Curtis Contact Printer

[wildbillbugman]

Hello,
This is my first post on this forum,although I have been contact printing for a long time.I recently aquired a Curtis Contact Printer. This thing has 4 lighta, Red,Green,Blue and unfiltered incandescent. The lights are rotated via a crank,so that only one light is under the exposure glass at a time. Since Curts manufactured one-shot tri-color cameras (I have one) I think that this devise was intended to print B&W color separation negatives onto color paper. But since the lights are RBG,not CMY, perhaps it is more suited for printing color negatives onto color paper. But even that generaly uses CMY filtration. So I am wondering what the original purpose of this thing might be.
Any ideas?
Regards,
Bill

[David A. Goldfarb]

How about making color separations from color transparencies? If it's pin registered, you could make an exposure with each bulb on a separate sheet of film, I suppose.

[gordrob]

From some Curtis information that I have (1949) -if the printer is a 8x10 Commercial Curtis Color Printer is was "designed for engravers, lithographers and professional color work" If it is a Type M Printer it was used for 4x5 or smaller contact negatives that has built in mask and separation filters. I will check and see if there is any other information or brochures around that could shed more light on it. If there are any identifying model numbers on the printer it you could provide it might help track down it's purpose.
Gord

[wildbillbugman]

Hi gordrob,
I should have stated in the first place. It is for a maximum 4x5 format. I will look for indicating numbers tomorow.
David,
Yes, I suppose it could be used to make separations from color transparancies.
Thanks,
Bill

[CBG]

Whatever it was originally intended for, it will now be a fabulous device for doing split printing on variable contrast paper. The blue and green should be perfect for that.

C

[wildbillbugman]

gordrob,
There are absoutely no nombers on the printer. Only the voltmeter reads "CURTIS COLOR PRINTER".
Out of curiosity,what sort of negatives had "built in masks and separation filters". Was there a name to this process? Was there a company that produced special film for this process?
Thanks,
Bill

[gordrob]

Hi Bill
The source I got the information from should have read that the printer had "built in masks and separation filters". The Curtis sources I have seen relate to the Curtis Handbook of Color Photography - Part 2 of which was a home study course in Dye Transfer Printing. His company based in Los Angeles apparently also sold other equipment for color printing.
Gord