Wish me luck or talk me out of this?

[Jim F]

Hi guys.

This Ali photo was in a large collection that I picked up last year. The inscription is really cool but the photo is stuck to glass from the frame the owner had it in for years. I have been reading up on how to attempt to remove it and am leaning towards taking a shot knowing that I have a less then 50% chance of ruining the photo. Do I risk it?

Jim.

[barrysloate]

From what I've been told, if you attempt to separate the photo from the glass it is highly likely bits of the emulsion will remain stuck to it. Chance of this working out is very small. I guess it depends on just how stuck it is.

[GoldenAge50s]

I would suggest you get plenty of advice BEFORE you go ahead & try it!

[Tomman1961]

First, I have NO experience with this. But let me throw my 2 cents in.
I have been in the plastic bag making business for 25 years. I have seen this "look" where it appears to be wet. At least that is what the scan looks like. In my business, it is known as wet blocking. On plastic that has been printed-like the roll of plastic bags in the produce department-when you pull apart the 2 layers-or in this case the glass from the picture, I believe it is highly probably that some of the ink stays on the glass. Wet blocking will make some of the printed plastic bag ink stay where it belongs, and some of it will transfer to the back of the layers.
I hope I explained this clearly.
Again-not so sure it will happen with glass/photo. Just my thoughts. Like a previous poster said-get a lot of opinions and advice before you try this. Let us know.

[Jim F]

Barry, it's VERY stuck.

Not sure where to turn to for advice. I did a few searches and kept coming up with the same procedure. Getting cold feet, would be a shame to ruin this photo even further.

[barrysloate]

If it's very stuck it unfortunately may be too late.

Maybe you can ask an expert what if anything can be done.

[GrayGhost]

IMO Barry, its better to have it like this, despite the flaws, than potentially partially or totally ruin it by trying to take it out. Vintage stuff is the best, and I love this photo and ins myself.

[Runscott]

Don't remove it until you've gotten David's advice (DRC - cycleback). He's told me stories of removing photos like this from glass, and I don't remember any of them being good ones.

[barrysloate]

I agree Scott. Jim should leave it as is. At least it will remain intact.

[drc]

I'd leave it. In part because it doesn't look bad the way it is. If the photo was framed like that many years ago, I predict trouble if you try and remove it. Even if you were lucky and could remove the photo intact, some of the signature ink may remain on the glass.

I once had a 1913 NY GIants Fatima Premium that had been framed against glass many years earlier. Pieces of the photo image throughout were stuck to the glass and parts were not. The images was on two levels.. There was nothing you could do but leave it in the frame, because it you took it out it would end up looking like a tampered PSA/DNA sticker.

A positive is that it usually takes years or decades for a photo to get stuck like that-- which helps show the autograph is old. I remember years ago a well known and respected autograph dealer had a framed signed early 1900s photo of Hugh Duffy (I think that was the player). He said that the photo was forever affixed to the glass helped prove the authenticity-- as it could only have been signed many years ago.

[toyman55]

I would not touch it. I have 6 autographs of Ali including pictures taken with him and my kids and I treasure them all.

[Jim F]

Thanks guys. You talked me out of making a big mistake. I'm glad that I posted about this.

Not sure if you can make the inscription out but it's dated 1966 and inscribed to Chuvalo's manager. "keep Chuvalo in shape, we may meet again"

[mcgwirecom]

I had the same issue with a cheap autographed photo. I tried a few things but I believe its permanant. I left it alone.