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Veteran
I don’t recall ever seeing a thread on photos made prior to the1950’s. I’m talking tintypes, Ambrotypes, Daguerrotypes, vintage platinum, cyanotypes, CDV and cabinet cards. Let’s show images you’ve purchased in antique shops or old family images prior to the 50’s.
Please let us know what the medium is and any known history of the image and process.
I‘be collected photos for 60 years and will kick off the thread with a set of images from the first generation mass marketed Kodak Bullseye #1. If you’re not aware of this camera it has George Eastman attempt to make photography something the average family could afford and make photos of the family.
The Bullseye #1 came preloaded with 100 exposures and when the last photo was made you sent the camera to Kodak and they processed and printed the negs and reloaded the camera with another 100 exposure roll and returned it with the prints.
The camera was introduced in 1880 so the film was nitrocellulose and highly flammable plus the film broke down and degraded over a couple of decades rendering the negatives useless.
No information on where but we’re around 1880. The most interesting image is the train. Looking carefully at the train it’s surrounded by soldiers in uniform carrying rifles. Most likely they were 1873 or some variant of the 45-70 Springfield trapdoor. These would have been soldiers that fought in the Indian wars or may have guarded the train due to valuable cargo or a very important person.
Notice the images are circular. They were toned and mounted by Kodak.
Please let us know what the medium is and any known history of the image and process.
I‘be collected photos for 60 years and will kick off the thread with a set of images from the first generation mass marketed Kodak Bullseye #1. If you’re not aware of this camera it has George Eastman attempt to make photography something the average family could afford and make photos of the family.
The Bullseye #1 came preloaded with 100 exposures and when the last photo was made you sent the camera to Kodak and they processed and printed the negs and reloaded the camera with another 100 exposure roll and returned it with the prints.
The camera was introduced in 1880 so the film was nitrocellulose and highly flammable plus the film broke down and degraded over a couple of decades rendering the negatives useless.
No information on where but we’re around 1880. The most interesting image is the train. Looking carefully at the train it’s surrounded by soldiers in uniform carrying rifles. Most likely they were 1873 or some variant of the 45-70 Springfield trapdoor. These would have been soldiers that fought in the Indian wars or may have guarded the train due to valuable cargo or a very important person.
Notice the images are circular. They were toned and mounted by Kodak.
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x-ray
Veteran
I’ll post two more images to get this started.
These appear to be toned albumen prints and were shot in downtown San Francisco and the bay in 1900-1901. These are in an album that I purchased nearly thirty years ago along with many beautiful images of the SF 4th of July parade, many images around and of the bay and some beautiful homes and a well dressed family with their pastor.
Many more images to come.
I’ll scan images this week and post better copies. These were shot on my phone and not terribly good.
These appear to be toned albumen prints and were shot in downtown San Francisco and the bay in 1900-1901. These are in an album that I purchased nearly thirty years ago along with many beautiful images of the SF 4th of July parade, many images around and of the bay and some beautiful homes and a well dressed family with their pastor.
Many more images to come.
I’ll scan images this week and post better copies. These were shot on my phone and not terribly good.
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Mos6502
Well-known
I am a casual collector of antique railroad images. Here's a few of the more interesting ones in my collection.
1893 DeWitt Clinton and Train Replica by Berang Berang, on Flickr
A photograph from the 1893 Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair) showing the display of the New York Central railroad. The working replica of the 1831 locomotive DeWitt Clinton and its train of primitive coaches is the main attraction. In the background is the famous 999 the "first" locomotive to haul a train at speeds in excess of 100mph. Today the replica train is in the Henry Ford museum, and the 999 resides in the Chicago museum of science and industry. Perhaps the most interesting detail in this photo is the wheel, from the original locomotive, propped up against the front of the replica. Supposedly the Smithsonian is in possession of this wheel, however it has not been on display since the 1950s and it does not appear in the current catalogue of the Smithsonian's collection. Who knows, maybe they've lost it like a lot of other important stuff that's mysteriously vanished from their storage over the years...
The Lion of 1846 by Berang Berang, on Flickr
Here is another 1890s albumen print. This time of the veteran locomotive Lion built in 1846 by the Hinkley locomotive works. This tiny, primitive locomotive was photographed after the railroad it worked on was abandoned in 1892. Many photographs of it were taken at the same location as shown here, by a local studio. The Lion is preserved, and until just very recently, was on display in the Maine state museum (it is currently being moved to a new location).
1893 DeWitt Clinton and Train Replica by Berang Berang, on FlickrA photograph from the 1893 Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair) showing the display of the New York Central railroad. The working replica of the 1831 locomotive DeWitt Clinton and its train of primitive coaches is the main attraction. In the background is the famous 999 the "first" locomotive to haul a train at speeds in excess of 100mph. Today the replica train is in the Henry Ford museum, and the 999 resides in the Chicago museum of science and industry. Perhaps the most interesting detail in this photo is the wheel, from the original locomotive, propped up against the front of the replica. Supposedly the Smithsonian is in possession of this wheel, however it has not been on display since the 1950s and it does not appear in the current catalogue of the Smithsonian's collection. Who knows, maybe they've lost it like a lot of other important stuff that's mysteriously vanished from their storage over the years...
The Lion of 1846 by Berang Berang, on FlickrHere is another 1890s albumen print. This time of the veteran locomotive Lion built in 1846 by the Hinkley locomotive works. This tiny, primitive locomotive was photographed after the railroad it worked on was abandoned in 1892. Many photographs of it were taken at the same location as shown here, by a local studio. The Lion is preserved, and until just very recently, was on display in the Maine state museum (it is currently being moved to a new location).
x-ray
Veteran
Thank you for posting those beautiful images. Please post more.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Oh, I got plenty of these
Late 1800s - early 1900s. Scanning them is quite a challenge though as they sit quite high from the scanner's surface and therefore are blurry. Here are a couple of them, I will scan more later on this week.
Late 1800s - early 1900s. Scanning them is quite a challenge though as they sit quite high from the scanner's surface and therefore are blurry. Here are a couple of them, I will scan more later on this week.
dexdog
Veteran
I collect old magic latern slides of places that I have visited, a few are even hand-painted on the glass slide before sealing the back with cover glass
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Bangkok, Thailand
Instanbul, Turkey
Abu Simbel, Egypt Bangkok, Thailand Instanbul, Turkey
vitaly66
slightly tilted
Enjoying this thread - a privilege to view these treasures - all the history and aesthetics are terrific!
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Veteran
Beautiful images!
Your lantern slides reminded me I have a bunch of the old stereo cards I’ll copy too.
My wife is a painter and years ago we’d go to antique shops looking for old photos for painting reference. She has several thick binders full of old images that are very cool. At the time she was acquiring reference photos you could buy really interesting images for $1-5. Not anymore. Actually I rarely run across anything interesting now.
Your lantern slides reminded me I have a bunch of the old stereo cards I’ll copy too.
My wife is a painter and years ago we’d go to antique shops looking for old photos for painting reference. She has several thick binders full of old images that are very cool. At the time she was acquiring reference photos you could buy really interesting images for $1-5. Not anymore. Actually I rarely run across anything interesting now.
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x-ray
Veteran
Here are two original tintypes.
The first is General George Armstrong Custer photographed by Mathew Brady just after the civil war.
Please excuse the poor photo.
The second is a treaty signing between an unknown Indian tribe and Washington officials. I imagine the image was post civil war and no later than 1870-75 due to tintypes being replaced by dry plates.
The first is General George Armstrong Custer photographed by Mathew Brady just after the civil war.
Please excuse the poor photo.
The second is a treaty signing between an unknown Indian tribe and Washington officials. I imagine the image was post civil war and no later than 1870-75 due to tintypes being replaced by dry plates.
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titrisol
Bottom Feeder
I digitized a lot of stereo (45x107) glass plates taken by my grandfather such as:
Quito, May 1922 - Celebration of the centenary of the end of the independence wars
Quito, May 1922 - Celebration of the centenary of the end of the independence wars
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Veteran
dexdog
Veteran
I have a set of 40 glass slides from a photographer in Yellowstone National Park named F. Jay Haynes. I bought these 30 years ago at a flea market in Illinois. Probably date to about 1900, hand-written notes on slide are thought to be by the photographer himself
dexdog
Veteran
My dad and a couple of Marine buddies, 1945 on Oahu Island. I found the old and faded negative after he passed away.
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
My grandmother seated in my grandfather's motorcycle (Harley Davidson J)
She must have been 17 at the time, and is joined by her aunt
Photo taken around Quito Ecuador in 1921
She must have been 17 at the time, and is joined by her aunt
Photo taken around Quito Ecuador in 1921
x-ray
Veteran
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
This is one of the better ones in the batch.
On the frame it is written: "Toilers of the sea. Hastings sprarting boat" .
On the frame it is written: "Toilers of the sea. Hastings sprarting boat" .
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
I need one of them boxes
x-ray
Veteran
Here are a few images from a collection of stereo cards I have. I’m guessing most date around 1900-1920. There’s also a photo of the viewer used. All were double images shot with a double lens stereo camera but for easier viewing I just photographed one side.
Because the images are mounted on a heavy card, the expansion and contraction rate of two different types of paper / board cause the cards to curl making it impossible to scan on a flatbed scanner.
Subjects range from science to scenics, children and pets, husbands and wives, WWI, and current events.
Because the images are mounted on a heavy card, the expansion and contraction rate of two different types of paper / board cause the cards to curl making it impossible to scan on a flatbed scanner.
Subjects range from science to scenics, children and pets, husbands and wives, WWI, and current events.
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Freakscene
Obscure member
Perfect candidate for photographing rather than scanning. You can focus on the emulsion. Are they negatives or were they developed as positives?
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dexdog
Veteran
I dont have a light box, so I photograph the glass slides by taping them to a sunny window that has a couple pieces of wax paper taped in place. Used a Canon FD 50/3.5 macro lens on Sony a7. Works great
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