Re: Eau de Javelle ( Javel )
Thanks, Dan, for finding the percentage bleach of 6%. So if one mixed a
little washing soda into the bleach it should approximate Javelle. I am
shocked to find out Chlorox is only 6% because I can't imagine soaking a
print in straight Chlorox!!! Gives me the heebeejeebees, too.
It does call for a good wash after to get out the hypochlorite.
So the Arvel paper came with Javelle water, but Artigue used sawdust to
develop in general. Since both are "direct carbon" papers I don't suppose
people always attached the description of "Arvel" to their print so we may
not know which are Arvel or Artigue unless it is in the literature, or
Gawain Weaver or Dusan Stulik can electron microscopy-scan the paper to see
if any traces of hypochlorite remain. Otherwise it could just be called a
direct carbon print. But still I cannot imagine it would help the
archivalness of paper in any way!
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Haygood" <dan@haygoods.org>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 8:04 AM
Subject: RE: Eau de Javelle ( Javel )
I once had occasion so soak some whites (laundry) in household bleach &
water for hours. The clothing, cotton and cotton/poly, came out of the
following wash with some tears in the fabric. The clothing proceeded to
disintegrate in subsequent washings.
I could not find much info on the internet for the phenomena of
bleach-rot,
but this article discusses it and mentions two "stop-action" chemicals to
clear bleach (Bleach-Stop and Anti-Chlor).
http://labricoleuse.livejournal.com/11816.html
Javelle water sounds very close to (if not the same thing as) "household
chlorine bleach" (6% sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) -per Wikipedia) and would
similarly be a strong oxidizer. So I would think twice before soaking a
cotton-fiber paper in "Javelle water," except for a short period of time
in
a low dilution, followed with a reducing stop and long wash. Even
contemporary spot bleaching, etc., gives me the willies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach
It could be that there are no surviving Arvel prints because of the
oxidative chemistry involved.
- Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: John Grocott [mailto:john.grocott403@ntlworld.com]
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 5:57 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Re: Eau de Javelle ( Javel )
Javelle water or Javel water (both: zh?vel`), Fr. eau de Javelle,
aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite. It was originally
made
near the French town of Javelle (now part of Paris) and was the first
chemical bleach, a use first demonstrated by C. L. Berthollet in 1785. It
was produced by passing chlorine gas through a water solution of potash
(potassium carbonate potassium carbonate, chemical compound, K2CO3,
white,
crystalline, deliquescent substance that forms a strongly alkaline water
solution. It is available commercially as a white, granular powder
commonly
called potash, or pearl ash.
After the invention of bleaching powder bleaching powder, white or
nearly white powder that is usually a mixture of calcium chloride
hypochlorite, CaCl(OCl); calcium hypochlorite, Ca(OCl)2; and calcium
chloride, CaCl2.
Javelle water was sometimes produced by reacting the bleaching
powder with potash or soda ash (sodium carbonate sodium carbonate,
chemical
compound, Na2CO3, soluble in water and very slightly soluble in alcohol.
Pure sodium carbonate is a white, odorless powder that absorbs moisture
from
the air, has an alkaline taste, and forms a strongly alkaline water.
Now usually sodium hypochlorite solution, it is used in bleaching
bleaching, process of whitening by chemicals or by exposure to sun and
air,
commonly applied to textiles, paper pulp, wheat flour, petroleum
products,
oils and fats, straw, hair, feathers, and wood.
and as a disinfectant.
----- Original Message -----
From: John Grocott
To: The List
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject: Eau de Javelle ( Javel )
Hi,
Since someone may be interested in Javel Water, its mentioned on the
Internet and also by Lluis Nadeau, ''Gum Dichromate'' 1 9 8 7 . Page 7
6.
''ARVEL''
Quote:-
'' For a period of about fifteen years preceding World War 11 the
Fabrique de papier FRESSON commercialized a ''different'' Direct Carbon
paper called ARVEL. In an attempt to do away with the sawdust
development,
the paper was exposed under a negative for a period considerably longer
than
usual i.e. 5 to 20 times longer. After exposure, the paper was soaked
in
a 3 to 4% solution of Javelle water and the (relatively ) unhardened
parts of the image were then dissolved, leaving a positive image.''
......................................................................
I guess there must have been a great number of photographers making
successful Arvel prints over this 15 year period of time. Where are they,
now.........the prints and the photographers ?
John - Photographist - London - UK.
........................................................................
..........
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Grocott" <john.grocott403@ntlworld.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: Eau de Javel if you are interested.
> Hi Chris and ALL,
> Nice with a dash of lemon on a sunny
summer
> day.
> I wonder if anyone on this list has ever used this refreshing
cocktail
? ?
> Spelt with two ''L 's'', of course.
>
> Chin, chin. Down the hatch !
> Seasonal greetings.
> John. Photographist - London - UK
>
> E.J.Wall's Dictionary of Photography , eighteen ninety seven gives :-
> ''Eau de Javelle is used for eliminating the last traces of hypo from
the
> film, and also for reducing over-dense negatives, its action being
due
to
> hypochlorous acid. It is a solution containing an alkaline
hypochlorite,
> and can be made as follows :-----''
>
> Chloride of lime ............................. 2 ozs.
> Carbonate of potash ............................. 4 ozs
> Water ......................................................40
ozs.
>
> Agitate the chloride of lime with 30 ozs. water, dissolve the potash
in the
> remainder, mix and filter.
>
............................................................................
................
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Christina Z. Anderson" <zphoto@montana.net>
> To: "Alt, List" <alt-photo-process-L@usask.ca>
> Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 3:26 AM
> Subject: Eau de Javel if you are interested.
>
>
>> For what it is worth--eau de Javel (one "l" is the correct spelling
so the
>> article says) is said to be 4 g. sodium carbonate and 3 g. sodium
>> hypochlorite mixed each separately with a bit of water and then
combined
>> in a total water amount of 500ml. This was used to develop "direct
>> carbon" prints or paper such as Fresson, Arvel, Artigue, also a
couple
>> "direct carbon" papers from Germany (Hochheimer-Gummidruckpapier and
>> Buhler's direct carbon paper). These are prints made with gelatin,
not
>> gum. This is with a 6 min sun exposure in summer, a 2-3% pot bi
>> sensitizer. Eau was put in a tray and print face down in it.This
comes
>> from a 1943 article in the BJP. I am going back through about 200
sources
>> I have on gum and this doesn't apply to me per se but thought
someone
>> might have use for it before I toss it.
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