to get expert advice though.

[SaxyJag]

Thanks for all your answers - you really did save me some grief.

I'm in regular contact with our records office through my work, so I'll speak to them.

Interestingly, one of the newspaper clippings, already stuck to the back of the original m/s, but then cut out and stuck on again, I managed to steam off in order to get the 'missing' bit of the manuscript. This has come away cleanly and I can read all of it.

Spook - no, it's not the treacle-y stuff. Not brown in any way, so I'm wondering about that solid white paste you get at stationers. And unfortunately the backs have been covered in glue and stuck on never to be removed.

Ooh, I could throttle that woman. I wish people would leave alone what they know nothing about!! Grrr!

[spook]

that sounds like the nasty pva glue.

if its hard and semi tranparent thats pva unfornately there is nothing you can do. sorry

it might though, help strengthen the photo. best try to see if any old negatives to the photos still exist.