Ancient Dry Plates

[Two23]

I just got four 9x12cm plate holders for a 1920s camera I'm having restored (it's beautiful!) The holders felt heavy so I took them into my darkroom and turned on the red light. Sure enough there are plates in them! I'm assuming they are unexposed since the slides weren't turned backwards. No idea how old the plates are but I have to assume they aren't from the 1920s. There were no markings or notches on them. I'm going to try to shoot them.🙂 One at a time after testing for exposure. Any idea of what ISO I should try? I plan on taking two exposures on the first one by opening the dark slide half way, popping a shot and then opening it the rest of the way and taking a second. I'm thinking maybe 1/25s at f16, then 1/50s?



Kent in SD

[richydicky]

I acquired a part used boxed of Ilford plates dating from 1922. I used one plate for test exposure, 3 or 4 areas, by moving the dark and started with an ISO rating of 0.5. I developed in HC110 dilution B for 8m. I'm not sure how I arrived at that time, based I think on experience from other old materials. More by accident I found that if rated the plates at 1.5 ISO I got a remarkable image from 98 year photographic film. I love working with this type of material and have also got good results form other, less old, plates and a pack of HP3 film.

209448

209449

209450

[Tin Can]

I have shot a few. One is my avatar to the left

I expose 10 stops above meter ASA 1, developed Rodinol 1/10 under red safe light by inspection

Here is 10 year old advice

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?59789-how-to-develop-old-Kodak-glass-plates&p=565823&viewfull=1#post565823