Make & keep
Scan the envelope as well as the portraits
Keep inscriptions and packaging connected to the image.
An envelope may carry a name, venue or price that the portrait itself never recorded.
Capture the relationship
Photograph the strip beside its envelope before separating them for scanning. Scan relevant faces of the packaging and note which strip was inside. Copy inscriptions exactly, including an uncertain reading marked with brackets. Do not silently replace an abbreviation with the place you think it means.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Keep evidence and interpretation separate
Save envelope images under the strip’s identifier with a clear suffix. Add your interpretation in a separate description field. An envelope date may describe a later gift or purchase rather than the sitting. Preserve the original packaging in suitable storage and keep a note if its association with the strip is uncertain.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- US National Archives — digitising family archivesPreservation guidance
- US National Archives — storing family archivesPreservation guidance