Re: archivalness

Sandy

Given that people were still gaining the necessary practical experience in
how to process prints, it is likely, as you suggest,  that the majority of
photographic prints which have survived from the 1840s and early1950s were gold
toned.  This is hardly surprising when one considers that it was a widely held
view that the more use a fixing bath had, the more effective it would be. This
lack of knowledge led to so many prints fading that the Photographic Society
of London set up its 'Fading Committee'. After that processing improved to the
extent that  substitutes for silver, which were being exploredat the time,
had to wait for later,

Terry

In a message dated 29/3/06 4:18:48 pm, sanking@clemson.edu writes:

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> Virtually all silver prints made in the 19th century were toned, usually
> with gold . Toning was routine practice for working photographers and something
> they rarely omitted because they were very interested in image permanence.
> Therefore, I think it would be rare to find a silver print from 160 years ago
> in good condition that was not toned.
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> This is surely on  the basis that any image based on silver, which is more
> subject to oxidation, is not going to be as stable as an image based upon, or
> toned with,  platinum,palladium or gold, That is a given. But evenso,
> adequately processed silver prints not involvong iron, have survived in good
> condition for i60 years.
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> Terry
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Received on Wed Mar 29 15:46:45 2006