Bostick - Sullivan: reliable?

walter23 · Apr 10, 2007

I'd never heard of this company before but clicked on a banner ad here. They have pretty good prices on cyanotype / van dyke kits (e.g. a package deal for both for $42, claims to give 250 8x10s for the cyanotype kit and 100ml of vandyke solution).

Have any of you ordered from them? I'm pretty close to doing so, but want to hear if they are a reputable company first.

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 10, 2007

Yes, absolutely!

I've bought a few things from them, most recently the bellows patch kit. Working on the 7x17" bellows...

erikg · Apr 10, 2007

Very reliable. They pretty much were the place for alt process for many years. The experts on Plat/Pd. Order with confidence.

Loris Medici · Apr 10, 2007

B&S is a reputable / serious company. I ordered many times from them, never had any problem.

BTW, buying the raw materials (Ammonium Iron(III) Citrate, Potassium Ferricyanide and Silver Nitrate) and mixing the solutions yourself is much much more cost effective.

walter23 said:
I'd never heard of this company before but clicked on a banner ad here. They have pretty good prices on cyanotype / van dyke kits (e.g. a package deal for both for $42, claims to give 250 8x10s for the cyanotype kit and 100ml of vandyke solution).

Have any of you ordered from them? I'm pretty close to doing so, but want to hear if they are a reputable company first.

walter23 · Apr 10, 2007

Loris, yeah, I realize that about the chemistry. I just figure I'll try a small kit with pre-measured quantities first to see how I like it; saves the trouble of weighing out quantities (I don't have a scale yet) or mixing up huge batches of stock solution and doing dilutions.

Ian Leake · Apr 10, 2007

I've found them to be totally reliable (including international shipping) and really helpful on the phone. 100% recommended!

clay · Apr 10, 2007

They are very reliable. I got a bonky batch of ferric oxalate from them, and didn't discover this for six months after I purchased it. I called Melanie, and she cheerfully and quickly replaced the chemical. IOW, no worries about B&S. They are great people.

david b · Apr 10, 2007

Kevin Sullivan is one of THE most knowledgeable people in the industry. And he is a helluva nice guy too.

Robert Hall · Apr 10, 2007

Are you kidding?

If you can't count on them, then who?

Just wanted to second everyone else's sentiment.

TheFlyingCamera · Apr 10, 2007

Wonderful customer service. There was a mixup on the shipping from them of a Palladium kit I ordered, and they sent me a whole replacement kit plus some extras, at no charge. Great people to deal with. Plus, they sometimes offer specials just for APUG folks!

david b · Apr 10, 2007

Oh...and if you happen to get Kevin on the phone, make sure you have a comfortable chair nearby.

You're gonna be on the phone for a while.

walter23 · Apr 10, 2007

Okay, from the response I guess this was like asking if I can safely buy camera gear from B&H or if they're one of those new york bait 'n switch operations. Forgive me my ignorance, I'm an alternative processes virgin.

I put in my order; van dyke & cyanotype stuff should be coming my way soon and I can put my expensive blacklight bulbs to use. Hurray.

roy · Apr 10, 2007

Have any of you ordered from them? I'm pretty close to doing so, but want to hear if they are a reputable company first.

Certainly, in my experience.

payral · Apr 10, 2007

Just THE BEST !!!!

tom_micklin · Apr 10, 2007

walter23 said:
Okay, from the response I guess this was like asking if I can safely buy camera gear from B&H or if they're one of those new york bait 'n switch operations. Forgive me my ignorance, I'm an alternative processes virgin.

I put in my order; van dyke & cyanotype stuff should be coming my way soon and I can put my expensive blacklight bulbs to use. Hurray.

You absolutely will not be disappointed.
They are very nice people and sell great products.
Have fun with it. Alt processes are very rewarding.
Regards,
Tom

Peter Schrager · Apr 10, 2007

B+S

They are without a doubt one of the outstanding upholders of traditional/alternate photography in the world. (Kevin likes to talk?) But seriously a great bunch of folks who have done their homework AND can usually come up with answers to problems you are having. I say give 'em a try.
Best, Peter

Jan Pietrzak · Apr 10, 2007

Walter,

No don't do it. They are the worst, no help, bad service and the chemistry is well??? Ok with that being said, I feel better. Melody and Dick ok where do I start over 25 years ago. Some of the best friends I have had for years.

If you get started you may want to think about coming to Santa Fe, NM this summer for APIS. One of the best time I/we my wife included have ever spent. Oh I forgot, we help put it on and have for since 1999.. It is a lot of fun, anda lot of people to work off of.

Jan Pietrzak
see you all in Santa Fe

walter23 · Apr 11, 2007

What's APIS? I googled it, but I imagine it's got nothing to do with Application Programming Interfaces or the Advanced Papyrological Information System.

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 11, 2007

Go to the Bostick-Sullivan website, and there's a link to APIS info on the front page--

"3 days of photo lectures, demos and events in scenic Santa Fe, New Mexico. APIS is a part of Photoarts Santa Fe 2007"

Russ Young · Apr 12, 2007

I've been doing business with them since 1983 or '84 (can't remember with certainty that far back). Impeccable reputations, Kevin & Dana & Melodie are encyclopedias of AUTHENTIC knowledge and experience. They are the gold standard ( and platinum and palladium and....)

Russ

Guillaume Zuili · Apr 12, 2007

They are excellent, reliable. Thanks they are here.

terri · Apr 16, 2007

david b said:
Oh...and if you happen to get Kevin on the phone, make sure you have a comfortable chair nearby.

You're gonna be on the phone for a while.

So that explains the 40-minute conversation I had with him when I called wondering about bromoil bleaching chemicals. And here I just thought we'd bonded.

All kidding aside, he was awesome. I was uncertain and feeling ignorant when I dialed that number; by the time we hung up, my wallet may have been lighter but I felt completely empowered to take on a new process.

Kevin rules!

philldresser · Apr 20, 2007

I have dealt with them from across the pond and they are great.

Phill

Monophoto · Apr 20, 2007

A good company with a broad range of products at reasonable prices and with fabulous customer service.

A unique resource!

walter23 · Apr 21, 2007

Wow, they really did deliver. When I was unpacking my stuff I thought "oh, I should have ordered a couple of eyedroppers." Lo-and-behold - there were three eyedropped neatly packed in the box along with all my chemistry.

They even included a bottle of hypo crystals with the van dyke printing kit (I was just expecting the chemistry for the sensitizer).

Cyanotype:
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Bostick - Sullivan: reliable?

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Bostick - Sullivan: reliable?

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