Silver gelatines

Stanley

Grumbler
Joined
Jan 14, 2003
Posts
25
Loc
UK london
Hi all,
Can anybody help out with advice for mounting Silver gelatine photographs?

These are about 20" square and very delicate. They will not sit flat in a conventional mount, and the customers wants them flattened. Drytac have advised me not to use a heated hardbed press, even with an overlay foil.

I am thinking of cold mounting with rollatac adhesive, but this is obviously permanent. Does anyone have another solution, maybe a reversible method?

Thanks in advance
Tony
 
I will assume that you have standard "fiber based B & W photographs". You did not give any value, age or real condition to the pictures.

We are framers and not miracle workers as a general rule. The client will have to be informed that any perminent attachment of the photo will devalue and or speed up the normal life span of the cherished item.

You might add "If I were as old as this item I would have more wrinkles that the item".
 
There are opposing ideas about the wisdom of permanently mounting photographs, but . . .

If they ARE to be mounted, I believe the traditional, and safest, way to accomplish this is with a heat press and dry mount tissue.

Unless we are talking about something different from standard fiber-base prints - which is altogether possible, given the differences in terminology.
 
Tony -
The dry mount process will probably be your best bet for fibre based B&W prints. Make sure to watch your temperature (not to high) and don't leave them too long in the press. There were some very delicate "gelatin" prints that were made in the 1920's - if you suspect that these might be from that era, try testing a corner of the print with a tacking iron first - on the back side & use a release paper to minimize any damage.
If the prints seem to be able to handle the heat, I would flatten the prints first and then attach to the mounting board - Don't try to do both at the same time - it might cause more problems. Hope this helps.
 
I'm with Flintstone. Even if the photo only has sentimental value it's nice to keep the original as close to its original condition as possible.

You might consider "step-up-selling" - you arrange for the scan and new print, in archival quality pigmented inks, frame it, and then make a nice folder out of unbuffered alpha cellulose matboard for the original (linen tape hinge, slots and cotton tape ties at the center of the remaining 3 sides).

That way everyone's happy and you don't have to worry about anything irreversible.

Rebecca
 
Hi all, thanks for the advice.

These are the photographers own prints, he dosn't want to sell them, just be able to look at them on the wall without any buckling. He has the original negs, so he can always make copies. I do plan to experiment with some spares, and see what works best.

Tony
 
As a fellow photographer, I have flattened and mounted tons of fiber based prints for myself and my father (it's genetic) as well as other photographers.

Just explain what you are going to do and why. Fiber based images are notoriously wavy, but also quite sturdy. They also take heat better than RC prints which are usually flat. Most photographers would rather have flat prints that they can view easily, especially if they have the negatives.

BTW "silver gelatine" refers to any straight black and white print. (Some people seem to think if they call it that it makes the image more important ;) )

Good Luck,
LeeAnn
 
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