Leaving the definition of archival aside, my vote is for carbon,
though certainly gum is no slouch. And neither is sulfur toned gelatin silver
(in fact, I might change my vote to sulfur toned gelatin silver). Platinum is
great too. Though carbon does have that cracking in the dmax problem in some
examples of it, and platinum has the occasional staining/yellowing problem. I’m
afraid I haven’t seen enough 100+ year old gum to really comment. The
only problems I’ve seen on gum we’re environment issues—mold,
fly specks, etc. As usual with these things- it depends.
Gawain
From: Christina Z.
Anderson [mailto:zphoto@montana.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:30 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: archivalness of gum
This
may be a question for Gawain Weaver as I don't know who else on the list is
"in the know".
I
have always read/thought/been told that gum along with carbon is the most
archival process there is.
I
heard a comment the other day from a museum curator who said it was "not
the most archival process".
Now,
I know that certain pigments used in the past were NOT lightfast.
Gamboge, alizarin crimson, etc. were pigments that faded thru time we now know
and the watercolor painters know, too. Also, I know that if you leave the
dichromate stain in as a darker brown addition underneath the gum layer, through
time in sunlight that image will fade to gossamer green and therefore the print
will lighten **somewhat** (found a cute little article on that fact about gum
prints "fading on the walls of exhibitions"). But if using
archival pigments and also taking into account the slight tone difference of an
added dichromate stain now that we are not cooking our prints with heavy 100%
sodium dichromates, etc.,, aren't gum prints really archival?? Anyone
have gum prints that have not lasted? I've seen Kuehn's and Demachy's but
unfortunately, photography is a relatively new art and thus we only have about
170 years of evidence.
Unfortunately,
I left my only conservation book (thanks, Gawain) at home and I am in FL
for 3 wk--writing my gum book at least!
Christina
Z. Anderson
Assistant Professor
Photo Option Coordinator
Montana State University
Box 173350
Bozeman, MT 59717
406.994.6219
CZAphotography.com
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