Azo is a silver chloride photographic paper first introduced
by Photo Materials Company in Rochester in 1898. In July
of that year Kodak bought out Photo Materials and has been
producing Azo ever since. Chloride papers are extremely slow
in terms of response to light and for that reason are not
suitable for making enlargements. Along with printing-out
paper, chloride papers are a contact only process. The Eastman
Kodak Company, added Azo photographic postcard stock to its
postcard line in 1904. The postcard size pre-printed stock
disappeared about 1950. Azo photographic paper is still being
manufactured, although only in limited quantities (2004).
Cyko:
Cyko was a bromide developing-out paper, introduced by Edward
Anthony in 1887. His company, Anthony and Scoville adopted
the name ANSCO Photoproduce, Inc. in 1907. The paper came from
the factory already sensitized. There were 5 different kinds
of Cyko paper including “soft”, “normal”,
and “vigorous” depending on how contrasty the negatives
were. A linen surface was also available. Cyko, especially when
toned, could resemble gum or platinum prints and was much faster
to process. The postcard stock appears to have been available
from 1906 to 1920.
Developing-Out Paper:
Developing-out paper (DOP) was a sensitized printing paper requiring
development in order to bring out the image. The first commercial
developing-out paper is attributed to the Liverpool Dry Plate
Company, c.1874. The first popular developing-out paper in
the USA was a bromide paper, introduced by Edward Anthony of
E.& H.T. Anthony in 1887. A photographic postcard stock
was available from Eastman Kodak by 1902.
The photographic paper was manufactured in full regulation postcard
size (3 1/4" x 5 ½") with a pre-printed postcard
back and a sensitized front. There is a great variety in developing-out
paper: bromide paper, chloride or gaslight paper, and chloro-bromide
paper. Most developing-out paper has an emulsion made of gelatin
and silver salts, hence the more common term: gelatin silver
(or silver gelatin) print. Different surface coatings were available:
carbon matt, velvet (a semi-matt) and glossy (high gloss on pure
white stock).
Two methods were used to print the photograph:
1) The negative was mounted in an enlarger and the negative image
projected onto the paper. After being briefly exposed the still
invisible latent, positive image was chemically developed out.
The developing-out papers suitable for enlarging were generally
coated with a silver bromide emulsion.
2) The postcard size negative was placed on top of the sensitized
paper, laid flat in a contact printing frame and briefly exposed
to artificial light. The positive image was then chemically developed
out. The developing-out papers suitable for printing by artificial
light were generally coated with a silver chloride emulsion.
The manufacturers of the paper (identified by the trademarks
printed in the stamp box) were firms such as Ansco Company of
Binghamton, New York (Cyko and Noko), Canadian Kodak Co. (CKC),
and Eastman Kodak Co., of Rochester, New York (Azo and Velox).
Printing-Out Paper:
Printing-out paper (POP) was a sensitized printing paper that
required exposure to daylight or artificial light only to
bring out the image. Gelatine chloride printing-out paper
was first manufactured in Europe by Johan Baptist Obernetter
of Munich in 1884 and Paul Eduard Liesegang of Dusseldorf
in 1886. Its earliest American manufacture followed shortly
thereafter by Bradfish and Hopkins of Brooklyn and the New
York Aristotype Company of New York City. The earliest manufacturer
of a photographic postcard stock has not been identified.
The photographic paper was manufactured in full regulation postcard
size (3 1/4" x 5 ½") with a pre-printed postcard
back and a sensitized front. Two pre-sensitized, factory produced
printing-out papers predominated: collodion chloride and gelatine
chloride. Printing-out papers had a warm reddish brown colour,
if not toned. Both types of paper were available in either matte
or glossy surface. In addition the gelatine chloride paper could
be obtained with a white, pink or mauve tinted paper base.
The manufacturers of the paper (identified by the trademarks
printed in the stamp box) were firms such as: an unnamed American
company contracted by Sears, Roebuck and Co. of Chicago (Seroco and Du
Voll’s), N.V. Gevaert Photo-Producten
of Antwerp, Belgium (Ronix) and Eastman Kodak Co., of Rochester,
New York (Solio).
The method used to print the photograph was known as “contact” printing.
The postcard size negative was placed on top of the sensitized
paper, laid flat in a contact printing frame which was exposed
to sunlight (or other strong ultraviolet source) until a positive
image appeared. When the paper had reached the right density,
this could take a few minutes to several hours depending on the
weather, it was toned (using a bath of Chloride of Gold and Borax),
fixed (using a bath of Hypo and Alum) and washed in plain water.
Solio:
Solio was a ready sensitized gelatine chloride
printing-out paper developed by the Eastman Kodak Company in
1891 as a substitute for albumen papers. Photographic postcard
stock with the Solio trademark printed in the stamp box appeared
around 1911 and continued into the mid-1920's.
Velox:
Velox paper, was invented by Leo Baekeland,
a Belgian-born American chemist in 1893. Velox was the first
photographic paper that could be printed in artificial light
(previous ones had to be printed in sunlight). That year Baekeland
founded the Nepera Chemical Company in Yonkers, New York, to
manufacture this type of paper. In 1899 Baekeland sold his company
and rights to Velox to the U.S. inventor George Eastman. Velox was introduced by Kodak as the “first of
the true gaslight papers”. It was a silver chloride contact
print paper, which compared to bromide paper was very slow developing
and therefore did not require a dark room. For this reason, Velox was promoted for use by amateur photographers. The Eastman Kodak
Company first listed a Velox photographic postcard stock in its
1902 catalogue. The postcard stock was discontinued in the late
1940's but the paper is still being manufactured.
3A Folding Pocket Kodak Camera:
The 3A Folding Pocket Kodak, Eastman Kodak’s
first postcard format camera, was introduced in 1903 and sold
until 1915. Kodak produced seven models of the 3A Folding Pocket
Kodak. The camera used Kodak 122 roll film and produced 3 1/4
x 5 ½ inch
postcard format images. The 122 film was first introduced for
use in the 3A FPK and was available in four, six or ten exposure
lengths. A glass plate adapter with ground glass focusing screen,
available as an extra cost accessory, permitted the taking of
photographs on glass plates.
