Scanning - Glass Portraits

[SoulSeekingPassion]

Hi

I have some family portraits that are almost, if not already, 100 years old, they are painted on glass and I'm wondering if anyone knows if scanning these will damage them in any way. I have an Epson v700 flatbed I'm wanting to scan them with as just a standard scan and also using the ICE technology on a second scan to see if I can clean up any scratches with that as the oldest one that would be over 100 years old if heavily scratched.

At present I have them wrapped in a towel in a drawer because I haven't had the money, nor do I know who to take them to to have them framed in a manner that is fitting to their age. I'd like to scan them so I can share them with family and also admire them myself, seems a shame to have these images of family tucked away for so long and not looked at but I'm worried the form of light from the scanner may damage them.

I'd be most grateful if anyone who has worked with these types of portraits can tell me if the scanner process is likely to damage them or not.

Cheers in Advance
Bec 

[chinakay]

They are painted on glass? Or they are photos on glass?

If they are photos, they are called ambrotypes and will be very high quality photos. Scanning them won't harm them at all, and we see many scans of ambrotypes here on Rootschat.

If they are painted, I wouldn't think they'd be harmed either...but I really don't know. Prue (our moderator, and a professional conservator) would be the one to ask. I believe she is on vacation at the moment but you could always PM anyway.

Cheers,
China

[chinakay]

Oh, and if they are scratched, ICE technology may repair the damage but digital restoration from this site would be a better bet.

Cheers,
C

[SoulSeekingPassion]

Thank you China on two counts ... Now I know what the correct terminology is for them as well as knowing I can scan them.

Having been given the correct name allowed me to look at others and determine if they are painted portraits or ambrotypes and they are in fact ambrotypes..... Having looked at other photos on here I think I will put the one that is scratched on here at least to see what sort of a job any of you can do with it..... It's a picture of my 3x Great Grandfather and the only image we have of him so I'm keen to preserve it as best I can and hopefully look at it often.

Thank you so much, I will upload it in the next couple of days :-)

[jim1]

Hello Bec
Scan them at 300dpi in colour.You may need to resize them to get them under the 500Kb. max. filesize we are allowed on here.
Do not resize by compressing as this affects the quality.
Give each one a unique name & I suggest you start a new thread for each.
If you need help just shout up.
If they are ambrotypes they will date from 1850's to the early 1860's.
We look forward to seeing them.

jim