Alinari Collection (1854-2020): the full conservation-status report

The collection comprises a plurality of typologies: photographs, negatives, slides, paper, albums, mounts, frames, leather/textile folders, printing and developing machines, wooden projection devices, historic wooden cameras, tripods. A photographic heritage unique in the world spanning over 165 years of image history.

Four storage environments analysed at Art Defender (Calenzano-FI):

• No-Climate Pavilion (attic): historic wooden equipment, albums, administrative paper material, printing machines.
• Vault 1 (ground floor): albums and prints.
• Vault 4 (ground floor): paper, photographs and films — ~330 pallets on 3-level shelving.
• Cell 1121 (ground floor): positives, negatives, albums, collotypes and ceramics on vertical trolleys.

Conservation-status assessment on most of the material; environmental assessment on 100% of the storage rooms.

Measurement instruments used:
• HD32.3 WBGT-PMV (ISO 7243-7730) with TP320.2 (T), HP3217.2 (RH), AP3203.2 (omnidirectional hot-wire anemometer 0-5 m/s) probes.
• Hydromette Compact-S, Qluve MM1 (paper and cardboard — EN ISO 287) and Testo 606-1 TÜV (wood — VDI 4206 / UNI ISO 17225-5).
• AM7915MZT digital microscope (2592×2592×1944/MPixel) for larvae and frass identification.
• Sony α7 II + 50 mm FE 1.8 for photographic documentation.

Scientific references:
• Commission Museum & Gallery (UK) diagram on T/RH stability quadrants for photographic material with gelatin binder.
• UNI EN 1822 standards (parts 1-5) for EPA dust filtration.
• ISO 18902 / 18920 / 18934 standards on photographic material conservation.

Survey chronology: 17, 18 and 26 January 2023 — deliberately non-consecutive days to validate microclimate data consistency.

No-Climate Pavilion — HIGH criticality:
• Unclimatised room, skylights without sunscreens, infiltrations from side windows.
• Avg T 19.4 °C · Avg RH 42.9% · Air velocity 0 m/s.
• Wooden material wrongly wrapped in polymer nylon — amplifying T and RH in summer.
• Active Anobiids on most cameras, tripods, furnishings; Pyemotes ventricosus and Scleroderma domesticus also detected (pallet A90). Lepismids on paper material.
• Progressive infestation assessment (Hygiene Care proprietary linear-regression method, ±2):
– HIGH risk: 19 active holes → forecast 24 at 6 months → immediate intervention.
– MEDIUM risk: 14 active holes → forecast 18 at 6 months → intervention within 6 months.
• Flooded pallet A124: mould no longer active but cellulose supports compromised.
• Environmental microbial load: up to 12 CFU/m³/500 L (zone A).

Vault 4 — MEDIUM-HIGH criticality:
• Primary air present but air velocity = 0 m/s at all levels.
• Avg T 20.6 °C · Room RH 47% but material RH ~7% due to cardboard absorption (excessively low).
• Live wood-boring insects and frass found.
• Films, gelatin glass plates and prints — incompatible conservation requirements in the same room.
• Microbiology: 2 CFU/m³/500 L.

Vault 1 — MEDIUM criticality:
• T 19.8 °C · RH 42.9% · Air velocity 0.05 m/s — environmental parameters suitable.
• Material RH ~9% (cardboard-saturated).
• Microbiology: 26 CFU/m³/500 L (the highest among storage rooms).

Cell 1121 — HIGH criticality:
• No climate control, T 20.8 °C · RH 47.1%.
• Lepisma saccharina found in package NVQ 36-99.
• Paper overlap → no airflow.

Based on findings, we proposed FAF Toscana an integrated, multi-year preventive conservation plan organised in three time horizons:

Short term (0-3 months):
• Immediate curative intervention on No-Climate Pavilion areas at HIGH infestation risk (19+ active holes).
• Removal of nylon films from wooden material.
• Installation of sunscreens / technical curtains on skylights; window-seal restoration.
• Local curative treatment on flooded pallet A124.
• Remediation of Cell 1121 from Lepismids.

Medium term (3-12 months):
• Intervention on MEDIUM-risk areas.
• Installation of primary-air HVAC + thermo-hygrometric control in the No-Climate Pavilion and Cell 1121.
• Storage rationalisation: reduce stack density to create inspection/maintenance corridors and favour airflow.
• Progressive replacement of unsuitable packaging with controlled low-hygroscopic-capacity containers.

Long term (continuous):
• 24/7 thermo-hygrometric monitoring with calibrated dataloggers.
• Weekly dusting checklist with EPA UNI EN 1822 filter aspirators (parts 1-5).
• Per-piece checklist with degradation-progression classification.
• Monthly minuted meeting with all staff.
• Dedicated activity manager + traceability of every action.

Expected outcome: stable parameters 18 °C / RH 30-50% / air velocity 0.1-0.3 m/s for traditional photographic material; 2-7 °C / RH 20-50% for films. Certified, traceable biological inattackability.