The only time I’ve used dry mounting post-college was for albumen prints. It’s
the only way to get them flat.
Well, maybe if I tried making them here in Thailand they might lie flat in the
humidity here eventually, although I have some unmounted ones here now that are
still curly since they were made in Chicago. Remains to be seen.
I’d mount them to a 2 ply or some such paper thicker than the print of course
but not “4 ply rag board” or the like. These prints were then mounted behind
window matts.
I saw some Watkins albumen prints at Eastman House years ago unmounted, that
were flat as can be. Made on a different paper of course than the Strathmore
single ply I used and much thinner.
Albumen Works scored a huge roll of some thin map paper long ago which I assume
they still work from as it was said the roll was so long they would never run
out.
Was jealous of that paper back then. 😉
Eric
On 12 Mar 2021, at 7:39 PM, BOB KISS <bobkiss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
DEAR LIST,
I have posted this before but, given the current thread about dry
mounting, I felt it necessary to post it again.
The late, world renowned photo conservator, Jose Orraca, as well
as a conservator from the Victoria and Albert Museum and another from the
SFMOMA, ALL said DO NOT DRY MOUNT YOUR PRINTS! Now, if you are putting RC
prints in a bathroom as poster art knowing that they will not live long,
fine. BUT, it is contrary to standard museum practice to dry mount any
prints you value! Jose had a humorous response to my question, "Go ahead,
mount them! Then when you are famous, the collectors of your prints will
come to me and pay me BIG MONEY to remove your prints from the mount boards
to preserve them!" He says he was always busy removing Ansel Adams prints
from dry mounted boards due to damage or insect attack...or simply to keep
them safe for the future.
I know it is the easiest way to handle them but it is NOT safe,
REGARDLESS of the quality of board. Yes, you should use archival quality
boards of your choice BUT, you should use archival corners on the back of the
window over matte. The print slides carefully into the corners. You then
use the same type of board as backing. You put this sandwich into an
archival frame and, done wih dat!
It is ALWAYS your choice how to handle your prints but I believe
good decisions are made with as much information as possible...
CHEERS!
BOB
