Vintage Dupoint Defender Varigam Paper, how to develop?

[awty]

Hi all.
I recently bought a load of obsolete expired film and paper and amongst it was a box of paper marked "Dupoint Defender Varigam 11x14". In it was quite a lot of lose sheets of various sizes, 11x14, 8x10 and some smaller, all are curled along the edges.
I only just completed my dark room and as I didnt have any other paper I though I would try a piece out. I had baths set up with stock formula ilford multi grade and rapid fixer at room temperature @26C cause I was just expecting it to turn black, but to my surprise after a few seconds an image appeared and I decided to take it out of the bath at 40 secs.
I did another few runs and at 20C it would appear that 1.30secs was too long, maybe.
Anyhow Im only new to this and dont have access to chemicals, unless B&H have something appreciate?

Any suggestions for a suitable developer and fixer and times? Box recommends 55-D and 1-F (Acetic Acid) and 11-f
I have film developers, not sure if they are any good, or could I dilute the Multi grade developer more, or something?
Dont have any high expectations, but will be fun experimenting with it.
Thanks

 

[GregW]

Looks like it escaped fog. The contrast looks good too. You've got a nice box of paper there, legendary in fact. You might check ebay for a filter set for this paper. it's variable contrast. What you have seems to be working fine, you might get some Photographer's Formulary Ansco 130 from B&H. It's a good paper developer IMO. Do some reading through the resources section here and peruse youtube for tips on darkroom work. Honestly I'd set the Varigam aside and work with some cheap student grade paper then come back to this. Here's a good start, the data sheet for your paper developer: http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20061302049381676.pdf

 

[awty]

Looks like it escaped fog. The contrast looks good too. You've got a nice box of paper there, legendary in fact. You might check ebay for a filter set for this paper. it's variable contrast. What you have seems to be working fine, you might get some Photographer's Formulary Ansco 130 from B&H. It's a good paper developer IMO. Do some reading through the resources section here and peruse youtube for tips on darkroom work. Honestly I'd set the Varigam aside and work with some cheap student grade paper then come back to this. Here's a good start, the data sheet for your paper developer: http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20061302049381676.pdf

Thanks for the reply Greg.
Was hoping to use them to practice on, guess not. Will do as advised and put them away.
Have been watching and reading, but gets to a point where you want to start making.
The Kodak box above has 72 sheets of still sealed film from WW2, could be toast, but you never know your luck. Will leave until I first find out whats film it actually is and are more competent in its use.

 

[David Lindquist]

I liked DuPont Varigam quite a lot (and also Dupont Velour Black). By the time I used Varigam in the early 1970's it came in a green box and had dropped "Defender" from its name. If I'm reading the box label right, it looks like it expired in August 1947. And anybody know what "cross grain" is about?

As far as chemicals, what you are using now is probably as good as anything. The paper is, after all, nearly 70 years past its expiration.

David

 

[Down Under]

David (#4), I believe 'cross grain' was/is a paper surface. I used a lot of DuPont paper for enlargements in Canada in the 1960s, initially in my high school darkroom and later in a small commercial studio I worked part time for. At the latter we used many paper surfaces that were truly beautiful, especially when toned, but are no longer available and for which information has largely vanished in the mists of time.

I recall all these papers came with very long and greatly detailed data sheets- how I wish now I had kept some of those, but alas, they were all sent off with the garbage, nothing was recycled in those days. Even more sad, the studio was bulldozed in the late 1970s to make way for an office block - apparently a lot of the original photo and darkroom equipment was still in the building and was mashed into rubble for removal in trucks. Wanton destruction, but back then it's how it was, for so many things we now regret.

Nostalgia for things now long past aside, I recall printing with DuPont filters was somewhat "primitive" and one had to work to force any sort of decent contrast from the negatives, but photography was different in those days, overexposure of negatives was the norm, developing in Kodak DK50 or DK60a or some of the more hyperactive, by today's milder standards, film developers from Kodak, Ansco et al, tended to push the middle tones into the upper levels of high contrast. Very long exposures and careful development were required to produce pleasant skin tones and the soft focus effect then so beloved of middle aged and older sitters. For all these efforts, I still have,in my family home in Canada, a couple of hundred original prints I made then, and when I look at them now I marvel at the quality we were able to get. But with 4xt negatives, why ever not?

I agree with GregW's (#2) suggestion that awty should put this paper aside for now and print with newer material. I also would do this, with such old and rare (1947? The year I was born, so it must be super good paper, hah!) and Iwill go a little further and say, keep all the old paper you bought for a year or so, in cool and dry conditions, and return to it when you have more expertise in enlarging techniques. With good negatives and a little care, you will be amazed at the quality of the prints you can make with it.

No fog, what a blessing...

 

[Down Under]

Added on to my last post...

In the GOD (so OK already, it means the "Good Old Days"!!) we used Dektol 1+2 for everything, even for developing films when we ran out of DK60a and the Kodak Canada chem order hadn't arrived on time via the Canadian National express run from Toronto, as often happened in those halcyon times, and the Reid Photo Center just up the street from our studio couldn't or wouldn't sell us any from their precious stocks. So Dektol it was. Or that tried and true elyxir of old time newspapers pros, DK50 for soot and whitewash results, ideal for letterpress newspaper image reproduction. Blacks to die for, too bad about the mid tones...

Nowadays a half century later I use Ilford Universal (PQ) developer for everything, and I suspect it will do just as nicely for your ancient DuPont and Kodak papers. If anything it will impart a slightly warmer tone and better blacks than Dektol. If fog is not a problem, you won't need benzotriazole, but a touch of 10% sodium carbonate solution to spiff up the blacks may help, similarly a small dribble of a dilute potassium bromide mix. Benzo and bromide tend to counteract one another and slow up development speed, so a blend of the two may well give you five minute processing times (for paper) which can be a small eternity standing over a tray in a hot darkroom. Best avoided. If you must, opt for a restrained mix of dilute bromide before benzo.

I still say you should put the paper away for a rainy day some time in the future, when your printing skills will do it better justice. Enlarging papers were truly wonderful in those days. Ilford produces superb papers, but nothing on a par with anything by Kodak, Ansco, Defender, Dupont et al from the 1950s and 1960s.

 

[kreeger]

Awty I last printed from Varigam in the early 80s. We used Dektol 1:2 for 2 to 2.5 minutes and obtained great results. We used the standard Kodak Polycontrast filters with it and it worked fine. I agree with ozmoose, you should save this for later, it is "unobtanium" and worthy of your best negatives.