printing frame

plural printing frames

1. artsA shallow box, originally having a glass front, in which prints are made by exposure to light.

   To print the image the paper is placed in a printing frame over a negative and exposed to light. It is allowed to print till such time as the image appears rather darker than it should finally appear.

   1911, “Photography”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, New York, N.Y.: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

   1 more example

   This apparatus, provided with a powerful object-glass, was very complete. Substances necessary for the photographic reproduction, collodion for preparing the glass plate, nitrate of silver to render it sensitive, hyposulfate of soda to fix the prints obtained, chloride of ammonium in which to soak the paper destined to give the positive proof, acetate of soda and chloride of gold in which to immerse the paper, nothing was wanting. Even the papers were there, all prepared, and before laying in the printing-frame upon the negatives, it was sufficient to soak them for a few minutes in the solution of nitrate of silver.

   1874, Jules Verne, translated by Agnes Kinloch Kingston, The Mysterious Island