Sears 120 B/W Fast Print Film

Object/Artifact

The TRP Camera Obscura Collection

Name/Title

Sears 120 B/W "Fast" Print Film

Entry/Object ID

619

Description

This is a pristine example of Sears-branded "private label" film from the late 1960s. During this era, major retailers like Sears would contract with film manufacturers (often Gevaert in Belgium, given the "Made in Belgium" mark) to produce high-quality film sold under their own store branding. Marketed as "Fast B/W Print" film, it was intended for the casual family photographer using medium format box or folding cameras. The box design is a fantastic time capsule, highlighting the transition period where 120 film was still a standard household commodity, sold alongside Sears' own photography equipment lines. Belgian Provenance: The "Made in Belgium" label is a strong indicator that this was manufactured by Gevaert, which later merged to become Agfa-Gevaert. It is a piece of European photographic industrial history sold on American and Canadian shelves. Expired in July 1969, this film is now nearly 57 years old. The internal silver halide crystals have likely suffered significant spontaneous fogging. While it is a beautiful display piece, it is not recommended for actual photography; the risk of "blacking out" or total lack of contrast is near-certain. As indicated on the box, this 120 film could produce "8 rectangular" (6x9cm) or "12 square" (6x6cm) exposures, depending on the camera used. It was the "universal" film of its day.