This paper presents a new quantitative approach to the study of Asian lacquers using surface metrology, and two data science approaches: feature engineering and convolutional deep neural networks, as used in machine vision or image recognition applications. The types of Asian lacquers and additives have a quantifiable impact on the topography of the resulting surface. To understand the unaged and aged characteristics, 15 different formulas of Asian lacquer were prepared using laccol, thitsiol and urushiol with the most common additives: oils, pigments and resins. These were studied with the surface metrology instrumental technique of confocal microscopy.

Abstract X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to characterize the silver mercury amalgam particles resting on the surface that comprise the image of five daguerreotype plates that were not gilded and that were prepared by three different contemporary daguerreotype makers. The regions of interest of the surface that were examined were overexposed, solarized, and highlight (white) areas. The XRD portion of the study shows that the two main silver mercury amalgam particles identified using the International Center for Diffraction Data PF4 + database were the Schachnerite/ζ (zeta) phase amalgam, Ag1.1Hg0.9, and the mercury silver amalgam, Ag0.65Hg0.35. On one of the daguerreotypes a third silver mercury amalgam, Moschellandsbergite, Ag2Hg3, was also identified in small concentrations. High-resolution SEM images corroborate the diffraction data and show that the crystalline nature of the silver mercury amalgam particles on all five plates to be mostly hexagonal, which would correspond to the Schachnerite/ζ (zeta) phase amalgam, and fewer rectangular solid and cubic crystals corresponding to the mercury silver amalgam.

Photographic prints of platinum metal on paper supports are some of the most exquisite and expressive in the world of fine art photography. Platinum prints were produced from about 1890 to 1920 in the USA and Europe. The chemical and material nature of these valuable prints is of great interest to many who are interested in their long-term preservation, in the intersection of science and art, and in the scientific and technical study of cultural heritage. This paper presents the results of a characterization study using newer electron microscopy techniques. In this study, a low vacuum high-resolution scanning electron microscope was used to study the surface and sub-surface of historic and modern platinum and/or palladium print samples. Using environmental SEM pressures allowed us to investigate the actual top surface and sub-surface with cross-sections without any preparation; no coatings of carbon or other material. Cross-sections were prepared using an argon plasma cross-polishing system. This study shows that the photographic image of platinum prints is composed of platinum nanoparticles embedded in the upper layers of the paper's cellulosic fibers.

The first photographic imaging process was introduced to the world by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre in Paris in 1839. This unique photographic system has been studied using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to probe both historic 19th century and modern daguerreotypes. The electron microscopy images elucidate the process of image particle formation on the silver surface as a light-induced silver reduction initial step followed by a critical two-step silver mercury amalgam crystal development process. The first development step involves the chemical interaction between the gaseous mercury and the surface latent image silver clusters to form the initial amalgam seed image particle. The second development step continues to grow the initial amalgam seed to become a larger image particle able to scatter light. The initial silver and mercury amalgam seed image particle grows further through the amalgamation process. This continued growth involves the reaction of gaseous mercury and silver at the interface between the seed image particle and the silver surface, and silver from the sub/meso-surface that has migrated to the surface via atomic/mass transfer. (C) 2016 Society for Imaging Science and Technology.

This study documented 260 of the whole-plate daguerreotypes of Southworth and Hawes at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film using several imaging techniques in order to generate a baseline or benchmark of condition. Various existing imaging modalities-such as high-resolution scans using modified flat-bed scanners, full-frame digital cameras with special lighting arrangements for high dynamic range (HDR), long-wave ultra violet radiation (UVA) induced fluorescence, and axial specular imaging-were refined to capture the fine surface features of daguerreotypes. The methodology used here can guide other conservators interested in documenting daguerreotypes. The accumulation of a wide range of visual information of daguerreotypes from the various imaging modalities led to the development of an open source image registration (alignment) program for multimodality image comparison. The affine transform registration algorithm is based on user-defined point pairs between two images that are used to describe the displacements between them. After correcting for image shearing, rotation, scaling, and translation, the images can be directly compared allowing additional observations.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

The Conservation Laboratory of the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film (GEH) and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Rochester (URCS) are collaborating on the problems of preservation and access to daguerreotypes. We use high speed image processing to find, classify, and eliminate defects and artifacts of deterioration. Ultimately we want to produce a usable database and presentation methods for defects and final reconstructions. This TR describes early low-level techniques. We plan to pursue these problems in the future by incorporating more recent techniques: increasingly high-level ideas like semantic feature detectors, robust object recognition, visual-context detection, and trainable, automatic systems.

Surface metrology techniques that are non-perturbing (non-contact, non-invasive, and non-destructive) are well suited to in situ surface studies of historical and fine art photographs. They allow for the quantitative examination of the microstructure of the photograph surface, thereby, offering an important advancement in the examination, documentation, and characterization of silver gelatin photographs and other modern and/or historic imaging materials. This article presents the application of an optical confocal scanning disk microscopy system to the qualitative and quantitative characterization and assessment of a silver gelatin photographic paper, Ilford Glossy, submitted to different humidification and flattening protocols.

George Eastman House International Museum of Photography Conservation Laboratory and the University of Rochester Department of Computer Science are researching image analysis techniques to distinguish daguerreotype plate and image features from deterioration, contaminant particulates, and optical imaging error occurring in high resolution photomicrography system. The images are captured at up to 30 times magnification and composited, including the ravages of age and reactivity of the highly polished surface that obscures and reduces the readability of the image. The University of Rochester computer scientists have developed and applied novel techniques for the seamless correction of a variety of problems. The final output is threefold: an analysis of regular artifacting resulting from imaging conditions and equipment; a fast automatic identification of problem areas in the original artifact; and an approximate digital restoration. In addition to the discussion of novel classification and restorative methods for digital daguerreotype restoration, this work highlights the effective use of large-scale parallelism for restoration (made available through the University of Rochester Center for Research Computing). This paper will show the application of analytical techniques to the Cincinnati Waterfront Panorama Daguerreotype, with the intent of making the results publically available through high resolution web image navigation tools.

The Baha'i Faith is in a unique position compared to other religions in that it possesses numerous original writings of its central figures, Baha'u'llah, the Bab and Abdul-Baha. These original writings are a source of guidance and inspiration to over five million Baha'is around the world. They are also critical to the spiritual and administrative development of the worldwide Baha'i community. Possession of original writings such as these carries a dual responsibility, the delicate balancing of preserving and providing access to them. During his lifetime, Baha'u'llah addressed the issues of preservation of and access to his writings. He stated, for example, general principles on the way his writings should be preserved, and gave practical advice on how to handle his tablets and documents. Preserving this body of original writings will ensure their availability in the future, and allow historians and scholars to delve into past, present and future religio-historical developments of the Baha'i Faith. This paper reviews modern preservation and conservation theory and compares them with Baha'u'llah's statements on preservation. Examples of current conservation and restoration practices at the Baha'i World Centre are also presented.

This paper presents non-perturbing techniques of optical and surface metrology applied to surface studies of daguerreotypes. Daguerreotypes are positive images developed directly on the surface of silvered copper plates. The image is a submicrometre, ultra fine structured surface that exceeds the resolving power of the optical microscope for surface examination. Confocal white light microscopy is shown to be a useful technique for examining the three-dimensional ultra fine structure of the daguerreotype image. This technique provides quantitative information of surface characteristics using established surface roughness parameters to document the daguerreotype surface. Examination at this level can measure changes due to environmentally induced deterioration and provide comparative data of before and after chemical and physical treatment. Confocal microscopy shows considerable potential in the evaluation and documentation of both daguerreotype condition and treatments performed on the image structure. Confocal microscopy was used in the close examination of the Southworth and Hawes portrait of an unidentified man and it demonstrated the ability to unambiguously identify and quantify surface damage. The daguerreotype of an unidentified woman wearing a bonnet was treated with ammonium hydroxide solution to remove tarnish and surface changes were followed with confocal microscopy.

ABSTRACT Optical and surface metrologies provide non-perturbing (non-contact, non-invasive and non-destructive) instrumental techniques that are amenable and well suited to in situ surface studies of objects of cultural heritage such as original historical and fine art photographs. These innovative non-perturbing topometric technologies provide three dimensional data of the object’s surface. They also open a new door and approach to collection-based studies of surfaces of objects of cultural heritage to scholars and researchers, conservators, scientists and engineers. Confocal surface topometry system is being used as research tool in the study of fine art photography from the collection at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. A research initiative with daguerreotype collections began in late 2005 to establish baselines and condition of the surfaces. Daguerreotypes were the first successful photographic images presented to the world in Paris, 1839. This first form of photography was an instant success, and for 15 years it was the dominant photographic process. Although millions were made during this period of great experimentation, the extreme vulnerability of the image recorded directly on a polished silver plate led to the loss of many of them in a few short years. Those that survive are often deteriorated and still remain highly vulnerable. The conservation treatment of deteriorated daguerreotypes is a challenge. The metallic surface structure defines the image, and until recent technological advances in optical metrology instrumentation, it has not been possible to quantitatively measure the changes in the structure affected by deterioration mechanisms or evaluate restorative conservation treatments. Optical metrology instruments allow for the quantitative examination of the daguerreotype surface’s micro and nanostructure. Most significantly, these systems are safe, non-contact and non-destructive. They offer an important advancement in the examination, documentation, and characterization of daguerreotypes in particular, and they can also be applied to the surface analysis of other types of photographs and imaging materials. This presentation will discuss and provide examples of the application of confocal surface topometry system to the examination and assessment of daguerreotypes as well as other photographic media such as silver gelatin photographs.

Acacia gum is a ubiquitous water-soluble material that has been analyzed using a variety of techniques. The absence of a high-resolution technique for the separation of the components of the gum has been an impediment to its characterization. Two complementary electrophoretic methods for the separation and detection of the polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and proteins that constitute Acacia gum and other gums have been developed. The first uses sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with 2-[N-Morpholino] ethanesulfonic acid (MES) buffer and silver staining for the analysis of the proteins in Acacia gum. Over 10 proteinaceous bands were observed in the M.W. range of 2×103–2×105. The second uses agarose electrophoresis with Tris-Borate (TB) buffer and dansyl hydrazine staining for the analysis of the polysaccharides and glycoproteins in Acacia gum. One to two carbohydrate-containing bands were observed in the high M.W. (<5×106) region. The advantages of electrophoresis over gel filtration chromatography for gum analysis are discussed.

Mirza Husayn Isfahani, also known as Mishkin Qalam, was a renowned Persian Baha'i calligrapher of the 19(th) century Ottoman Empire. He produced scores of calligraphic renderings of verses from the Baha'i texts in various sizes and designs, including one of his masterpieces titled Station of this Day. This work was penned in Akka in 1897 and consists of 13 lines and 12 border car-touches. Each of the calligraphic lines has been written in several styles. The work has been on permanent display for over 50 years and was damaged during reframing in 1978. Although various methods of treatment were considered, options for the treatment of skinning losses were limited. In early 2003, during the treatment of a different calligraphy that had been mounted with a dry mounting tissue, almost all of the skinned pieces were miraculously discovered adhered to the verso. This allowed us to repair the skinned areas without the need for inpainting and to restore the calligraphy to its former glory.

Gum arabic, also known as acacia gum, is an abundant natural product that has been used throughout history. It has been extensively used in the manufacture of eastern and western inks, watercolors and gouache as a binder, and in historic photographic processes such as gum bichromate prints. Much research has been done on the analysis of acacia gums yet the main obstacle to their characterization has been the absence of an efficient separation technique. The most widely used technique has been size exclusion/gel filtration chromatography (SEC/GFC); however, even GFC has not provided adequate separation of the gum components. In addition to a brief overview of acacia gums, this presentation reviews the development of a new gel electrophoretic method for the separation and detection of the polysaccharides, glycoproteins and proteins that constitute acacia gums, and the use of specific antibodies to identify acacia gums at the species level.