Photo Archives FAQ

1) I have some unidentified photographs at home. Is there anyway to look up the numbers that are written on the back in photographer’s record books?

Photographer’s record books are very rare and sadly many are no longer in existence. The Chester County Historical Society only has inventory books for the following photographers for the following dates:

• George Pyle, itinerant daguerreotypist, Register of Sitters, December 1846 – October 1847
• Gilbert Cope, West Chester, Inventory of Glass Plate Negatives 1887-1918
• Ned Goode, West Chester, Inventory of jobs, 1938 – June 1954

2) What are those postage stamps on the back of old photographs? Did they send them through the mail?

Have you ever seen a Civil War era photo with a stamp on the back? It is logical to assume that the photo was sent through the mail. But, look again at the stamp. It will most likely be issued by the Internal Revenue Service and will be green, orange, red or blue in color. These stamps were not used for postage, but rather indicate that a tax was paid on the purchase of the photograph. IRS stamps will appear on photographs sold between August 1, 1864 and August 1, 1866 when a tax was levied on certain "luxury" items in order to raise funds for the war effort. Pianos, carriages and playing cards were also taxed at that time as well.

3) How do I take care of my family photo collection?

The Chester County Historical Society sponsors from time to time workshops on preservation. Watch our events calendar for announcements. Visit our library to use the up-to-date collection of books on the subject.

There are also many wonderful resources on the Internet for preserving photographs.

• Conservation On-Line, website of the American Institute of Conservators (AIC), provides links to information on preservation of all types of materials, conservation issues, and listings of conservators. See: palimpsest.stanford.edu
• This site will list a choice for “Conservation/Preservation for the general public” which is an excellent resource for information on caring for photographs, textiles, objects, paintings, etc. See: aic.stanford.edu/treasure/photos.html
• The Library of Congress has a special preservation website with helpful information on all types of materials such as books, manuscripts, maps, motion pictures, photographs, etc. See: www.nara.gov/arch/faqs/aboutph.html
• Wilhelm Research, an independent testing laboratory, offers testing results on the longevity of photographic materials and now also digital image prints. This is the most up to date information available for those moving into digital photographic printing. See: www.wilhelm-research.co

4) What are my historical photographs worth?

The Chester County Historical Society does not give appraisals.

Contact the Association of International Photography Art Dealers, Inc. (AIPAD) for an appraiser in you area. Call them at (202) 986-0105 or write to AIPAD 1609 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington D.C. 20009.

Also check antique auction websites for current prices.