I want to use my friend's Kodak Autographic 3A folding camera, ca 1921, to duplicate the process of making real-photo postcards. I have located a source of 122 film with image size of 3.5"x5.5" and am seeking postcard printing paper of the same size with which to make contact prints. The paper should be of matte finish and postcard weight, with the characteristic divided back and markings. Is such a thing still made anywhere? If not, any suggestions on how to fudge it?

-- Peter Grant (pgbgrant@home.com), February 16, 2001

Answers

Fudging it: cut in half 5x7 DW matte fiber paper. That gives 3.5x5"

-- tim brown (brownt@flash.net), February 16, 2001.

Ilford makes a postcard version of their MGIV RC. It is about 4" x 6" and comes in glossy and "pearl" surfaces.

-- Chris Ellinger (ellinger@umich.edu), February 16, 2001.

Kodak quit making their postcard paper a few years ago, so unless you can find some stashed away, the Ilford would be the only commercially available stuff around. But, if you're really trying to make a vintage looking print, maybe you could get some d.w. Azo and just cut it to size. Alot of those old negs. were contact printed onto probably Azo, Velox or something like that anyways. To get the rulings on the back, you could use India ink, but it would be a pain probably...

-- DK Thompson (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), February 16, 2001.

And just where does one get double weight Azo?

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), February 16, 2001.

Sal, ahhh...good point! From looking at the Kodak 2000 product catalog, it looks like it's all single weight now. I'll have to dig out the ancient catalogs sometime, but maybe I was thinking of an earlier time, or Velox. They do carry it in 3x5 size, though. I have an old copy of a Kodak ad on my wall here for Kodak Velvet Green Postcard paper. It was tinted with a "rich green tone, to lend to the true atmosphere of out of doors". Now I'd like to know where to get some of that...Maybe you could find some museum weight, or triple weight paper, Luminous maybe, to cut down. I may be wrong, but there was a time when you could get dw contact paper, but that heyday is long gone now.

-- DK Thompson (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), February 16, 2001.

It hasn't been all that long (five years maybe?) since double weight Azo was in the catalog. It was a victim, as have been grades other than 2 more recently, of Kodak's constant drive to reduce the number of different items it sells. Accountants rule, and they say that below a certain annual dollar volume it costs more to maintain the catalog number than can be justified. Reminds one of the way somebody described Ronald Regan's budget director, David Stockman: "He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), February 16, 2001.

Correction, grade 3 is still available, but the minimum quantity in 8x10 is now 500 sheets.

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), February 16, 2001.

Sal, I seem to remember seeing it in d.w. in the last few years, but only in one or two sizes, and only one grade. All else was s.w. It's too bad that production of it might be dwindling, as I think this is one of Kodak's longest running papers. Sometimes they'll do special production runs for really huge orders though, so I suppose it might still be possible to get it in doubleweight. I seem to remember seeing triple weight, or at least something heavier than d.w., in the past as well. I don't think this was a Kodak product, maybe Luminous, but it was referred to as a museum weight. Does this ring a bell?

-- DK Thompson (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), February 16, 2001.

My chimes are silent on the museum weight product. Anyone wanting to know more about Azo, its history, current status and prospects for the future should visit www.michaelandpaula.com

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestineternet.net), February 16, 2001.

I have a few boxes of Ilford Multigrade III and one of MGIV in 3.5x5. I think Porter's sells either a stamp or a sticker to mark the back as a post card.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), February 17, 2001.

Thanks to all who responded to my query. After following the link and reading Michael Smith's 1996 article HOW TO PRINT ON 100-YEAR OLD PAPER: The Azo and Amidol Story I'm convinced that contact printing on Azo paper is the only way to go, even if it's single weight -- even if it's no longer manufactured, as the Kodak Canada rep on the toll-free technical advice line told me. I can always pare down the paper, mount it, make a postcard back etc. Peter PS: Found an outfit with an opened pack of Azo postcard paper for sale -- that would surely be too old to use, wouldn't it?

-- Peter Grant (pgbgrant@home.com), February 17, 2001.

You can also get peel and stick postcard surfaces designed for 4x6 photographs. Although the Porter's stamp mentioned above is a better idea, this has the advantage of beefing up the single-weight paper.

You could also have your own rubber stamp made, and located a source of peel and stick paper, or mount the Azo on thin card with Rollataq, perhaps printing 4 at a time on a multiprint easel and then trim to size.

If you make your procedure systematic, it should not be that much of a headache.

Nothing I've mentioned is archival...

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), February 19, 2001.