From: Peter Marshall (petermarshall@cix.co.uk)
Date: 10/04/02-03:24:26 AM Z
I'm not sure his very first salt print is still around, although
Talbot's first negative is at our national museum of film, tv and
photography in Bradford. I seem to recall that Talbot's notes about it
record that much more detail was visible when it was first made, that soon
faded. He didn't wash his early prints - but didn't use hypo either.
There are actually very few early salt prints that don't suffer from
fading, which became a matter of great concern in the 1840s and 1850s,
with committees being set up and prizes offered. It was just this concern
that led to a great deal of interest and research into alternative
photographic processes such as many that interest and absorb those on this
list.
It was soon realised that proper fixing and washing were vital, and that
gold toning also helped. Of course proper storage conditions are also
essential. Atmospheric pollution is a major problems faced by any silver
containing image (and gold toned prints still contain silver.) Don't worry
too much about your prints lasting 150 years (they probably would in total
darkness in a cool air and water free environment), do your best to
process them well, hang them on walls and enjoy them.
Many early printing papers also contained organic binders, either added
deliberately in their preparation or because of the use of surface sizing
by the paper maker. English paper was traditionally surface sized with
gelatin, and French with starch, causing some problems and confusion in
the early years of photography. Other binders in use in the early years
included whey and albumen, and no doubt anything else that individuals
thought might improve. Don't forget there were raspberry jam and beer
processes used later in the century, and there can be few substances that
were not tried in the attempt to improve photographs. Some may not have
aided their archival properties.
The best papers for salt printing are 100% rag papers. Some modern papers
use internal sizing, and you may want to add gelatin or starch to the
salting solution. The best book on the process - by James M Reilly - is
online at the Albumen site.
Peter Marshall
Photography Guide at About http://photography.about.com/
email: photography.guide@about.com
_________________________________________________________________
My London Diary http://mylondondiary.co.uk/
London's Industrial Heritage: http://petermarshallphotos.co.uk/
The Buildings of London etc: http://londonphotographs.co.uk/
and elsewhere......
> Patricia,
>
> The very first salt print made by Fox Talbot is still in existence. I
> do not
> remember what museum in England has it. The key to salt print
> permanence is
> toning after the image is processed. Proper fixing and washing is the,
> like
> all photo processes is essential.
>
> Another thing that one should be aware of is a good deal of the
> literature
> out there states something like "Any paper suitable for water color is
> great
> for salted paper". This, my Dear Watson, is pure balderdash. If the is
> paper unstable, has a high acid content or is simply an inferior grade
> of
> paper, you will have image stability problems. I have seen salted paper
> images that were in horrid condition. People were saying the image was
> fading, but the image was actually being eaten by the acid in the paper.
>
> Go make some salted paper prints. Do it right and the images should
> last 150
> years.
>
> Joe Portale
> Tucson, AZ
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Patricia Reed" <preed@kumc.edu>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 8:03 AM
> Subject: Salt prints
>
>
> > I'm very interested in doing salt prints.
> > Some literature I have states salt images are not permanent.
> > Just how permanent are they and is it possible to make them last?
> >
>
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : 11/14/02-02:40:26 PM Z CST