Plates and Cameras

The top photograph shows one of the 4 x 5 plates in the collection with the top of what used to be a paper envelope. As you can see, this was plate no. 131 and shows the dates and remarks. The plates had been stored (since 1899 I presume) in their brown paper enveloped in a stack, earliest on the top, The edges of all the envelopes have worn away leaving a stack of glass plates with two sheets of paper between each.

I scanned the negatives on a transmission flat-bed scanner at 400 to 800 dpi; lower resolution for whole plates, higher for detail portions of a plate. Most of the plates had a very narrow range of useful gray scale so some have low contrast. I optimized each scan individually to get the best gray scale range but after acquiring the image made minimal adjustments preferring to give you the more natural image. After scanning each plate I repackaged them individually in contemporary acid-free four-fold wrappers, along with the remains of the original paper envelopes, and they are stored upright in a strengthened carton made for this purpose.

These are two dusty camera given to me by my grandfather Walter White Sr. The one on the left is older and holds 4 x 5 plates. The newer camera on the right holds 5 x 7 plates. It seems reasonable to assume that these are the cameras that Frederick used to expose the plates in this collection.

Not labeled plates nos. 2-7

At the bottom of the stack of plates there were seven plates that had no labeling at all, no plate number, date or subjects identified. On six of these plates I do not recognize anybody so have combined them all in this one posting.

Note on this plate the portrait of Gov. Harrison Ludington who died in 1891. I do not know the reason for the party but clearly some folks are having more fun than others. And what's the deal with the bananas?

Not labeled no. 1

We can recognize Frances, Bud and Frederick on the left in their parlor. The three individuals on the right are unknown.

4th of July

No. 93   No date

103 East Ave., Waukesha Wis.

Clearly made at same time as No. 84

No names given but we recognize:

Frederick upper left
Frances in front of other women
Bud and Walter in front.

Is that a pistol being held high in the upper right?

4th of July

No. 84  Labeled 4th July - no year, but plate developed Dec. 29, 1899.

The residence is labeled as 103 East Ave. Waukesha, Wis. There is some family connection to Waukesha but I do not know what it is.

No names are given but we recognize:

Frederick, 2nd from left in the men's row, and Frances, left in 3rd row.  Walter two over from Frances? Bud in front?

Group at Lake Michigan

No. 77  No date but developed 3/25/99

Frederick, Frances, Walter and Budd at Lake Michigan

Nice hats!

Top image is a detail of whole plate below.

Group in Kitchen

No. 76  No date but developed 3/25/99 Note that in some cases he waited up to six months before processing!

On the right we have Frederick and Frances in the kitchen of 1337 Grand Ave. Milwaukee

The couple on the left are identified as George and, it looks like, Clover.  I don't think they are family but rather friends.

Now I must say that Frederick had a younger brother named George; born two years after him. This fellow could be two years younger. Also, the relaxed pose in the kitchen is consistent with family. However, to the best of my knowledge, George the younger brother died in 1893 at age 40, approximately six years before this photograph was made. Also, the George and the lady in the photograph are both wearing wedding rings while I have no record that Frederick's younger brother George was married. This appears to be yet another George, in addition to his father, his brother and his son.