Vintage collotype (c.1900) from Encyclopédie florale, published by Calavas frères Plate size : 54 x 35 cm Image size : 36,5 x 26,5 cm The collotype process is a screenless photomechanical process that allows high-quality prints from continuous-tone photographic negatives. The process uses dichromate-sensitized gelatin to create a random surface micropattern. Regardless of the improvements and modifications in the beggining of 20th century, the collotype process remained technologically challenging and expensive. As such, it was quickly replaced by offset printing, which was faster and cheaper, and its use was narrowed to luxury printing. As of 2010 only a few collotype print facilities still existed worldwide.