[alt-photo] Gold chloride in Pt/Pd sensitizer

[Jonathan Reid]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get a consensus view on the addition of gold chloride  
in Ferric Oxalate. Dick Arentz claims that one drop 5% gold chloride  
added to the sensitizer will cool the image tone and possibly reduce  
granularity.

I have read other reports that state one drop of 1%. Then there's a  
book called New dimensions in photo processes: a step-by-step manual
  By Laura Blacklow, in which she states that "1-2% gold chloride, a  
few drops to warm the tones and reduce the contrast of a platinum  
print". I don't own this book but it showed up in Google Books after a  
search.

Mike ware seems to discount the use of gold chloride in all but pure  
palladium prints. I can't check my Christopher James book right now as  
it is not with me.

I searched the archives of the list but only really found references  
to post-development toning using gold chloride.

I'm printing 5x7 pyro negs with 6 drops sensitiser and 7 drops metals.  
Bostick and Sullivan sell it in 0.2%, 1%, 5% and 10% strengths.

Lastly, is the effect the same as gold toning post-development. If so  
I can see advantages ion not handling/wetting the paper twice.

Sincerely,

Jon