A few months past I bought an 8X10 outfit that belonged to Leslie Magoon if anyone knows him. A friend had put virtually everything related to the large format outfit including darkroom stuff on Ebay in a single sale. To make a long story short I bought it because I recognized it was sitting atop a big Ries tripod. Nothing indicates being bought after 1970. Receipts for much of it was included.
So there was a big box of this paper. 250 sheets. There is no "Agfa" in the name anywhere. It just says Gevaert which could indicate pre-1964 merger? Knowing what I do about AZO.......mainly that the grain structure is so fine that it will nearly last forever if it doesn't get too hot.......I made the same assumption about this Geveart paper and threw it on a shelf instead of in the trash.
Good thing as this past weekend I opened up the fullish box and dug a piece out of the center, tore it in half, put half in some Dektol and the other half in some fix. To my surprise after a four minute bath in Dektol, there was virtually NO fog at all. I fixed and compared both dry. No fog. My next test was even more exacting. Put 2 4X5 negs on top of a piece in a proofer and turn the room lights on. I had set the timer for 45 seconds but about half way in discovered I hadn't turned it on. So after a good guess?? I put the paper in some developer. Gorgeous print. Today I've made 3/4 of a dozen serious 8X10 prints with it. Fantastic.
So my question is if anyone remembers this paper fondly or is it un-missed? I believe I'll miss it when my other 240 sheets are gone!
So there was a big box of this paper. 250 sheets. There is no "Agfa" in the name anywhere. It just says Gevaert which could indicate pre-1964 merger? Knowing what I do about AZO.......mainly that the grain structure is so fine that it will nearly last forever if it doesn't get too hot.......I made the same assumption about this Geveart paper and threw it on a shelf instead of in the trash.
Good thing as this past weekend I opened up the fullish box and dug a piece out of the center, tore it in half, put half in some Dektol and the other half in some fix. To my surprise after a four minute bath in Dektol, there was virtually NO fog at all. I fixed and compared both dry. No fog. My next test was even more exacting. Put 2 4X5 negs on top of a piece in a proofer and turn the room lights on. I had set the timer for 45 seconds but about half way in discovered I hadn't turned it on. So after a good guess?? I put the paper in some developer. Gorgeous print. Today I've made 3/4 of a dozen serious 8X10 prints with it. Fantastic.
So my question is if anyone remembers this paper fondly or is it un-missed? I believe I'll miss it when my other 240 sheets are gone!
