Safely Removing old photos from an album?

**Eddie** · 09-09-2011, 10:09 AM

I just got an album in the mail and I'm very pleased with it, but I just noticed that there are pencil inscriptions on the back of a number of photos!!! I'm dying to know what they say, but the glue is super strong and I don't want to lose the inscriptions... I tried my GF's hairdryer, but the black paper came up along with the photo. Steaming? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eddie

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 09-09-2011 10:09 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Paul D** · 09-09-2011, 10:12 AM

No way to do it without potentially ruining the photos or the album itself unfortunately !! Just depends how much you want to know what it says on the back compared to the risk !!

**Adrian** · 09-09-2011, 10:54 AM

by Paul E

No way to do it without potentially ruining the photos or the album itself unfortunately !! Just depends how much you want to know what it says on the back compared to the risk !!

I agree. I have many photos which I purchased as singles and have glue/paper residue on the back. There is no way to safely remove it and leave the photo undamaged, I've tried. The writing will probably come off with the paper and a layer from the back of the photo. My advice would be to leave it and I would not recommend to anyone to take photos out of an album. Once they're out, they're out and even if you stick them back in, it won't be the same.

**CARL** · 09-09-2011, 11:15 AM

Chances are you will damage them, so don't do it. Even if you do, the likelihood is that the inscriptions only state dates or names...and that's if you can read it! Better to keep them intact in my opinion.

Regards

Carl

**Eddie** · 09-10-2011, 10:17 AM

Darn, I bet you guys are right. It's so disappointing, this kid seems to have written quite a bit on the back of these photos too. I can see glimpses of the writing if I turn the photos up, almost like mini diary entries... It seems like he went to Stalingrad, and I'd love to know what he wrote on these, but I can't see anyway of reading the back without destroying the photos and album. I'd like to have a stern word with whoever pasted them in there so well, lol.

**talltom** · 09-10-2011, 11:07 AM

shine a light through the card and see if it is partially readable

tom

**Paul D** · 09-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Post some of the photos Eddie it sounds like an interesting album !!

**Eddie** · 09-11-2011, 01:45 AM

Thanks Paul!
Here's a thread I started for those interested in seeing these pictures
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/photo...ad-back-95733/

**tud jones** · 09-11-2011, 07:13 PM

I have worked with photos in an archival setting. I have had some luck with the floss/thread method mentioned here:
The Canadian Archivist Blog - Help?
I have not tried the freezing method and while I have tried using gently applied heat (hairdryer) I did not find it to be a good method. I have also had good results with a fine, thin metal spatula.
There are some other basic suggestions here:
Removing Photos from Old Albums

by doomtown

I just got an album in the mail and I'm very pleased with it, but I just noticed that there are pencil inscriptions on the back of a number of photos!!! I'm dying to know what they say, but the glue is super strong and I don't want to lose the inscriptions... I tried my GF's hairdryer, but the black paper came up along with the photo. Steaming? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eddie