Albumen is the clear 'white' of hen's eggs, and is used to hold the light sensitive salts used to make a print on the top of the paper surface. They can be regarded as a development of the Salted paper print, and there is some overlap between the two processes.
Albumen Prints.
Was the dominant printing process from early 1850s to around 1890
Prints were produced from same-size negative by contact printing
They require a long-scale negative (typically a density range of 2.0-2.5)
Albumen prints usually have a gloss or high gloss surface
They usually show some faded areas and yellowing of highlights
The prints always, or almost always, have some fine crazing ('craquelure') on surface
They are usually on very thin paper (and often show creasing)
Prints are usually brown, brown-black or purple-black, not neutral or cold black.
