RESTORATION, PRESERVATION & ARCHIVING

ABOUT

PRESERVE YOUR PAST was founded in 2002 by Sebastian Wintermute, who combined his passion for history and photography with expertise in digital imaging to make museum-quality photo conservation, photo archiving, and photo restoration services, accessible to individuals and families. Recognizing that countless photographs and documents of personal, family, and historical significance are lost or deteriorate beyond repair each year, Sebastian set out to provide private clients with the specialized expertise traditionally available primarily to museums, libraries, archives, and other institutions.

Since then, Sebastian has rescued and restored thousands of personal and historic photographs and documents that had spent years forgotten in old shoeboxes, dusty attics, and damp basements, slowly fading and falling apart. Often discovered during home renovations, moves, or cleanouts, some of the remarkable items brought to him for restoration have included papers signed by U.S. Presidents, fragile records from NASA's Apollo Program, and the only surviving photographs of Holocaust victims and WWII heroes.

For Sebastian, restoration is about far more than repairing scratches, tears, stains, fading, and other damage. Every photograph or document can preserve a story, a loved one’s face, an important family moment, or a glimpse of a vanished time and place. Even an ordinary snapshot can become an invaluable family record.

Careful examination of photographs and documents can also uncover previosly lost or hidden information. Inscriptions, uniforms, architecture, street signs, and other visual clues can reveal forgotten names, places, dates, and events. Historical research can transform an unidentified image into a meaningful record and, in some cases, reconnect families with stories that might otherwise have been lost.

Restoration itself can reveal details obscured by age and damage. A faded photo portrait may recover previously unseen features, while a handwritten inscription or architectural detail may help establish a photograph’s identity, date, or location. An image that once seemed insignificant can take on entirely new meaning once its story is understood.

Sebastian combines technical expertise with historical curiosity to preserve an image’s character, authenticity, and information while recovering as much visual detail as possible. Whether restoring a photograph of a major historical figure or a cherished family snapshot, he approaches every project with the same care and respect. Monetary value does not determine an object's importance; its personal, cultural, or historical significance does.

When he is not restoring faded family photographs or carefully retouching and colorizing images of historical figures, Sebastian volunteers his time and skills to haelp other companies and organizations that are dedicated to preservation of arts and history.

From 2017 t0 2024 he worked as an active volonteer at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. There, he participates in preservation and maintenance of historic vessels, including the museum's 1885 tall ship Wavertree, 1885 schooner Pioneer, and 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker. The museum's historic fleet helps tell the story of New York's maritime and industrial heritage and the central role that the waterfront played in the city's development.

Sebastian's involvement with the museum reflects the same commitment to preservation that has guided his work with photographs and documents for more than two decades: the belief that objects from the past are not merely artifacts, but physical connections to the people, places, and events that came before us.

Through his volunteer work, he also helped to educate museum visitors about New York City's history, its environment and development, and the importance of preserving the city's historic waterfront.