What are these people doing??

[mark]

If I am reading the clock, in the back, right the image was taken at 9:30 ish. Where are the shadows?

[Andy K]

I read the clock as 5.50pm.

[Mike Crawford]

I originally thought it was 10.30 but looking again at the hands, I think it might be 10 to 6 which I should imagine is 17.50. Wonder what time they will finish their shift?

[mark]

But where are the shadows?

[keithwms]

What a fascinating and cool record. My, how differently people used to dress at work.

[Ole]

But where are the shadows?

Cloudy day?

Blue-sensitive emulsion - the contrast between sunlit and shade is much less with a blue-only sensitive emulsion than with a panchromatic emulsion?

[mark]

Okay. That makes sense.

[David A. Goldfarb]

The "rolling machine" may be a calendering press (that's "calender" as opposed to "calendar"), which was used for giving a glossier surface to finished albumen prints. The top roller would spin faster than the bottom roller to polish the surface as it passed through the rollers. I think there is a picture of a calendering press in Reilly's book at albumen.stanford.edu.

[KD5NRH]

But where are the shadows?

Look up top; it appears they're under some sort of translucent awning. So, they're basically in a giant light tent.

[jnanian]

The "rolling machine" may be a calendering press (that's "calender" as opposed to "calendar"), which was used for giving a glossier surface to finished albumen prints. The top roller would spin faster than the bottom roller to polish the surface as it passed through the rollers. I think there is a picture of a calendering press in Reilly's book at albumen.stanford.edu.

too cool!
david, you are an albuminist, do you have a device like this?

Look up top; it appears they're under some sort of translucent awning. So, they're basically in a giant light tent.

it is probably a building with a clearstory monitor / skylight windows (like a factory ).
if this was taken in the summer, these folks are boiling hot seeing how they are dressed ...

john