Make & keep
Catalogue a strip with a missing frame
Show the gap without inventing a replacement portrait.
A cut or damaged strip may no longer contain its original full sequence.
Record the surviving object
Capture every surviving fragment with identifiers and an overall arrangement photograph. Describe where a gap appears and what evidence supports the proposed order. Do not assume that four portraits were originally present just because many familiar booths produce four-frame strips. Keep fragments safely associated without sticking them together.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Label an access reconstruction
If arranging copies digitally, explain which positions are inferred. Leave a visible gap where appropriate and retain the fragment captures. A presentation version can help people understand the collection, but it should not become the only record of what actually survives.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- NEDCC — care of photographsPreservation guidance