Daguerreotype

Mary Beckett <mebeckett_2000 [at] yahoo__com> writes

>....  Directly behind the metallic plate, in the mount, is a piece
>of strawboard adhered to which is a piece of bright green paper. The
>paper is the same size as the metallic plate.  What is the purpose
>of the green paper?  Why is there paper there at all?  Is the colour
>significant?

Despite your precise description, without seeing the objects it not
easy to know what is it (perhaps also not after seeing it). Can you
send a picture from the pieces of the daguerreotype
installation/preserver?

Also, it is important to know which type of installation (preserver,
mat, case, etc. together) it is, which depends on the age and place
of making of the daguerreotype. Is it the original installation
(or at least same pieces from it)?

Anyway, in the case of the paper mats, a thin paper was adhered to
the back of the daguerreotype plate and to the other part(s) of the
mat to fix the plate into the necessary position under the window
of the mat (passepartout).

Also another possibility: the green paper is a reminder of the
original installation as a piece of the original back covering
paper.

Balint Flesch


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:22
               Distributed: Wednesday, September 5, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-22-006
                                  ***