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Thread: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

  1. #1

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    Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Does anyone have photo examples of the color shifts available from toning albumen prints in different ways?

    I have been playing with selenium because it's cheap and I have it but I'm curious what's possible with gold, platinum and the combination but don't want to spend the money for the chemicals until I have a goal in mind. In this book, the author talks extensively about the shifts from gold and platinum but with no examples:

    https://cool.culturalheritage.org/al...lly/chap8.html

    Here's what I've found for selenium toning with sodium chloride albumin paper. With no toning, the dark tones are reddish brown:
    Click image for larger version. 

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    With 45s in Ilford selenium tonier @ 10:1 dilution, the red brown converts to chocolate brown and gets a shade darker. The highlights take on a slight pinkish tint that is undesirable but the overall effect is much better than untoned in terms of color and contrast:
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Beyond 45 seconds, the dark tones don't get any darker or change color but the highlights get stained yellow:
    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Although I have collected some lovely antique albumen prints, I can't directly answer your question. But I do routinely use gold toner for ordinary silver prints, and it's actually quite affordable. Most formulas call for way more gold chloride in solution than you actually need. It doesn't keep longer than a single session anyway, once mixed with the B component. I use a formula resembling GP1, but at about 1/4 the strength - makes no difference with final image color; time in the toning bath is the more important variable.
    My ANNUAL cost for 1% gold chloride is only around $75. And I typically make 16X20 prints, or even 20x24. It takes very little to get the job done.

  3. #3

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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    I use gold toner single use only. If the appropriate solution is used, it isn't that expensive, and is much more appropriate than selenium. Why make an albumen print and ruin it with selenium just because it is cheap.

  4. #4

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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    The book says "Reynolds discovered that potassium chloroplatinite was a very energetic toner of silver prints, yielding brown and brownish-black tones instead of the purplish and bluish-black tones obtained with gold toners." And that a neutral black can be obtained by using both.

    Platinum alone sounds a lot like selenium for albumin paper but I'd like to confirm that. Gold sounds interesting to me in the blue-black extreme but I'm not interested in purples. Selenium is already a big improvement over no toning; definitely not ruining the prints imo.

  5. #5

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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Noel View Post
    I use gold toner single use only. If the appropriate solution is used, it isn't that expensive, and is much more appropriate than selenium. Why make an albumen print and ruin it with selenium just because it is cheap.
    Hello Jim:
    Could you please elaborate regarding " ... the appropriate solution ..." and also provide composition and dilution details?
    Thank you!
    Drew

  6. #6

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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Quote Originally Posted by drewf64 View Post
    Hello Jim:
    Could you please elaborate regarding " ... the appropriate solution ..." and also provide composition and dilution details?
    Thank you!
    Drew
    I use a Thiourea toner. It is kept in 2 parts, and a supply mixed when ready to use. I use 20-25 ml on an 8x10 print - single use only to keep times consistent. Most people use it by mixing a tray full and toning some number of prints. The problem with this approach is 1) you may end up with some mixed and not used at the end of the session and 2) succeeding prints will take longer to reach appropriate color . My current stock solutions are more than 5 years old and still good..

  7. #7
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Jim, would use disclose your exact method?

    It seems different than FORMULARY THIOUREA TONER BLEACH AND REDEVELOPMENT
    Tin Can

  8. #8

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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Look up Thiourea toner formulae and stay away from Formulary products. I have had nothing but bad luck with them. I have been formulating my own photo chemicals from raw materials for over 80 years, yes 80. I don't like depending on the work of others which I can not fully document.

  9. #9
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    Found a list of formulae

    many refer right back to LFPF

    http://obeguku.changeip.com/Thiourea-toner-recipe.html
    Tin Can

  10. #10
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: Albumen Print Toning Color Shift Examples

    This is an example of an albumin print toned to completion (~25 minutes) with 80mL of the gold-ammonium thiocynate POP formula that can be found in the Christopher James book:


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