Hello All,
I planned on ordering some and giving it a try and I was wondering if anyone had tried out the J&C Classic Museum Paper yet? J&C's info states that different developers will produce either neutral, warm or cold tones. Has anyone played with different developers and what were your overall impressions of the paper?
Thanks
Eric Jones
NO, but I just saw the Canon Camera Museum and it was fab.
Hello Eric,
From the description on the JandC website, their Classic line of paper is Forte Polywarmtone paper that has been re-badged. The connotation "museum weight" refers to the fact that the paper is extra heavy weight. Thicker and stiffer than standard double weight paper. Have you checked on the future availability of JandC Classic? I understand that Forte is in financial trouble at the present time.
I have printed on double weight Forte polywarmtone in the past. It's a lovely warm - toned paper, with a creamy base tone with deep brownish-blacks. I found the museum weight to be thick and difficult to flatten after drying. I prefered the double weight thickness.
All print papers respond differently to the various formulations of paper developers. I usually add Potassium bromide to my developer tray for warmer tones, and benzotriazole for colder tones. See: " The Darkroom Cookbook". by Steven Anchell.
Sorry, Eric,
After scrolling down in Jand C's processing information for their Classic Museum paper, it appears to be a different paper than the museum weight Forte. It is only available in one grade, and is not a variable contrast paper. They say it is a good paper for Lith printing. I have no idea what it is.
Could it be FORTEZO?
http://www.forte-photo.net/e/fortez.htm
But the weights wrong.
Forte has reportely restarted production.
I have been using Museum Classic as one of my prime papers for the last year and it is indeed
one beautiful paper. It comes in 3 grades: Hard Normal & Soft. My experience is primarily with
the N grade which I have used both for enlarged and contact printing and it fits my images
well... I tend to really pound my negatives.... my printing style is hard and usually favors the
shadows. I find that this paper has a very effective latitude in Dektol... particularly in the
blacks...fabulous blacks! If you do not print hard you may have to use Selectol or something to
pull the N grade back a bit. Another thing that should be mentioned is that the finish of the
emulsion surface of the gloss is absolutely superb.
Museum Classic does indeed present a variety of responses to developers from warm (not as
warm as Ilford warmtone ....a paper I despise...in Dektol before toning) to coolish but that said
when I want an absolutely neutral black I use Agfa Classic... although the Agfa does not seem
to have the power in the shadows as the Museum it holds up better in the midtones & highs and
after selenium toning it is an absolutely pure neutral tone. The only other paper I use is Kodak
Polymax Fine-Art.... another stellar paper...exceptional acceptance of a variety of negative
contrasts and the best luster surface out there.
Oh yes..... and according to John at J&C it is repackaged Forte Fortezzo.
It's been a long time since I have used a graded paper. B&H stocks Forte Fortezzo in grades 2,3, and 4. I assume that translates to soft, normal, and hard, in JandC's language. We used to call grade 2 normal. Grade 3 was a little harder. Grade 4 was as hard as it got. Perhaps that language is no longer politically correct, in today's Viagra Age.
When Forte (of Europe) began importing their paper to the US in the late 1980's, and early 1990's, Alta Chemical, in Oklahoma, formulated a selection of very nice hard, soft, and warm toned developers for the importer, that were designed to be used with the Forte papers. If you want to see a beautiful warm toned result with a Forte warmtoned paper, I recommend developing it in Alta's Zonal Pro Warmtone developer.
Thank you everyone for your replies. I will enquire with J&C when they reopen on future availability, etc. I been printing on Kodak Polymax Fine Art, which I love, and Bergger Fine Art Silver Supreme. J&C Museum sounded like an interesting option to try out along the Bergger Silver Supreme line and so much more affordable then the Silver Supreme.
Thank you all again,
Eric
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