buffered vs unbuffered housing for glass plate negatives and lantern slides

[Charlene Martin]

I posted a while ago about buffered vs unbuffered for housing photograph prints (http://www.connectingtocollections.org/groups/c2c-disccussions/forum/topic/confused-by-contradicting-info-re-color-photo-storage/). I was confused about why NARA and NEDCC differed from National Park Service, Gaylord, etc re: which could be in contact with photographs. I learned from this list that Gaylord recommended non-buffered because the long-term contact of alkalines with photographic chemicals has not been determined yet.

So….I was wondering if I could enclose glass lantern slides and glass plate negatives in buffered, acid-free envelopes that I made myself (see attached pics). The glass lantern slides don’t seem to come into direct contact with the paper because of their cardboard holders, so I don’t see the potential for scratched glass – but I will insert acid-free tissue around the glass plate negatives, because they lack a bulky frame that separates them from from the scratchy paper. I intend on buying the acid-free boxes that Gaylord and University Products makes to house these slides and negatives.

What do you all think? Should I just buy the unbuffered kit that these suppliers offer, or is my homemade solution viable?

Thank you!

[Charlene Martin]

I’ve attached a better picture of the homemade envelope.

[Anonymous]

I can’t respond to the buffered/non-buffered questions, but would like to suggest that 4-flap enclosures are preferable to sleeves/envelopes.  There is always a risk of scratching the plate/emulsion when plates are inserted removed from the sleeves.  Four-flaps are fairly easy to construct.

[Charlene Martin]

Christine, thank you for the tip!

I will definitely make some 4-flap enclosures for the glass plate negatives. Would you know if I need make them for the glass lantern slides, too? They’re framed in a cardboard frame that projects beyond the glass on all 4 sides, serving as an initial contact point (rather than the glass).

[Barbara O’Brien]

I use the four flap enclosures for all our lantern slides where  the image is secured between two pieces of glass. We do not have any glass negatives.  If you have “Photographs and Negatives” from the Bookshelf collection on page 241 there is an illustration for making a housing package for loose plates from the bottom – 4 ply board, photographic plate, mat then glass.  the mat protects the emulsion side.  A stable tape is wrapped around the four sides  and onto the front and back.  the tape should not come in contact with the photographic plate.

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