Wet plate backs & holders?

[Glenn Thoreson]

I know some of you folks work with the wet plate process. My question to you is: What do the holders look like, and how is the camera's back configured? I have a camera back made by Anthony & Scoville from the 1890s. Before I run around trying to get a picture of it to list it in the FS section, I thought maybe someone could give me some enlightenment ???
I've never seen one like this.

[Gene McCluney]

A traditional wet plate back and holder is like this. On the camera the ground-glass is hinged and swings out of the way, and the one-sided holder clips to the camera back where the ground glass was. The holder has a dark-slide, and a door on the back which you open to put in the wet plate which is held against tiny corners. The door has a leaf-spring on it that presses on the back of the plate to hold it firmly in place. There is one plate in each holder...actually you never need more than one holder, as you can only coat and expose and process one at a time, as a rule.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Thanks, Gene. That doesn't fit this item, so I don't know what it fits. The GG focus panel has four short arms, each with a short leaf spring behind it. It opens by swinging out and to the right, in a trapezoidal fashion, and is held open by a catch. After the holder is inserted the panel is realeased by pushing the catch release. It then closes like a regular spring back. The back has two grooves, one at each end, about 3/8" wide. I would assume these are light trap grooves. I guess I'm going to have to get a picture of it. I am not a digital/computer person. If it can't be done with a Speed Graphic or something, I'm lost. :D

[Glenn Thoreson]

Taking another look at the name stamped on it, it's Scoville & Adams. It's for an 8X10 camera but the holders would be 1/2" or so wider than modern ones. It's a mystery.

[Gene McCluney]

It is probably a "dry" plate camera. Which was the industry standard until the acceptance of cut-film for large format. Glass "dry" plate holders were in general somewhat larger for a given plate size than standard cut-film holders. After film became the standard, then some dry plate holders were made to conform to the exterior dimensions of film holders.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Gene, that's sort of what I was thinking. It had to be on a plate camera of some kind. The thing is not too old for film, but it comes close. I also have to remember there's no "e" in Scovill. Or in Adams..... :D

[Gene McCluney]

Dry glass plate, and cut-film cameras co-existed for at least 3 decades.