1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- Restoration COMPLETE! - 6 March

[ivan salis]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

wow cool photo --"seeing him" --- would only spark my interest farther to try and find out the who and when of him -- he looks alive indeed --eyes open and such --and fairly well dressed to boot --- so a "death photo" is out --- great find --- Ivan

 

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[Nana40]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Oh my goodness! What an exciting find! I would have been sooo nervous opening it up! :P

Many congrats on that find! Nana

 

[bookfisher]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Very, very cool! WTG!

 

[Jimmy(PA)]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

I agree very impressive find. I wish the one I found still had a viewable pic. Maybe I'll try taking it apart today and see if I have any luck.

Jim

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

WOW!!! Awesome...glad you were able to take the frame apart without any damage!!!

I copied your photo and tried to do a "quickie" restoration to it....it does appear he may have facial hair on the chin and sides of his face....

Can't wait to see your finished product!!! This is the stuff I really love to see!
Good Luck,
Annmarie

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Fairly nice work Annmarie, thanks for posting your results, fun playing with photos.

I am taking it slow, right now the glass is still soaking in 50/50 water and ammonia, just checked it and still foggy on one side. I have read that all conservators just about always replace the glass with modern,more inert glass, but I will stick with original.

Next the copper insert that was directly against the photo plate is now soaking in distilled water, not sure where I will go next with it for the copper salt damage.

The photo itself I am waiting for a few replies from experts on any help they might offer. I am afraid most photo conservators do not or have not dealt too much with ground found photos for restoration. They say the Dagaerreotypes are the most fragile of all photos and worry about just how normal air and moisture can adversely affect the photos, yet alone one that was buried in the ground for over 150 years and recovered filled with water!

Found another great website explaining the history of Daguerreotypes and one thing I learned is, mine is no earlier than 1842, since the top two corners are not sharp, that was not started till around 1842 to prevent damage during the plate making process due to sharp corners.

http://www.finedags.com/index.shtm

Don

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Thanks Don...

I could have done a better job at it...but I wanted results now LOL...I love restoring old photos...some take longer to do than others...I've done so many from my family and a couple of friends....

I understand, with something like this...it's not doing it on the computer...please do take your time...I just can't wait to see the outcome!!!

I wish I could find something like this. Closet I got to an old photo (Civil War) in a picture frame I bid on it from an Estate Sale....photo of a guy from the Civil War in it...but haven't been able to find out who he is....But I still keep it....Although, the only thing in the box I wanted was the picture frame!!!

We patiencely await the results!!! Thanks for sharing,
Annmarie

 

[Mental Granny]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Wow that is fabulous it looks like you are doing a great job restoring it, cant wait to see what happens next it is really wonderful to see something like this being saved!

 

[Baggins]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Man, that is such a cool find!
Hope it turns out great!
Baggins

 

[lockman209]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

very nice

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Don,

I have a good friend who does photo restoration in New York. I will give him a call, and send him a link to this post. I don't know if he can help you or not--but he'll at least be able to offer some sound advice one-on-one. That photo is WONDERFUL! If I had found that piece, it would CERTAINLY be my favorite find. So, does it knock the homemade copper U.S. plate off the top of your list?




Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Don,

I have a good friend who does photo restoration in New York. I will give him a call, and send him a link to this post. I don't know if he can help you or not--but he'll at least be able to offer some sound advice one-on-one. That photo is WONDERFUL! If I had found that piece, it would CERTAINLY be my favorite find. So, does it knock the homemade copper U.S. plate off the top of your list?




Regards,


Buckleboy

That would be great BB if he could offer even a tiny bit of advice, other than leave it alone or to a pro , I am really worried that it has to be couple steps, first the copper corrosion, then the silver oxide cleaning. I already have to replace the glass, which I will attempt tomorrow to hone up on my finger cutting, errr I mean glass cutting skills. I do have frame glass the right thickness, so hopefully tomorrow that will be done. The copper frame and insert are still soaking in distilled water and I am leaving them there for a day or two, changing the water tomorrow with fresh hot distilled water.

My US homemade plate remains number one and King George I Indian Peace Medal remains number two but this is number three I am sure, at least at the moment.

Don

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Don, it may take me a few days to track him down--he's pretty darned busy. So hold tight.

And I wish you many more fantastic finds this year to add to your Top Ten List.

 

[River Rat]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Don, this is just so incredible. Congrats on the find and keep us informed. Words cannot express what I want to say, I'm just sitting here flabbergasted.

RR

 

[Michiganne]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

I have to agre with everyone else: an excellent, historic find. Very cool. WTG and keep digging!

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Donny - I found this while looking for other stuff... thought I would share it with you...

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...pender+hook+&start=40&ndsp=20&um=1&hl=en&sa=N

2/3s down the page...

I added your pic to show the similarities...

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

I honestly can say that finding that and saving the photo as you have...........BANNER material. Definately a once in a life time find, I'd leave the spots on the picture and work on the glass. Makes it an antique.

Wonderful piece of histiry Don! Can't wait to see what else you get out of there.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Nice work on the interior metal border inside the frame, Jim! So that exterior protective case around the frame was gutta percha. So cool. That was one of the "big" discoveries of the 1840's. Some items made of gutta percha saw CW use. I have heard that these items survive the years underground fairly well. Its neat to see that photo. Nothing is made of that material anymore.

-Buckleboy

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Nice work on the interior metal border inside the frame, Jim! So that exterior protective case around the frame was gutta percha. So cool. That was one of the "big" discoveries of the 1840's. Some items made of gutta percha saw CW use. I have heard that these items survive the years underground fairly well. Its neat to see that photo. Nothing is made of that material anymore.

-Buckleboy

Yuppers... Wingman Tony dug a gutta percha comb piece last summer... that stuff lasts forever! It was a revolutionary thing in it's time.

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: 1840-1860 era Antique Photo Portrait- UPDATED

Donny - I found this while looking for other stuff... thought I would share it with you...

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...pender+hook+&start=40&ndsp=20&um=1&hl=en&sa=N

2/3s down the page...

I added your pic to show the similarities...

WOW Montana Jim...nice research! That is so beautiful and Don's is going to look just as nice when it's all cleaned up!!!