Black and White from 1967

[doug anderson]

This was taken of yours truly in Vietnam in 1967 and developed by the Vietnamese in a neighboring village. Obviously, it wasn't a fiber base print. The paper was very stiff and crude, but somehow, the image holds up. It was only slightly faded.

I'm wondering how long regular old (non-fiber) black and white prints are going to last, say, ones printed on Ilford paper?

http://doctorlumiere.smugmug.com/photos/363596138_irYNR-L.jpg

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Doug,

So, then you were a good looking chap! I wonder whether it was toned? You must have a lot of pictures from that time. Are they ready for showtime?

So, what dod you do then?

Asher

[doug anderson]

Hi Doug,

So, then you were a good looking chap! I wonder whether it was toned? You must have a lot of pictures from that time. Are they ready for showtime?

So, what dod you do then?

Asher

Asher, I don't really have a lot of pictures. My stepbrother has most of them and I have no idea where he is these days.

This was not toned. This was a very primitive developing process. The water probably came out of a stream.

[Reginald Johnson]

Doug, this makes me float back to college days! Agfa was more available than Ilford in my town then. There are some 50's prints hanging in my grandma's house. Slightly eaten by fungus on the edges, but the images almost intact. I think a well rinsed silver print should last quite well, but for the paper backing, as you point out.

As for the grain, I've gone great lengths with fine-grain formulae, and finally found that a significant contribution comes from the dust in the water used for dissolving the developer!

regi

[Doug Earle]

Doug: Your question has no easy answer because of the variables involved, which include proper fixing, toning, storage, atmostpheric conditions, pH of the water, etc etc etc.

In general FB has a longer life than RC (I've heard 4 times longer) without degradation.

[Alain Briot]

The print could and may very well get damaged by acid, or fading, or other, over time. That it hasn't yet is good news but the chances that it will are significant.

My recommendation is to get a high quality scan of the print(s) or a professional digital capture done with reproduction lighting to avoid glare etc.

Then you can reproduce the print digitally should you need, or want, to.

That's what I did with some of my fragile work, for example Polaroid originals. I have scans of all of these and of a large number of other prints as well.

ALain