RESTORATION, PRESERVATION & ARCHIVING

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Measuring over three feet wide, this 1899 panoramic photograph of Lower Manhattan and the South Street Seaport, taken from the Brooklyn side, became unevenly faded and discolored with age.

RESTORATION OF 1899 PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPH OF MANHATTAN

By the end of the 19th century, the heydays of New York's South Street Sea port were over. Transportation of goods across the Atlantic was taken over by steamers, which would dock at the Hudson River on the opposite side of Manhattan. The cargo that had to be shipped further to the East Coast was now loaded onto trains and transported from New York City to its destinations by railroads that stretch across the continent.

The riverfront that for generations was one of the busiest ports in the world, where “from Coenties Slip to Catharine Street, innumerable masts of the many Californian clippers and London and Liverpool packets, with their long bowsprits extending way over South Street, reaching nearly to the opposite side," as described by Thomas Floyd-Jones in his 1914 book “Backward glances: reminiscences of an old New Yorker,” became free of maritime traffic with the exception of picnic boats and barges tugged up and down the East River.

 

Measuring over three feet wide, this 1899 panoramic photograph of Lower Manhattan and the South Street Seaport taken from the Brooklyn side gives a clear view of ones busy South Street Seaport and the many tall buildings that appeared in the lower part of Manhattan at the end of the 19th century.

Over the years, the print became unevenly faded and discolored. At the request of a New York society dedicated to the preservation of the city's architectural legacy, the photograph was scanned and digitally restored to its original appearance.

 
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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.
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