Daguerreotypes

Eleanor Ghey <e.ghey [at] nmsi__ac__uk> writes

>I have come across a daguerreotype where the image appears to have
>'faded' completely, leaving a uniform light silver surface. This
>seems distinct from the deterioration caused by tarnishing of the
>silver plate on some other examples in this collection.
>
>I have been told that the daguerreotype process does not produce
>images vulnerable to light damage; is this always the case?

My experience is distinctly different.  Daguerreotypes are extremely
sensitive to sun light.  Exposure to natural light seems to just
fade the image away just as you describe.  Dags were produced with
different emulsions and plates, and each may react differently to
differing environments... but certainly please shield your
daguerreotypes from sun light.

Ron Lieberman
The Family Album, ABAA
At the Old Mill
4887 Newport Road
Kinzers, PA 17535
717-442-0220
Fax: 717-442-7904


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 14:2
                  Distributed: Thursday, June 29, 2000
                        Message Id: cdl-14-2-005
                                  ***