Old Print has Degraded

[rokosz]

Hello folks,

Here's something I couldn't _search_ on the web or here in the forums. (got a lot of tintype hits) Its a 80-90 yo print that has taken on a metallic quality. If you angle the print away from the light source the metallic "reflection" goes away (kinda like a 3d effect -- but only in 2d) and the original "color"/composition is still there.

At an extreme angle (70-80deg) with a lightsource reflecting off it, it almost looks like an etching (the surface doesn't appear uniformly smooth like a modern/latter day paper).

This is on paper, mounted into a portrait studio folio. I can get at the edge of the photo itself --its heavier paper-like stock (non-photographic).

My curiosity is what is causing the metallic effect?

Can it be reversed?

http://www.mountcrumpit.com/images/wedding.jpg

Anyone have an idea if Photoshop could help? I may try propping it up in my scanner a bit on one end to see if I can snag a scan w/o the metal.

Thanks for any help you can offer! B

 

[Garbz]

You may have more luck posting this in the Film subform Film Discussion and Q & A.

There's a lot of people here in beyond the basics that don't even know what film is

 

[dxqcanada]

PMG Silver Mirroring - Wiki

 

[rokosz]

So that's what its called. Thanks for the link!