RESTORATION, PRESERVATION & ARCHIVING

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Professional Photo Restoration Service New York

Since establishing Preserve Your Past in the spring of 2002, Sebastian Wintermute has rescued and restored thousands of historic photographs and faded documents. His work has included preserving time-worn papers signed by Presidents of the United States, fragile documents from NASA's Apollo Space Program, and restoring the only surviving photographs of Holocaust victims.

Today, Preserve Your Past focuses on providing pro bono preservation, archiving, and restoration services to World War II combat veterans, Holocaust survivors, victims of the Victims of 9/11 and other terrorist atrocities, as well as their immediate families and direct descendants

Sebastian's skill, knowledge, and dedication have made him a recognized expert in the field of photographic restoration. His deep appreciation for history and passion for research often transform seemingly simple restoration projects into fascinating journeys of discovery, revealing long-forgotten names, places, and events.

Because of his professionalism, expertise, and extensive experience, Sebastian has been entrusted with the restoration and preservation of photographs and documents by numerous high-profile private clients, as well as some of the world's most prestigious companies and organizations.

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A 19th-century husband-and-wife portrait came from a collection of family portraits and photographs of an extended Irish-American family with a history spanning well over 150 years. A black and white photograph of Milan Rastislav Stefanik was restored and colorized, accurately recreating the appearance of WWI uniform and the military decorations as they were confirmed by research and consultations with experts in military history, decorations and uniforms. The faded photograph of the Apollo 8 taken during the moment of lift-off from Cape Canaveral and the NASA badge were brought by the family of an engineer who, for many years, worked on the NASA space program to be restored and combined into a photo collage. While there is no easy fix for photographs covered with stains and mildew, and restoration can be time-consuming and costly, a professional photo restorer can bring those water-damaged photographs to their original condition, to be enjoyed by a family for generations to come.
Humidifying, unrolling, and restoring a rolled-up photograph. Those pictures were frequently tightly rolled up, and as time went on, they dried out and cracked, making it impossible to unroll them without causing more harm. Resrtoraton of 1890s photograph of the original New York Plaza Hotel before it was replaced by the current building in 1905. The photograph required careful cleaning and retouching of some missing parts of the building and it's surrounding. Restoration of a Boy Scout Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Award for saving a man from drowning as a present to the original recipient on his 95th birthday. Even a photograph that was torn into little pieces and thought to be beyond salvation can be restored to its original appearance with skill, hard work, and a bit of luck.
Restoration and reproduction of a historic WWII photograph of General MacArthur and General Eisenhower taken during their meeting in Japan by Tom Shafer. Water spots and mildew stains are common damages on many old photographs. A professional photo restoration artist can repair and remove these damages from an original photograph or produce a high-quality digital reproduction, bringing back the photograph's original appearance. Even the most faded and damaged photographs, for which a client had given up hope of having them restored, can be brought back with hard work and a touch of miracle.

An artist's portfolio is more than a collection of completed projects - it is a reflection of skill, experience, and dedication to craftsmanship. It offers insight into the techniques, specialties, and challenges a restoration professional has mastered throughout their career.

Sebastian Wintermute's portfolio showcases more than two decades of experience in the restoration and preservation of photographs, documents, and historical materials. The projects featured here range from repairing minor age-related damage to rescuing severely deteriorated photographs and fragile documents that many would consider beyond recovery.

For additional examples and to discover the fascinating stories behind many of the restored photographs and documents, please view the full portfolio.

 

PRESERVE YOUR PAST - NEW YORK STUDIO

Photo Restoration Service in New York City

Preserve Your Past offers pro bono preservation, archiving, and restoration services to:

Any and all other projects are accepted on case-per-case basis.

Please e-mail restoration@preserveyourpast.org with any questions you may have or if you require additional information.

To schedule a consultation please e-mail the following:

 

 

 
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