Photocopying photographs

I am considering a proposal to make an electrostatic copy of photographic
prints to make an access file.  This file would save wear and tear on the
originals as well as reduce staff time retrieving and refiling the
originals.  The access copy would be the only time the original would be
photocopied.  Can anyone comment on the advisability of this?  Will making
a single photocopy cause *any* damage?  We are looking at primarily 20th
century silver gelatin prints, a few turn-of-the century oddities
(gelatino-chloride, collodio-chloride, matt collodion), and a moderate
number of albumen; no salted paper prints or other photochemical
oddities like anthotypes that are particularly sensitive to light.

If we made 200 copies of a sample of images and the samples showed no change
in density, would you be satisfied the process is not damaging?

Please respond to Richard Pearce-Moses IACRPM [at] ASUACAD__BITNET.

--  Richard Pearce-Moses         (602) 965-9276

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 4:57
                   Distributed: Saturday, May 4, 1991
                        Message Id: cdl-4-57-008
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