How long do negatives/slides/prints last?

[mdarnton]

Well, I can for sure say that you shouldn't dry mount fiber prints on illustration board. 🙂 All of my various portfolios are getting to be in pretty bad shape these days, but my boxed rough prints on RC paper that weren't supposed to last 20 years before the plastic rotted away? All the ones I have, back to the early 70s, are still doing fine.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

A side issue; what causes most damage is people repairing tears in prints. A few years down the line and the print will have a permanent brown stain on both sides. This doesn't apply to old fashioned paper based sticky tape but the modern stuff (50's onwards) is to be avoided.

BTW, I've family photo's dated 1908 and they are perfect. Scanning some others from the early 1900's showed flaws in the lenses when contrast etc was changed; meaning wide circles that were lighter in tone and less contrasty.

Regards, David

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hi,

A side issue; what causes most damage is people repairing tears in prints. A few years down the line and the print will have a permanent brown stain on both sides. This doesn't apply to old fashioned paper based sticky tape but the modern stuff (50's onwards) is to be avoided.

BTW, I've family photo's dated 1908 and they are perfect. Scanning some others from the early 1900's showed flaws in the lenses when contrast etc was changed; meaning wide circles that were lighter in tone and less contrasty.

Regards, David

Dear David,

Is the "old fashioned paper based sticky tape" you can still buy the same as the "old fashioned paper based sticky tape" you are referring to? The "lick and stick" variety? I had assumed that it was never reformulated. Am I wrong?

Cheers,

R.

 

[David Hughes]

Dear David,

Is the "old fashioned paper based sticky tape" you can still buy the same as the "old fashioned paper based sticky tape" you are referring to? The "lick and stick" variety? I had assumed that it was never reformulated. Am I wrong?

Cheers,

R.

Hi,

I don't think they still make it but I've a small stock of the stuff. Mostly I intended a warning about modern sticky stuff and its habit of turning brown after impregnating the print, paper, etc. It's ruined a lot of artwork of mine, from the 60's and 70's..

It sometimes turns up in flea markets, like carpet thread and so on, and I snatch it up and put it in the safe. F'instance I've a large ( 6" dia.) roll of that transparent paper "Butterfly" tape of the lick and stick variety; I doubt if anyone remembers it...

Regards, David