As to the chemistry of albumen prints. I accept everything you say.
But sometimes somebody gets in right and good prints survive. Have you ever
looked under the mat of a Turner water-colour and seen the colours he used
rather than the faded colours in the versions we are presented with today.
But as to their appearance the good albumen prints ( bought at the local junk
shop for 50p) look so good that I show them to students as a reason for not
making straight albumen prints as a creative exercise as their quality is very
similar, and in fact better, than a straight thiocarbamide toned resin coated
print. I get students to make albumen arrowroot prints which gives us an excuse
to use the teaching kitchens where there always seems to be a group learning
Australian cake icing at the other end of the room.
Prints of neither process compare with the beauty of my 1870s woodburytypes
prepared from Fenton's British Museum photographs, one of which is technically
and aesthetically one of the best photographic prints that I have seen.
As to showing you. Please call when you are next in London. I would love to show
them to you, and my gum prints,and to discuss our enthusism for gum. I have
wanted to meet you for some time and now the list may set up the opportunity.
The list has already given me a gravure worker from Newfoundland. I would like
to meet you both in Canada, but, at the moment ,London seems more likely.
I have an Agfa relection and transmission densitometer. I use and trust the
transmission part but find that subjective reactions differ from those of the
reflection part of the instrument where alternative processes are concerned, (I
have had a useful exchange of views with Keith Schreiber on this point). Surely
colour theory shows us that the inherent difference in reflectivity between
brown and black is going to the skew the results towards a modern b & w print
anyway. When comparing like with like I do not think that there is going to be
much in it.
The Albumen and Salted Paper Book is much to be praised. I keep intending to
make up the cheese cake recipe. Are there copies still available ? I have
created a demand for it.
I have a friend, Magda Kozera, who tells me off, rightly,in relation to my
incorrect attitude to conservation. Her Masters is in photographic conservation,
she is currently working on her PhD which is related to the mounting and
presentation of photographs. She might wish to come along too when you call.
I suppose it is because woodburytypes look as if they were made tomorrow that
they do not command high prices in the sale rooms or even at book stalls in the
Farringdon Road which is where I bought mine.
Looking forward to meeting you
Terry King 101522.2625@compuserve.com