Is your daguerreotype so dark you can barely see the image? Are there obvious tarnish discolorations on the image? How about areas that look like water spots? We can clean your daguerreotype.
We can remove most tarnish-related damage from a daguerreotype! A safe and trusted method published by Princeton University and used by PhotoTree.com for over eight years has amazed our clients. Their seemingly lost daguerreotype images were brought back to life.
Electro-Clean - Trusted Method of Cleaning
Princeton University's Mudd Library has published a successful method of cleaning tarnish from daguerreotypes. The method lifts the tarnish off the plate with no physical touching of the plate. (A link to the original Princeton site is listed below)
PhotoTree.com has used this method for over six years with amazing and lasting results. We have modified the method slightly, using less acidic solutions which minimizes risk further.
Cleaning Examples
Our examples speak for themselves. (click on each image for larger version)
Sending the Daguerreotype
Unlike digital restoration that can be performed on a file, we must have the physical daguerreotype to conduct the restoration. We recommend sending it via one of the express shipment companies or Priority Mail with the U.S. Postal Service. Priority mail not only provides the box for the shipment but provides insurance and tracking.
Costs is $110.00 plus return shipping. This includes cleaning and re-taping of the daguerreotype and a set of digital image files which includes before and after high resolution images.
Princeton Reference Link
The following link references the Electro-Clean technology PhotoTree.com uses to clean daguerreotypes. This is published on the Princeton University the Conservation Techniques section.