There are a number of reasons why Labs have stopped processing Type R as
well as K-14

The chemicals are expensive.
Maintaining Quality control Expensive.
Volume of the products dropping.
Environmental issues these chemistries are not very kind to the environment.

Gary

No.  Like I said, you can't compare an RA-4 print (the Fuji Crystal Archive
is RA-4, the same process as prints from negatives) to an Ilfochrome.  The
dyes used are so widely different.  The process is so different.  Azo dyes
are also used to make the dyes for the clothing industry among other things.

The apparent sharpness you see in the Ilfochrome is due to the large
increase in tonal and Dmax/Dmin contrast.  The yellows are deeper yellow,
the blues deeper... etc.  The vibrance of the colors is also greater and
therefore the eye tends to understand this as increase sharpness (that is,
if the print was properly focused for both prints).

There is another possible variable in the process and that's the base
material used for the Ilfochrome.  There are two base materials used.  The
cheaper of the two is the standard 'RC' or resin coated paper.  This is the
base material used by Fuji for Crystal Archive.  Normally, for
professionally made Ilfochrome prints, they use the more expensive and
durable paper which has a polyester base.  The polyester has (IMHO) a
cleaner and purer white than RC bases (in general).  This will aid in the
reflection of light especially in highlights and produce a more vibrant
overall picture.

The use of the Azo dyes and the polyester base will also produce a print
that (from a quality stand point) is more stable dimensionally and archival.
It will outlast many of us (if not all).

So, in many ways, the Ilfochrome is a much better print.  It's also going to
be much more expensive.  If you're looking for exhibition quality, then the
price may not be as important.  The other option you may have is learn to
print them yourself.  However, this is not something you can learn overnight
and I'd be very surprised to see the local Community College offering a
course.  However, they may offer a course in darkroom skills that would be
the right start.  Another place to start is some of the better local camera
shops.  Ask if there's a local artist who prints Ilfochrome.  They may be
able to do a good job.

BTW,  Love Albuquerque.  I was there a couple of times for school at
Kirkland.  Loved wandering through the Sandia park and hills.  Remember
quite vividly rounding a corner on the road to Sandia peak and there in the
middle of the road was a rather large bear.  We let Yogi have the right of
way...

My apologies for this unintended multiple posts - a glitch in the
uploading process made it appear that the reply was not being posted.