Agfa Brovira 111/Type W

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LeicaVirgin1

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Dear Tom A.-

Upon going through my late granfathers Estate... I found several original AGFA 8X10" BROVIRA 111 TYPE W...Thet are still sealed in the original pkgs. would they be any good? Many years old... I'd say at least 20 and at times not the most ideal of storage conditions.

LV1
 
Old Brovira in my experience keeps well. The W means "weak", i.e. lowish contrast. If it doesn't have a number indicating contrast, it is quite old, maybe 30 years. You have a very good chance that it's good. I'm still using some from around 1980 or earlier, kept in normal indoor temperatures. Let us know how it goes.
 
These papers have no embedded developer like almost all recent "machine developable" ones - accordingly, they don't fog anywhere as much. Portriga at least lasts almost eternally - my last (odd contrast, i.e. 1 or 5) remains are 20+ year old and still fine. My Brovira aged slightly worse, with the original subtle warm tone making place for rather ugly reddish or olive tones (depending on whether in warm or neutral tone developer).
 
Try to get some Benzotriazole (anti fog). You mix it in hot water, 1 gram/100 ml and add 10 ml/1000 ml of working solution of paper developer. This cuts the fog considerably, but dont add too much as that will slow down the speed of the paper. It will also give better blacks - which the Brovira III was a bit lacking. I have a 30+ year old box of Agfa Brovira #6 - which seems rather impervious to aging. Extremely contrasty - but it has saved many execessively flat negs over the years.
Once a box is opened - you better use them up fast though. Seems like "fresh air" speeds up the fogging.
Let us know how it works out
Tom
 
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