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vincent
25th August 2021, 10:49 PM
I came across Kodak Colour slides that I had taken many years ago. The back of the mount had the date 'APR 80' stamped on it. The picture was of a local shop being demolished. I posted the picture on my town's 'memory lane FB' site, only to receive several replies to say that the shop was still standing into the late 80's.On checking my B&W negatives I found photos of the shop still standing in 1987. I always assumed that the printed date on Kodak slides was when the film was processed and mounted. Was this a common fault with Kodak ?

John King
26th August 2021, 06:59 AM
I have never heard of this before so I don't think it is a common problem - not for me anyway.

If the dates had been the other way around where the date on the mount suggested it was still standing when in fact it HAD been demolished that could be an operating error.

I have a friend who used to work for a processing Lab in west London and I asked him about it and was told that Kodak was more or less like any other lab who dated the mounts in that before they went over to plastic mounts from cardboard, the date was auto stamped on with an ink date stamp and when the plastic mounts were used, the same was done with a heated date stamp to imprint the info onto the mount.

vincent
26th August 2021, 11:32 AM
I have never heard of this before so I don't think it is a common problem - not for me anyway.

If the dates had been the other way around where the date on the mount suggested it was still standing when in fact it HAD been demolished that could be an operating error.

I have a friend who used to work for a processing Lab in west London and I asked him about it and was told that Kodak was more or less like any other lab who dated the mounts in that before they went over to plastic mounts from cardboard, the date was auto stamped on with an ink date stamp and when the plastic mounts were used, the same was done with a heated date stamp to imprint the info onto the mount.
Thanks John, for your comments. I'm just glad that I did not insist to people that my date was correct and I offered to further research the demolition date. I still have not found it but my other photos proved to me that the build was still standing 7 years later.

Terry S
26th August 2021, 11:59 AM
I have a friend who used to work for a processing Lab in west London and I asked him about it and was told that Kodak was more or less like any other lab who dated the mounts in that before they went over to plastic mounts from cardboard, the date was auto stamped on with an ink date stamp and when the plastic mounts were used, the same was done with a heated date stamp to imprint the info onto the mount.
So, if I understand it, the plastic mounts were stamped with the date of manufacture and then heat date stamped when they were used as well?

If this is correct, what would be the actual point of it and why would it be so important to stamp the mounts once more, with a heated date stamp with the date of manufacture and not the actual date of processing, which I'm sure most photographers would perefer? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Terry S

Nat Polton
26th August 2021, 06:01 PM
https://www.familytree.com/blog/provides-dates-to-kodak-slides/

How does the pattern on the mount compare with examples shown in the link above?

On a similar theme, over the years, Kodak also changed the faint logo printed on the backs of their papers.
Photos could be dated by the logo on the back.

Cheers.

p.s. I have just noticed that in the eighties the frames changed to rounded corners instead of sharp squares.

John King
26th August 2021, 06:27 PM
So, if I understand it, the plastic mounts were stamped with the date of manufacture and then heat date stamped when they were used as well?

If this is correct, what would be the actual point of it and why would it be so important to stamp the mounts once more, with a heated date stamp with the date of manufacture and not the actual date of processing, which I'm sure most photographers would perefer? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Terry S

I think you have miss-understood. There was no mention of date of manufacture of the mounts in the original post - the date of the manufacture of the mount would be pointless because they do not have any bearing on what the subject is or when it was taken.

The date on the mount was the supposed date the film was processed and mounted. I have no idea when the mounts were made. In those day Kodak may have used millions

vincent
26th August 2021, 07:45 PM
https://www.familytree.com/blog/provides-dates-to-kodak-slides/

How does the pattern on the mount compare with examples shown in the link above?

On a similar theme, over the years, Kodak also changed the faint logo printed on the backs of their papers.
Photos could be dated by the logo on the back.

Cheers.

p.s. I have just noticed that in the eighties the frames changed to rounded corners instead of sharp squares.
Hi Nat, That's great information and on checking it my slide falls in the 1975 -1980 group, after that as you mentioned the corners are rounded. From my B&W photographs the building was still standing in 1987 although there are signs of scaffolding around it. So perhaps I was shooting a well out of date film which is preordained to be square mounted and stamped with 'APR 80'. Something new to learn everyday. Thanks again for your information.

Terry S
27th August 2021, 12:01 PM
I think you have miss-understood.
Thanks John. Yes, a total misunderstanding on my part yesterday.

Even today re-reading the comment a few times, it took a while to sink in what you had meant.

I think my brain is in serious need of a rest. Now where did I put them Beano and Viz annuals... :D

Terry S