Plate Sizes

**Donald Qualls** · 6-Sep-2005, 22:30

FWIW, it seems to me that Contessa-Nettel made a stereo camera that used 7x11 cm, and that size was a sort-of standard for glass plate stereo cameras in the years when glass plate was still competing with roll film. I see plate holders and film sheaths in that size from time to time on eBay, as well and Polliskop (if I've remembered that model name correctly) cameras, which were later sold for a while under the Ziess-Ikon name as well (I think); there were a couple other models that used that size plates as well.

**Mark Sawyer** · 7-Sep-2005, 00:16

"I don't know how it was that English half-plate came to be called "cabinet" in Japan. There's probably an interesting story behind it."

Very likely related to the "Cabinet Card" size of the later 19th century, 4 1/4" x 6 1/2" card size (exactly half the whole plate size) with a slightly smaller albumen print wet-mounted. Basically a big Carte de Visite, and still very common in antique shops everywhere.

**Oren Grad** · 7-Sep-2005, 08:15

Mark - thanks, that makes sense. I guess I was in a fog last night, because I completely missed Jason's reference to "cabinet"-size prints. Anyway, I think the old names are extremely cool.