Preserving Glass Plate Negatives

Glass plate negatives are very fragile and require careful handling, since they easily chip, crack or even break. The emulsion is vulnerable to scratching, flaking, and being pulled away from the glass causing portions of the image to be lost. The best preservation storage for glass plate negatives is to individually enclose them in a four flap envelope and store them vertically in acid-free boxes.

Glass plates that are not enclosed are in danger of being scratched or
having the emulsion pulled away from the glass, and portions of the image being lost. Four flap envelopes are the preferred enclosure method for glass plate negatives. These envelopes completely enclose the plates and can be opened without the plates rubbing against the enclosure.

Unless they are broken, glass plate negatives should be stored vertically in a snug fitting box. They should not be able to shift or slide in the boxes. We have lined our box with volara polyethylene foam (an archival quality non-abrasive foam) for a snugger, more cushioned fit. Plates should be boxed with plates that are the same size. Smaller plates housed with large plates will not fully support the surface area of the larger plates.