Making a photographic plate by hand

[Photo Engineer]

As I have stated elsewhere, I am not an expert in pouring plates by hand, but my friend, Mark Osterman is and he has made a set of slides to demonstrate this 'teapot' method. This method has been used for over 100 years in one sort or another by artisans who wish to make plates.

My thanks for this to:

Mark Osterman
Process Historian
Advanced Residency Program in Photograph Conservation
George Eastman House
International Museum of Photography
Rochester, NY

He took time out of his busy schedule including preparations for a trip to Europe to get these photos to me in answer to the many questions here on APUG on the methodology of making plates.

My thanks to Mark. I owe him.

PE

[Ian Grant]

Looks easy . . . . . . in daylight.

Try doing it in the dark :-)

Very interesting, thanks Ron, I bet he make a good cup of tea too !

Ian

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks, that's very handy! I think we have a ceramic vessel that looks very much like that designed for nasal irrigation that someone gave us, evidently thinking we would benefit from this natural health practice. This looks like a much better use for it.

[Photo Engineer]

There were more pictures to post, but you are limited to 3 uploads so...

Mark has asked me to add this:

1. This method should not be confused with the wet collodion method. You might do that by not seeing the missing photos. I'll post them in a subsequent set. They show noodle washing, chilling the plate and etc.

2. The hand technique as illustrated was used not only by amateurs for coating gelatin emulsions, but also in dry plate factories until the availability of coating machines. An 1884 account of the operation at the Cramer Dry Plate Works in St. Louis was described as "eight busy men, with pitchers of emulsion on one side, a pile of glass on the other and in front of them, a peculiar leveling stand." *

* Philadelphia Photographer, Jan 1884, p 11


PE

[Photo Engineer]

In addition:

Historic examples of hand coated gelatin dry plates often show the small drips of emulsion that rolled to the back of the plate as it was tilted to pour off the excess from one end.... and then the other...as shown in the demonstration. These small drips often stuck the back of the plate to the chilling table making the plate difficult to remove. Sliding the plate from the table resulted in another visual artifact that can be used as an identifier.

These particular scenes will also be shown in the next picture set that I upload.

PE

[dmr]

We are indeed spoiled with today's pre-coated film, let alone the color products! I can see how the craftspeople in the 19th century thought of pre-made dry plates and roll film as the end of the craft, not unlike some of us who see {d-word} that way.

[Photo Engineer]

Originally Posted by Ian Grant

Looks easy . . . . . . in daylight.

Try doing it in the dark :-)

Very interesting, thanks Ron, I bet he make a good cup of tea too !

Ian

Ian, Mark drinks coffee. His teapot is in use.

For those who want to see more, Google "Dr. Bumstead" and Lenape. You will see Mark in all of his glory.



Now I really owe Mark for doing this to him.

PE

[ben-s]

Thanks PE & Mark, another interesting and useful chunk of info.

[Photo Engineer]

These photos distinguish plate coating of an emulsion as opposed to other methods.

It also shows the artifacts that Mark has mentioned in the information sent to me and posted above.

The photos are out of sequence from the way they should be viewed, but the numbers in the file names will denoote the correct sequence.

My apologies for this, and thanks to Sean for explaining how to do more than 3 at one time.

PE

[z-man]

Originally Posted by Photo Engineer

There were more pictures to post, but you are limited to 3 uploads so...

Mark has asked me to add this:

1. This method should not be confused with the wet collodion method. You might do that by not seeing the missing photos. I'll post them in a subsequent set. They show noodle washing, chilling the plate and etc.

2. The hand technique as illustrated was used not only by amateurs for coating gelatin emulsions, but also in dry plate factories until the availability of coating machines. An 1884 account of the operation at the Cramer Dry Plate Works in St. Louis was described as "eight busy men, with pitchers of emulsion on one side, a pile of glass on the other and in front of them, a peculiar leveling stand." *

* Philadelphia Photographer, Jan 1884, p 11


PE

the ether for colliodon allways knocks me out

the tea pot i allready got-that side handle style-buy in any china/korea/japan town

but you know that it looks like a hot instant vanailla pudding mix that is too thin-since the instant pudding is mostly gelatine that might be a way to learn this

what about the "PECULIAR" levaling stand tho?

ron-those are lovely photo's-you have out done yourself agin

looks like a giant garlic press for the noodle canoodling-thinkng that since this really was a kitchen process the equipment can be found in chefs supply

a piece of bakers marble might do fo the chilling table since that is its function in pastry making

ron you did gooder than ever

vaya con dios