Old Ilford (Australia) Paper

ozphoto

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Hi all.

After finishing the new darkroom build, I'm finally going through some old paper that was gifted to me and found a couple of oldies that caught my eye.

They are marked Ilford, but on the reverse, it shows "Ilford (Australia) Proprietary Limited", so I'm guessing both packets are pretty darn old. One is Bromide B2.26K and the other is Multigrade MG.26K and both are double weight, velvet stipple.

Any idea how old this stuff is and more importantly, has anyone used this stuff and if so, how and what kind of results did you get?

 

Molli

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Once upon a time I knew when this paper was made, but I've long since forgotten what my own research turned up. However, I've used paper from this era extensively - more the Bromide than the Multigrade - I can't say I've had a lot of luck with earlier versions of the latter, although mine's MG II and your's might well be fine. I know my Bromide is and the velvet stipple surface is one of my favourites.
Ilford Bromide B3-1K Double Weight Hard Glossy:

Ilford B2.26K Velvet Stipple Double Weight 3.5x5.5":


Any dramas I've had with pre-1980s paper have been easily fixed with a few mils of Benzotriazole; but, for the most part, the earlier the paper, the better I've found it to be.
 

markbau

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I recall a photoshop in Melbourne (where I purchased my first enlarger) selling me on the beauty of velvet stipple, that would have been in the late 70's but the packets in your pics look older than that, the packets of velvet stipple I got in the late 70's were the familiar white Ilford packets so I would guess they are early 70's. IMO, life is too short to be messing around with way out of date paper.
 
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ozphoto

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Some nice images there, Molli. Did you find any loss in grade with the Bromide, or a need to expose at a higher grade fro the MC?
Think I might give it a whirl, just to try it out, and I'll keep the packaging for historical purposes.
 

MattKing

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Harman have a ".lot of old Ilford records. You should consider starting a "Conversation" with Harman Tech Service. It might be a while before they can get back to you.
 

john_s

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Molli said:
.......Any dramas I've had with pre-1980s paper have been easily fixed with a few mils of Benzotriazole; but, for the most part, the earlier the paper, the better I've found it to be.
Click to expand...

My experience with Agfa has been that the very old graded bromide (Brovira) papers have stood up well, circa 1970 vintage. Not so the Portriga and Record.
 

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ozphoto

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MattKing said:
Harman have a ".lot of old Ilford records. You should consider starting a "Conversation" with Harman Tech Service. It might be a while before they can get back to you.
Click to expand...

Great idea. Matt - didn't think of this; usually, it would be the first thing to cross my mind! Going to blame it on Covid-19 craziness - too much info, too little space to stre it all.

john_s said:
My experience with Agfa has been that the very old graded bromide (Brovira) papers have stood up well, circa 1970 vintage. Not so the Portriga and Record.
Click to expand...

Agree 100% there! If I can find Brovira at *any* time (and the price is right) I'll happily snap it up. I have a packet of 12x16", 8x10" and some 6x4" left-over from this "gifting". The last batch I bought for $5.00 worked an absolute treat - I used it for a Postcard Exchange Round several years back.


I shall most certainly share the results - hoping they're more like Molli's, rather than terribly fogged with little showing of an actual picture.
 

Molli

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.... Drats, I just lost my lengthy reply...

I've been digging around in my notes and have found leaflets from paper made in England from the (marginally) earlier, yellow packaged paper with the three dimensional lettering. It's dated 1949. My Multigrade II is dated 1983. I've always had mid-60s in mind for the Australian made, yellow packaging but I've no idea where I acquired that number. The leaflet in the box gives only processing information, no helpful date stamp! In line with that, the white packaging with the starburst logo I've thought of as being early to mid '70s. Again, I couldn't tell you why I've latched on to that timeline but mostly it was deduced from evidence dug up in earlier research.
Speaking of, I revisited Maurice Fischer's goldmine, Photo Memorabilia and you'll be wanting to check the section about four fifths down this page:

https://www.photomemorabilia.co.uk/Ilford/Multigrade.html

Mr. Fisher lists your Multigrade as being fourth generation (throwing into disarray how we're all referring to its newest incarnation!) and production beginning in 1959.

With regard to contrast and speed loss,. my notes show f/8 8seconds for the yachts in the harbour which is pretty much average for my 5"x7" prints, and four seconds for the bird. Again, close to standard in a small 3.5"x5" print. There were no blacks present in the scene. Think brown bird with TiTree in the background.
I'll see if I can find prints of the same negatives on modern paper to compare exposure times and contrast.

Just to be even more long winded, I absolutely agree about the Agfa Brovira. I have a pristine circa 1960 box of 8"x10" Grade 5 paper which I just recently opened. It's the ONLY paper I have which gave me an even remotely passable image from a negative where the flash failed to fire.
I also finally got around to making some prints from a couple of 1930s-1940s Silver Nitrate negatives. Straight prints on Agfa Brovira Grade 3 = match made in heaven
 
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ozphoto

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Thanks for the update on the prints and the website. I checked that one out before posting as I couldn't quite figure a date from the info he had (lack of photos to narrow the search), but an ultimate goldmine regardless!

Yes, that paper was awesome at grade 5, I always had a small 25 pack on hand, just for that reason.
 
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Nige

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I haven't had much luck printing with old papers except they (fiber) usually 'lith' nicely, so if they don't work out printing normally, maybe give them a swim in some lith developer if that interests you.
 
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ozphoto

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Nige said:
I haven't had much luck printing with old papers except they (fiber) usually 'lith' nicely, so if they don't work out printing normally, maybe give them a swim in some lith developer if that interests you.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Nige. I haven't attempted Lith printing since college, so that might be the way to go.
I'll have to do some research to remind myself though.
 
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