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View Full Version : 4x5 scanning question..


micah
10-Sep-2009, 13:23
hey guys, 1st post, hope this is correct forum, if not, please move if neccesary!

anyways, my brother was cleaning out abandoned houses in the ghettos of Buffalo, NY, and came across a box of 4x5 glass negatives... i have a new Canon Scanner that i tried scanning a few on...

now is there any other thing i should be putting in between the negative and the glass or between the negative and the top door>? the top door is a white material and the scans below worked well.

there were some negatives that would simply be black blotches and shows darker smears of solution on the glass making a scan impossible..

also these are all in original Kodak 4x5 glass negative boxes from Rochester, NY.

so far just browsing through some, shows some portraits, family portraits, houses, streets, etc, one negative said 1920... so i assume all are from around that era.

there are about 120-150 negatives, i plan on scanning them all. some people are telling me to sell them. is there a market? i'd rather keep and show them off and maybe uncover some local history

thx!

http://www.micahweber.com/history/1.jpg

http://www.micahweber.com/history/2.jpg
Keith S. Walklet
10-Sep-2009, 18:00
You may find a piece of diffuse mylar on top of the negative improves your results.
Steven Barall
10-Sep-2009, 18:06
That is an amazing find. Let us see some more. Good luck.
Scott Knowles
11-Sep-2009, 05:17
Are there any indications of a date with negatives? Why not donate them to a history museum, and maybe than can trace the history of the photographer and subjects. You never know, you might find some connections with families who would like to see their relatives. Just a thought.
micah
11-Sep-2009, 06:09
Are there any indications of a date with negatives? Why not donate them to a history museum, and maybe than can trace the history of the photographer and subjects. You never know, you might find some connections with families who would like to see their relatives. Just a thought.

1920 was the only date i was on one of the negatives...

funny enough one label said "pictures of the Knowles children" ..

last nite i scanned them all and even scanned the boxes they came in as well, throughout today i will be inverting the negatives and creating pics to put up here. so i will def post a lot more soon.

and yes i think i will talk to our local historical society that does that kind of stuff.

while going through them last nite, i saw some guys in uniform as well, Marine Corps.. should be interesting once i get them all viewable on my computer and then hosted for all to see
micah
15-Sep-2009, 10:19
collection is here: www.micahweber.com/nyhistory

i wrote a letter to the local historical society to offer the negatives to them.
this is their response:

Dear Mr. Weber,

Thank you for contacting the Historical Society. We are continually humbled and impressed by the generous spirit people show when it comes to their treasures.

With only sketchy identification, I'm afraid we have to decline your kind offer of the negatives.

Thank you for thinking of us!
Harley Goldman
15-Sep-2009, 15:46
What an outstanding find!!!