Digital Photo and Artifact Restoration
Old photographs, paintings, artifacts, and family heirlooms can really take a beating over time. We can digitally repair faded colors, tears, cracks, and much more. Old Town Editions has over 18 years of experience in providing incredible digital antique photo repair, restoration and retouch services to museums, historic sites and many homes in America and across the globe. Rest assured, your original family heirlooms will be in good hands. We perform all services in house.
If you have a photograph that has been in the family for generations but has become damaged or fragile over time, you may want to consider our professional digital photograph restoration services for your family heirloom. Light, humidity and airborne pollutants all contribute to deterioration. Digital photo restoration for your deteriorated family photographs is one of the best ways to preserve and breathe new life into your family history.
Documents that have deteriorated can also be restored digitally. There is a variety of documents that you may want to have digitally restored, such as wedding certificates, medal of honor certificates, general award certificates, degrees, diplomas, maps, or any document you need multiple copies of.
Often it is cost prohibitive to have a paper conservator restore an original photograph, historic document, or painting. Digital restoration is a low cost alternative to having the physical original restored. Our digital photo restoration and/or artifact reproduction service can capture, repair, and reprint a new archival version of these items to cherish for future generations. Additionally, our high-quality archival fine art prints on paper or canvas are the next best thing to the original. Our archival prints will last over 150 years before fading.
Through this non-invasive process, we are able to perform digital retouch and restore a deteriorated photograph/artifact to like-new condition. We can fix any damage or degradation while still maintaining the patina of age, if so desired. This way, the photo is restored and still looks as if it comes from an earlier era. Digital restoration and reproduction also allows several family members to have the same photographs hanging in their homes. They make wonderful wedding presents, party favors or anniversary gifts. After digital restoration is finished, it is a good idea to keep the original tucked away, to avoid further damage. Archival storage boxes are a great option to keep heirlooms safe.
Step 1: Schedule an appointment (call 703-684-0005)
You will need to schedule an appointment to come in with the items you wish to have restored. We will review the pieces and give you a price for the digital restoration. If you are not local and need to mail your photographs we will ask you to take some snap shots of the items you want restored and we will give you a rough estimate of the price. It is only when we have taken a look at the piece in person that we can get an accurate idea of the extent of the restoration needed and give you a firm price.
Step 2: Scanning of original
We scan the photograph using a method that is least intrusive to the piece. If your photograph/artifact is too delicate to put on a flat bed scanner we have a digital capturing system that allows us to scan an item without touching the front of the picture. We will use the safest method of scanning for your piece. Your photograph/artifact does not have to be perfectly flat for us to scan it for restoration. The digital capturing system also allows us to shoot framed pieces without having to remove them from the frame.
The scanning cost is $75 per picture.
Step 3: Digital Restoration
Rather than repairing your original photograph/artifact itself, we will instead restore the digital image we create. Areas that are torn or cracked are almost always repairable, as well as wrinkles, spots, stains, scratches or folds. Original images that are out of focus will typically wind up looking almost the same after photo restoration because focus can only be improved slightly. There is a sample below that reflects this focus gain. We can recreate broken or torn off areas of your damaged photograph.
Our technicians digitally restore and fix most, if not all, imperfections that are present in your original artifact. Our pricing is based on the amount of damage and the number of hours it will take to restore. We have a range of pricing categories to accommodate for all levels of degradation.
You will receive a disc with your restored image as well as having it archived with Old Town Editions for future printing. Archiving is when your digitally restored image gets stored in our image archive database for on-demand printing. If you or a previously approved family member want to order more prints of your image in the future all you pay for is the printing.
We have flat-rate pricing for photo restoration, based on the amount of damage to repair. The range is $125-$375, and we will need to see your original photograph to give you an exact quote.
Step 4: Printing
One final proof up to 12″ may be included in the restoration price. What size/how many prints can be included in the restoration cost will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Additional prints will be billed according to our normal pricing based on the printing surface you have chosen. Let us know the number and size of prints you want and we will help you figure out your print cost.
Click here to read our article about digital restoration vs. conservation.
Scroll through the galleries below to see more examples of our past work!
