Mat board

I have been using Bainbridget Alpharag  Artcare mat board for
matting and mounting photographs. I have been using it after
reviewing the literature and testing claims made for it with its
'microchamber trapping system' and looking at the Bainbridge testing
as well as testing by other photographers concerned about the life
expectance of their prints.

The board seems to perform as claimed and certainly looks nice, cuts
cleanly and, after three years on display with photographs still
looks good, better in fact than some of the other brands I have
tried.

Is there a consensus in the conservation community as to whether
this mat board is working as claimed? I put it in the boxes where I
keep my prints stored as well as using it for matting and mounting
prints. For albumen and Ilfochromes I use the non-buffered board and
with most other images I use the buffered.

Any problems long term that anyone knows about?

Dan Smith


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:16
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 9, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-16-010
                                  ***