A PROBLEM SOLVED...SORT OF

[FUJI]

Some of you might remember this nostalgic scene being posted recently?

 

Just to remind you, I have a huge number of circa 100 year old Glass Plate Negatives, plus over 400 Glass Lantern slides in my attic...Many moons ago, my local records office made a series of beautiful Contact Prints from the best of them......it is an expensive process so they only gave me three copies: Since then I have often wondered about making my own good quality Prints using Digital means......I did try my scanner but focussng was almost impossible:

 

I learned that a light box is the answer, put the negatives on then re-photograph them using a camera on a solid Tripod..............Today a Jessops Lightbox arrived via good old Ebay......Here is my first test print of a totally uncleaned Half Plate Glass Negative....as you can see, it is filthy but the resulting print is excellent:

 

Cleaning each one safely has to be done and then after re-photographing they will all require wrapping and storing....it will be a huge, repetetive project, but one with lots to discover as it progesses:

 

I do know the origins of this huge collection.....thay are an important part of our local history....watch this space for further developments:

 

In the meantime, if anyone on TIPF has any advice, regarding the Glass Plate cleaning, and which side to photograph .....emulsiuon side or the plain????...to ensure that they print the right way round:

 

Best viewed LARGE...Click on Pic:

 

FUJI

[NannyFerret]

That has worked really well.  It's a brilliant idea.

I don't think even an expert would be able to get them better than that.

. I have a lightbox that UI bought in a Jessops sale a few years ago and was thinking of using it for lighting translucent objects. I bought some of those translucent very thin plastic chopping sheets to use under the objects.

[bugmeister]

Interesting idea and it looks to be working really well. I hope we see more of the series. It may be repetitive but it could be very rewarding

 

i haven't a clue about cleaing the plates, but as for which side to photograph... is it possible to find just one of the locations to see which way round things are? That could give a guide, as well as being a bit of a treasure hunt

[fuzzyedges]

This is for films but I would think it would be relevant for glass plate

 

It was copied and pasted from another forum on scanning films so thanks to them

 

"So you also have to place the film
"face down". The "face" of the film is the side you view it from so as
to have proper orientation, which is the "shiny" side. So the shiny
side should be down and the emulsion up."

 

Hope this helps
 

[Kobione]

Fascinating project you have there, Fuji. Can't help with the glass plate stuff, but will look forward to more results of your efforts