If you never do another thing with your photos, and we pretty much all have these, please remove your photos from those “magnetic” photo albums from the 80s. They were touted as being convenient, which they were, and a great way to protect your photos, which they were NOT. There were really no archival quality standards available to the public in those days and I doubt if any of the manufacturers of photo albums or any other photo related products even considered long-term effects on the photos themselves. It turns out that the sticky stuff on the back of the pages where you stuck your photos was made of a substance that, particularly when covered over by the clear mylar “protective” sheets, locked in gases that severly deteriorated the dyes, ink, emulsions, etc. that created the image on the photos surface. Very bad stuff. It interacted especially badly with the photos of the time, images often losing virtually all color except one – red. (See below) So if you still have any of those albums stashed away anywhere, get them out and c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y remove the photos ASAP. Remember, every day your precious photos remain in those nasty things, is another day of unnecessary deterioration. Taking them out will at least stop that.
The second problem is that after all this time, there will likely be photos that are well and truly stuck to the back page. If you find yourself in this situation STOP. Take out what you can and put them in archival quality photo boxes (like shoe boxes but for photos) which are now available very inexpensively through various resources. I have some ideas and techniques that have worked for me sometimes but not always to remove those stuck-on photos, but this would be a good time and place for you all to chime in with techniques you’ve successfully used. I’d also be interested in knowing some of the places you may have found some inexpensive “archival” storage materials for your photos. So be careful, but DO remove your photos and let us know how it’s going.
A hui ho! (‘Til Next Time)
Merrilee
Hmm, interesting site. I do have those “stuck in” photos. Tried to peel them out, only to accidentally bend them whilst they stayed where they are.
Bad move, I know, but…I didn’t know it was going to turn out that way. Some did come out, but not all.
Anyway, good luck w/your new site.
Aslbikelady
Hello Merrilee and all Readers .
I am enjoying this new blog , well done Merrilee , very helpful and interesting .
Readers , I have had restoration work on my old Family photographs , all left in the trustworthy – and skilled- hands of Merrilee . My Grandma’s wedding picture is the one displayed here in the blog and I can testify to the dreadful state of the original photo , I found it pushed to the back of an old cupboard after Grandad died , phew it was bad ! We now have a lovely photo to display , thanks Merrilee , job well done !
I recommend trusting Merrilee when it comes to anything to do with photo’s of your treasured family members .
Kindest wishes, Silver Lady .