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19th century wedding portrait was part of collection of Irish American family with history spanning for well over 150 years.

 

RESTORATION OF 19TH CENTURY IRISH FAMILY PORTRAIT

19th century husband and wife portrait was part of collection of Irish-American family with history spanning for well over 150 years. It was brought in in such state of distress that the client was doubtful that anything could be done to save this priceless family heirloom.

The letter from the client speaks for itself:

Dear Sebastian,
Well, it arrived on Christmas Eve but I promised myself that I was not going to open it until New Year's Eve......and that's what I did! I wanted something special to start the New Year with.
It's beautiful. And it's a perfect fit and if I live to be 100 years old I will not be able to thank you properly. The photo is now in the original frame it was intended and hanging proudly on my living room wall. It's a beaut!!
But I did not see an invoice included with the photo.
So, you tell me how I pay you and how much......is a million enough?
Many, many thanks.

All the best,
Tom

 
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Restoration of a 19th Century photograph of American tourists in Egypt with the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid seen in the background. Over time, tobacco smoke containing nicotine and other harmful chemicals build-up can ruin paintings, photographs. The ugly, yellowish-brown sticky film will coat any surface, making photographs lose their original appearance and destroying the photo emulation layer. Sebastian Wintermute offers high-quality photo scanning and photo archiving of vintage photographs, photo albums, negatives, and transparencies, providing scans of unprecedented quality and retention of details with the highest degree of attention given to the preservation and safety of the originals. The old photograph of the famous 5th Avenue, Broadway, and 23rd Street intersection digitally archived upon request of one of New York’s societies dedicated to the preservation of the architectural history of the city. Restoration of a fire damaged photograph of the first and only US Air Mail delivery from Long Island to Fire Island. Restoration of a Boy Scout Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Award for saving a man from drowning as a present to the original recipient on his 95th birthday. To restore this ink and paint-stained photograph, first it was carefully cleaned from dirt and dust, and as much of the paint splatters as possible were removed before a high-resolution photo scan was made of the photograph, and those damages that could not be repaired on the original were digitally retouched. Depending on the extent of the damage, a photograph that is stuck to glass can either be separated from the glass with minimal loss or restored by digital retouching and reproduction of the original. A number of rarely seen photographs were digitized and retouched for the publication of a book about Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Restoration of the 1887 NYPD Patrolman Appointment Certificate signed by Theodore Roosevelt during his term as the Police Commissioner of the City of New York. Restoration of a striking portrait of a Jewish spiritual leader from Eastern Europe was one of many that were brought to us by those who strive to preserve and protect Jewish heritage. Before it was restored to the original condition, this wedding photograph set in the closet for many years, slowly deteriorating from exposure to harmful chemicals used to disinfect and to the mold and mildew. Restoration of an oil-tinted baby picture that underwent additional coloring at the hands of a 5-year-old artist was carefully retouched to remove all signs of flaking of the original pigments as well as the magic marker colorization that was generously applied to the hair, eyes, and the baby's outfit. Restoration and digital archiving of photographs from the collection of New York’s Racquet and Tennis Club. A small photo medallion was restored for the HBO documentary film Triangle: Remembering the Fire, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of that tragic event.
A 19th-century husband-and-wife portrait came from a collection of family portraits and photographs of an extended Irish-American family with a history spanning well over 150 years. A black and white photograph of Milan Rastislav Stefanik was restored and colorized, accurately recreating the appearance of WWI uniform and the military decorations as they were confirmed by research and consultations with experts in military history, decorations and uniforms. Digital archiving and restoration of the Dakota building photograph was commissioned by one of the exclusive New York City social clubs dedicated to the preservation of New York history and heritage. Digital archiving and restoration of a rare photograph of the Original Plaza Hotel as it appeared before it was replaced with the new building was commissioned by one of New York City's exclusive social clubs dedicated to the preservation of New York history and heritage. In 2009, Sebastian Wintermute was commissioned to restore photographs of poets whose works were adopted by Natalie Merchant for her double album Leave Your Sleep. Among the poets were British Victorians such as Edward Lear, Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Gerard Manley Hopkins, as well as 20th-century American writers E.E. Cummings and Ogden Nash. During restoration, pieces of this beautiful family studio portrait were rejoined using pH-neutral archival tape. With careful retouching, all the lost pieces were filled in and tears retouched to bring the photograph back to its original appearance. Restoration of a photograph that faded from sunlight, fluorescent lights UV radiation, and chemicals present in the cardboard frame. Even a photograph that was torn into little pieces and thought to be beyond salvation can be restored to its original appearance with skill, hard work, and a bit of luck. Restoration of a 17th-century map of London, printed for and dedicated to Sir Robert Vyner, Lord Mayor of London (1674), suffered cuts and tears when the frame broke and the glass shuttered during shipping. Restoration of a 19th Century photo of St. Patrick's Cathedral when the 5th Avenue was a quiet street perfect for an afternoon stroll and any place above Central Park was considered to be The Upstate. Restoration and reproduction of a 19th-century American family portrait created with the help of a Camera Obscura or a Camera Lucida in which an image is first traced on a piece of paper laid over the ground glass of the camera. Restoration of a beautiful photograph of young ballerinas reminiscent of impressionists' paintings was damaged by paint splashes and exposure to dust and cigarette smoke. Restoration of a late 19th-century photograph showing a row of handsome mansions along 5th Avenue, overlooking the Croton Distributing Reservoir (present location of the New York Public Library), was a faded ghost of its original self. Restoration and colorizing of a small snapshot of a squad of American G.I.s and their faithful Willys Jeep on the road to the Rhine was carefully retouched to remove the folds, creases, and stains from the surface of the photograph. While it is very easy to 'restore' a photograph by blurring the damages and imperfections and airbrushing the faces to make the photo look as if it were taken yesterday, a true challenge for a professional photo restoration artist is to preserve the authenticity of the original.

 

 
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