Oil printing in Bunnell's anthology
The series is called "The Literature of Photography," An Arno Press Collection. My copy has $5 on the fly leaf, bought 2nd hand at maybe Strand or a photo fair. Being prematurely interested in "nonsilver," et al (A.K.A. eccentric) I acquired several "classics" before anyone at Strand discovered they weren't kitsch, or anyway were good kitsch. (Among other books for even less was "Mortensen on the Negative" -- tho, alas not the $1000 book Chris cites). In fact, though it was probably the apogee of Ansel Adams worship, nobody at Strand seemed convinced that any photography was "art." But I digress. This book is titled "Nonsilver Printing Processes: Four Selections, 1886-1927," edited by Peter C. Bunnell. (I suppose if one of the dealers selling through Amazon has it today, they'll want a lot more, say $150.) The 4 "selections" are: Colin Bennet on ELEMENTS OF PHOTOGRAVURE Alfred Maskell and Robert Demachy on PHOTO-AQUATINT OR THE GUM-BICHROMATE PROCESS FJ Mortimer and SL Coulthurst on THE OIL AND BROMOIL PROCESSES [London, 1909] and Pizzighelli and Baron A. Hubl on PLATINOTYPE, edited by Capt W. de w, Abney, translated by J.F. Iselin. The Oil and Bromoil chapter is some 70 pages, which I regret to inform you I do not repeat. However, a few points from the preface: "The oil-pigment process, as practised to-day by a very considerable number of workers in pictorial photograpphy, differs only in its method of application and general use from the process invented by Poitevin in 1855. [!!!!] Poitevin's specification dealt with the production of an image in greasy ink on chromated gelatine, but his description of the method was too vague to be regarded as instructional." (Exclamation points added.) The intro notes that a later patent by Asser (#543 of 1860) describes production of proofs in printing ink, used as primary or direct prints. Also that in the Amateur Photographer of Dec. 20'04, Thomas Bolas "deals at length with Asser's process" and describes his own prints made by the method in 1878. In sum, we read that "the oil process is essentially collotype on paper" but the revival is due to Mr. G.E.J. Rawlins. Rawlins also described his early experiments in the Amateur Photographer of Oct. 18, '04. He began applying ink with a roller, but found greater control with brushes -- something like stencil brushes. And, "No other printing process at present known to the pictorial photographer places such enormous control in the hands of the skilful and artistic worker." I've only skimmed the rest of it, but do note that, tho the paper is "sensitized" it isn't "hardened"(if it were, the ink wouldn't adhere, as I recall). My skim finds it pretty close to the summary of the 1907 Yearbook I sent yesterday. However, someone who plans to do the process, would obviously do well to go to the nearest university library and burst into tears until they get a copy on inter-library loan. Even if not *different,* it's bound to be useful reinforcement, aide de memoir. Or, didn't Cal Arts, or someone like that, have all these books on their website for download ??? In any event, the book is by Arno Press, NY 1973, ISBN clothbound 0-405-04928-5 and paperbound 0-405-04952-8. J.
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