Hi Joseph,
I heard back from one of our photo experts who offered up the following information:
Hello Joseph,
The 1990s were a time of flux with the digital printing in commercial product lines. We were a dealer for some of each manufacturer's paper for analog and digital printing. We had several experiences with the Kodak Royal digital paper and even some of the FujiFilm Crystal Archive.
The FujiFilm papers were the first of the more "stable" printing papers, though they were also sensitive to moisture. The Kodak papers we saw from clients were not as stable and we later treated many photos from Hurricane Katrina's damages as most of the commercial labs in the area around MS were Kodak labs.
To diagnose the issue with the dry -vs- wet photos, we will likely need to see examples of each, including the boxes. I would also look at the area around the boxes to see if there are any signs of moisture near them on the floor, couch, wall, etc. Is there any indication of the amount of moisture in/on the box holding the photos?
Once the issue is diagnosed, it will be better to recommend a course of action. Until then, is there a place such as a table or bed (covered for protection) where the photos can be placed apart on plain newsprint or good, absorbent, 2-ply paper towels? If so, take the packets of the photos and place them image face up on the papers where they will not be disturbed for 12-24 hrs. This should help with air flow on the face and if there is a substance that is causing the problem, it should begin to seep into the papers and help with identification.
I would suggest that boxes of photos & negatives not be placed on a floor in an open container where the dust is almost as detrimental to them as the unknown, "oily" causal substance. Also, floor cleaners and housekeepers who may not know that these are there could have had some type of dust mop or damp mop near the single box.
Try to find loose lids for any box that will keep out dirt and other dry substances, or an accidental spill of a drink or other liquid from the upper edge of the couch. A nice cool, dry shelf would be the better storage for your memories.
Look forward to seeing some pix so that we can help out.
Sincerely,
Kim R. Du Boise, P.A. - AIC
Photo Materials Conservator
PhotoArts Imaging Professionals, LLC
123 Buchanan Road
Hattiesburg, MS 39401-9545
601-582-3686 (582-FOTO)
k.r.duboise@photoartsimaging.com
Kindly,
Liz
C2C Care Monitor
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Elizabeth Peirce
Conservator (Objects)
Library of Congress
Arlington VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-01-2022 09:39
From: Joseph Coen
Subject: "Wet" or "oily" photos
On behalf of a customer, I am posting about some photos that appear "Wet" or "oily".
The Customer described them as follows:
"They are all color photos. The photos were taken at various times, mid 1990's thru early 2000's. They have "Kodak Royal digital paper" or Fujifilm on the back. Remember how photos came in envelops when picking them up, some photos were still in the envelops some were without envelops.
Storage conditions: the photos were kept in shoe boxes, behind my sofa in the den, wall to wall carpeting. Rarely did I need to go behind the sofa. An artist newsletter editor requested to do an online interview on history and how the Ribbon project became a UN NGO and wanted photos as well. Retrieving the two shoe boxes, (next to each other) one was dusty and dry the other box damp with wet photos. No mold, picking up the photos they felt wet-oily, not tearing, sticking together yet able to pull apart all in tact.
It was the hot and humid day we had recently, two of the windows were open slightly in the den. When I started going thru the photos, I thought maybe it was the humidity but the other box was dry and dusty. The other odd thing was the photos have been sitting there since the mid 1990's. Once in a great while I would need to go behind the sofa to find a photo over the years, boxes were always dry and dusty."
The customer wants to know why one set of photos are dry and dusty while the other set are "wet" or "oily", also wants to know what to do about the "wet" or "oily" ones.
Thanking you in advance!
Joseph Coen, C. A.
Archivist
R. C. Diocese of Brooklyn