Peerless Watercolors Original 1885 Complete Edition

Peerless Watercolors Original 1885 Complete Edition

The Peerless Watercolors Original 1885 Complete Edition is a beautifully made set of 15 transparent, hand-made watercolour sheets, presented in the same format that has been used for well over a century. Originally developed for artists and photographic retouchers, these unique dry colour films dissolve instantly with water, allowing you to mix and apply colour directly from the sheet. Compact, long-lasting and entirely non-toxic, it is a versatile choice for both traditional watercolour painting and hand-colouring black and white photographic prints.

Why We Like It

This is one of those rare products where history, practicality and quality all come together. The colours are vibrant yet subtle enough for fine tonal work, which makes them especially useful for spotting and hand-tinting fibre-based black and white prints in the darkroom. Because the dyes are transparent and acid free, they sit beautifully on photographic paper without blocking detail or introducing unwanted texture. The sheet format is also surprisingly durable, drying out ready for reuse rather than breaking down like normal paper. For students, conservators and anyone interested in traditional photographic finishing techniques, this is a wonderfully authentic and still very relevant tool.

Key Features

• 15 transparent, self-blending watercolour dyes in sheet form
• Original 1885 formula, unchanged and handmade in the USA
• Acid free, mineral-based and 100% non-toxic
• Excellent for hand-colouring and spotting black and white photographic prints
• Colours are heat stable and resistant to fading
• Compact booklet format with historic colour notes and tips

What's in the Box

• 1x paper-bound booklet containing 15 colour sheets
• Colours: Brilliant Yellow, Deep Yellow, Orange Yellow, Ripe Peach, Geranium Pink, Japonica Scarlet, Royal Crimson, Mahogany Brown, Sepia Brown, Light Green, Dark Green, Sky Blue, Deep Blue, Wistaria Violet, Pearl Gray

Ideal For

• Darkroom workers hand-colouring black and white prints
• Film photography students learning traditional retouching techniques
• Archival and restoration work where colour stability matters
• Artists who want a portable, long-lasting watercolour set