New Ilford Papers

Back in my darkroom days (this phrase has come to seem like "back in my blacksmithing days"), I measured wealth in paper. When times were tough I had very little paper, and made tiny prints, and "spent" what paper I had cautiously and carefully. When I was flush, I bought paper. Printed profligately. Made big prints (7x10.5 inch images on 11x14 paper—which seems funny now, to call that "big"). The aroma of fresh photo paper was redolent of prosperity.

For those printsmiths still among us, the Harman Technology Ltd. crew in Mobberley (just as the other splinter of the old company, the one that makes inkjet paper in Switzerland, slides into insolvency) has introduced two bonafide new photo papers: Ilford Multigrade FB Classic and Ilford FB Cooltone.

I no longer measure wealth in paper, but for printmakers, these are riches!

Mike
(Thanks to Oren Grad and Steve Greenwood)

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Tim: "Oooh new paper. I guess I must be some particularly strange type of dinosaur in that I still shoot film and was at one time a blacksmith."

Earl Dunbar: "I am SO bummed that someone said 'Oooh' before me! And I'm still bummed that I didn't lay in a stock of Ilfomar when it was discontinued. The owner of my 'pusher establishment' (Stan C. Reed, London, ON) told me I should, but I was really poor at the time and didn't have the heart to sell my soul. What a mistake. But now there is new hope, so thanks, Harman."

Mike replies: It's never a mistake to not sell your soul. So have a clear heart.

Comments

[robert e]

'this phrase has come to seem like "back in my blacksmithing days"'

That oughta be 'silversmithing', no?

[Ach, much better. Wish I'd thought of that.... --Mike]

[GRJ]

I'll be the happiest kid on the block come Christmas morning if I can unwrap (though not pry open) a box of the cooltone!

[Ned]

I don't get it. Ilford Imaging just released 5 new inkjet papers on the 25th of November. How do you do that knowing what you know?

http://www.ilford.com/en/about-us/press/five-new-products-into-ilford-galerie-range/

[Mike Plews]

I love Multigrade FB so this is exciting news.

[Andrew Hughes]

Does this Swiss news mean that Gold Fibre Silk is dying?

Argh and double Argh - To what should I convert?

[Ed Kirkpatrick]

I ashamed to say how much old paper I tossed in the trash this past weekend when cleaning out my wet darkroom. What else can you do with it once it's fogged?

[Ken N]

ADOX MCC 110 has been my axe of choice since it came out, but I've got so many more choices with Ilford and I find Ilford papers develop more predictably with a whole lot less waste. I will continue to do my part in keeping Ilford in business and this is exciting news for me.

[Robert P]

There's some nice pubs around Mobberley. (note spelling)

[John Shriver]

Note that Ilford is making it clear that they are totally glad to do a final coating run of the discontinued Multigrade IV FB product if there are sufficient orders. Kudos to them!

Quite the opposite of the anti-consumer attitudes that the old Kodak used to have. (Remember that they destroyed the last master rolls of AZO, rather than cut them up and sell them.) Hopefully the new Kodak film business can have better morals, to treat their customers as their friends.

[Sal Santamaura]

"I don't get it. Ilford Imaging just released 5 new inkjet papers on the 25th of November. How do you do that knowing what you know?

http://www.ilford.com/en/about-us/press/five-new-products-into-ilford-galerie-range/"

That's the (now bankrupt, by the way) Ilford in Switzerland. The new silver halide papers referred to in this post are from HARMAN Technology in England. There's no connection between those two entities, except they both sprang from one 'parent' Ilford after *its* 2005 bankruptcy. :-)

[g carvajal]

Excellent move Ilford. I will continue to support your fine products.

[gnd]

I hope FB doesn't stand for Facebook ... ;)

[Bruce Robbins]

I think the situation with Switzerland-based Ilford Imaging GmbH and their financial woes shows that digital photography is dying whilst traditional photography is going from strength to strength. :)

[MartinP]

Silversmithing is still a very-much-alive trade and many artists make a career from it. It's not like silverwork has been replaced by 3D printing, after all.

Blacksmithing is something I haven't done, though I have been involved in veterinary farriery work, bizarrely enough.

Mainly, I am rather pleased about the new papers, especially the Cooltone as the recent fashion for years has been to warmer papers.

A cold paper looks wonderfully 'different' with the right subject and stocks of the Kentmere FB product (also made by Harman of course) recently came to an end. Most likely as the resources for a fresh batch have gone in to the new papers :o)

[Dave in NM]

I'm still mourning the loss of Agfa Portriga Rapid.

[Phil Maus]

Just as I would have suspected, not many comments on this great news. Pity.

I, for one, am most eagerly looking forward to trying out the new Ilford Papers. Thanks for the tip Mike!

Phil the Blacksmith

[Tom Duffy]

Only four comments concerning new papers from Ilford?! The fact that a company is spending R&D money on new B&W formulations is big news. Maybe there are only five of TOP's readers who still own a darkroom? :)