Readings on Carbon Prints

Hello,

Can anyone recommend readings on the carbon printing process? Anything ranging from technical explanations to accounts of its historical and cultural significance, particularly within the pictorial movement.

Thanks in advance,

Malcolm

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Replies

  • Hi Paul,

    Sounds very promising  - many thanks for the suggestion

    Best

    Malcolm

  • Hello Malcolm,

    There is also the book by G. Wharton Simpson, On the Production of Photographs in Pigments, Swan`s Process. Which contains an original carbon print frontispiece from an image by H.P.Robinson.

    Also The Photo Miniature series of 1900, A monthly magazine of photographic information, Vol II No17 is about The Carbon Process.

    I have a copy of The Practical Photographer No13 as mentioned by Michael in stock if you wish to own a copy.

    paul@classicphotographics.co.uk

    Best Wishes

    Paul

  • What an excellent resource - and not just for carbon but other processes as well. Thank you, Mick!

    Mick Thurman said:

    Malcolm

    Look towards the bottom of this page:

    Atlas of Analytical Signatures of Photographic Process

    There's a link to technical stuff about the Carbon Process there.

    Mick 

  • Malcolm

    Look towards the bottom of this page:

    Atlas of Analytical Signatures of Photographic Process

    There's a link to technical stuff about the Carbon Process there.

    Mick 

  • Sounds like a beauty!

    bill purvis said:

    Was once in my possession and now in the collection of the NGA (National Gallery of Australia) a non-descript title 'Memorials of the Old College of Glasgow', publ 1872  by Thomas Annan containing 40 carbon prints of portraits of professors, signed on the mount, and architectural photos of Glasgow University prior to rebuilding. It was a treasure.

    Malcolm Corrigall said:

    Thank you, Bill! Useful to have such a clear desciption.

  • Was once in my possession and now in the collection of the NGA (National Gallery of Australia) a non-descript title 'Memorials of the Old College of Glasgow', publ 1872  by Thomas Annan containing 40 carbon prints of portraits of professors, signed on the mount, and architectural photos of Glasgow University prior to rebuilding. It was a treasure.

    Malcolm Corrigall said:

    Thank you, Bill! Useful to have such a clear desciption.

  • Thank you, Bill! Useful to have such a clear desciption.

  • Dictionary_of_Photography_Wall_1897.pdf

    I've attached a .pdf file which contains extracts from a book from my library and an original brochure published by 'The Autotype Company, London'. The book is 'The Dictionary of Photography', by E.J.Wall publ: 1897.

  • Hi Michael,

    Thanks very much for the suggestions, which I will look into. They sound promising. I might be able to locate copies of the Lambert article and manuals at the Bensusan library. Otherwise I'll be in contact in October, when I'm back, to take you up on your kind offer.

    Best wishes,

    Malcolm

  • Hi, Malcolm. There's plenty on the technical side. The Autotype Company published a number of manuals and there are books such as E J Wall's Carbon Printing (6th ed, 1902). Something more closely related to pictorialism is F C Lambert, The Practical Photographer. no. 13. The Carbon Process (Oct 1904). I have copies if you're back in London and want to see them.  I suspect the periodical press of the time will have discussed carbon's application to pictorialism. 

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