![\"Fun](\"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/i16813947_1198_Enclosure_GIF.gif\")
<\/a>The amazing enclosure made by our very own conservation technician, Chris Voynovich, for volume 1 of the W.S. Porter Collection.<\/p><\/div> (Left) Before “bench” photos of one of the cased photographs labeled “John Wesley Lever”, (Right) After photos of the mended case.<\/p><\/div>
\nWe very recently returned a two volume collection of photographs taken by William S. Porter, known as the W.S. Porter Collection<\/em>, to the Public Library. \u00a0William S. Porter is known in Cincinnati as one of the two photographers responsible for the 1848 Cincinnati Panorama (you can read more about and even explore this amazing daguerreotype panorama\u00a0here<\/a>). Volume one of the collection consists of 7 cased photographs (including daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes) and 1 non-cased tintype, all reportedly taken by W.S. Porter, while volume 2 consists of one framed daguerreotype of W.S. Porter and a preservation print of that photograph. \u00a0When these photographs arrived in the Lab for treatment, many of the cases were damaged (especially along the spine – some broken completely, one previously “repaired” with tape, etc.), the framed photograph needed re-packaging, and the collection needed two custom enclosures (vol. 1 & 2) to safely store all the photographs.
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\nNow, as anyone who does photographic documentation will tell you, taking treatment documentation photos of photographs is a pain, especially on the copy stand (i.e. from above) and especially when you were trained in-house in a book and paper lab. \u00a0Glass objects just aren’t as common around these parts. \u00a0During PhotoDoc glass just acts as a mirror, reflecting all your light and even your camera lens and obstructing the actual photograph you are trying to capture. \u00a0But we knew that we wanted some good quality photos of the photographs to print as surrogates and to also use in the enclosures. \u00a0Black foam core and an Olfa rotary cutter to the rescue! \u00a0Using these two supplies I created a non-reflective black surface to place around the camera lens to help reduce reflections and absorb light.
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