Connecting to Collections Care

I trained in textile conservation, not photographic materials, and I am having difficulty trying to find resources which address the subject of removal of mold/mold stains on photographic slides-can it be done? Should it be done? If so, what factors do you need to consider? Etc. The mold appears to be old (so, more of a stain than particulate accretion) and non-viable at this point as the slides are now in a climate controlled room. It is a personal collection of family slides from ~1950s-70s. I am exploring the possibilities for removal because the owner is interested in digitizing them for the family to share and preserve but doesn't want to start before finding out if the mold stains can be removed.

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Alyssa Opishinski
Graduate Student
University of Rhode Island
East Greenwich RI
(401) 219-0759
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Thank you! This looks very interesting.

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Alyssa Opishinski
Graduate Student
University of Rhode Island
East Greenwich RI
(401) 219-0759
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-22-2022 06:44
From: Luisa Casella
Subject: Looking for Resources on Removing Mold Stains from Photographic Slides

Dear Alyssa,

Lénia Fernandes and Katrin Pietsch researched and published on this topic.

See: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336220804_Mouldy_Matters_conserving_Ed_van_der_Elsken%27s_42000_colour_slides

Hi Alyssa,

I have no idea how one might go about removing mold stains from slides. Hopefully someone from photo conservation will step forward with just the right solution.

You mentioned that the slides are stored in cold storage, so mold growth is arrested and that the family plans to digitize the slides for family use. I am curious if you or the family have considered digital restoration of the scans using photoshop. I suppose it depends on how much the staining affects the images, and how many slides we're talking about, but it might be an easier solution, especially if there is any concern about damaging the slides during mold remediation.

William

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William Donnelly
Associate Preventive Conservator and Affiliated Instructor WUDPAC
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Winterthur DE
(302) 888-4680
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Hi Alyssa,

I am late getting to this, but both of the responses offer great information. As the article that Luisa Casella shared demonstrates, stain reduction from the slides would likely be a complex process best taken on by a conservator specializing in photographic materials. Even then, the work may be expensive and, depending on how seriously damaged the slides are, it may not be possible to achieve results that would meet the owner's expectations. 

William Donnelley's suggestion to consider digital vs. physical stain reduction seems very practical to me, especially since digital images are the objective anyway. If you're able to consult with a photo conservator regardless, to confirm that the mold is inactive and would not pose risks to anyone handling the slides, and to advise on any work that should be done to clean or prepare the slides before scanning, I would recommend doing that.

Thanks, and please write again if you have more questions.
Rebecca


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Rebecca Smyrl
Connecting to Collections Care Monitor
Assistant Conservator for Special Collections
UNC Chapel Hill Libraries
Chapel Hill NC
(919) 962-4250
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