Re: VDB is "Brownprint" process?

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From: Sandy King (sanking@clemson.edu)
Date: 01/04/03-09:08:30 PM Z


Ed Buffaloe wrote:

>I can't answer any of your questions, but I do note that Dick Stevens'
>chapter on the Brown Print also contains a formula from The Photo-Miniature
>of January 1900 which uses ferric citrate and ferric oxalate instead of FAC.
>The image "prints out fully" and is fixed in a 2% ammonia solution. I do
>get the impression that brown print has been used to represent any formula
>that is ferric-silver but doesn't require a special developer. I wouldn't
>consider the boric acid a "developer," but merely an additive, since I also
>use citric acid in my wash for VDB.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sandy King" <sanking@clemson.edu>
>To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
>Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 12:37 PM
>Subject: VDB is "Brownprint" process?

I read Stevens' chapter on the Brown Print and I agree with your
understanding that the "Brownprint" has been historically used to
describe an iron silver process that does not require a special
developer. However, the historical literature clearly indicates that
this process is overwhelmingly based on the use of ferric ammonium
citrate, either the green or brown version. There are certainly some
exceptions as quite a number of ferric solutions can be used to make
either regular kallitypes or brownprints, but generally ferric
oxalate has been used for kallitype and ferric ammonium citrate for
brownprint.

What I find curious is that James describes vandyke and brownprint as
separate processes and not as variants of the same, when in fact most
all other literature equate the term brownprint with vandyke. My
interest is in knowing if there is any historical precedent for the
distinction James makes between VDB and brownprint, or if the
difference in terminology is but a difference without distinction.

Sandy King

>
>
>>
>> This message has a comment and a question.
>>
>> First, the comment. On p. 167-68 Christopher James describes a
>> process he calls the "Brownprint." The difference between this
>> process and regular VDB are said to be that 1) it uses oxalic acid
>> in place of tartaric acid, and that 2) development is in a mixture of
>> borax and water rather than in plain water. It is also stated that
>> after proper exposure there is a "stage whisper" of an image as in
>> kallitype, which suggests that the "Brownprint" is a DOP process and
>> not POP like VDB.
>>
>> OK, I mixed the sensitizing solution as per James and tried his
>> "Brownprint." The results were very disappointing. Sensitivity was
>> very much less than what one sees with VDB, about two full stops.
>> Also, I tested development in both plain water and in the borax acid
>> mixture and there was no difference at all. Finally, the image before
>> development was much more similar to what one sees with VDB than with
>> kallitype.
>>
>> If anyone else has tried the "Brownprint" process as described by
>> James and gotten good results I would be interested in having some
>> details of your work.
>>
>> Next, the question.
>>
>> In all of the previous literature at my disposal, including Dick
>> Stevens' book on the kallitype, the term "Brownprint" is used to
>> describe a form of printing that most of us understand as VDB. That
>> is, the sensitizer is based on ferric ammonium citrate, tartarid acid
>> and silver nitrate. Does anyone know the historical origin of James'
>> use of the term, which differentiates it from regular VDB?
>>
>> Sandy King
>>
>>
>>


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