<< The four of us got to examine Paul Caffell's modern Evans print from Evan's
negative and compare it to Evan's original print. The image was the famous one
of the stairs at the Wells Cathedral. The match was breathtaking. All I can say
is it is a good thing that Paul has clearly marked the dupes and that they are
in the hands of the Royal. I would not have believed how close the two prints
were if I had not have seen it with my own eyes. >>
I am not surprised having seen the quality of Paul's prints; (indeed heresy
though it may be I suspect he might even make a better print from that
particular negative if he tried to do this rather than match the original.)
Some years ago, together with Terry we had a good look at the Evan's negatives
and prints at the Royal - and I certainly formed the impression that they were
very similar to the results we were getting on modern materials (though still
using the traditional process.)
A little later, in a show Terry organised to mark 150 years of photography in
1989, one of the Evans prints - a view of Lincoln cathedral across the town I
think, was exhibited next to one of my platinums (almost certainly a double
coated print on Sanders Waterford!) and technically mine held its own, though
the Evans was certainly a better picture.
Peter Marshall
On Fixing Shadows and elsewhere:
http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~ds8s/
Family Pictures, German Indications, London demonstrations &
The Buildings of London etc: http://www.spelthorne.ac.uk/pm/