Anyone out there inherited old family photo albums? If so, you'll want to read this excerpt from “Photo Album, The Essential Guide to Sorting, Sharing + Keeping Photos” in which the history of the photo album is described:

After World War II, mass production used inexpensive materials, especially plastic, as the main ingredients of thousands of consumer goods. Photo albums became commodities, often shoddily made. Their cardboard covers warped, their pages crumbled, and their spines collapsed. Worst of all, acidic paper and non-breathable plastics actually hastened the pictures’ decay...

(Here comes the part where you can breathe a sigh of relief.)

...Fortunately, photo albums have now reached another stage in their evolution. The best manufacturers today are aware of the importance of archival materials. These include paper that is genuinely acid-free, not just balanced with a temporary buffer; book cloth that won’t scuff or rub; and plastics that don’t exude corrosive fumes. Along with greater attention to workmanship has come a fresh appreciation of fine design. Premium-grade contemporary photo albums are meticulously crafted books, covered in opulent leather or fabric and bound with ribbon or hidden posts. Their colors are subtle yet stimulating. Many are expandable, and most include space for labels, notes and memorabilia. A photo album should offer a tactile experience as well as a visual one. In fact, a well-made photo album can be an integral part of home décor.

As shown in this image from the book, treasured old family photographs can be rescued from certain demise by transferring them from inferior, old photo albums to new archival photo albums. The examples pictured here are Kolo Noci brag books, Kolo Capri vertical brag books, and a large Kolo Havana Box. All are archival quality.

You can read more about “Photo Album The Essential Guide to Sorting, Sharing + Keeping Photos” by Vanessa Holden and Susie Cushner at www.kolo.com . Kolo is selling it on their web site and word is that it will soon be available at many retail stores that sell Kolo albums, which are listed on Kolo’s store locator. A previous Koloist post about this book by can be seen here.

- Ugo