CHARACTERIZATION OF FILAMENTOUS ACCRETIONS ON DAGUERREOTYPE SURFACES

Daguerreotypes were a popular method of photography since their introduction in 1839 until their eventual demise ca. 1860. A silver mercury amalgam deposited on a polished silver surface captured many unique images of individuals, landscapes, and the natural world. Daguerreotypes that have survived...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 2011-12, Vol.50 (2), p.149-159
Main Authors: KONKOL, NICK R., BERNIER, BRENDA, BULAT, ELENA, MITCHELL, RALPH
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corrosion
Daguerreotypes
Fungi
Nucleic acids
Photograph conservation
Polymerase chain reaction
Ribosomal DNA
Silicon
Silver
Solar fibrils
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Summary:Daguerreotypes were a popular method of photography since their introduction in 1839 until their eventual demise ca. 1860. A silver mercury amalgam deposited on a polished silver surface captured many unique images of individuals, landscapes, and the natural world. Daguerreotypes that have survived to the present day exhibit many unique patterns of deterioration and are susceptible to damage. The appearance of fibril accretions on improperly stored daguerreotypes is a common symptom of deterioration. Initial investigations based on morphologic observations of these fibrils concluded that the structures were fungi encrusted with silicon and smaller amounts of other chemicals. Later work proposed that these accretions were strictly chemical in nature. Gross microscopic observation of the fibrous accretions present on several daguerreotypes examined at Harvard University suggested that these structures were fungal in origin. This study used traditional culture techniques and nonculture molecular methods to isolate viable fungal organisms from the face of a daguerreotype and detect fungal nucleic acids. Additional microscopic and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses were performed to further characterize the fibrous accretions. The data demonstrates that some fibril accretions are due to fungal contamination of the daguerreotype surface. Le daguerréotype fut un procédé photographique populaire dès son introduction en 1839 jusqu'à sa disparition éventuelle aux environs de 1860. Un amalgame d'argent et de mercure déposé sur une surface argentée polie a saisi beaucoup d'images uniques d'individus, de paysages, et du monde. Les daguerréotypes qui ont survécu jusqu'à nos jours présentent beaucoup de formes uniques de détérioration et sont susceptibles aux dommages. L'apparition des dépôts fibreux sur les daguerréotypes incorrectement stockés est un symptôme commun de détérioration. Des investigations préliminaires basées sur des observations morphologiques de ces fibrilles ont conclu que les structures étaient des mycètes encroûtés de silicone et de faible quantité d'autres produits chimiques. Une étude postérieure a proposé que la nature de ces dépôts était strictement chimique. Une observation microscopique sommaire des dépôts fibreux présents sur plusieurs daguerréotypes examinés à Harvard University (l'Université de Harvard) a suggéré que ces structures sont d'origine fongique. Cette étude a utilisé des techniques traditionnelles de culture ainsi que d
ISSN:0197-1360