Storing negatives

<p>Greetings...<br>

My temple has just received several boxes of negatives (and some prints) from the past 60 or 70 years. I started doing an inventory and have found that the majority are 4x5's and 6x7 120's. The remaining are 8x10's, 5x7's, 35mm, and 6x6, 6x9 120's. I'm estimating that we'll have about 1,500 120 negatives (all individually cut) and another 1,500 4x5's. The remaining negatives, about 750.<br>

I need to determine how to store them. Right now I'm concentrating on the negatives.<br>

Our plan is to scan the negatives and but afterward they won't be accessed except on rare occasions. I also need to minimize costs.<br>

Here's what I have thought about... We have several fire proof file cabinets that are in the basement of our gym that we were planning on using. So an option is to place the negatives in 9x11" (approx) Print File type negatives preservers and then hang them. But I'm not sure if all sizes are available that accept hanger bars.<br>

So then thought of placing the negatives in the preservers and then put them in 9x12x3" boxes (Print File has these). I was told that stacking them flat is OK. Then put the boxes in the fire proof file cabinet. This will make them easy to organize and then access by small sections as we scan them.</p>

<p>Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.</p>

 

<p>If there are negatives from before 1952, you need to determine if any of those are on nitrate base. If they are, they should be stored separately, as the fumes (nitric acid) from decomposition of nitrate base are very harmful to emulsion. One wants to store nitrate negatives someplace that they can breathe, rather than in an air-tight situation. (The decomposition byproducts accelerate the decomposition.)<br>

Also, a basement doesn't strike me as a good place. Consider the risk of flooding and water damage, one of the most destructive things (other than fire) that can happen to any photographic collection.<br>

Note that PrintFile type polyethylene pages, while very inert, will readily melt at moderate temperature. If there was a fire, and they were in the fire proof fire cabinet, the plastic could well get hot enough to melt. If you're very concerned about fire risk, using polyester (Mylar) sleeving in paper envelopes might be a better choice.<br>

To lower cost, you can just store the negatives in groups in acid-free buffered paper folders. Plastic of any sort isn't important, especially if access will be extremely infrequent.</p>

 

<p>B&H sells a variety of archival storage solutions but I've been asked not to post links to our site here, so you're on your own. You should also know about lightimpressionsdirect.com. The most knowledgeable source for info on archival storage is http://www.wilhelm-research.com/. They're amazing.<br>

Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

 

<p>John - No we don't have nitrate based negatives, so we're cool there. The basement was chosen because of space availability and because of relatively constant temps. The fire proof file cabinets are being used only because they were donated and they are lockable, not because of our concern of fire. </p>

<p>The use of the Print File preservers were because of a few thoughts. First, it helps to easily keep the negatives organized, especially the the individually cut 120 negatives. Second, some 'events' were shot with multiple film types. Using the Print File would allow the events to be kept in the same box. Lastly, when we are accessing the negatives initially for scanning, it will makes things easier and less prone for mixup.</p>

<p>However, the issues that you have pointed out are things I will think about as we make our decision. It's much appreciated.</p>

<p>Henry - Thanks for the link. I will take a look. And not to worry, I am a loyal customer of B&H and have perused your website for options. I am aware of Light Impressions, as well as Hollinger/Metal Edge and Gaylord and have scanned their websites as well.</p>

<p>Any other thoughts from anyone?</p>

<p>Nitrate was used in films until the early 1950s, so if you have 70 year old negs, you have nitrates. <br /> I work at a museum in their research library, working to scan archival photos and negatives. We have nitrate negs as well as glass plate negatives. All our negs are stored in archival paper sleeves, and filed in fire cabinets. The most volatile nitrates are in a warehouse.<br /> Do a smell test with your older negs, if there is any vinegar smell at all, they are starting to go bad. It can happen quickly. You can also clip off a small piece and light it on fire. If it flares up quickly, it's nitrate!</p>

<p>Yeah Henry the Wilhelm is a private owned company with out any competition and they earn money to say what their costumers want to hear. Do you understand what i means?</p>

<p>Years ago they said that kodak color was good for 60 up to 80 years too. Now Color prints had been faded much earlier and Kodak the only manufacturer went out and informed people to froze down all color material if you wanna keep it. Agfa's was even whorst. Now they telling you that inkjet is good for 150 years. Let me tell you some. Every educated artist knows that pigments fading to not all of it but it does and some color combination eating up each other.</p>

<p>I have seen gum prints, wather colors and other work of art fade so I have just a little difficulties to thrust privete companies. Sorry about that. Let's just say I'm not eating all the cakes they serve. :-)</p>

<p>Dave - Even if nitrate was used until the 1950's, safety film has been used since the mid 1930's. Though someone else currently has the box with the 1930's negatives, when I briefly looked at that box earlier, there was no smell of vinegar.</p>

<p>That said, I appreciate the information on how you store your negatives.</p>

<p>So, how are others storing their negatives? Paper sleeves, mylar, polypropylene, archival polyethylene, ...? Binders or boxes? Hanging, or flat?</p>

<p>Well, I store all my for me important negatives stand up in a 100% acid free archival envelope in a stainless steel box. They are in my basement under a relativelly contant temperature. The negatives size in the range between 135 ip to 8x10". I can't think of anything better.</p>

<p>Dave - I've been doing further research and vinegar smell can occur with cellulose acetate type safety film (http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/crc/notes/html/16-3-eng.aspx).</p>

<p>Cellulose acetate was manufactured from the 1920s. It can break down and the emulsion can wrinkle. The breakdown causes the vinegar smell (aka vinegar syndrome). Acetate film should be kept separate from other types of film. Breakdown can accelerate in higher temperature or humidity.</p>

<p>Modern polyester film was manufactured from the 1950s.</p>

<p>If anyone is interested in further information I can post links.</p>