Newbie: Glass Plate Finishing/Display options

[Drew Bedo]

I am working myself up to doing some vintage process imaging.

Starting this summer with a Petzval lens and a Rapid Rectilinear on my 8x10 Kodak 2D with sheet film. Then will get some Lane dry plates. Eventually I intend to go intodoing wet plate collodion.

I do not think I will be doing contact prints with salted paper or albumin. I am thinking to display the plates themselves.

My questions today: with a developed glass plate image in hand, what ways are there to finish it off? What will it look like with a mirror behind it? what will it look like with a black backingnd . . .or white? Should a dry plate be varnished as is done with wet plates?

I am also a littler at sea on matting and framing too.

[jnantz]

Drew,
You might consider contacting the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas
https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/
Ask to speak with someone in collections, they might be able to offer you some advice about how THEY present glass images,
and what they wouldn't recommend. ( they are well versed in glass images )
they may also be able to tell you about top coating the emulsion. sometimes the wet plate solutions don't work with dry plate.
they have the niepce heliograph so their curators and collections experts might be able to help you out.

good luck!
John

[Drew Bedo]

Thanks for that tip.

I was hoping for input from active wet plate photographers.

[jnantz]

Drew, dry plates sometime have "issues". ... ( disattachment and frill). the HRC has an extensive photography and photography conservation center, they might be able to give you a better idea than modern day wet plate photographer, seeing wet and dry plate really have nothing in common other than ... both being on glass plates..

Best of luck figuring out what to do...
John

[Tin Can]

also

the oval vignette was done to hide flaws on plates and became a fad

to maintain a plate close it

[Tin Can]

I posted some years ago showing small plates

TinType

Dry glass plate

Wet Plate

as examples of keepsake vest pocket loved ones

Our Civil War perhaps

[Drew Bedo]

Drew, the problem is that silver gelatin emulsion dry plates sometime have "issues". ... so conservation (treatment of plates with a top coat, making sure the gelatin stays attached to the plate and does not frill &c) might be a bit different. the HRC has an extensive photography and photography conservation center, they might be able to give you a better idea than modern day wet plate photographer, seeing wet and dry plate really have nothing in common other than ... both being on glass plates..

Best of luck figuring out what to do...
John

Thankyou, I understand your remarks regarding any topcoat.

What about the other parts of my question?

[jnantz]

Thankyou, I understand your remarks regarding any topcoat.

What about the other parts of my question?

they display glass and will be able to give you an answer on that as well.

good luck!

[Drew Bedo]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on displaying glass plates.

Anyone else?

I have seen historic documentary glass plate images by Curtis that are backed with gold dust (not practical today!) that still look good. Others seemed to have a dark or black backing. What about a reflective background?

What techniques are effective for securely matting a glass plate?

[Tin Can]

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