Welcome, Guest. Please login or register for free.
Did you miss your activation email?
Tuesday 01 December 09 15:52 UTC (UK)
Welcome Home Help Surnames Library Shop Search Login Register

+  RootsChat.Com
|-+  Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering
| |-+  Photograph Restoration & Dating. (Moderator: PrueM)
| | |-+  Glass plates pictures
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print
Author Topic: Glass plates pictures  (Read 151 times)
facellia
RootsChat Member
***
Posts: 142


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Glass plates pictures
« on: Friday 03 July 09 10:32 UTC (UK) »
Have found several pictures on glass plates of my relatives.
They measure about 4x3 inches.
Can they be reproduced as normal photographs ?
Any suggestions where/who to contact ?

Many thanks.
Logged
Kenward East Sussex/Lewes
Foord Eastbourne/Seaford/Hankham Westham Sussex
Hurdle West Sussex/Surrey
Green West Sussex
Potter Eastbourne
GrahamH
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 255


JiGraH Resources


WWW
Re: Glass plates pictures
« Reply #1 on: Friday 03 July 09 10:51 UTC (UK) »
Yes, they can be reproduced. We did several a few years ago.

Most scanners won't handle them, though, because the light source is insufficient. You normally need a light box to use in conjunction with the scanner, one which is set up to give the correct amount of light over the whole of the image.

The main problem is getting plates and scanner to the same location. One person sent us a unique plate in an ordinary, unpadded, envelope through the ordinary post (i.e. not special delivery) and it arrived unscathed. I would never recommend that though.

Graham
Logged
PrueM
Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
*******
Posts: 7424



WWW
Re: Glass plates pictures
« Reply #2 on: Friday 03 July 09 11:03 UTC (UK) »
If they are negatives, then you can scan them using a transmitted light source.  Many scanners these days come with a built-in transmitted light in the lid, specifically for scanning negatives.

If they are ambrotypes (i.e. they have a black backing that makes them look positive) then you can scan them as you would a normal photograph.

There are topics in the following link that relate to glass plates/ambrotypes, and which might be helpful and/or interesting to you:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,232983.0.html

As Graham rightly points out, they are extremely vulnerable to damage.  I had one posted to me several years ago (one that I'd purchased and which was about the size of an A4 page, and was overpainted) and they didn't pack it properly....unfortunately, unlike Graham's, mine arrived snapped in half  Sad

Prue
Logged
Paper and Photograph Conservator
I live in NSW, and am researching:
BALFOUR (Derry) – BIGG (Kent) – BONSALL (DBY, NTT, CHS) – BRISBANE (Fife) – DANKS (STS) – DOBSON (BRK) – FRANCIS (ESS) – GOODE (HAM) – HAYNES (Cork) – INGRAM (MDX, SOM) – LANGWORTHY (Jersey, DEV) – MCKAY (Fife, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray) – MORRISH (LND) – NANCARROW (CON) – OGILVIE (Moray, LND) – STRATHDEE (LND, Banff) - SWAN (Fife)
anonymouse
RootsChat Extra
**
Posts: 32


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Glass plates pictures
« Reply #3 on: Friday 03 July 09 12:07 UTC (UK) »
In their day of course, there were 'normal' photographs. In fact you can still buy them, occasionally.
Assuming they're negatives, I'd suggest getting them contact printed onto photographic paper, as they would have been when popular, then scanning the print if you need a digital image. Get in touch with your local photographic club or society; they're the most likely people to know someone who'll print them for you.

Graham
Logged
Gough: Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
facellia
RootsChat Member
***
Posts: 142


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Glass plates pictures
« Reply #4 on: Friday 03 July 09 13:51 UTC (UK) »
Many thanks folks for all the advice about the glass plates.

Will follow up you suggestions.


Cheers.
Logged
Kenward East Sussex/Lewes
Foord Eastbourne/Seaford/Hankham Westham Sussex
Hurdle West Sussex/Surrey
Green West Sussex
Potter Eastbourne
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »


[Copyright] [Shrink Link] [About Us] [Terms of Use]
All Census Lookups are Crown Copyright, National Archives for academic and non-commercial research purposes only
RootsChat.com cannot be held responsible directly or indirectly for the messages or content posted by others. Inline images in messages are the copyright of the respective linked sites.
RootsChat.com, Europa House, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5BT

In loving memory of Eric George Davies, 1934-2009, the father of RootsChat.com































Powered by SMF 1.0.7 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC
0.852:22