From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 10/16/02-09:27:59 PM Z
History of alt-photography:
==========================
Post-Factory # 3 had a charming, detailed, illustrated, in fact utterly
fascinating article by Liam Lawless on making gold chloride from gold
objects or "trinkets," as he so Britishly put it (objects from about 12 to
24 carats). A US contribution to the endeavor appeared under the title,
"The Alchemist and the Ancestral tooth."
Imagine our surprise when this service to the field raised the most
AWESOME ruckus on the list, begun by a certain, um, supplier denouncing
the article as immoral, unethical, heinous and irresponsible. No person,
he said, should make aqua regia on his/her own -- it being liable if not
certain to wither them right down to their bones. As I recall, in fact,
more than one phd in chemistry on this very same list joined the chorus,
(tho forgiveness -- within limits of course -- being divine, I do not
indict any particular person at this moment).
Still, a question: Why didn't we hear one single word, even a peep, about
the dangers of aqua regia this time around?
While you're thinking....
In the Post-Factory following, which was #4, in "Two from the gold field,"
Cor Breukel and Dennis Fielding reported their success in making "liguid
gold" -- both of them still with flesh on their bones, and other
extremities, as far as I know. Another article that issue, "The Gold
Flap," recorded the highlights of the list excitement, plus some other
adventures in the history of photo chemistry and Dave Barry.
On the other hand, sources listed in Post-Factory sell gold chloride so
cheaply these days it may not pay to make your own unless you're
laundering bullion. (Whoever would like to obtain these issues can e-mail
me offlist for an advisory....)
Meanwhile, for better or worse, another obsolete tooth has gone from the
US to Old Albion.
cheers,
Judy
aka
.................................................................
| Judy Seigel, Editor >
| World Journal of Post-Factory Photography > "HOW-TO and WHY"
| info@post-factory.org >
| <http://rmp.opusis.com/postfactory/postfactory.html>
.................................................................
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : 11/14/02-02:40:27 PM Z CST