Digital BW, The Print

I wasn't going to mention this but since they are actually encouraging
this I'll fess up.

About 5 years ago a friend of mine downloaded a digital file from LOC
of a very famous frame of Walter Evans from the FSA period and in the
book American Photographs, shot here in Atlanta. This was a very well
made digital scan but of fairly small file size. Too small to make a
first class inkjet print from. What he did was to have an 8x10 image
setter film negative made from this digital file. Then he made 8x10
contact prints from that on Ilfobrom Gallerie gelatin silver paper and
selenium toned those. The final prints were truely amazing
facsimalies. I have one framed in my studio. All kinds of people
including photo historians have asked me where I bought that Walker
Evans. I had to admit that it was free. 

In a similar situation a client of mine had me download an
architectural photo from the 19th century that was originally shot
with glass plate. I made a 8" x 24" print if it on William Turner and
it was surprisingly good quality for the small file. I noticed that
right beside it was a file of the same structure taken by William Heny
Jackson even earlier. That site is loaded with facinating stuff, but
don't go trying to sell prints from these files. They belong to the
American government. Like they said some of the files are too small
and some are borderline usable. Some are jpegs and some are tiffs. 
I'm going to look more into it.

John