Restoration of curled photos

[radstockjeff]

I have a number of photographs, taken c1952, which have curled during storage over many years. I have recently acquired them and would like to "uncurl" a selection.
Can anyone please give me some ideas  how I might achieve this?
Photos are approx 160mm x 200mm.
I attach a photo of one of the curled photos.

[Milliepede]

Not a professional suggestion but would putting a heavy book on top flatten them out? 

[Gadget]

If they're not liable to crack, a heavy weight, something like Milliepede has suggested would do the trick. Some people have used a cool iron on the back. I've not tried that.

I recall putting some in an old family bible.

[Ian Nelson]

Surface tension of the drying out of the various chemicals on the photo side has probably caused the curl.   A similar thing happens to light interior doors often finished with Hardboard and painted only on one side and over time the contracting of the painted surface will curl the door from top to bottom.  The answer would be to use a spray varnish on the non-photo side and when dry place the photos over a curved surface with the centre 1" higher than the edges.  My father in his Joiner days used to correct the curl by hanging weights from the top on the convex side until the door had straightened then paint both sides.  Worth a try on a few to see if that works ... ?

[Ian Nelson]

I should have mentioned Artist's Varnish rather than Furniture Varnish ... thinner and meant for papers

[Gadget]

A few more ideas if the paper is thick or will possibly crack using the dry method:

https://www.wikihow.com/Uncurl-Old-Photos

http://www.ala.org/alcts/preservationweek/advice/flatteningphotos

https://thefamilycurator.com/photo-tutorial-how-to-relax-and-rehumidify-old-rolled-photog/

https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/96483/how-to-physically-flatten-old-prints

[sarah]

I have only unfurled modern day photographs that have been rolled up.

I turn them curl size down and put a larger heavy type paper as a a weight and leave it  for about 4 or 5 days to un-curl slowly in a gentle manner.

Regards

Sarah

[radstockjeff]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Treetotal]

My Brother lent me my Father's navy photos from 1942, they were all curled into a stacked pile and in an old Basildon Bond small envelope. I bought a small album with plastic sleeves and placed several heavy books on the top and and within a week, they had flattened out. My Brother couldn't believe it.
Carol