What type of film/plate holder is this?

[Simon Benton]

I received this film holder a while back with a 5 X 7 camera I had purchased. I have not seen one like it before and am wondering if a forum member can kindly tell me what it is.
It is a standard 5 X 7 size and one side has the normal raised strip that fits in the camera light trap. When the dark slide is removed there is a sheet of glass where the film would normally go. When the other side is opened there is a thin wooden plate with 2 springs on it and the other side has black felt on it. It looks professionally made and the glass is an exact fit. Any information gratefully received.

[IanG]

Your pictures are a bit small but my guess is it's a modern wet plate holder. Sort of thin Bill Schwab made but I don't think it's one of his.

Ian

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Its a plate holder...

I have a few 8x10 and even 11x14 holders that look just like that. Kodak made one that was the same design (although black painted metal) that they called a "Bromide Plate Holder" I am not entirely sure what a Bromide Plate is, but imagine that it was some sort of dry plate on glass. Perhaps it was a similar emulsion to bromide paper (AgBr & AgI)?

I suppose it could have been used for wet plate, but I don't see any of the telltale stains.

[IanG]

A wet plate needs to be put in from the back so only one per holder. It may well be converted from a normal plate holder but the metal part in the middle is normally solid unless it's a book-form holder, so this is modified or made like this.

I'd agree that holders used for wet plate usually have tell tale sighs, I'm restring the damage on quite a few wooden book form holders :D

Ian

[Simon Benton]

Thank you gentlemen for the useful information.