What is the oldest paper that you can have successful print with?

amellice · Feb 18, 2015

So I got my hand on a pack of Kodak Ektacolor Ultra f paper, to my knowledge this is an old paper since Kodak replaced Kodak Ektacolor Ultra III in 2003 with Kodak Ultra Endura. It was 50 sheets 11x14 for 6 bucks so I said why not!

Anyways tried it last weekend and it was no good (I can post the result later if you want). It had a brown muddy cast overall. So the question came to mind is how safe is the old paper? Paper lose speed with age and humidity and also depends on how you store it, but it's still usable. I have another Ultra Endura 8x10 date back to 2006 and it's prints good.

So I wanted to hear from you what is the oldest B&W/Color paper that you had successful results with?

removed account4 · Feb 18, 2015

mine was azo paper from the 1920s. printed like it was brand new.

Ian Grant · Feb 18, 2015

Early 1960's Kodak Bromide, slow and maybe a Grade less contrast but no fogging good tonal range and good blacks. I have some older that came with a job lot of darkroom equipment recently.

I've some Barnet (Ensign) Pastella Warm-Tone Bromide paper but I won't bother trying it, I do have 3 Ensign safe-lights, one candle powered, and an Ensign King enlarger, plus some Houghton Ensign cameras so nice to keep together

Ian

railwayman3 · Feb 18, 2015

Some contact paper from the 1930's, a few years ago. The packet was damaged and part open, found in an old desk, and not really in good enough condition to be worth keeping as a collectable. But it was, to my surprise, just about usable, giving a reasonable image in the centre of the sheets, but fogged around the edges.

horacekenneth · Feb 18, 2015

I got a hold of some Ilford paper labeled "Ilfobrom Rayon" (Simon Galley hadn't even heard of it before!). He guessed it was 50's, 60's and another member said the same. Pretty old, but nothing like the 20's though!

The highlights were dulled a bit which I think is fogging but it still turned out great. I haven't tried it with an anti-fogger yet.

amellice · Feb 18, 2015

1920s! that's nice, couldn't imagine that actually

Marco Buonocore · Feb 18, 2015

I printed on some Kodak Ektalure that expired in 1976, the year I was born in. Beautiful looking print, one of my favourites.

If I had to give someone one tip for printing with old paper, is to find a suitably contrasty negative to work with. Most of the old paper I have used is relatively flat, often in the grade 0 range.

piu58 · Feb 19, 2015

Mine was Agfa Lupex LW 1 I form the 1940th. It was hard to get decent images form it, but eventually I could master it. The first images were dark grey with less contrast. Finally I used strong developer with restrainer, gave much light and developed short. I sent some of these cards out in the Postcard exchange here.

The overall colour was yellow-bronwnish, like tea toned.

gracjan · Feb 19, 2015

amellice said:
So I wanted to hear from you what is the oldest B&W/Color paper that you had successful results with?

I have found few boxes of 1988 paper bought by my father and stored in terrible conditions for the last 10 years (under the roof, almost freezing in winter and hooooot in summer). I have made few prints and the quality is the same as of the prints made by my father on the same paper type in '80s.

Axle · Feb 19, 2015

Some Agfa paper from 1983. I actually really liked the results but the curl was Terrible!

amellice · Feb 19, 2015

Marco Buonocore said:
I printed on some Kodak Ektalure that expired in 1976, the year I was born in. Beautiful looking print, one of my favourites.

Ektalure is pretty hard to find these days, I've it in my eBay watch list but it doesn't ever show up I'd like to try it

Jim Noel · Feb 19, 2015

Kodak Velox from the 1930's

Rich Ullsmith · Feb 19, 2015

1950's Luminos Portrait Lignon. Goes straight black in dektol, but liths beautifully.

I have a pretty good stash of Ektalure, evidently pretty robust to the time and elements.

Marco Buonocore · Feb 20, 2015

amellice said:
Ektalure is pretty hard to find these days, I've it in my eBay watch list but it doesn't ever show up I'd like to try it

I have about 50 sheets of 8x10, and maybe a dozen 11x14. Finish "G", if I remember correctly. It takes on a beautiful warmth on selenium, and the finish is wonderful. I shoot with a Rolleiflex, so the old lens on that, the old paper and my Durst condensor enlarger... It's like time travel. The print has a lovely quality that people seem to notice right away. The biggest trick is finding the right warmth of mat board to pair with it.

GaryFlorida · Feb 20, 2015

gracjan said:
I have found few boxes of 1988 paper bought by my father and stored in terrible conditions for the last 10 years (under the roof, almost freezing in winter and hooooot in summer). I have made few prints and the quality is the same as of the prints made by my father on the same paper type in '80s.

Ya! Photo paper is tough!!!

randyB · Feb 21, 2015

1917, about 40 years ago I came across an antique 5x7 kit that included 2 boxes of Kodak Gaslight Azo paper with unbroken seals on the boxes. On a lark I contact printed a few 4x5 negs and low an behold they came out, quite fogged and very ivory/brown in color. I tried the same paper last year and it had gone bad, no image at all. On a more modern note, about 30 years ago,I used Kodak Polycontrast (the original version) that was about 20 years past date, it was fogged a lot so I used it for contact sheets. It was Government surplus, single weight fiber, I think I had 800 sheets.

volver · Feb 21, 2015

I do still use Agfa Brovira grade 5 paper, hard cream glossy (1978).

Some of the results

Untitled by Volver Mos, on Flickr

gone · Feb 21, 2015

It all depends on how it was stored. Even newish paper will be toast if exposed (sorry!) to high heat.

Those Agfa papers are to die for.

Rhodes · Feb 21, 2015

Kodak Bromesko WSG.3D! If the paper inside matches the box! Lovely dark and white tones. But the previous owner decided to curt 18x24 cm paper into almost 4x5" paper.

amellice · Feb 21, 2015

Brovira is lovely paper, it's pretty hard to get

What is the oldest paper that you can have successful print with?

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