Conserving/restoring 110 slide?

[jeaniesa]

I came across a 110-format positive transparency of my grandfather this afternoon. It looks like it's part of a slightly larger film strip (perhaps one frame additional on each side?) It's difficult to tell because someone (my grandfather?) put masking tape over the film strip and cut out just portion over the photo, then "mounted" it in a tiny slide-mount (i.e., not a 35-mm slide mount). I was able to figure out a way to scan it with my film scanner, but it can only scan up to 2800 dpi and with the size of the transparency, that only gives me a 2.5x4" photo at 300 dpi.

I'm very curious about the two frames on either side of the one that is cut out, but I'm afraid to remove the tape and ruin the entire film strip. So, I'm thinking that I should have a professional work on it. I have a good photo lab in town that I trust and that has consistently done excellent work for me, but I'm not sure if they are skilled in conserving/restoring old transparencies like this. Should I look for someone who is - and if so, where might I find such a person. Again, this is not a paper photo - it is a positive transparency.

Thanks, Jeanie

[Mike]

Is the tape on the emulsion side or the base side?? I used Isopropyl Alcohol on the BASE side of a slide to take off old masking tape. Isopropl Alcohol is basicly a replacement for the old Kodak film cleaner. Try a little drop in the corner to make sure it doesn't do any harm....
I am in the midst of scanning a bunch of 110 negs and am doing it on my flat bed scanner with a transp. adapter. I scan for about a 4x4 inch print at 200 dpi, then print them out on a 8650 dye sub printer at a 4.25 x 3.5 inch size. They seem to look pretty good considering what they are and how they have been stored!
Could you reduce the dpi to make the print a little larger?
Mike

[jeaniesa]

The tape appears to be on the base side of the film. That's GOOD!! Yes, I could reduce the dpi, but even at 200dpi, that gives me just under a 4x6 and I was hoping to get to 5x7. I wouldn't mind paying for a drum scan of this particular photo, but don't know if there's enough detail in the film to warrant that?

Thanks for the reply Mike.

Jeanie

[Mike]

What you might try is printing the slide directly to paper, without going through a interneg. There is always a generational loss and going directly saves you that. The problem is going to be finding a lab that will take the 110 pos and print it. Most of the labs I work with will not take one in on a bet. If you do find one be prepared to pay well for it.
Even under the best of times, enlarging a 110 to a 5x7 is pushing things a quite a bit.
Or how about scanning to your limit at 300 dpi, retouch the print you get, then rescan that print to get to your desired size? You should be able to keep the generational loss to a minimum if you are careful.
Might be more than one way to skin the cat
Mike

[jeaniesa]

Or how about scanning to your limit at 300 dpi, retouch the print you get, then rescan that print to get to your desired size? You should be able to keep the generational loss to a minimum if you are careful.

Ohhhh - I hadn't thought of that! An interesting idea!

Thanks, Jeanie

[jeaniesa]

Well, I called my local professional photo lab and they told me that they didn't do any preservation work (though they will be happy to scan the 110 format once I am able to clean the film.) I asked for a recommendation on who could clean it for me and they sent me to the preservation department at the library. So, I stopped by the CO State University library this afternoon and talked with one of the preservation librarians. Not only did she make this sound like a simple request, she won't even charge me for it! She wasn't able to do it today because I arrived too late in the afternoon. I'm going to call her on Monday and ask if she doesn't mind if I watch over her shoulder while she does the work. I'll let you know how things work out.
Jeanie

[Doug Nelson]

Very cool! Get names, take notes, ask her if she ever visits online forums

[Lampy]

Out of curiosity who was it that did the cleaning for you? I was not aware that CO State had a photo preservation expert on staff.

--Heather Tudhope

https://www.tudhope.net

[jeaniesa]

Heather,

The person I talked to was Ruby Olsen. I don't know that she is a "photo preservation expert", rather one of the preservation librarians who said that she "does this sort of thing all the time" and offered to help. Since my "problem" is a positive transparency with the tape stuck on the base side (as opposed to the emulsion side) and seems fairly straightforward, I feel comfortable letting her do the work. She has not yet done the work - hopefully early this week.

Jeanie

[Lampy]

Hi Jeanie

Thanks for the reply. I don't know Ruby. I was just interested, it is always nice to find other people in the area in the field. Good luck with your project!

--Heather Tudhope

https://www.tudhope.net

[jeaniesa]

Thanks Heather. I almost called you (really! ), but looking at your website, it looks like you focus on paper and not transparencies, so I just followed the lead I got to the CSU library.
Jeanie

[Lampy]

Hi again:

I always find it interesting to see where people find their leads and where they end up going for help. Whatever works! And in this case you can't beat free!

Just to give you an update and incase you know someone who could use my services....
I work on a wide range of materials including, paper, parchment, and all photographic materials. I need to work on my website and expand the pages to show more examples of the materials and types of treatments I've done. What you see is the first rendition from the fall. I haven't had the time to go through all my treatment photos and add examples and update the webpage. Hopefully soon. Thanks for pointing out the short comings. I will be sure to make some changes!

Cheers

--Heather Tudhope

https://www.tudhope.net

[jeaniesa]

Yes, I think it was the "all photographic materials" that I didn't pick up on from the info I read on your website. That's good to know for the future! -Jeanie

[Aarius]

Thank you thank you ladies, I have some 35 mm slides of the wedding to my first husband that I retrieved from water damage and was beginning to wonder if I'd ever find any way to restore them. I'm not concerned about saving his picture but there were some of my mother, father, sister and brother in there that would be very dear to me if I am successful in restoring them. There are no professional perservationist near me and I have been doing all I can to learn how on my own. Being widowed and disabled this learning could greatly enhance my meager income if I become good enough to be paid for my services. So far all my efforts have been as a hobbiest. Aarius
my web site:

http://home.mchsi.com/~aarius-b43/wsb/index.html