Category Archives: Digital Imaging

The Faith & Vision of Virginia Dwan

Recently, we had the privilege of working with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC for the realization of “Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959-1971”. This important exhibit highlights the vision of maverick art patron, collector and … Continue reading

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Preserving a Heritage of Courage

“There can be no higher hope than that this heritage of courage, daring, initiative and enterprise will be conserved and intensified.” Franklin D. Roosevelt These words, in a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, were broadcast around the world on … Continue reading

Posted in Archival Digitization, Book binding, Digital Imaging, Digital Printing, FADGI, Fine Art Reproduction, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Remember the Maine

Every image we work with is compelling in its own way but recently we received a box of 30 nitrate negatives for preservation that had appreciable historical significance. So badly curled, brittle, and stuck together were the almost 120-year-old negatives … Continue reading

Posted in Archival Digitization, Digital Imaging, Digital Restoration, FADGI, Negative Scanning, Nitrate Negative | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

CAW Digitization of Norman Rockwell Photos

The Chicago Albumen Works has worked with the Norman Rockwell Museum on a variety of digitization projects including the documentation of Rockwell’s magazine cover illustrations and his advertising work. Our most recent project with the museum was the digitization of over 20,000 photographs as part of the … Continue reading

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Digitizing a Lincoln Ambrotype

In a recent collaboration with The Better Image, CAW created an in-depth, hi-resolution digital record of the ambrotype, Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, May 7, 1858, by Abraham Byers for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The portrait, taken by eighteen-year-old Byers, was … Continue reading

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Digitizing Glass Plates for New York City Municipal Archives

  Over time the history of an institution is often captured through photographs of the people and events that helped shape it over the years. Digital technologies have made it easier to share these images and the stories they tell, … Continue reading

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Digitization for Private Collections

A recent Barron’s blog post featured quotes from Chicago Albumen Works’ Director Doug Munson. “Families that have approached us for digitization had private collections that have been passed down from the 19th and 20th century, and now there are three … Continue reading

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Negative Deterioration Part One: Digitization and Preservation of Cellulose Nitrate and Cellulose Acetate Negatives

Before polyester film became readily available in the 1950’s, all flexible film negatives were made on some form of cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate support.  Both of these film bases have deterioration issues, and in the case of nitrate negatives, … Continue reading

Posted in 35mm Duplication, Acetate Deterioration, Archival Digitization, Archival Film Output, Collection Services, Digital Imaging, Digital Negatives, Negative Scanning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Disaster Recovery: The Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Studio

Over the last several months, we have been working to recover and preserve a collection of photographs and related material damaged in hurricane Sandy in October of 2012.  The material was promptly frozen after the storm and transferred with the … Continue reading

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Helen Levitt in Color

In addition to working with traditional and digital methods of negative production, CAW also has the capability to create digital film transparencies. One such project was the restoration and re-creation of the slide show Helen Levitt in Color, originally exhibited September … Continue reading

Posted in 35mm Duplication, Archival Film Output, Digital Imaging, Digital transparencies, Digital Transparency | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment