Afga

[Giel VW]

Short question for the photo collectors, if a photo is printed on just "Agfa" paper (not agfa brovaria and luplex) is it original pre '45?
I hope to hear an answer

Thanks,

Giel

[Tim DC]

"Agfa" is all postwar in my opinion, but let's hear what the others say.

[GELIS44]

photos

What makes you think that Tim???

Nate

[Gary Cain]

Yes I am curious about that statement as well.


Gary

What makes you think that Tim???

Nate

[stefan_swe]

Found on the Internet:

"Agfa started 1867 in Berlin and is one of the oldest names in the film business. Agfa developed the first color film 1936."


/Stefan

[Tim DC]

Well guys,

Agfa Brovira and Agfa Lupex are the common wartime agfa photo papers. After WWII, these stopped to exist and the photo paper was just called "Agfa". This doesn't mean that all Brovira and Lupex photos are original, because there were still large stocks who could have been used postwar.

Some people say the "Agfa" paper was already used in WWII as well, but I have seen no proof of that. In the contrary, I have seen many photos on the Agfa (double underlined) paper of which I am sure they were developped postwar.

That's why I think you should be very suspicious when you see Agfa paper without the suffix. I have even never seen the "Agfa" mark on ordinary, normal photos (the ones valued 1$ or less ... ), the kind of photos which were not reproduced postwar.

[GELIS44]

!!

Thats what I wanted to hear!!!

Nate

[Akira Takiguchi]

'Agfa' was apparently in use in 1964 according to technical data sheet. That's the only dated evidence I have. I asked Agfa this question a few years back without any result... I believe there's at least one employee from Agfa who is reading this... We'd appreciate your help!

The technical data sheet is about Brovira, Portriga-rapid, Record-rapid and Lupex. It is a bit misleading to say that Brovira / Lupex disappeared after the war. The papers were there. The watermarks are another story.

Also, the wartime postcards had 'Agfa', though it's not watermark.

[W Petz]

Akira,

I'm glad you spoke up about this because I was going to mention that many of the Portrait postcard photos are marked "Agfa" on wartime paper products. Bill

[Tim DC]

Yes, you are right about the Agfa postcards. But as Akira says, that's not a watermark: there is only one mark in the middle of the postcard; and it is not (double) underlined like most of the postwar watermarks.

Some watermarks that are a good indication for wartime photos:

Agfa Lupex
Agfa Brovira
Leonar
Velox
Gevaert Ridax
Ridax
Mimosa Sunotyp
Lugda Lumière ??? (not sure about this one)

And for postcards:
Agfa
Mimosa
and more?

[Giel VW]

Hi Tim,


Kodak and Velox also made postcards.

So what my problem actually is now is the fact I bought a postcard here wich is made by "Echte Photographie" and has the watremark Afga on it three times

[Tim DC]

Could you provide a scan of the backside please?

[Akira Takiguchi]

Tim, underlines have absolutely nothing to do with postwar-ness. It is the papertype indicator - for example, Agfa Brovira (which was primarily for enlargement) had multiple subtypes; glossy (Brovira Brillant), matt (Brovira Satino), etc.

Underlines were used as a hint because of the difference in drying procedure.

[Giel VW]

This is what makes me worried. If you look close, you can see the watermark under the left bottom of where the stamp should be. The other watermark is on the bottom of the postcard, next to the line in the middle.

[Akira Takiguchi]

I would say it is postwar, not because of the watermark but because of the way "Echte Fotographie" is printed, but I will leave this question to the experts - Robert or Bill.