Stains on Fiber Print

Here's the problem - I have a print, made during a printing workshop I attended in 2003, that has been matted and framed since that time. A week ago, I noticed an orange stain that is discolouring part of the image.

It is printed on Agfa MCC 111 FB. I don't recall what developer was used, but the print was subjected to a two bath fixing and washed in constantly renewed water. It was selenium toned, but not to the point of a noticable colour shift.

The stain is not visible on the back of the paper or in the white margins. In the upper corners discolouration can be seen from the tape that affixed the print in the mat. There was a sheet of acid free board between the matted print and the frame.

I'm puzzled and curious as to what has caused this - does anyone have any ideas, or seen the like before?

Thank you for any help you can offer!

Poor fixing causes that, usually because the silver level is two high and some of the intermediary silver/thiosulphate complexes formed during fixing haven't swased out of the paper. Over time these break down ad begin to cause these stains.

It's important not to overload paper fixer and the best method to prevent this is two bath fixing. Once that damage is done there's nothing you can do.

Ian

As the knowledgable Mr Grant says bronzing of a print = fixing problem.

Given the location of the bronze stain at the center of the print you may have made a rookie mistake : you dipped your print into the fixer in a way that let a big air bubble form in the middle of the print hence the inusfficient fixing in that area.
Veteran printers use a plastic fly killer to (gently) push the print into the fixer tray to ensure uniform fixing...

Have you tried re-fixing the print. If it is actually insufficiently fixed there is a good chance it will remove the stain.

Much the same as a mono negative which is poorly fixed and remains 'milky' refixing will clear the silver.

Thank you for all the replies. I had wondered if it was a problem of fix, even though a two bath fixing procedure was used.

It hasn't happened in the intervening years and I have done a fair amount of printing since. The difference is, since then, I've been in control of my chemicals and renewing them as needed, which I wasn't during the printing workshop as chemicals were provided and pre-prepared. The fix baths may have been in need of changing...

Pat, thank you for the suggestion of trying to refix the print, I may try it just to see since there is nothing to lose. My intention is to reprint the negative, I can just as well try treating the old print during the session.

The answers you are getting are all valid, indeed it is probably a mistake in the fixing. Wrong dilution for instance, or too cold fix.

There is another possibility: did your print hang on the wall near a radiator for central heating? I gave a friend a print and it turned reddish, like yours. I took it back and gave her another, but the same thing happened within a couple of years. I asked a friend who is an expert and he came up with the radiator. Sure enough this print was always right above a very old heater in a building in Paris. Apparently very old water has fumes that are no good.

Thanks for asking, had the same on some of my prints and wondered about the cause.

Great negative, by the way, definitely deserves re-printing.

Lars

Selenium toner can also react with improperly fixed areas in a print. The resulting stain is a litle more red-brown than the bronzing mentioned above. As far as I know, the damage is permanent, just as Ian Grant has written, but as you are going to reprint it, why not experiment with the old print. Chemicals on workshops are only good for working prints. Permanent prints need your personal responsability. Good luck !

Karl-Gustaf