Bunch of old Ilford paper from auction - Help!

[Elliot]

Heading to the darkroom tonight so will report back.

Here's an excerpt from a very helpful email from Ilford received today:

"The paper you have dates back to Feb 2004! So definitely old now. It was our variable contrast MG resin coated paper - but the formulation version pre our current sold MGRC Deluxe paper. ie MGRC 1V.
That specific batch was a trial specifically manufactured for a photographic show (Focus in Birmingham). The surface of your paper is satin (25M). "

[Elliot]

I've been using a pack of brand spanking new paper from Ilford as part of my return to the darkroom so will indeed have something to compare to - thanks all for the advice. Having bought all this paper I will of course experiment with it, but also appreciate that I want to minimise the number of parts of the process that can go wonky, otherwise I'll just end up in tears and pulling my hair out!

[domaz]

Learn to carbon transfer print, fix all this paper out and transfer onto that. I doubt it's very usable for B&W paper anymore but as long as it's not so fogged to be off-color it's fine for Carbon Transfer.

[Elliot]

Had a bit of a chilling experience in the darkroom, some might call a ghost story...

In total darkness, I'm opening each box in turn, cutting two test strips, developing one and only fixing the other, to see which of these ~30 year old papers have some life left in them.

This is quite an ordeal in total darkness and I almost knock my trays over.

I turn on the red light to see that the first set of paper is completely fogged. Black. Well, more like a dark grey.

I open the second box of paper, cut two strips, and again in total darkness develop one and fix the other.

This paper shows promise. There is paper white visible, but also a bunch of mottled grey.

I try another strip from the same piece.

Turning on the red light I see a young girls face staring up from the rinsing tray.

I'm thinking, did some eccentric expose this paper and put it back in the box only to be discovered decades later? Is there a message hidden on the other paper? Who is this young person?

In haste, under red light, I pull out the remaining sheets.

To my disappointment, out come a half dozen copies of the same image. I've paid good money at auction for a box of photographs, 6 identical photographs!

At least I can sleep soundly knowing I'm probably not going to be haunted here on out.

I guess this is what you get for buying open packets of old paper off the internet!

[LabRat]

It's cursed... Have a stiff drink and call the priest at 2 am...

Steve K

[Tin Can]

I never buy open box

I have been given very good 8X10 AZO

twice

I also bought more sealed AZO

[Tin Can]

addendum

also given a lot of new and old film

and BIG Flashbulbs

I KNOW my continuous and varied POSTS attract kind PEOPLE

Many more have quit LFPF

as the PURITY GANG here are just mean wannabes

[Ulophot]

Elliot, welcome back to the land of the darkroom, even if your first results were a bit unsettling. I find the image's appearance rather remarkable -- though I did just last week leave one sheet of six unprocessed and only realized it after I had toned the others and cleaned up the darkroom. It got processed next session.

I hope you'll continue to share your results and questions that may arise as you continue your new adventure. Best wishes!

[Elliot]

Thanks very much Philip. I originally learned these techniques in secondary school here in the UK, and my attitude at the time was at best an overconfident know-it-all.

I think I'm at the point now where I've remembered and revisited much of what I had originally learned, but it was daunting getting back into it. Suddenly, feeling all confident again, I had a go at split grade printing for the first time, and realise I need to go over the basics again after getting some confusing results.

I'd be very pleased to share my results and get some pointers. Ultimately it's of course encouraging me to take more care when producing the negative so I have an easier time in the darkroom.

[jnantz]

getting used paper can be an adventure. I'm currently using paper that is so slow I can develop it in an open tray in daylight.
paper that is a little fogged/cured/aged makes perfect paper negatives seeing they can be high contrast, sun prints ( using outdoor sun instead of a darkroom )
can be a blast too. if you go sun printing/ POP/lumen printing/ in camera and solar graphing, after you get your impression on the paper
if you soak your paper in sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate you can carefully develop and fix them ..
good luck !

heather palecek just released another book about using paper the first one was great and the new release looks fantastic ..
you might also look into the work of Chris McCaw ..