Kodak UK Formulary – 1944

I've just got around to scanning this document from my archive of old photographic publications and have made it available on my site, where you can also read a bit about it.

It's a large PDF file (over 6MB), but I've run the scan through OCR software so that the text is 'copyable', should anyone want to.
Direct download, to save you trekking over to my place, is here. There are 32 pages in total, including a comprehensive index.

There are some fascinating old recipes in there, plus many which would fall foul of today's health and safety regulations in a big way. Anyone come across any uranyl nitrate or mercuric chloride lately? ...thought not.

For some of the recipes, it's definitely a case of 'don't try this at home', even if you are able to locate some of the more exotic (and toxic) compounds.

No doubt many of these formulae are published elsewhere - and many have no doubt been improved or are no longer relevant with modern materials.
I've never seen this reproduced in full anywhere so - for historical reference purposes - here it is.

Over the years I'd guess I've made up many of the formulae listed, or very similar formulae from Ilford,Agfa etc. There are very few formula here that are particularly hazardous or toxic.

While most of the formulae are in older copies (50's, 60's etc) of The Focal Encyclopaedia of Photography it's the first time I've seen them all in a Kodak UK publication, rather than in comparative tables. The UK publication "Kodak Chemicals and Formulae" (3rd Edition 1949) is obviously derived from this War-time Kodak booklet but only contains the essential formulae for commercial photographers.

Thanks it's a useful resource.

Ian

Actually my local photo chemical retailer still has uranyl nitrate at A$50 for 10g and mercuric chloride 100g for A$20 :grin:. Thanks for the publication: as Ian says its a useful resource

It looks like it contains a "Velox" Developer. There was a thread here not long ago about such.

bnstein said:

Actually my local photo chemical retailer still has uranyl nitrate at A$50 for 10g and mercuric chloride 100g for A$20 :grin:. Thanks for the publication: as Ian says its a useful resource

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That's remarkable, you would be hard pressed to find any such chemicals readily available over the counter in the UK.
They are of course still obtainable from specialist chemical suppliers.

Fraxinus said:

That's remarkable, you would be hard pressed to find any such chemicals readily available over the counter in the UK.
They are of course still obtainable from specialist chemical suppliers.

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You might be surprised. My old next door neighbour took over one of her grand fathers chemists shops and in the basement were all the photo-chemicals they'd sold pre WWII.

Ian

Ian Grant said:

You might be surprised. My old next door neighbour took over one of her grand fathers chemists shops and in the basement were all the photo-chemicals they'd sold pre WWII.

Ian

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I hope they went to a good home!
Such relics of the photographic past are getting rarer these days, although I know they do turn up from time to time in the most unexpected places.

Out of interest Ian, where do you get your chemical supplies from in the UK? I have an account with Sigma Aldrich, but they are quite expensive for small quantities.

Roy, I bought the complete stock of photo-chemicals from Hogg Laboratory Supplies afew years ago, Mike Hogg didn't have any real interest in selling them unlike his father Ninian. More recently I bought much of the last stock from Rayco just before the company was sold & then never re-appeared.

Other chemicals I buy from Scientific & Chemical Supplies in Wolverhampton, I've dealt with them for about 20 years but they won't supply the public only companies and require n official order on a company purchase order or headed paper, they also need to know what your buying chemicals for.

Some chemicals etc I buy from Silverprint along with film etc.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I had not come across Scientific & Chemical Supplies before. I've registered my company with them and will compare their prices.

It strikes me that it may be useful to compile a list of places that can supply raw chemicals for traditional photographic purposes in the UK, given that there are now so few (like Silverprint, Nova) that sell a limited range to individuals.
Perhaps such a list already exists? If not, then I'm happy to compile it if others have any suggestions?

Rayco were once an excellent supplier of Photo-chemicals, Steve who ran it was very helpful but unfortunately the Pharmacy shop that actually owned it ran it into the ground, they wouldn't let him re-stock. They had a good client base but the new owner just hasn't kept it going. I just missed out I approached them about taking it over and they had already agreed the sale a day or two before.

A list of suppliers would be very useful.

Ian

Thank you, Roy!
The selectable text made with OCR is great idea.

Does anybody can re-upload the booklet as links are dead? Or maybe send it by email? It will be much appreciated.

So long ago that I had forgotten it was on here!
The booklet may now be found on my site at this link http://real-photographs.co.uk/?page_id=269

Old formulas are fun to read even if you can't use them today. Many decades ago you could buy the selenium for toners as tablets, and some formulas calls for Potassium cyanide. Not food grade cyanide, I suppose.

Fraxinus said:

That's remarkable, you would be hard pressed to find any such chemicals readily available over the counter in the UK.
They are of course still obtainable from specialist chemical suppliers.

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Maybe when out of the ten most poisonous snakes in the world you've got the first nine plus the funnel web spider and the odd deadly sea creature then a few "dodgy" chemicals are put into perspective


pentaxuser

Fraxinus said:

So long ago that I had forgotten it was on here!
The booklet may now be found on my site at this link http://real-photographs.co.uk/?page_id=269

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Many thanks