Queries and Answers: Pictures on Fabric

Claire wrote: I have only one photograph of my grandfather and it is printed on textile. It is currently being stored the same way I received it, rolled up in plastic and inserted in a cardboard tube. Oh Claire! I also have a photograph on cloth. It's my grandmother. While storing the image in plastic in a rolled tube isn't the best way to care for it, the tube is protecting it from handling damage. My grandmother's image has been folded and refolded so many times, it's showing some wear. The best course of action for both of our images is to consult a textile conservator and a photographic conservator. The American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works has a referral service. Click on the Find a Conservator link in the upper right hand corner of their website.