[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: orotones

Perhaps France and Mark Osterman may have an answer.  I'll try and get the
original post forwarded to them.

EJ Neilsen


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Bailey" <quryhous@midcoast.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 4:08 PM
Subject: orotones


> Jean-Paul,
>
> This inquiry may be better served on the Photo-History list.
>
> However, I've spoken briefly with a friend who is interested in this and
can
> offer a thought or two - he was just heading out of town and I was only
able
> to get the briefest of response, but if you still have questions I will
> inquire again when he returns home.
>
> You wrote:
> >Some questions for alternative networkers :
>
> >1. I think Curtis didn't publish anything technical about orotone, true,
> false ?
>
> Apparently he did. (no more info about that for the moment...)
>
> >2. Do you know quotes of contemporary papers about the process
>
> ???
>
> >3. Orotone didn't vanished with Curtis, the process is quite unknown in
> Europe but it'is possible to find moderns Orotone made in USA in the post
> war time (1950, 60 ...), any information ?
>
> My friend Richard says he's never heard of any ortones of European
heritage.
>
> Apparently Curtis' son Ashael (sp?) continued to work with orotone, doing
> landscapes in/of the Seattle area.  He certainly wasn't alone in
continuing
> to work with the process, but Richard said that no one ever equaled Edward
> Curtis is the use of the process.
>
> There were, apparently, several companies selling orotone materials for
> use -  one of them named was named Pillsbury (no, not the dough boy...)
>
> Edward Curtis was active until his death in the early '30's (?) and worked
> in many alt-processes right up to the end - including making many
> cyanotypes, as well as doing the photo-stills for the 1920's film Ben
> Hur....
>
> >4. All Curtis Orone are toned (sulfide, Gold ...), the toning process
> acting as an intensensifier above the gold back coating, some are untoned
?
>
> Richard was unsure, but assumed they are all toned.
>
> BTW - I'm quite certain that orotones utilized gold as a sensitizer in the
> process. It was not just that were gold backed images on glass plates.....
>
> Hope this helps.  I forwarded your e-mail directly to Richard and perhaps
> when he returns home he will answer in more detail.
>
> Best - Jon
>